Why you should choose to buy handmade this Christmas

Reasons to Buy Handmade this Christmas

With Christmas being right around the corner, some of you are probably already looking for some special gifts for their loved ones. But before you start rushing right into the stores and checking out online shops, I want to take the opportunity to talk a little about small businesses and handmade goods and why should care about where you buy from and especially why you should choose to buy handmade this Christmas.

Geo Tree Recycled Wrapping Paper by Caroline Creates

Not only do I love creating handmade jewellery and accessories but I also absolutely love buying handmade items for family and friends - and of course also for myself from time to time. 😉

 Jewellery by Gypsy Soul Jewellery

Luckily during the last years the offer got bigger. There are more and more amzing small handmade businesses out there but I also noticed that many people start being more conscious about what and where they buy from. Platforms like Dawanda or Etsy played an important role and have opened new opportunities for new designers, artists and crafters to start their little business and to sell and show their work, not only to a local but also to a global public. Of course it’s not easy to compete with the big companies who often sell similar goods for way less money. Maybe you are even asking yourself right now, ‘why should I by handmade and spend two or three times more on an item if I can buy something similar from somewhere else and spend less on it? What’s in it for me?’

 Palmistry Painting by Hanako Mimiko

Well, here are a few reasons why you should give it a thought and choose to buy handmade:

• If you buy it as a gift for someone, it says that you really care about that person. A handmade gift is so much more personal than anything that you could buy at some big chain store.

• Spread the love – Not only can you give a gift that comes from the heart but you can also be sure that it has been made with good vibes, love and care.

• How big are the chances that someone will have the exact same item as you? Even if the same design has been made multiple times, it is usually in a very limited amount and each item will be unique in its own way. Remember, it's handmade and not mass produced.

• Customization – have you seen something but you would like to have in a different colour, size, etc.? Just ask for it! Most handmade businesses usually offer customization and will be happy to make it just the way you like.

• You support a small business. You won’t help a CEO of a big company to buy his 5^th car or a yacht but you might help a mother to afford working from home, while she can take care of her kids, a family to put food on the table and you also support someone’s talent which will encourage and allow them to grow and to keep doing all these beatiful things for you.

• You help the environment, as the materials are carefully selected and often recycled materials are used.

• Above all, the moment you choose to buy something handmade, you make a conscious decision that implies so much more than just buying something nice & unique. If you haven’t seen it yet, I highly recommend you to watch the documentary film The True Cost, which is about the impact that the global fashion industry, especially the fast fashion industry has on the people and on the planet. I assure you that you will see things differently after watching it.

If on top of it you want to do something good for the economy, you should consider buying locally. Look out for local pop up stores, events and markets. Before Christmas there usually plenty of them. If you are in Barcelona on the 17th & 18th of December you should definitely go an visit the Fantàstic Market. Gypsy Soul Jewellery will be there as well, with a lot of new beauties, discounts and a little surprise.

Click here to mark the event Fantastic Market 2016 on facebook.

Of course these are only a few reasons why you should support small businesses and handmade businesses. There's been a huge progress in the last year but we still need to raise awareness about this. It has never been more important than today to be conscious about what you buy and where you buy from. Inform yourself, read the labels, what materials have been used, what ingridients are in there, how has it been made and where? And I'm not talking just about fashion, jewellery, decoration, etc. but also about food (but that's a different story I could go on writing about). Maybe it will take you longer to do your shopping but you will start thinking twice before you actually buy something. Obviously, there are a lot more reasons why you should make that choice and I'd love to hear your opinion about it. Just write me a commet below. Why do you think that we should support small businesses? When you buy handmade, why do you make that choice?

💜

Helen

"Thanks for Supporting Small Business" by Kawaii Goodies