Why it’s so important to shop small + support independents

Here at The Emperor’s Old Clothes we love to shop small! Being an independent clothing brand ourselves, it’s something we proudly support and encourage.

Many people don’t realise the benefits and importance of shopping independently, so we are going to highlight a few pointers which you may not have thought about:

Boosting your local economy

By spending your pennies at an independent retailer, you will be contributing to boosting the local economy.

Research has shown that for every £1 spent with a small or medium-size business, 63p of that stayed within in the local economy, compared to 40p with a larger high-street store.

Owners of local businesses are likely to live in the area you are shopping in, meaning they are less likely to leave and are more invested in the community’s welfare and future.

Originality & Individuality

We all know that when you shop on the high-street you are guaranteed to see someone else wearing the same piece of clothing as you whether it’s the following week or months down the line.

When you shop small you are buying limited one-off pieces which designers have worked hard on to produce.

Our seamstress Louisa loves our ‘Garden Stroll’ Coat

In a world of shops which have been designed to all look and feel the same, independent businesses bring originality and diversity to local communities.

Creating local jobs

Investing in pieces from local businesses means you are having a positive effect on the health of local jobs in the area.

Small, local businesses are the largest employer of jobs nationally and are also more likely to pay a higher average wage than commercial chain stores.

Here at The Emperor’s Old Clothes we are proud to say we are a living wage employer!

One-off gifts

Going back to the originality and individuality point – buying independent also means you are buying quirky one-off gifts.

If you’re stuck on what to buy your nearest and dearest for birthdays or Christmas, you’ll always be inspired just by looking at your local shops instead of your standard high-street chains.

There is also little risk that the gift receiver has seen their present elsewhere before…

We’re proud to be part of Flock boutique packed full of talented makers + designers plus beautiful vintage pieces

Independent shops often stock items which are made locally and aren’t available elsewhere.

Thinking of buying a new outfit for your Christmas party?

Shop small or independent and there will be little chance you’ll turn up wearing the same thing as someone else!

Where the innovation happens

Everyone knows that fast fashion is a huge issue in the world right now (did you watch Stacey Dooley’s: Fashion’s Dirty Secrets a few weeks ago?).

The hundreds of thousands of new styles coming out of fast fashion houses are having a negative impact on our world and it’s the independent clothing companies which are bringing innovation to the high street.

Here at The Emperor’s Old Clothes we pride ourselves on using one-off vintage fabrics which would otherwise find their way to landfill.

Every item is made by hand at The Emperor’s Old Clothes

You actually matter!

Independent businesses pride themselves on listening to their customers feedback and making sure they provide a face when something goes wrong – or right!

We all know that if you have an issue with a large company you will most likely end up speaking to a robot for 20 minutes before you get to speak to an actual person.

Local independent retailers would much rather speak to their customers face to face to find out exactly how they can help you.

Remember, independent businesses are run by real, passionate people – not robots!

Image by notesfromastylist feat alternativeageing

The list is endless when it comes to the importance of shopping independently, but we hope we have inspired you to think twice about where you are spending your money – especially with (dare I say it?) Christmas around the corner…

We are extremely proud here to be supporting our local community and have a positive impact on the fashion industry, something which is very important to us, and the world! We’re also proud to have such a thoughtful, loyal tribe of customers who make sure they also think before they shop.

The Emperor’s Independent Gift Guide is coming soon…

Keep your eyes peeled for our Independent Gift Guide coming soon – it’s bound to give you endless amounts of inspiration of where to spend your pennies this holiday season! We’ll be featuring a curated selection of our favourite independent brands right now

Don’t want to miss our upcoming guide? Sign up to our mailing list to stay in the know – plus you’ll get 10% off your first purchase – yay!