Sunday 14 November 2010

To Buy or Not to Buy?


(I buy handmade tag from windshine)

That is the burning question every time that I sit in front of my computer and browse through the tantalizing display on Etsy.

Being brought up in a very frugal way, buying is always tinged with a touch of guilt: don’t we have enough? Of course we have enough, more than enough of every thing, actually. But is enough…enough?


(Buy Handmade tshirt from phippsart)

I’m truly jealous of people that are naturally minimalist, free of cumbersome possessions, just what they need, no more. The old WW II saying ‘use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without’, is very actual in a society more aware of the preciousness of natural resources.

Well, that makes the choices easier: buy vintage, that reduces the waste of materials and gives you a unique product. But also in vintage is a lot that is mass produced and soulless, just like the new made mass produced goods.


(bag made with vintage materials from our bagshop)

So: buy handmade! Or handmade vintage, or handmade with vintage materials. And there is plenty of that on Etsy as well! Oh bliss, guiltless buying. Guiltless producing as well. I find myself specially virtuous when we can make a gorgeous new bag using almost exclusively reclaimed materials.

There is also the ‘buy local’ issue. Well, where we live, only fish and oranges are local. Also is local not always easy to discern. When buying linen fabrics in Amsterdam last spring, I asked the seller where the linen came from. He told me that it was Italian flax, woven in China and dyed in Belgium. It goes by the name of Belgian linen, but is it?

And so I buy on Etsy, of course I do. Do you?

7 comments:

  1. Yes I do buy on Etsy too, but it is not always vintage...
    And I love buying vintage frames for my brooches with you, STAR!
    Yesterday I bought 1 vintage coat and 2 vintage dresses and I did not feel guilty at all. I enjoy my new pieces a lot.

    Your blogpost is highly enjoyable, thanks for all.

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  2. I agree with you--too much is too much--and so I try to be a minimalist, but sometimes I need things that are only made by hand, like Inger's scarves--or hand-knit wool socks, or wood buttons. Hand made gives me a good feeling--like eating homemade bread and food.

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  3. yes

    good points ...

    eyes must always be open

    I want handmade
    real

    x

    ReplyDelete
  4. yes

    good points ...

    eyes must always be open

    I want handmade
    real

    x

    ReplyDelete
  5. Yes I buy handmade! I just purchased a gorgeous hat
    from SMboutique on Etsy.

    I do not shop a lot in general. Mostly supplies for my handbags these days. I prefer minimalism but it's hard when I have tons of work stored away from years of painting and boxes and boxes of fabric everywhere. :)

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  6. A lot of good points! Yep, I do buy on Etsy. Mostly supplies and gifts, because I'm not very good at spoiling myself with lovely things. But, a few well-placed hints to Mr Morrgan directs him to Etsy for birthdays and other special occasions, so I do receive some too. ;)

    ReplyDelete