nootka
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Hiya,
Most of you might remember my post about buying items produced locally (this means near where we live whereever possible, for a multitude of reasons, most notably accountability of the manufacturer. Let's hope our neighbors would be less likely to cheat and/or poison us), especially in light of Christmas.
Well, I have had some good luck with purchasing things locally, even handmade locally and they are wonderful. Best of all, I inquired and met the people who make these things and got to see their faces when I told them that I appreciated that they had these things available, and my "new" goal, which isn't so new, it is just getting more momentum as I learn more. They really appreciate my mindset.
The other night, a friend of mine told me that a long-standing business here in town, the "Home" Bakery, had told him they lost half their business when a new Safeway store opened up in town about eight blocks away. That made me feel bad. I went out of my way to stop there and get a few items instead of buying the Safeway version. We are on the verge of starting our own family business (husband is buying/leasing a commercial fishing boat where he used to only work the back deck), and I would like to think that our neighbors and peers would support us over the commercialized versions that ship their product to places like China to process them.
Anyway, I have hit a few frustrating roadblocks. We attend America's Largest Christmas Bazaar that boasts 1000 booths. I was told the majority of vendors would be carrying handmade and locally produced items. They were wrong. Much of what was being sold was cheapo crap I could buy at any big box store. The things that probably cost a dime to produce and ship over here, but are being sold for $1 on up. Things that will be broken even before the Christmas decorations are put away. NOT my goal. Not for a local Christmas bazaar, no matter the size. Not only that, but there were several booths which were selling the same stuff. I don't mind a few sprinkled in there, but jeez.
Next of all is that I thought I was safe buying the children books! I thought wrong! I was reading the synopsis of a book inside the dustjacket and there it was..."Made in China." Wow.... So I went to looking around to the "vintage" section of the bookstore and found many of the old books I liked to read as a kid and purchased them used (in good condition). I loved the "Made in the U.S.A." printing there. Even toys like Lincoln Logs and Tinker Toys are made in China, now....luckily I did a lot of search engine browsing and found a place called Fat Brain Toys that sorted them all into Made in USA or Europe just for me. I did purchase some from overseas in Europe, but most made here in the US or Canada.
Another huge problem is the Christmas decoration route. MOST of it is made in China, from the pretty bags and bows on up to the strings of lights and fake trees (which I do not usually do anyway, not here in the land of the evergreen).
STILL, I have been successful for the most part, and also feel that I am learning a LOT. I wonder if people know what they are doing when they load their carts with things made and grown by people they will never meet and have not been fairly paid to do so, sending money to the people who exploit them (and us in the long run).
Ok, off my soap box. Interested to hear what others have learned, sources you have found (one great tip is Etsy.com for handmade items!!!)....also considering buying the boys some vintage toys here and there, with consideration that the safety standards then were not what they are now. Gotta wonder what good those are, though, when everything that supposedly meets those requirements is made in China, which has a new recall every few hours it seems.
I think it has made some self-employed people very happy to hear what I thought about their products and to know that I was looking just FOR their products.
Liz
Most of you might remember my post about buying items produced locally (this means near where we live whereever possible, for a multitude of reasons, most notably accountability of the manufacturer. Let's hope our neighbors would be less likely to cheat and/or poison us), especially in light of Christmas.
Well, I have had some good luck with purchasing things locally, even handmade locally and they are wonderful. Best of all, I inquired and met the people who make these things and got to see their faces when I told them that I appreciated that they had these things available, and my "new" goal, which isn't so new, it is just getting more momentum as I learn more. They really appreciate my mindset.
The other night, a friend of mine told me that a long-standing business here in town, the "Home" Bakery, had told him they lost half their business when a new Safeway store opened up in town about eight blocks away. That made me feel bad. I went out of my way to stop there and get a few items instead of buying the Safeway version. We are on the verge of starting our own family business (husband is buying/leasing a commercial fishing boat where he used to only work the back deck), and I would like to think that our neighbors and peers would support us over the commercialized versions that ship their product to places like China to process them.
Anyway, I have hit a few frustrating roadblocks. We attend America's Largest Christmas Bazaar that boasts 1000 booths. I was told the majority of vendors would be carrying handmade and locally produced items. They were wrong. Much of what was being sold was cheapo crap I could buy at any big box store. The things that probably cost a dime to produce and ship over here, but are being sold for $1 on up. Things that will be broken even before the Christmas decorations are put away. NOT my goal. Not for a local Christmas bazaar, no matter the size. Not only that, but there were several booths which were selling the same stuff. I don't mind a few sprinkled in there, but jeez.
Next of all is that I thought I was safe buying the children books! I thought wrong! I was reading the synopsis of a book inside the dustjacket and there it was..."Made in China." Wow.... So I went to looking around to the "vintage" section of the bookstore and found many of the old books I liked to read as a kid and purchased them used (in good condition). I loved the "Made in the U.S.A." printing there. Even toys like Lincoln Logs and Tinker Toys are made in China, now....luckily I did a lot of search engine browsing and found a place called Fat Brain Toys that sorted them all into Made in USA or Europe just for me. I did purchase some from overseas in Europe, but most made here in the US or Canada.
Another huge problem is the Christmas decoration route. MOST of it is made in China, from the pretty bags and bows on up to the strings of lights and fake trees (which I do not usually do anyway, not here in the land of the evergreen).
STILL, I have been successful for the most part, and also feel that I am learning a LOT. I wonder if people know what they are doing when they load their carts with things made and grown by people they will never meet and have not been fairly paid to do so, sending money to the people who exploit them (and us in the long run).
Ok, off my soap box. Interested to hear what others have learned, sources you have found (one great tip is Etsy.com for handmade items!!!)....also considering buying the boys some vintage toys here and there, with consideration that the safety standards then were not what they are now. Gotta wonder what good those are, though, when everything that supposedly meets those requirements is made in China, which has a new recall every few hours it seems.
I think it has made some self-employed people very happy to hear what I thought about their products and to know that I was looking just FOR their products.
Liz