The Irony of ASDA

There is an irony here. I work at a company that specializes in handmade items. The weavers are located next to the office. I can hear the clack of the looms as I type. One of a kind hand knit hats are sold in the mill store downstairs. Great care and effort are put into the work that they do. They are indignant when cheap knock-offs of their goods are produced in China. And then everyone shops at ASDA.

ASDA is the Walmart of this part of the world. It is located just over the border in Northern Ireland. They sell acrylic sweaters for under ten pounds. Food is cheap. They primarily stock groceries. Their George line was put together by the creative team from Next and has good style/design aesthetic and colors that pop though the garments are made of cheap blended fabrics and produced for pennies in Asia.

Back in Easthampton I take for granted that there are half a dozen supermarkets and three natural food stores within twenty minutes. Here in Kilcar at the local store the smallest head of wilted lettuce you have ever seen was on sale for three and a half euro. That's five dollars for a handful of rotten greens! Then again, good cheese and soda bread are quite affordable.

I am accustomed to the Valley's "buy local" ethos and life doesn't work that way in Ireland. The coats, and throws and hats produced at Studio Donegal are destined for the export and luxury markets. They are not intended for local consumption. That's not to say that locals don't buy them but they are not the target customers.

I'm feeling a little funny about that.