Search results (tags) for: "economy"

New Rules: Support Your Local Economy

2009-11-20T15:00:00-05:00

Stacy Mitchell is a senior researcher with the New Rules Project at the Institute for Local Self Reliance (ISLR), an organization started in 1974 to work with citizens, activists, policy makers and entrepreneurs to help communities improve their economies, reduce waste, manage local infrastructure and provide better overall living environments.

The New Rules Project “challenges the wisdom and inevitability of economic consolidation and works to advance policies that support strong local economies and vibrant communities.” In a nutshell, she works to advance many of the same things that Etsy stands for — handmade, local, independent production, and a connection to communities and producers.

I’ve had the pleasure of speaking with Stacy about the growth of local and independent businesses over the past several years, which many people attribute to both a backlash against “big box” retail and an appreciation for knowing one’s maker. Stacy took some time to talk to us about these issues, and her latest book, Big-Box Swindle: The True Cost of Mega-Retailers and the Fight for America's Independent Businesses, goes into much more detail.

Tell us a bit about the New Rules Project.
The New Rules Project is a national initiative started by the Institute for Local Self-Reliance. The project's mission is to make the case that bigger isn't necessarily better — that small-scale production and independent businesses nurture community and create a more sustainable and democratic economy.

Our focus is on changing public policy. If you look at the laws and regulations in place today, many of them actively favor big corporations. Federal farm policies subsidize big agribusiness; local zoning rules favor Wal-Mart; banking regulations aid big banks; and the list goes on.

We're calling for New Rules: public policies that support local economies and build strong, self-governing communities.

How did you get involved in the organization and what do you do?
I started working for the New Rules Project when it was founded in 1997. Much of my focus has been looking at the consequences of the rise of big retail chains, like Wal-Mart, Home Depot, and Barnes & Noble. These companies have taken over much of our economy with the promise of delivering good deals, but it turns out that the big-box model has been incredibly expensive. In my recent book, Big-Box Swindle, I document how these companies are fueling many of our most pressing problems, from the shrinking middle class to rising greenhouse gas emissions.

The good news is that there's now a widespread backlash. The New Rules Project has helped hundreds of grassroots groups stop big-box development projects and enact new policies that keep the chains at bay and support local businesses instead.

Even more encouraging, our research is finding growing public support for locally produced goods and independent businesses. Local food is soaring in popularity. Over the last four years, we've seen increasing numbers of new independent businesses, from bookstores to food markets, opening across the country.

Local business alliances — like Stay Local New Orleans, Local First in Salt Lake City, and Portland Buy Local in Portland, Maine — have now formed in over 130 cities and collectively count some 30,000 businesses as members. These alliances are running very creative "buy local" campaigns that are not only changing people's shopping habits, but engaging them in a conversation about community and how to transition to a more sustainable future.

Why should people shop local this holiday season?
One reason is that shopping at an independent business, instead of a chain, generates far more benefit for your local economy. Several recent studies have found that a dollar spent at a locally owned business generates 2-3 times as much local economic activity as a dollar spent at a chain and supports many more local jobs.

Another compelling reason to go local this year is to make the holidays fun again. Who wants to sit in traffic at the mall? It's so much more rewarding to stroll through the small stores in your neighborhood or downtown. You'll not only find unusual gifts that don't come from a sweatshop, but you're bound to run into friends, get into an interesting conversation, enjoy the beauty of historic buildings decked out in lights, take time to savor a hot chocolate at the local café — in short, you'll have a chance to really experience and celebrate the place in which you live.

Of course, you can't always find everything you're looking for in your own backyard, and that's why sites like Etsy and Indiebound are a great way to take advantage of the convenience and diversity of the web while still supporting independent artists and small businesses.

What kind of impact does supporting the local arts have on a community at large?
Buying anything produced locally — food, art, music, fashion — has a sizeable economic benefit for your community. The money you spend stays in the local area and helps to keep your neighbors employed.

These creative professions also contribute to the welfare of the community in so many other ways. They make the places we live interesting. They create focal points for reflection and community.

Artists and craftspeople are great problem-solvers too. As we grapple with big challenges, like climate change, we need their special abilities to help us envision a different way of living.

Do you have any specific examples of cities or towns that are experiencing a positive change?
Thanks largely to the work of Sustainable Connections, a coalition of about 500 local businesses in and around Bellingham, Washington, that community has made huge strides in incubating new businesses, expanding regional food production, and reducing the carbon footprint of buildings.

Local First Utah has changed how residents and elected officials in Salt Lake City think about economic development. A recent survey found that three-quarters of residents want fewer chains in their neighborhoods and more local businesses.

Arizona Local First was instrumental in convincing the state legislature to outlaw the kinds of subsidies that are commonly provided to big-box development projects.

Here in my hometown of Portland, Maine, many local business owners say that Portland Buy Local has made a big difference in terms of galvanizing public support and helping them survive the recession.

