Ethical purchasing becomes increasingly important as people realize the effects their purchasing choices can have not only on the environment, but also on the living and working conditions of people around the world. whole.

When shopping at big brand stores, it can be difficult to be sure the clothes have been made ethically, which is why investing in locally made clothes has become more popular recently. Below is a quick guide to everything you need to know about locally produced clothing, how you can shop locally, and the benefits that come with supporting them. designers and local businesses.

 

What is local buying?

The term "buy locally" is more often used in connection with food. We are told that it is important to buy your products locally because of the benefits they provide. In the case of food, shopping for groceries locally usually means buying meat, fruits, and vegetables from your local farmer. Additionally, local food purchases are generally more specific than local clothing purchases, simply because it is easier to do.

For example, if you have a farm close to your house, you can get all your products there and it is easy for you to make local purchases. However, it is a little more complicated to buy clothes locally because there are more steps. In the process of making clothes, you have to take into account the origin of the materials, the designer, the workers and other issues related to the supply chain.

The term "buy local" is therefore used more broadly when it comes to clothing. Instead of literally coming from around the corner, locally made clothes usually mean that all of the components that went into creating the clothes come from at least the country you live in. In general, therefore, a garment is considered locally manufactured if it is entirely made in the country where you live.

Why is it important to support locally produced clothing?

Whatever benefits you get from buying locally, it's important toinvest in these local products to help those around you. In most cases, those who engage in a locally made clothing business will be individuals or small businesses.

It is important to support them in order to get their business off the ground and give them the platform they need to grow. The more you buy locally, the more you invest in your own community!

 

Shop for locally made clothes

Why you should invest in locally made clothing

From environmental impact to economic benefits, here are some of the top reasons why you should invest in locally made clothing.

Meilleure qualité

First of all, when you buy locally, you simply get a better. The supply chain for locally sourced clothing is much smaller than that for "fast fashion" clothing, which means that the designer has more influence and control over the raw materials used.

Additionally, the people who make the clothes tend to be more invested in the process as they have a relationship with the designers and are respected within the supply chain. This means that they are committed to producing high quality clothing because of the way they are treated and their own respect for the company.

Better for the environment

Buy clothes fromlocal origin is better for the environment by reducing the supply chain. Locally made clothing uses materials sourced from the region, limiting the carb footprintone of the company since they do not need to be transported by plane or by sea from abroad.

As local businesses do not mass produce their items, they do not negatively impact the environment through this practice. When mass production takes place, there is usually an excess of what is called “dead stock”, that is, items that do not sell. These usually end up in landfills, thus contributing to the problem of climate change. Small businesses have the luxury of stopping production of all the items that don't sell so they don't have excess clothing to be thrown away.

Encourages the local economy

It goes without saying that local purchases boost the economy because you are directly financing a local business, which uses local materials that promote the success of another local business, and so on. Local businesses are more likely to employ people from their community, which increases the local employment rate. When you buy locally, you are putting money back into the economy you live in, which will benefit your community.

More ethical

One of the main reasons for its appeal is that buying local is more ethical than buying from other big brands. When you outsource the clothing manufacturing process to big brands, you trust huge corporations, all just looking to make money.

When these large companies place the greatest importance on money, it means they are looking to cut costs wherever they can, and one of the most common places where they cut costs is labor. This means that they hire cheap labor, offer lower than normal wages and poor working conditions. The clothes produced by these companies are therefore of unethical origin.

However, when you buy clothes from local businesses, you can be sure that this type of exploitation does not take place. Even though you have to pay a little more for locally made clothes, which holds many people back is because these companies pay fair wages and provide good working conditions for their employees.

 

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