Moral Dilemma: Organic vs. Local

[granolahead]

Okay, I've had this dilemma for a few months, now. I'm buying a lot of fabric, for sewing clothes, diapers, wipes, shopping bags, etc.

I can get organic fabrics through online co-ops, and that's good for the earth.

...OR...

I can get non-organic fabric through this wonderful local fabric store, Alfred's, which is one of the few remaining true old-school fabric stores being put out of business by big chains like JoAnn.

On the one hand, I don't like the thought of pesticides, etc., on everything we wear and use. But on the other hand, I don't like the thought of these little places being put out of business by JoAnn, when the little places sell higher-quality fabrics, and have a truly friendly, knowledgable staff, which you just can't get at the JoAnn.

So maybe my question is this?: What's more important, 1) the local economy and communitiy / good quality non-organic fabrics, or 2) the environment / sustainability?

Help!

Thanks.

[marybethorama]

I'd go local

Would the local store be able to special order some organic fabric for you?

I realize this might be expensive but that way you'd be supporting them.

[desultory]

I'd go with local definitely. Buying local is in many ways more sustainable than buying organic that is shipped over long distances. I don't know if you're interested in sustainable food, but Michael Pollan, in his latest "The Omnivore's Dilemma" discusses this issue. He comes down pretty firmly in favor of local first, then fair wage and organic, and I agree. I confess I haven't applied this to my yarn supply yet -- I do buy from local shops, but I rarely get locally produced yarn, and have never bought 'eco' yarn.

[granolahead]

I'll have to call and ask the fabric shop if they might special order some organic stuff for me! I'm afraid they won't know what I'm talking about and they'll think I'm strange...after all, I'm not in California anymore...but maybe that's okay. People are bound to find out I'm a little weird sooner or later, right? Thank you, I will keep shopping there.

We went to both JoAnn and our little Alfred's Fabric this morning, the whole family. Dh and I both noticed a real difference in the feel of the two places. That, to me, is almost reason enough alone to shop at the little places...those people care about what they do for a living...it's just really...I dunno...NICE. It's happy. We got some t-shirts at JoAnn for part of dh's current project for one of his graduate courses...we couldn't think of anywhere else, besides Wal-mart, to get plain t-shirts affordably. In the car on the way home, dh said, "I feel like a whore shopping at JoAnn, let's never go back there." It's strange how sensitized we've become, now that we've found the independently-owned shops and shopped there and begun to know the people who work there. The big places now feel cold to us.

"The Omnivore's Dilemma" looks like a completely fascinating read. All the copies are out right now at our local library...DARN!

Oh, wouldn't it be lovely to buy local yarn?! I think there's a farm somewhat near to us that has local, organic yarn, which is incredible to me, if that is actually true. I haven't had time to look into it yet, and dh won't let me have any more yarn until I use up all my Patons Merino and Knit Picks stuff...a whole good-sized box full of it, bought in ignorance before we became aware of the importance of living locally. Shame on me. I shall do better in the future.

Thank you for the guidance. I've had much the same dilemma at the food co-op in Albany...many times there is the organic pear from California or the local pear from just a ways up the highway, and I usually choose the local one, just because I can't decide which is better. I'm glad to hear feedback that local is better. And I think I'll have to read that book!

[Ione]

Definately local first.

Organic does not necessarily (it can, but doesn't always) mean "non-industrial".

[MomToKandE]

Originally Posted by desultory

I'd go with local definitely. Buying local is in many ways more sustainable than buying organic that is shipped over long distances.

This is where I've wound up in the local vs. organic question with food. I don't know if the same idea would apply with fabric. I assume the fabric isn't produced locally so it's being shipped from somewhere... Still I think I'd tend to want to support the local business.

[granolahead]

Can I ask why local is better than organic? Maybe that's too complex of a question. But I'd love to hear anybody's reasoning, if they think they could explain, just so that I might understand the issues more clearly.

[UlrikeDG]

According to some sources (The Omnivore's Dilemma is one of them), transporting organic food around the world is worse for the environment/food than simply buying local foods grown with more mainstream methods. I have no idea how true that is, or if it applies to fabric.

Of course, the *best* thing is to buy local organic products, but that's not always an option.

[heartmama]

I can see where local is better for the community. But it still sounds worse for the individual and environment (pesticides, chemicals, hormones). If a local farmer is using pesticides, it would seem to offset the toxins related to transporting organic food.

I guess I'm still on the fence.

[sphinxie]

I first thought this was about food and was going to say "local is usually organic even if it isn't certified!" but obviously that doesn't apply to fabrics.

I would support local, because that shop is depending on you and other people in the area, while the organic sources are being supported by people all over the country with the shipping.

ETA: And because I can't stand Joanne's