Local Production

Local production is one of the 13 impacts that Sustainable Makers takes into account when curating brands.
In recent times, especially after the beginning of the crisis caused by COVID-19, the movement to support local producers is increasing. In fact, this care must always exist, it is never too late to change habits, but bet on a more conscious consumption.

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The Origin of “Consuming Locally”

Local consumption began in the food sector, through direct purchases from agricultural producers. Most of these foods are perishable, and to ensure more durability during transport in different regions of each country, large companies use huge amounts of pesticides on plantations. Therefore, the concept of local consumption emerged for a number of reasons, from strengthening the local economy to the lower presence of pesticides in food from local producers and family farming.

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Thus, in the food sector, consuming locally has, necessarily, a relationship with the geographical proximity between producer and consumer. However, this movement was adopted by other sectors, such as the fashion industry, which does not face the problem between distance and transport.
Fashion produces durable goods and, unlike the food sector, don´t need to strengthen small producers and family businesses, there is no need to consume only brands that are close by.

Are local brands my city's brands?

It is unfeasible that small fashion businesses would have to depend only on the inhabitants of their own city to guarantee an economically sustainable business. The act of buying locally should not be limited, but rather a comprehensive movement in support of small producers, that is, which highlights local production.

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In this context, local consumption means buying from brands that produce locally and not brands that are geographically located in the same region as you. Of course, there is an importance in supporting the local economy where you specifically live. However, local consumption in fashion can be a little more inclusive than that.

Local Brands

In fashion, when we talk about local brands, it makes more sense to think about the production logic of these brands.

 

In the fashion industry and, mainly, in the big brands, the outsourcing and internationalization of work is notorious. These brands outsource their production to factories or self-managed third-party companies, often even sending production to countries with more flexible labor laws and cheaper labor. This situation and the lack of oversight resulting from outsourcing results in what we know as slave labor in the fashion industry.

In a conscious consumption and in slow fashion production, it is essential that the requirements of local labor are met. Thus, you can find out who produced your clothes, if these people received a fair salary and especially that no person suffered any abuse, or was working in inhumane conditions for you to wear a piece of clothing.

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Therefore, when it comes to consuming local fashion, we are essentially associating this concept with brands that produce locally. In other words, they are close to their seamstresses, patternmakers and their production chain, which allows for greater transparency and supervision of these processes. This proximity makes it possible to guarantee that the workforce is well paid and that there are good working conditions. In this way, when we buy from local brands, we are supporting better working conditions in the production chain. So, although it is interesting and important to buy and encourage brands in your city, you don't have to limit yourself to supporting brands that just sell locally.