While it’s impossible to research every purchase, learning to spot when you can shop locally can help you form new habits and support your community. Here are a few easy tips!
Look for the Local Logo
Local small businesses are a vital part of the social fabric in communities and contribute to their economic success by creating jobs. Supporting these businesses ensures that money earned stays within the community, allowing it to circulate more often and benefit more people.
Buying locally also supports the environment and sustainability, as goods have less distance to travel. In addition, shopping locally can be a more personalized experience. For example, when you shop at a small craft shop, the owner may know your name and be able to help you find what you’re looking for quickly.
Some online fabric shops have an easy-to-find local logo. Look for this to ensure that the company you’re purchasing from is a local Canadian business.
Check the Shipping Costs
Purchasing online can be risky. You may only know the quality of the fabric once it arrives at your doorstep, and you cannot touch or feel it before making a purchase. But there are ways to minimize that risk.
First, choose a shop with a wide range of garments or home decor fabrics. This way, you can find something that suits your needs.
Many Canadian online fabric shops offer shipping options, including dimensional weight (DIM) pricing. It considers your package’s length, width, and height to calculate shipping costs.
It is an excellent option if you purchase a large amount of fabric and want to keep the shipping costs as low as possible. Lastly, make sure to check the return policy before buying. Most online fabric stores have this information on their website, but reading the fine print is always good! It will save you a lot of hassle in the future.
Check the Return Policy
Online shopping is an excellent option for many people when visiting fabric stores in person isn’t possible. It can be very convenient, especially during the pandemic or when you’re not well and want to shop in your pajamas from home. However, you should still check the return policy before purchasing, particularly for higher-priced fabrics such as those used to make garments.
If a shop offers free shipping or returns, you can save money and reduce your environmental impact by purchasing fabric online and returning it in-store. It is a great way to try out new fabric and see how it feels and get help from someone in-store, without the extra cost of shipping and waste from purchasing a second fabric if you don’t like it.
Check the Customer Service
Lastly, checking out the online shop’s customer service is always good. It can be a significant factor when purchasing fabric from an unfamiliar online store. If you have any questions or concerns about your purchase or the quality of the product you receive, make sure to contact the shop via phone or email and try to resolve the issue.
Some online shops have excellent customer service; they stock some beautiful garment fabrics, including Atelier Brunette and Nani Iro, and printed sewing patterns. They also carry a great selection of Essex linens (great for bags and garments) and cotton sateens.
