Unpacking Producer / Consumer Relationships in Ethical Markets: A Look at Portland's DIY Sector

This presentation analyzes ethical consumption practices in alternative markets with a sector-specific focus evaluation of indicators and impacts. The paper reviews qualitative research conducted on Portland’s artisan economy with a focus on the independent or do-it-yourself (DIY) craft sector and presents follow up methods. General findings demonstrate ways market perceptions of sector participants reveal value-driven practices, illustrate impacts on production (through the role of place), and highlight impacts of market practices on producer accountability and consumer choices. Specific findings indicate drivers of the DIY market include integrity of production and consumption, communitarian values, minimal concern about competition, and attitudes of resistance to economic globalization with emphasis on alternatives to Fordist production processes in the context of consumer identity. Enabling characteristics include high producer/ consumer access to alternative markets, civic policies, cost of living, neighborhood culture, and collaboration with other artisan sectors and creative industries. Risks facing this sector include co-optation or imitation from mass-scale producers, temptation to sacrifice DIY values for increased profit, as well as debatable determination of its alternativeness. These findings have implications for further research which looks at ethical consumerism within place-based contexts, considers impacts and limits of ethical markets, examines equitable access to ethical markets, and explores implications for civic policies. Ultimately, the paper considers factors to determine effectiveness of ethical markets in the context of how to identify effective campaigns of ethical consumerism or how to validate exchange as an alternative to globalization.