Small Business Saturday: Julia’s Crochet Crafts

Here at The Ordinary Hippie, you may have noticed that I am a fan of supporting small businesses. You can find out why here.

I am dedicating the first Saturday of each month to a post dedicated to one of my favorite small businesses. For June, I am highlighting Julia’s Crochet Crafts!

The Bio

Julia happens to be a family friend, which makes suporting her small business even more special. Relationships are one of the reason that I find small busiesses to be more attractive than larger scale businesses.

Julia is a talented crochet artist, who creates unique, often one of a kind, animal friends in the traditional amigurumi style, as well as some other traditional crochet items such as scarves, blankets, and gloves.

What I Bought

When I saw it listed in her Etsy store, I instantly knew that I needed to bring it home – an amigurumi axololt!

If you read my earlier post on axolotls, you will remember that they are one of my favorite animals. But, after a reflection, I determined that it would not be ethical for me, personally, to get one as a pet. So, thanks to Julia, I can still have my axolotl friend in a sustainable, responsible, and adorable way!

Julia puts special care and passion into every aspect of her business – you can tell that she truly loves what she does. From the excellent craftsmanship of my new friend, to fast shipping, a well-packaged product, and a sweet note, Julia provides a joy filled experience from start to finish.

Sustainably Supporting Small Businesses

My previous conversation about my sustainability journey alluded to sustainability being a part of every aspect of our lives, and that it is part of a larger conversation than solely low waste living.

There are so many amazing small businesses, from local to global! I like to keep a running list of small businesses that I hope to patronize some day and that I am committed to supporting.

But, the reality is, is that it is seemingly unsustainable, from a financial perspective and a consumerism perspective, to support every small business that we want to:

• Financially: For the average person, myself included, we do not have the financial resources to constantly make purchases from small businesses. I may keep a running list, but I will be moving through that list slowly.

• Consumersim: This perspective refers to us assessing how ethical it is in our own lives (this answer will vary for each person) to accumulate or purchase a certain quanity of items. We can only use so many of items in our lives, such as earrings. In a similar way, while we can always buy more replaceable items, such as soaps, we know that we can only use them so fast.

The Alternatives

So, if it isn’t sustainable in this moment for you to support a small business, what CAN you do?

The good news is that there are ways to support without being the consumer, or without making a purchase at all!

You can:

• Purchase an item as a gift or for a friend (assuming that financial sustainability is not an issue)

• Spread the word and share their content on social media, business cards, links to purchase, why you think this business is awesome.

If you are looking for a handmade, eco-friendly, locally made (for those in Ohio) chrochet friend, than I encourage you to check out Julia’s Crochet Crafts.

Even if you are not looking to make a purcahse today, be sure to follow her Instagram and favorite her Etsy store to share with your friends .

Do you have or know a small business that I should check out?Let me know in the comments or tag me on IG and I’ll be sure to show some support.