Everyone (including us) is always going off about local, local, local. It's a cultural and economic phenomenon that can't be ignored, and in the Bay, we're lucky enough to call everything from fancy Apple devices to yummy Miette pastries "local".
SFMade, a nonprofit with 145 local member small businesses, is taking a different approach to the "shop local" craze. Starting this Saturday, May 21, revel in SFMade Week: seven days of free insider factory tours, a pop-up shop, and a special Off the Grid at McCoppin Square.
Remember how American Apparel hit it big with their "Made in the USA" campaign? Well, we're talking 100% designed, loved and made in SF. These tours are an explosive, educational exploration of SF small businesses, and they're worth checking out. Tickets are free, but you must register to secure your spot.
Here are our Top 7 Picks for SFMade Week:
1. SFMade's Pop-up Shop at i/o Incubation(780 Valencia St.), Saturday May 21, 10am - 6pm, Free.
2. Rickshaw Bagworks or Timbuk2 Factory Tour, multiple days and times, Free.
3. Cayson Culinary Designs Factory Tour(15 Apparel Way), multiple days and times, Free.
4. Ritual Coffee Roasters Factory Tour(1050 Howard St.), multiple days and times, Free.
5. Magnolia Brewery Tour(1398 Haight St.), Monday May 23, 2pm - 3pm, Free.
6. Lily Samii Factory Tour (125 Hyde St.), Tuesday May 24, 11am - noon, Free.
7. Ramp it Up!: SFMade Annual Fundraiser at the McRoskey Mattress Factory (1687 Market St), Wednesday May 25, 5:30pm - 8:30pm, $45.
Note: If you can't make a tour, SFMade items will be available for sale at several local shops, including Paul's Hat Works, Cut Loose, Taylor Stitch, DEMA, Mulholland, Nooworks, RAG (Residents Apparel Gallery), Alley Collection and Arkay Workshop.
Lily Ko (lily.7x7 @ gmail.com) studied fashion design and merchandising at Central Saint Martins and the Academy of Art University. In addition to writing for 7x7, Lily is an editor at SF Station, works as a freelance stylist and covers food, fashion and fun on her blog, Curated SF.
