#smallbizsaturday

#shopsmall and make a BIG difference

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According to the Canadian Federation of Independent Business, October 21st, 2017 is #SmallBizSaturday. This day is meant to remind us that, if we want to keep our beloved neighbourhood shops open, then we must support them with our business.

I say "we" because I am not just a small business owner, but also a consumer. Shopping small has become more and more important to me over the years, as big box stores have all but taken over the modern retail landscape. Sure, prices have dropped, but labour standards and quality have plummeted.

Our fixation on having more for less has become like a disease--we shop 'til we drop, yet our wallets and our hearts grow emptier. We're surrounded by "stuff", but most of it is crap, and most of it was produced by exploited workers--an inconvenient truth. Sadly, few of us can afford to completely "opt-out" of this kind of marketplace...but, rest assured, we make a BIG difference every time we #shopsmall.

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The Pine Glen Hat

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"Every time you spend money, you're casting a vote for the kind of world you want".
​--Anna Lappe, Author/Educator

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The Trafalgar Hat

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Author/educator Anna Lappe once said, "Every time you spend money, you're casting a vote for the kind of world you want". Well, I believe that when we choose to buy less (but better), we vote for a more respectful, less wasteful world. I also believe that when we choose to #ShopSmallBiz, we vote for stronger, healthier, more vibrant communities.

It's true, you can get a hat at Walmart for $12.99. It will probably be made by an exploited factory worker, from petro-chemical by-products, and it will probably fall apart after one season, then take a century to degrade, but it was hell of a deal, right? Wait, what?

It's time to redefine what it means to "get a great deal". Let's start by being more conscious shoppers. Winter is coming. Why not make 2017 our less-but-better winter?

So, go ahead and #shopsmall this season! Purchase a natural-fibre hand-knit hat from cold comfort and cast your vote for a world full of folks with warm, toasty heads.

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$10 off all cold comfort hats 10-21-17 to 10-22-17

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