“Just buying from micro businesses and artisans, I think there is a unique environmental story in sustainability in that people know how to repair things. If people are learning skills and crafts and honing them and getting better, that improves our collective capacity to keep things out of landfills...The personal connection that people experience from buying art and crafts makes the world a little better. That personal connection you feel from touching someone’s art makes it one of your prized possessions."

About Valerie Schafer Franklin

Valerie Schafer Franklin is on the Board of Directors for Artisans Cooperative. She has over 20 years professional experience as a non-profit director, event planner, project manager for multi-million dollar renewable energy projects, and most importantly, 14 years running an artisan business as one-half of the husband-and-wife leathercrafting business, Walnut Studiolo. She is also a freelance writer.

About Artisans Cooperative

Artisans Cooperative is crafting a “better” online handmade marketplace, run as a values-aligned, member-owned cooperative. We began with a vision for a better alternative following the #EtsyStrike, which took place in April 2022. By October 2022, we had formed a community on Discord, created an informational website on Wordpress, and announced our plans to the world to build a member-owned handmade marketplace. Artisans Cooperative is dedicated to quality over quantity and promotes creativity, supports artist livelihoods, creates opportunities for social impact art collectives, and connects people through an equitable artistic community. 

Find Artisans Cooperative online at:

WEBSITE: Artisans Cooperative

INSTAGRAM: @coopartisans

LINKEDIN: Artisans Cooperative

LINKEDIN: Valerie Schafer Franklin

Find Walnut Studiolo online at:

WEBSITE: Walnut Studiolo

INSTAGRAM: @walnutstudiolo

About LimeLoop -- LimeLoop combines reusable packaging and smart technology to provide you with an efficient, profitable circular supply chain while saying goodbye to single-use packaging. LimeLoop’s reusable packaging can be used in ecommerce packaging to reduce both cardboard and poly mailers from a retailer’s shipping process, and can be used in retail supply chains to move goods from warehouses or DCs to and from retail stores.

Find LimeLoop online at:

WEBSITE:  ⁠thelimeloop.com⁠

LINKEDIN:  ⁠LimeLoop⁠

TWITTER:  ⁠@theLimeLoop⁠

INSTAGRAM:  ⁠@theLimeLoop⁠