How It's Made Matters
If you've been around these parts for a bit, you might know that shopping at local, independently owned retailers is important to me. It's important to me because I really believe in supporting your community and supporting entrepreneurial and creative people.
Another really important reason I believe in this is that I really love knowing how the things I buy are created. I love knowing that the yarn I'm knitting with was dyed by hand in Baltimore, or that the bag I'm carrying was handmade in New York. I like knowing that the things I'm buying were crafted by someone who cares deeply about their products.
One of my favorite comparisons for why how it's made matters is food. Everyone knows that you can get a fast food hamburger for around a dollar, or you could go to a local farm to table restaurant and spend considerably more. What's the difference between the two burgers? They're technically the same item, and yet people buy both for different reasons at different times.
The same principle applies with everything we purchase. Different items in the same category can be made with vastly different materials, methods and designs. All of which impact the final price, look and availability of the item. What's left for us consumers to do is decide what kind of materials, quality, design and price we're willing to accept for that particular item.
In fashion I find it to be particularly important given the impact that the fashion industry has on the environment and on the people who work in the industry - especially those in textile mills and factories overseas. Knowing where your materials come from, who made them, and how they were made can make a huge difference not only in the quality of your purchase but in the impact that purchase has on the world as a whole.
That's why working with US fabric mills for all of KD's fabrics is close to my heart. It's a small way that I can use this business to support practices that are important to me and support companies who share these values. That might mean it takes a little bit longer to bring out new designs, or that the resulting products are a little more expensive. But I think it also means that that the designs you'll see in the shop are a little more thoughtful, and bring more to your wardrobe than just something new to wear.
Got any favorite handmade, thoughtfully produced items you love? I'd love to hear about them! Share below and spread the love for independent brands!