I’m a mother with a young toddler, and as she grows I can understand why mums might pop down to Kmart or The Warehouse to stock up on their child’s Winter wardrobe – they just keep growing! But have you noticed that at the end of the season your child sometimes has only worn some items a few times?
It’s begs the question of whether the increase in cheap clothing and kids products in the market has led to more thoughtless spending – a few dollars here, ten dollars there…doesn’t make much difference does it? I was shocked to learn on the fashion documentary ‘The True Cost ’ that we no longer have 2 fashion seasons in the year but 52, with new fashion coming in every week! This is the speed of consumerism and there are severe consequences for this down the line; not to mention the increasing levels of waste.
Earlier this week as the weather started to cool, I made a conscious effort to sort through my daughter’s wardrobe and decide exactly what she’s missing for this Winter – I was surprised at how short the list was! With the amount of washing I do in my household anyway, why would she need five pairs of long pants and five onesies etc etc? I then went on Two Doors Down and bought exactly what I was after and just like that I am sorted! In the past I would have popped into shops throughout the season and came out with a couple of items each time that she didn’t really need but I thought “they’re a bargain!” Instead I feel so much more satisfaction knowing that I have purchased clothes she is actually going to wear, and have supported NZ families in the process.
I have heard people say that they can’t afford to buy hand made, but then they have a burgeoning wardrobe of cheap clothing. I wonder if they’d actually stopped and thought about what items their child needed that season, they would’ve been surprised that they could’ve transferred that spend to a local creator, and at the same time benefited from higher quality products!
As the cooler weather arrives I challenge you to do this exercise, then think about where you are going to shop. We favour a saying here at Two Doors Down:
“When you buy from a small business you are not helping a CEO buy a third home. You are helping a little girl get dance lessons, a little boy get his team jersey, a mum or dad put food on the table, a family pay a mortgage, or a student pay for college.”
Makes you think doesn’t it? You can make such a difference simply by making a conscious decision about where to spend your dollar. All the creators on our site are small businesses or mums wanting to stay home and raise their kids. Their products are all NZ made and by supporting them you are supporting their families and your community.
I challenge you – make a list, compare your spend and make the decision today to shop local!
Great read and so true!