Whats better than shopping small for Tallow? Shopping Small and Local.

Jan 29

Tallow is having its moment right now. And it’s so easy to see why, natural ingredients with proven results. Products full of vitamins and antioxidants. It’s got every catchy marketing word you could have around that product associated with it. Regenerative. Locally Sourced. Nutrient Rich. Eco Friendly. Sustainable. You feel good buying it. And it seems like every influencer is sharing a business or two that sells it. Shipped right to your door. 🛑. Stop right there.

Whipped Tallow Body Butter from Gratitude Farm located in Elk, WA
A full list of makers is at the bottom of the blog!

That’s where I start to cringe. I bet there’s a company within driving distance, or stocked in a local storefront that has tallow, likely even made from beef sourced in the immediate area. If you want to throw around some words to make yourself feel good about the purchase then let’s start there. That’s locally sustainable, eco friendly, and community centric.

Market display of Whipped Tallow by Parlor by Bar 46 located in Lewiston, ID

There’s so many things to unpack here. We all hate paying for shipping, but if it says free shipping the business isn’t lowering their profit margins to eat that cost. They’re simply including it in increased prices. We all enjoy beautifully branded and labeled businesses, but more and more we are finding out that the people behind the brands may not be what they seem. You can tell a lot with a handshake and a smile. Wouldn’t it be nice to have met the person responsible. And just because they say the beef fat is sourced from specially certified cows etc, how do you know that’s true? There’s a lot more accountability to speak truthfully and uphold your values when you know we may see each other out and around town. We all want thriving small towns that we can drive to with stores that are stocked and where we can pick up something that day instead of waiting.

205 Farms from Davenport, WA with Yak Tallow products

That’s not to say not to purchase online at all, just consider you could support someone in a way that isn’t impacted by ever increasing shipping costs, in a way that puts money right back into your own community. Could you take 5 minutes and search around your local community, maybe ask in your stories or make a post that you’re looking for someone local to buy from before you just click that affiliate link so you can get personal recommendations?

Washington