what is ‘making stuff is awesome’?

It is a website that intends to enable and empower.
This is what we hope to accomplish:

• provide listings of manufacturers, suppliers, artisans and all the necessary parts and labour required to make stuff.
• help these suppliers attract clients locally and maybe even internationally.
• help manufacturers find skilled labour through MSIA employment listings.
• feature local talent through write-ups and maybe some videos. We are going to show you some beautiful things made by inspiring people.

here is the backstory

This website is brought to you by mimiTENS because I thought you might appreciate it.

When I started mimiTENS, I was really excited to see if I could turn my idea into a legitimate product. But that enthusiasm was challenged by how difficult it is to find cut and sew manufacturing sources. It was perplexing to me. On one hand, we hear that manufacturing is suffering in Canada and yet, people in the business were so tight-lipped about where they got their materials and the labour.

I persisted and eventually found that there is lots of manufacturing happening here but that they are losing skilled-workers for lack of consistent work. Sad and unnecessary.

After mimiTENS was mentioned in GOOP, I was contacted by so many people who had ideas but didn’t know where to begin. They all expressed an interest in manufacturing locally. I then realized how important it is that a national resource site be developed.

There is a lot of talent out there in design, supply and labour. I hope that ‘making stuff is awesome’ will help all of those people meet each other and work together.

what we believe

• making stuff is fun, complicated, often frustrating but ultimately rewarding. Whether it is a nice meal, a knit sweater, or a nice set of shelves, making something speaks to an appreciation of craft and a sense of confidence.
• the recession and on-going financial stress has really spooked us all. We seem to be hearing a lot about cutting spending and stunted growth. Cutting is understandable but is not the only way to restore balance. We need to invest in the right places, create opportunities and foster growth.
• we chose to manufacture locally for our own reasons. These reasons include a lighter environmental footprint, support of local talent, better control, favorable tariff and trade partnerships and love of country.
• our choice to manufacture locally is not a rejection of manufacturing off-shore. It is not a value judgment. The world needs for China, India, Brazil and all those emerging countries to work and be successful. They are trying to support their citizens and they have many formidable challenges. The last thing they need is the West harping on about human rights but taking advantage of their cheaper-labour. Glass houses, my friends, glass houses…
• it is not too late to restore pride and profitability in the local cut and sew manufacturing sector. In fact, we must reconsider the value of the basic-needs industries for the sake of our self-sufficiency and national identity. Who wants Canada to become a country of people who can’t grow their own food, build their own homes or make their own stuff?
• we believe in Canadians. We are talented people who pump out great ideas. Now is a good time for us to re-invest in manufacturing. The cost of shipping is increasing as is the cost of overseas labour and raw materials. We have so many advantages such as our diverse population. We just need to imagine ourselves as the leaders in product design and cut + sew manufacturing, and we will work to become exactly that.