Love to Give Handmade? Go Local, Too!

With the recent push to ‘shop small,’ most recently evidenced by American Express’s ‘Small Business Saturday’ campaign, did you know you can shop even smaller than a local store?

Etsy showcases handmade items from all over the world, giving handcrafters a market for their wares.

According to its website, "Etsy is the world's handmade marketplace. Our mission is to empower people to change the way the global economy works. We see a world in which very-very small businesses have much-much more sway in shaping the economy, local living economies are thriving everywhere, and people value authorship and provenance as much as price and convenience. We are bringing heart to commerce and making the world more fair, more sustainable, and more fun."

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But did you know you can also find Etsy shop owners by location? There are 17 Etsy dealers with 763 items listed in North Haven alone, never mind that there are 85,660 items listed in Connecticut.

Here are our hometown Etsy shops:

• babyjewels: custom rubber stamping and self inking
• BellyLaughButtons: Buttons, keychains, mirrors & magnets for all occasions
• carrieWdesigns: handcrafted jewelry designs
• ChicNaturale: Genuine stone, freshwater pearl, seashell and glass jewelry
• creationsbyEGG: One of a kind, handmade items
• DollsByDesign: unique handmade dolls
• DragonflyWishesJwlry: Handmade Christmas card
• EngineeredLOVE: hand-painted art
• GarlandofRoses: Handcrafted wrap style Rosary Bracelets using only genuine Swarovski® products
• helenasperfectgift: handmade jewelry
• HennyRenee: Jess & Cohen's Little Shop of Huggable Creatures
• necleather: New England Custom Leather
• PartsbyNC: "Handcrafted Silver Jewelry That Plays By Its Own Rules"
• RenCreates: knit creations
• sweetdahliashop: handmade jewelry, hair accessories, baby items & paper goods shop
• tagliatela: license plate photo albums
• ThreeLittleDucksxo: tutus

Tell us: Do you shop handmade and local? What's your favorite etsy shop?