'Consider local makers and designers during Black Friday and the festive season'

As we approach the busy shopping period coming up to Christmas, I’d like to reflect on the real value of buying local.

I’m Mary Palmer, and until recently, I was chair of Cork Craft and Design, a Cork-based social enterprise.

Cork Craft & Design supports local designers and makers by creating opportunities to develop and launch new products through its shops and website. I have been a maker myself for many years, making textile art and quilts, and I am also a passionate supporter of the benefits of ‘Buying Local’.

Back in 2020, when we were all locked in, the Design & Crafts Council of Ireland launched their ‘Made Local’ campaign. It was intended to make people more aware of the benefits of buying in their community.

I could confidently say that, even though supply chains and shopping opportunities were restricted, the Irish community rowed in behind this idea and supported small local businesses. For many craftspeople, despite the challenges of the pandemic, they were incredibly busy.

This campaign has been run in several iterations since 2020 to continue to remind the public of the value of supporting locally-made products.

There are many small local shops that showcase local products like Cork Craft & Design, which stock Cork-made, or primarily Irish-made items.

We’re spoiled for choice with giftable objects of every kind - both for others and ourselves. Candles, soaps, skincare, prints, home décor, textiles, fashion accessories, jewellery, and ceramics are a small selection of amazing products made in Cork, as well as within the island of Ireland. All of these are being made by people in your local communities, with their products for sale locally, nationally, and sometimes internationally. The breadth of skill and ingenuity is stunning to behold.

Many of our local makers are small single-person entities, but there are also many who support a team of employees, making their products on a larger scale. When you buy something which has been made down the road, you’re also supporting the makers’ suppliers, who are often local businesses themselves. These are services such as graphic designers, photographers, printers, packing companies, couriers, and suppliers of raw materials. Every small business needs basic services such as phone, Wi-Fi, banking, accountants, tax office, and many other small services we take for granted. All of this helps to keep our local economies and communities afloat.

Along with helping local economies, supporting ‘buy local’ also means getting good design, high-quality finish, and reasonable value. I will acknowledge that mass-produced goods are sometimes less expensive, but not always. 

This coming Black Friday and festive season, please have a look at what some of our Irish designers and makers are doing before splashing out on a designer product. 

I think you’ll find there’s real value to be found locally, with great design and made-to-last items. Innovative contemporary design is readily found amongst our creative community in Ireland, and there’s genuinely something to suit everyone.

So, as we gear up for Christmas, please consider supporting your local Christmas Craft Fair, or popping into one of the many craft shops around the county. While I’ve mentioned Cork Craft & Design — in St Patrick’s Woollen Mills, Douglas and Douglas Court Shopping Centre — a few others that come to mind are such as Blackwater Valley Makers in Fermoy; The Heron Gallery in Ahakista; Forest & Flock in Bantry; Adrigole Arts in Adrigole; The Green Dot and O’Connell Gallery in Clonakilty; The Wildflower Collective in Midleton; Quinlan’s in Macroom; Snout in Ballincollig; The Craft Shop in Bantry; Cork Flower Studio on Douglas St; Grey Heron in Bandon; Courtyard Crafts in Schull, Lavit Gallery, Wandesford Quay and many more.

The now sadly closed Wild Design Collective in Paul Street Shopping Centre, first launched ‘Green Friday’ in Ireland as a counterpoint to the infamous ‘Black Friday’. It was meant to remind people of the value of supporting local businesses during their seasonal shopping. This has generated lots of interest for a couple of years, but I think that the overwhelming presence of ‘Black Friday’ has subsumed the movement. This doesn’t mean that we can’t continue to quietly support the ideals behind the movement. It’s about supporting local businesses with considered purchases rather than only looking for bargains Your support helps to keep many small businesses afloat. Do keep looking out for things that are made locally and remind your friends and family to do the same.

Please remember that these designers, makers, craftspeople, artisans are your neighbours and friends, people who are part of your community and you see every day.

That’s the real value of ‘Made Local’!

About the writer

Quilter Mary Palmer founded Marimu Designs in 2006 and has been involved in the quilting scene for over 25 years, exhibiting traditional and modern works both at home and abroad. She is a member and the former Chair of Cork Craft & Design, one of the largest collectives of multi-disciplinary craft makers in the country.

See corkcraftanddesign.ie for more.