What are you doing to support your local community in Portland, ME?
I'm one of many volunteers with Portland Buy Local, which has about 280 members, including local businesses, artists, and nonprofits. We create new poster and advertising campaigns every couple of months that highlight the value of independent businesses and encourage people to support them.

Our posters, which are displayed on hundreds of storefronts all over the city and reproduced as ads in local newspapers, are all designed by local artists, so they are very eye-catching as well as incredibly varied in their style.

Steve Darnley and Arielle Walrath, for example, designed this gorgeous poster (pictured below) for our holiday campaign last year. Sean Wilkinson produced a very powerful graphic for one of our economic messages (shown above).

Poster by Steve Darnley and Arielle Walrath

Etsy seller pineconeandchickadee created this amazing Valentine's Day poster, which was so popular that we turned it into T-shirts that have been selling like hotcakes.

Poster by pineconechickadee

Our latest poster series, by photographer Nathan Eldridge, emphasizes the wide range of products — from the unusual to the everyday — that are available from independent businesses.

How should people get involved with New Rules?
The best way to keep up with what we're doing and learn how you can start some of these initiatives in your own community is to sign up for our monthly email newsletter, The Hometown Advantage.

We publish lots of useful research and information on our website. Take a look and, if you find an idea or an article you like, please forward it to your friends, your neighbors, your elected officials, your local newspaper. We're a small organization, so we need all the help we can get to make our research and ideas part of the public discussion.

Lastly, like any nonprofit, we are dependent almost entirely on donations to keep the lights on and our staff fed. Contributions of any size are gratefully appreciated.

Any Etsy sellers you're particularly fond of?
I adore ferdinandhome — terrific T-shirts, my favorite greeting cards, and fabulous potholders made from vintage fabric.

Another favorite is pineconeandchickadee. I'm smitten with Amy Teh's designs.

I hope my husband is reading this, because one thing I'd be super happy to find under my tree this year is a messenger bag from bobbinstudio.

And, lastly, there's a real gem of a little business in my neighborhood that just became an Etsy seller a few weeks ago: HomegrownHerbandTea. Sarah Richards is a skilled herbalist who has been blending teas for both health and pleasure at her tea shop here on Munjoy Hill for several years. She just made the leap online and her teas are definitely worth checking out.

Further Resources:
The Institute for Local Self-Reliance (ILSR) proposes a set of new rules that builds community by supporting humanly scaled politics and economics. The rules call for:

Decisions made by those impacted
Communities accepting responsibility for the welfare of their members and the next generation
Households and communities possessing or owning sufficient productive capacity to generate real wealth

NewRules.org discusses the importance of rules and catalogs the best. We make the rules and the rules make us.

The Related Items below are all from Stacy's native Maine!

Find Etsy Sellers in Your Town | Read Our Shop Local Series | Check Out the Etsy Maine Team

Artistic Endeavors: IndieFixx Feeds Your Soul with Free Art

2009-03-19T14:32:00-05:00

News flash: the economy sucks. The stock market is up and down, people are losing their jobs and homes, all sorts of businesses are closing down and nobody seems to have any idea what's going on. That’s the bad news…

Now for the good news: even though the economy is tanking, it’s more important than ever to stay positive. We shouldn’t dwell on the negative news; it’s just not doing our souls any good. To that end, I have got something that will hopefully bring a smile to your face and brighten your day, and it’s called Feed Your Soul: The Free Art Project.

“What is this Feed Your Soul: the free art project?”
Well, every month I will share FREE ART with you from artists that I have invited to participate in the project. Each invited artist will contribute one print that you can print out on some cardstock and frame or even just thumbtack to the wall.

“Why are you doing this?”
Well, I love art and I know you do, too. I also know that when people start to tighten up the purse strings they tend not spend money on things that aren’t necessary for survival, like books, magazines and art. But, art is important for your soul. It helps rejuvenate, it’s thought provoking, it offers inspiration and can generally brighten an otherwise dreary day among other things. In addition to helping brighten your day and put a little spring in your step, I want to help promote some of my favorite artists.

“Which artists are going to be participating?”
I’m still working on the schedule, but lots and lots of Etsy artists are participating (I'm booked through June with at least 6 artists per month) and I will be debuting a new FYS pages with more batches of artists. Here's a list of some of the contributing artists.

vol. 25
Berkley Illustration
Browington Forest
Michele Maule
Tricia Mckellar
Things are Better with a Parrott
Stephanie Fizer
Unconventional Ida
Daily Mammal

Belle and Boo
Elsita
My Zoetrope
Gemma Correll
Shawna Handke
Valentina Ramos
Abigail Halpin
Yasmin Surovec
Flossy-p

If you have any questions about sharing your artwork and becoming a part of this project, feel free to email me. If you're looking to get some free art right here and now, check out the original blog post and get printing!

