Tired of crappy clothes, toys, and other household items made in developing countries by poorly paid workers? I am, and I know many others in the same boat. Maybe I can’t change everything about our global economic system, but one thing I CAN do is change my personal buying habits. Voting with your wallet, as it is known, definitely produces results. Why do you think Wal-Mart is now the largest buyer of organic food in the U.S? Certainly not because the board of directors decided organic food would be good for our diets. 😉
 I found a new website today titled buyhandmade.org. I took the pledge, and I encourage you to think about doing it as well. I am not going to make my own shoes or weave my own fabric (yet, anyway!), but I am going to make a make an even more concerted effort to only give handmade items to those I love. I believe that honoring the creativity, time, and effort of others is worthwhile. In this techno-obsessed era, “personal” is starting to gain recognition as a necessary component of our lives and relationships.Â
How about you? Are you interested in trying to up the percentage of handmade gifts you make or buy for others? I’m in!
Happy sewing!
Maris Olsen