Pastoral dreams and quirky goats: An analysis of selling strategies of fiber farmers on Etsy
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The first national meeting of textile and clothing professors took place in Madison, Wisconsin in June 1959. With a mission to advance excellence in education, scholarship and innovation, and their global applications, the International Textile and Apparel Association (ITAA) is a professional and educational association of scholars, educators, and students in the textile, apparel, and merchandising disciplines in higher education.
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Abstract
Small scale fiber farming is growing as a hobby and economic activity in the United States. Small fiber farms often focus on rare or heritage breed fibers. Fiber farmers have also adopted various online platforms to sell their goods, such as Etsy. The purpose of this research was to examine the selling strategies of farmers selling fiber goods on Etsy and explore how fiber farmers characterize their farms, animals, and lifestyles. The results were also examined using the concept of nostalgia and the principles of Slow Fashion. To investigate the purpose, data were gathered from Etsy. A total of 47 fiber farm product postings were analyzed. Three major themes emerged: farm history, motivations for farming, and buying farm fresh. The farmers used both nostalgia and principles from Slow Fashion to help sell their goods on Etsy.