Artistic Endeavors series | Art Category | Digital Print Subcategory

Shop Makeover Series: Craft-onomics 101

2009-01-06T14:34:00-05:00

After wrapping up a very busy and sometimes lackluster holiday craft show season, I have come to a few grand conclusions about the economy at the moment, and – no surprise – it sucks! Though the jury is still out on how the craft community will be impacted by our nation’s (and world's!) crashing markets, it's always good to prepare for tough times when in the midst of uncertain ones. As independent artists and crafters with scarcely a safety net in sight, we are vulnerable in many ways, and I sometimes worry that we may be hit the hardest. Sadly, many customers are now opting for the lower quality, cheaper priced, large chain store gifts over our handmade masterpieces. While sitting there for hours at my booth at various craft shows contemplating this fact, I dwelt on what I could do better next time in order to combat the holiday season of lookie-loos...

Be flexible: It might be time to think outside the box with special promotions, painstakingly hunt for a cheaper supplier, or work on a fresh new idea that you may have been stewing over. The more items you carry and the more price points you have, the wider audience you can appeal to and the more sales you will make.
Learn to tighten your own belt: Do not under estimate the smaller, more local craft shows, such as the ones run by craft mafias or Etsy Teams. Since many of these shows are well-run and attract a specific audience, they are some of the best and cheapest ways for you to get your items out there. The simple fact is that the more money you spend traveling and paying for tabling, the more money you need to make in order to break even.
Network, network, network: Get to know other crafters, and listen to the wisdom they have to share about specific craft shows, cities, and markets. Why waste your time sewing purses for craft show in a city that is really into housewares and already flooded with handbags? You are just wasting your time and supplies. I know it takes time and can be tedious, but check out the Etsy forums, Craftster.org forums and the switchboards for some real talk about the business end of things. It does not cost anything to be friendly!
Promote intelligently: I think I find this the hardest part of this business, because I tend to just sit around and think the customers are going to come to me. However, in these tough times, we all know that is not the case. Stop just giving everyone a plain boring business card or an elaborate promotional item that costs way more to make than you have to comfortably spend. This year I started giving people buttons, magnets, and pencils with cute images of items in my shop. Not only do the customers love to get free gifts, but when I got home, I had tons of new hearts and orders from people who got my promo items at a show. These promo items were cheap and easy to get and got me a much better response than a plan business card. Also, get creative and friendly with your local print shop – you will save money doing the printing yourself.
Be realistic: Although some of us (like myself) really depend on the money made from crafting to live, it's time to get realistic about potential changes that you may need to undertake in order to stay afloat during these lean times. If buyers are thinking twice about their purchases, then you need to think twice about the best, most cost effective way to run your business. Be smart and in the true spirit of D.I.Y., do it your damn self…it is cheaper anyway ; )
Don’t underestimate the quality of your own work: Many people might not understand the time-consuming process or expensive materials that go into producing your items. However, once made aware of the time, effort, and love you put in, buyers will be more apt to fork out the cash. I noticed this a lot at craft shows. A person would pick up a yarn from me and admire it, but when I told them about the almost 6 hour process that goes into making every one, I think they felt more comfortable paying almost triple what they would for it at a large chain store. Don’t be afraid to market your process. Describe it in your Etsy listing and profile; include it on the back of your price tag, or chronicle it on your blog.

Further Resources:

Etsy Teams

I Shop Indie

The Economist

Seller Handbook | Shop Makeover Series

Recessionistas: Trends on a Budget

2008-10-31T12:10:00-05:00

Times are tough these days. The recession is approaching full swing, and those of us that enjoy looking fashionable are left to look at the moths drifting out of our pocketbooks while contemplating the implications of each potential purchase. There's a name for us fashion lovers in a pinch: the recessionista.

When the money's short, but you still gotta look fly, look no further than Etsy for all the on-trend items you'll need to put your look together. Below you'll see a selection of this season's top trends, all at great values. Where else could you find a custom piece of clothing or a one-of-a-kind accessory at such an affordable price?! Leave the boutiques behind, ladies! Get creative with your fashion!

Seasonal Fashion Gift Guide | Trends | Woodland and Feathers Gift Guide | Fashion Posts from our Blog

Book Club Updates

2008-03-24T10:47:00-05:00

UPDATE: Come to Book Club today at 5pm! (This was originally posted on March 17.)

Last month Rob, Etsy's founder aka Rokali, reinstated our beloved book club with Muhammad Yunus's Banker to the Poor. If you haven't read it yet you have 1 week to do so! We'll be meeting next Monday (March 24th) at 5pm EST in the Treehouse of the Virtual Labs to discuss Yunus's insightful memoir about the establishment of the Grameen Bank, a micro-loan bank that has grown from helping impoverished Bangladeshians to helping create change for people all over the world.

For those who have already finished Banker to the Poor, pick up our next book, Deep Economy by Bill McKibben. In this manifesto, McKibben challenges our obsession with growth and consumption and advocates a new focus on community and relocalization.

"Deep Economy offers a realistic, if challenging, scenario for a hopeful future. I believe that the more we nurture the essential humanity of our economy, the more we will recapture our own." — Bill McKibben

See you Monday, bookish Etsians!