Today as I was checking out my usual weekly blog reads, I came across this call for vendors on Toronto Craft Alert. It seems that the buy local movement is rapidly spreading beyond food to incorporate hand crafted or locally produced clothing and household items. 100milefinds.com sounds like it's going to be a localized version of Etsy.com, which has taken off in the past several years to be the e-bay of the crafting world.
Supporting locally made goods is just as important as supporting locally grown produce, for all the same reasons: saving in fuel and transportation costs (both economical and environmental) and supporting local economies. Therefore, when we are teaching our students about the importance of buying locally, we should not overlook the possibilities for these items.
As individuals, we should strive to support these local artisans and remember that a dollar spent on their goods is a dollar that stays local and helps strengthen our local economy. Not to mention your product will be unique and more interesting than something mass produced! For example, rather than buying your next greeting card at Shopper's Drug Mart, where it was probably printed in some far off place and shipped half way around the world, check out a local Etsy.com seller -- or the soon to come 100milefinds.com -- and pick up something special.
Finally, if you know any local Toronto crafters or artisans that might want to list their goods on 100milefinds.com, spread the word!
Thank you so much for writing about us. It is so exciting to get this site going and to meet so many talented, local entrepreneurs. We are now live, at http://www.100milefinds.com with over 120 vendors and 30 more approved and ready to set up.
ReplyDeleteThanks again, Susan and Shirley