As the chaos of Black Friday approaches, we've made a thoughtful decision to abstain from hosting any Black Friday sales - and this is why:
1. Mindful consumerism is a core part of our ethos and we don't like to promote spending for the sake of spending.
When you buy Arias Design Co jewellery, we want it to be because you love our handmade jewellery and it makes you happy - not because big companies have decided this Friday should be the day you spend all your money!
2. We value the labour of small businesses in NZ
Larger companies are able to mass produce their items in a way that small businesses often can't - especially businesses like Arias Design Co that make all of our polymer clay earrings from hand - which means they can offer large discounts without massively increasing the resources taken to produce their goods.
For small businesses, that's not the case and trying to compete with conveyor belt consumerism would mean undervaluing both our labour and our products.
3. We prefer more meaningful promotions.
All of this isn't to say we hate sales - quite the opposite! However when we run promotions, discounts and special offers on our small batch jewellery, we like to do it for reasons that align with our own ethos and timelines.
We're proud of the community we've fostered while running Arias Design Co on our own terms rather than bending to the rules of large corporations, and love being able to offer our sales and promos outside of the traditional structure. It feels more authentic and allows us to connect with you on a deeper level - which is what our small business is all about!
4. We believe slow made is better.
In this day and age, more and more fast fashion purchases are ending up in landfill than ever before, polluting our planet and oceans on an unprecedented scale. We don't want to be a part of the problem, and do our best to keep our jewellery products and small business practices as sustainable as possible - and that includes prioritising quality over quantity, making our jewellery in small batches and committing to fair pricing. Simply put, these practices just aren't compatible with the frenzy that is Black Friday.
We know that there's a huge cost of living crisis at the moment, and aren't trying to shame those shopping on Black Friday - everyone loves a good discount after all!
We believe that responsibility for conscious consumerism ultimately rests with the sellers, but every choice we make as a consumer has the power to shape a more sustainable and ethical marketplace, so we always encourage you to be thoughtful with your purchases.
As always, thank you so much for your understanding and support as we try our best to balance Arias Design Co business practices with our values and morals - you are truly the best!