Help Sustain Your Community and the Environment by Buying Local

These days, consumers are jumping on the “buy local” bandwagon, searching for ways they can support their local communities, reduce their carbon footprint, and have greater control over the quality and origins of their purchases. This rings true not only for purchases of food and sundries but also for larger items like home furnishings.

By now it’s evident that patronizing local businesses not only brings vibrancy to the community by giving us more variety and unique choices, but it can also keep small-business owners from losing their livelihoods and having to lay off employees—which creates a domino effect on the local economy. The overwhelming support of some local businesses—and at the same time the shuttering of others—during the COVID-19 pandemic shows just how important spending our dollars locally can be. When those dollars stay within our community, businesses remain open, jobs are available, and wealth spreads, helping to create a thriving community where people want to live.

Just about every purchase comes with a choice: buy locally or go elsewhere. Think farmers' markets versus supermarket produce, “mom and pop” restaurants over chains, and family businesses as opposed to big-box corporations. In the furniture and home furnishings industry, working with local companies benefits all parties in numerous ways: a furniture craftsman has orders to fill, a furniture salesperson stays employed, and you benefit by connecting with your community, receiving personalized service, and the satisfaction of helping the environment and the local economy. The U.S. Small Business Administration reports that when you spend at a small business, 48 percent of your money stays in the community as opposed to just 14 percent if you spend at a national retailer.

Reducing Your Negative Impact

Let’s take a quick look at how local purchases reduce the negative impact on the environment. Greenhouse gas emissions are a large factor when transporting goods either nationwide or globally - burning precious resources and contributing to global temperature rise. Just as food may not be as fresh upon arrival, more travel time and distance across oceans and land also increase the chance of furniture or home décor items arriving damaged. When those items need to be returned and replacements reshipped, even more nonrenewable energy is expended.

The next time you go shopping for furniture, consider not only the establishment you are patronizing but also where its goods are coming from. Ask to see products from local manufacturers. Also consider places where you might find home décor items that are made by local artisans and craftspeople, such as art festivals, craft fairs, or co-ops.

Unique Local Options if You Live in Pennsylvania

We are a local, family-owned business in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. Most of our products are sourced from the local community and are created by some of the area’s finest craftspeople in the heart of Amish country - which has a superb reputation for quality furniture. When you buy from us, you are not only supporting local businesses but also many talented individuals, from designers down the line to manufacturers and craftsmen who make some of the finest handcrafted furniture in the country.

To give you an example, let us introduce you to The Craftsman Collection, a local shop that creates solid-wood Mission-style furniture - all handcrafted by skilled woodworkers in Lancaster County. This Mission Lift Top Coffee Table, available in numerous finishes, is just one of the many pieces in The Craftsman Collection.

The Mission Lift Top Coffee Table features a functional design.

Another one of our quality wood shops is Pennsylvania-based Fisher’s Quality Products, which makes the finest-quality cribs and nursery furniture. Owner Joseph Fisher knew from his work experience that manufacturing cribs comes with a strict process of meeting government regulations and obtaining safety certifications. Seeing a void to fill, he began manufacturing cribs from his home in 2010, and the company now has several styles that can be transitioned from infancy to later stages of development including toddler beds, daybeds, and adult beds. Purchasing convertible items such as these keeps families from having to discard outgrown pieces for new furniture purchases, saving money, resources, and strains on the environment. This Darlington Convertible Crib, available in solid cherry, maple, or oak, has optional conversion kits for a toddler, day, or adult bed.

The Darlington Convertible Crib is available with a variety of conversion kits.

Inevitably, with the activities of family living in any home, from time to time a furniture piece may need a repair. When you have bought locally, this becomes much easier because the same craftspeople who created your piece know it inside and out and can often make repairs as well. The short trip to your home or their workshop will save on gas, shipping costs, and even repair time.

The bottom line is that when you buy locally, you are investing in your neighbors, your friends, your family, and perhaps even a very appreciative stranger or two in your neighborhood. In the long run, spending your dollars locally also benefits you—with more choices, more character, and a stronger sense of attachment to the place where you call home.