First I want to congratulate the European Union for hurting their own micro-businesses in order to combat TEMU/SHIEN and ALIEX. Any one who produces stuff got hit with two new laws, you need to have a representative in each of the 27 countries you wanting to distribute to and the cross-border EPR fees (national recycling and registration costs that online sellers and manufacturers must pay in every individual European Union country where their product packaging or goods reach end consumers).
An each country can make up their own fees and I’ve seen Germany and France being absolutely ridiculious with them while voting nazis in power. Looking at you Germany, has not learned shit from what happened 81 years ago, hmmm?! (¬`‸´¬)
The EU implemented the rules while not knowing what the fuck they entail. Nor making a difference between multi-million/billion companies and small creators that do not sell
€ 50.000 in stickers each year. And how they should be implemented?! Because when you contact your local representative they can tell you the clear set of rules. “( – ⌓ – )
Every small creator I purchased from the last 5 years have been very consious about their packaging. It is 100% recycable. And if they want to protect their damn internal market, my make small creators jump through hoops to have a representative in each of the 27 countries and putting them up with exorbitant fees like €500 for a country per year?! Asswhipe companies like Bol.com can easily afford it and not be punished for shipping a stick of deodorant in a 50x50cm box.
When talking to small creators, they express how happy they are to be able to make a living with doing what they love and selling products that they are proud of. When it is drawn or crocheted, knitted, molded, baked a lot of love and care went into it. It is my dream to be able to sustain myself as a creator because working at an office is not for me. So I signed a petition in different languages and we have hit the threshold and some sounds are coming out that they cleary didn’t suspect the impact it has on micro-businesses. Which is a bit off bullshit because they all file for tax. (¬`‸´¬) Let see if they liston to reason.
But this post won’t be a complete economic rant but it was hard for me to purchase stuff this month as some artists that I supported stopped shipping to the Netherlands.
.·°՞(っ-ᯅ-ς)՞°·.
I get it, you don’t want to be hit with fines, but it was a sad month indeed.
Fortunately, the two artists I back monthly still resumed with their mail clubs. YAY!
See the cute stuff I got from Nataly_owl and Paraply. The prints I swap out every two weeks or per season from their frames so that I have a very dynamic art wall. And the cards are often used for birthdays or just sending out cards to people I care about to let them know I am thinking of them. I know there is whatsapp but getting cards is much more fun imo.
For the other stuff I went to a physical store called De Zilveren Vos in my hometown. The owners are a cool couple, they host many workshops and card game competitions. I highly recommend you visit them when in town. They are at Sint Jorisstraat 1, ‘s-Hertogenbosch.
One of the cool things they have is custom artist Pokemon cards. I had a hard time not buying them all. And they sit so pretty in my special binder. They are the stars of my collection. *Whisper* one of the artist at Zilveren Vos has printed her art on a binder, go get it!
The Milotic EX and Mimikyu cards are by Marinki and the Stufful and Tyrantrum EX are by PixlPanda. I still need a business card and something to fill up the other slot, maybe another card. (≖⩊≖) Marinki has the custom binders, go support her! PixlPanda I met on a con and they have an awesome product range. Every euro spent with them, is a euro well spent.
During my splurge I bought several sticker sheets and decal stickers from PixlPanda, Catzero, DreamChase, Marinki and Ymia. The Mariko Fukuoka note pad was bought from a different store that is close to the Zilveren Vos, called De Familie Fabriek. There you can find sustainable gifts, postcards, childrens books, toys and stationary. One of the girls working there is a graphic designer and every staff member is passionate about their products. Please visit them at Vughterstraat 43, ‘s-Hertogenbosch.
It was a good haul but a bit bitter sweet as the European Union is being an ass. Please sign the petitions and feedback letters. Let’s hope we talk some sense in the aparatus and protect micro-businesses and kick mega corporate butt.
Love you all, embrace whimsical, stay weird and fuck AI.
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