With the boredom of the third lockdown reaching a peak, the temptation to fill our days with some online retail therapy is intense. The next time you get the urge to splurge, why not swerve the big high-street brands and look for something a little more local? There are many joys which come with shopping small, from the environmental benefits to the unique nature of your purchases, but I want you to hear it from independent business owners.
I spoke to Nathalie and Amelie, two best friends with a passion for ethical fashion, who introduced me to their amazing brand Fair(e) Club and gave their take on the benefits of shopping small.
When did you first start sewing and crocheting?
Amelie: Growing up, I always saw my mum and grandmother sewing my clothes and they naturally shared their passion with me.
Nathalie: My auntie taught me how to crochet during the summer holidays when I was around 11 years old. However, it was more than a decade later that I eventually dived into it again and started creating ‘real’ stuff during my spare time, it was a real passion.
Who or what inspires your design style?
Londoners’, particularly East Londoners', style inspired us a lot. They've got this ‘organised craziness’ that we absolutely love! We want Fair(e) Club to be playful, colourful and bold. We do believe in the power of colours and its positive impact on the mood and the mind. Buying Fair(e) Club is, in a way, like buying a rainbow.
What's been the best part of owning your own business?
Freedom! We are two free spirits who both need our autonomy on a project or an idea. Having our own business allows us to be fully creative, to make our craziest ideas happen, to try and fail and try again, to dream big, to be driven by a meaningful purpose. We both have years of experience as employees and we realised there is a lot of nonsense in these systems that propose moulds we cannot fit in.
Any advice for someone thinking of starting their own business?
It is very exciting but let's be realistic, it's not easy at all! Starting your own business also means doing everything yourself. It requires full dedication to your dream project which will be time and energy-consuming. Do not hesitate to ask for some help around you – we have amazing, talented friends who were happy to give us a hand here and there and we cannot thank them enough! If you want to start your business, go for it, it is amazing and absolutely fulfilling, but get ready!
Why do you think it’s important to shop small?
It is more important than ever to support the local economy and the community that hardly grows and survives in the face of giants – needless to say that they are rich enough!. For instance, by buying our Fair(e) Club accessories, you will support a women-led small business based in the UK, give value to traditional craft skills, reduce the negative impact on the environment as most of our accessories are made out of scrap fabric and we work on a make-to-order basis. Let's change the world and go small!
It’s not as hard as it might seem to start changing our habits and shopping small. Here are a few easy alternatives that can make a huge difference:
Swap Costa Coffee for a local independent coffee shop.
Swap Tesco or Sainsbury’s for your local grocery store or outdoor market.
Swap ASOS or H&M for an independent clothing or secondhand shop.
Swap IKEA for a local furniture shop or Etsy.
Fair(e) Club is one of thousands of amazing small businesses to be found on the internet. Just a quick search on Instagram and you’ll be overwhelmed for choice. Happy shopping!
Edited by Katie Wheatley