It’s been a while since we realized that our planet needs concrete help. To do so, a few positive attitudes are enough to make us feel useful and part of a bigger plan.
Today I am here to talk to you about a topic that is very close to my heart, especially for the profession that I carry out; I am a jewelry designer and artisan and my business, Pyla Jewelry, was founded on the principles and values of simplicity, style and zero waste. Several times, my collaborators and I, during our creative process, often paused to ask ourselves: “do I really have to throw it away or can I repurpose it?” Almost every time the answer to this question is “Yes it could be reused in some way,” for example in prototype tests or in future collections.
That is why I decided to write an article about the so-called conscious shopping: in order to get you involved in the art of being intentional, critical and aware of your shopping habits from now on.
In my renewed behavioral maturity, I organize my shopping and consumption habits in a way in which I give preference to products that meet certain quality requirements, differently from those commonly sought by the average consumer.
This means that I learned to appreciate the essential components that define the quality of a product and its peculiar characteristics. I also refer to the modality of its production, the ethics and the environmental sustainability of the production process. Usually, behind these are hidden realities that are normally unknown to most, but which should be investigated or inquired about.
As a young artesian and producer, and strengthened by this new awareness of mine, I would like to share a couple of considerations, let’s call the “rules”, that reflect the ways of thinking in terms of conscious shopping.
In your search for something necessary don’t settle for a fleeting glance at shop windows or online catalogs, but go beyond the look and learn, where possible, the quality and composition of the product, the manufacturing country, and the size of the manufacturer. Get inspired by super organized portals as much as from the shops you find on Instagram, through which you can also discover small but interesting entrepreneurial realities. Or refer to the trade show profiles for the discovery of a lively and proactive artisan world (in Rome Wave Market Fair is one of the most suitable).
The notoriety of the big brands exerts an undeniable attractiveness over the market. Small producers, who cannot compete with these majors on volumes, have a greater operational flexibility and a sometimes-maniacal care of the product. Big brands are looking for low manufacturing costs to keep their profit-margins high. On the other hand, small businesses, cannot afford large investments in advertising and communication and therefore focus on quality.
Subscribe to the newsletters of your favorite small brands to find out about new products and receive exclusive discounts. Let your friends share your commitment and involve them in the discovery of lesser known brands. You will give the small-business artisans a way of spreading and growing, and sometimes, like the present-times we are living in, also the possibility of surviving.
There is no need to wait for the last few days to buy something, as the choice of buying something is already made-up most of the time. Plan your purchases in advance, to give way and time to produce and ship the item you are looking for, and to simplify the supply chain that is set in motion to fulfill your wish.
And… above all: reflect on the fact that your conscious purchase does not only represent something meaningful to you, but, together with other conscious purchases, it entails fundamental reactions on the economy, on the environment, on the ethics of business behaviors, and finally on the future of other people who rely on you to give their work a purpose.
Happy conscious shopping!
Silvia
