Happy 2025! As you settle into the new year, I invite you to add one resolution to your list: shop small.
There are many reasons to support small businesses; here are a few:
Reinvest revenue locally. Did you know that two-thirds of every dollar spent in a local shop stays in the local economy? This is true because local business owners tend to source locally to purchase raw materials, supplies, and other products and services for their business operations. This contributes to a more robust local economy.
Support local jobs. Another way small businesses reinvest money in the local economy is through employment. A US Chamber of Commerce study shows that small businesses employ almost half of Americans.
Small businesses give back. A majority of local business owners give back by donating to local charities, sponsoring local events, and offering discounts to teachers and veterans. Many Love Local businesses give a portion of their revenue to environmental charity organizations.
Reduce your carbon footprint. Love Local small business owners are mindful when sourcing raw materials and supplies for their businesses. By choosing local and sustainable inputs, they pass a lower carbon footprint on to their customers. Additionally, goods made locally don’t have to travel far to get to you, reducing emissions related to transportation.
Create a connection with the people you buy from. This is one of the pillars of Love Local’s creation. In a world seeped with quick transactions, I invite you to take a more mindful approach to buying. There’s beauty in being recognized when you walk into a store and converse with someone who either sourced or made the products you’re purchasing. Love Local promotes a relationship-focused approach to shopping, moving beyond purely transactional interactions.
Why I love shopping from small businesses.
When you shop from a local store, you get more than just a product; you get to be part of the very fabric of someone else’s journey. For example, Little Seed Farm’s Orange Vetiver Soap is my favorite bar soap. I could go to a big box store and buy a popular soap brand made with synthetic ingredients sourced from all over the world. This soap is manufactured in multiple countries and travels thousands of miles before reaching the store shelf. Instead, my soap purchase supports a Nashville-based family business that utilizes sustainable farming practices, treats their goat herd humanely, sources raw ingredients they don’t grow themselves from responsible sources, uses plastic-free packaging and shipping materials, and whose operation is powered 100% with renewable energy.
I created Love Local to share sustainable alternatives to conventional products made by independently owned small businesses. Each of the benefits listed above contributes to my motivation to elevate small businesses, making an effort to do business with consumer health and the planet’s longevity in mind. You can find a wide range of small businesses, like Little Seed Farm, offering various sustainably crafted products and services on Love Local. We’ve done all the research so you can shop from our brands knowing you’re supporting a person committed to sustainability in their products and practices. Start your search here: LOVE LOCAL