I could list 100 reasons why you & I should buy local & support small businesses but of course me being a black & female entrepreneuer makes my opinion totally biased. But even so, I still feel like it's my obligation to remind us all of some of the reasons to 'buy small & local', not only now, but every single day;
- They create less waste
- They communicate better
- They are timeless
- They support each other
They create less waste
- Smaller & local brands often don't have the budget to produce huge amounts of product, which can be a benefit to the environment.
- These smaller production runs are good business moves on emerging brands' part to test the market & also an effective way to avoid over-producing.
They Communicate better
- It can be a lot of work sorting through brand's sustainability claims. As a concious consumer, it's vital to see proof that backs up these claims. Have a question about what fabric content of a garment is & where it is being produced?
- Email/DM an emerging brand, & chances are you will be talking to the owner or someone in the company who has those answers.
They are Timeless
- Many emerging brands don't rely on the everchanging trends to influence their designs. This can be for a number of reasons, including the desire to do something different, budget limitations or maker availability.
- No matter the reason, a benefit that comes from not allowing the trends is the production of timeless garments.
They support each
other
- Many emerging brands work with emerging artists & businesses like photographers, models & manufacturers. Some reasons for this are because they are able to find them locally & they have smaller requirements which fit into an emerging brand's production plan.
- On the environmental side of things, working with someone local to you cuts down on shipping, materials used & travel pollution which both become problematic when placing production orders.