Support Small Artisan Designers
Why you should make the switch
I think with most designer labels today you
are just paying for the name. Yes that
person has worked hard and to make it to where they are but does that really
translate to paying $500 for a white t-shirt? There are people who are willing
to pay the price for designer labels and that’s fine, but I find it a bit show
off when you see a woman with a purse emblazoned with a designer logo. Somehow we have got it into our minds that
money spent is equal to quality.
There are a lot of small shops out on the internet where
people are making great quality items at a fraction of the cost of what you
would pay for designer labels. The reason that they can charge less is not
because they are not using quality materials or that there designs are not
unique and fashion forward, but because they are generally doing all of the
work themselves. They don’t have to pay for big name advertising or pay for
store fronts, and their labor costs are very very low which translates to
savings for you. The best part about buying from one of these artisan shops is
you truly are getting something unique, these items are not mass produced.
I love jewelry and accessories, it is a simple yet stunning
way to make any outfit special and unique. I think this is one area where you
can truly get something unique in the handmade market for a great price, you
just have to do a little digging to find it. There are websites like Etsy that
in the beginning were full of small design shops where you could find handmade
items, but over the years Etsy has changed their rules for who can open an Etsy
shop. They now allow manufacturers, which is fine if a small shop has been
successful and can now afford to pay staff to hand make their items, but
unfortunately it is being abused by knock off resellers and mass produced
items. There are still great artisan shops to be found, you just need to be
diligent. When you contact one of these shops see if they allow custom orders.
If they do it usually means that they are hand making each item.
Supporting artisan
shops is good for everyone involved. The
customer gets a one of a kind handmade item and the artisan who made it gets
all of the money which they can use in their local economy and to grow their
business.
The next time you have a bit of extra cash and want to treat
yourself to something special, do a little searching and find that one of a
kind shop or designer and support them.