We know Fall typically signifies the time of the year we shop for new garments, as many of us grew up knowing September’s start of the school year was *the time* when we get a bunch of new things to carry us through the year. It also feels like a refreshing shift after summer’s less is more attitude: we can add some extra drama without risk of overheating and materials tend to be more luxe. We also start spending more time indoors so the urge to feather the nest for the coming winter starts to kick in too.
We also know the siren song of inexpensive import goods can be irresistible, but let’s not forget: shopping local benefits us all.
Sales to a maker person means they can in turn support their family, fellow makers, other small business, indie restaurants, coffee shops or grocery stores… much better appreciated than whomever owns the online biggies. We should all know by now if an item is inexpensive, *someone* or *something* has been exploited along the way to create that impossibly cheap deal and it’s probably something you really don’t need, hence the carrot-dangling super low price.
This Fall, we offer a challenge to you to skip big brands and support Handmade instead.
Instead of a haul of ill-fitting, not as described, synthetic material garments, First Pick Handmade’s curated crew of designers offer small run, made to order and even made to measure in quality fabrics to ensure your purchases hold value, fit properly and look good for years to come. These are future favourites, not fast fashion. Items that over the years will have a lower cost per wear, will be worthy of repair, resale or recirculating.
But what if your budget tight this year or you feel like you’re drowning in ‘stuff’ (but still have nothing to wear)? Or you’re the serial shopper who buys the trend item and promptly stops wearing it every single time? How does shopping Handmade help?
First, assess your closet. Try things on: what fits, what’s needing repair and what needs to be rehomed.
How do you feel about what’s left? What’s needed to complete the look? Shopping with intention is what First Pick Handmade is all about.
Maybe you’re not tired of your coat, maybe you just want a new pop of colour from a scarf, hat or bag?
Do you feel too carbon copy of everyone else? Come choose something one-of-a-kind and trend-proof that you won’t see on every other #influencer
Short on time? Short in stature? Travelling for work? Our curation offers made to order, with capsule collections to mix and match, and functional products that work in multiple ways to save you time getting dressed, getting packed and that fit properly, saving you space in the closet and cash in the bank.
Maybe it’s time to buy items that fit your actual lifestyle: cozy yet special sweats for work from home days, skin care that suits your skin type *now *(not 5 years ago), etc. instead of spending on things that don’t suit how we live, what we do or what we actually reach for everyday… this is your cue to let go of the past and move forward.
Speaking of moving forward, perhaps you’re moving to a new home or downsizing for the next part of your life. Handmade pieces are items worthy of being passed down and more special than something drop-shipped, so you’ll enjoy them for years to come.
Whatever your situation may be, shopping in person, buying directly from the designer, you will be making a more informed purchase, leading to greater satisfaction with the item.
We often hear “I should think about it first” but this is what we really want you to do, think that purchase through.
Here’s the great thing with our market: You can come browse the show, grab cards, try on and order later as needed, knowing your correct sizing for the brand and getting those items is super easy since we are local.
If you misplace a card, we have a complete list of vendors on our website so you can even pre-shop the show to hone in on your favourites or must haves.
As designers, we want our customers to be happy and use the pieces they buy from us, instead of having them sit unworn in a closet. YOU wearing OUR pieces out in the world is the best advertising we can get.
A quick word about “clutter”: 90% of clutter seems to be items we paid very little for, because we don’t really think about the purchase. Getting something for a steal of a deal, from a website where we didn’t hold the item, these quickly multiply and all those $10-$20 items that are cheap could easily add up to the purchase of a few thoughtfully made pieces. Same goes for those thrifted purchases that aren’t 100% perfect but we grabbed them due to FOMO… only to re-donate them later because we found we couldn’t get past the coffee stain we discovered at home (true story).
Shopping locally and handmade suddenly got a lot cheaper didn’t it?
Lastly, if you really want to support, but don’t have the budget to do so currently, here are some great ways to support that don’t cost a dime:
-Follow brands on Social Media and Like, Comment and Share posts with friends, family and colleagues
-Recommend products to people like you who may not otherwise hear of the brand, such as your local mom group, neighbourhood events page etc.
-Write reviews and tag those indie companies on your social media
-Suggest indie companies to your workplace, social clubs and organizations when they are looking to purchase thank you gifts or prizes, decor for offices etc
-Add handmade to your birthday and holiday want lists, wedding registries, baby shower lists etc so that others can give thoughtfully to you
We thank YOU for your continued support of First Pick Handmade, our artists, makers and designers.
We can’t wait to see you at our Fall 2024 market September 22, 2024 and at our annual 2 day Holiday Market December 7-8 2024.
Janna Hurtzig
First Pick Handmade