Shopping Small is a Really BIG Deal
Posted by Kelsey Kitt on
Shopping small is kind of a big deal, and I don't mean buying a size too small in the hopes that you'll stick to this season's latest diet. Shopping small - supporting small businesses - buying from brands who are built in the homes and hearts of the entrepreneurs who have started them. That's what matters, and here's why.
1. Quality. There is nothing I hate more than buying something, getting it home, washing it once, and finding out that I've wasted my money on something that sucks. And then what? You're stuck with an article of clothing that you've taken the tags off of, so you can't return it, and you'll now never wear it again. Buying small means buying quality - these makers have invested their own time and money into their product, and you can bet they're taking pride in the quality of clothing they're selling. While you might pay a little more at the checkout, what you're getting in quality is going to far make up for any extra cash you might spend. I have leggings I bought at Target for $4 that lasted my daughter a few wears before she blew out the knees and the print had faded. Her favourite small shop leggings? She wore them for well over a year, and now her younger brother is on his second year in them. Worth the price? Hands down.
2. Quantity. I live in a small town. If I shop at the only local store, my kids and I are wearing the same thing that everyone else in this town is wearing. Does that matter? It does when you're digging through the lost and found on the last Friday of the semester, trying to find every mitten, toque, and shirt your kids have left behind. Seriously. I used to wonder how pants ended up in the lost and found, and then I had kids. And, I like being unique. I like having a shirt no one else has. I like having people ask where I got these pants. I like representing who I am in the clothing that I wear, and I just can't do that at Walmart.
3. Family. The small shop community is one-of-a-kind. It's a community that truly does value collaboration over competition. It's a community that will share each others' sales, products, and celebrations. When you shop small, you end up sucked into this family of small shops, and suddenly, you're one of them. You're stalking their Facebook groups for their next product launch. You're offering advice on what they should tweak in their designs. You're genuinely excited about their upcoming baby. You become a part of a conversation that's about so much more than just what they sell. Amazon? They only email me when my Prime membership is due.
4. Ethics. I'm going there, and I'm not even sorry. It's a well known fact that a lot of the clothing we buy for cheap is made by people who aren't being paid a fair, or reasonable wage to make it. Shopping small means I know that the seamstresses I am supporting are earning a fair wage, sewing in humane working conditions, and truly love the work they are doing. Buying their products means that they get to continue to sew - not that they have to.
5. Makers. You've seen it - we've all seen it. That soul-wrenching quote about shopping small because you're sending a little girl to dance, or putting food on a table. It's cheesy. It's corny. It's true. When you shop small, you really are supporting those makers, their families, and their dreams. There are real people, real families behind these brands. Supporting them really does mean that you're putting food in their fridges, and bettering the lives of their children. Owning a small business, and basing your entire income on your own profit potential can't be easy, but these people are making it happen. And that's pretty amazing, isn't it?
Shopping small is about a whole lot more than just the products we're buying. It's the products, yes, but it's also the values, dreams, and futures behind these brands. It's knowing that every dollar you spend is going to be used to directly benefit both the brand you're supporting, and the family who has sacrificed so much to bring that brand to life. Shopping small is a really big deal.
Kelsey Kitt is a work-at-home-mom of three in northern Alberta. When she’s not chasing kids around, she is also a freelance copywriter, wine lover, and Parental Guidance content creator. You can follow her and all her family’s adventures on Instagram at @mommydoesntlie.