As Oscar Wilde said "a cynic is a man who knows the price of everything and the value of nothing" words worth reflecting on.
A desire for more stuff for less money means we have lost sight of what is involved in the creation of that which we desire.
Instant gratification and a seemingly limitless and ever changing supply of fashion, food, frivolities and fripperies in the shape of delivered food, Amegazon prime and the like and we can forget that someone, somewhere had to source the materials, turn them into the object of your longing and then deliver it to your door. A fleeting pleasure, something in the moment, but quickly forgotten or discarded.
We love this interview with Vivienne Westwood, whose plan to save the world may need more work, but we cannot argue with this:
“We need to get back to having fewer things, and treasuring what we have. We already have enough clothes in the western world to last us for hundreds of years.” Westwood company policy is to downsize production – all collections are now 50% smaller than three years ago – and sell at a price point that encourages Westwood’s mantra of choose well, buy less, make it last.
My heart goes out to chefs who hear this all the time, with the constant tinnitus buzz of price whinges on Tripadvisor.
This is a list of the things that really annoy chefs, including Mary Ellen Mctague's "accusations of profiteering" and Si Toft on "TripAdvisor bullies".
Consider this and then ask yourself if you really could have "done this better and cheaper yourself."
- Did you spend time at catering college and learning the ropes in low paid restaurant jobs to learn about food hygiene, food storage, purchasing and pricing, staffing and food preparation.
- Have you factored in your mortgage/rent and rates? The electricity? The phone bill? What about insurance?
- Did you pay yourself when you prepared the meal? Did you pay someone to serve it, wash up after you, answer the phone to take your table reservation, do your accounts?
- And if so, did you then pay their NI? And then there is the commission that the credit card companies take on every transaction.
- Have you amortised the cost of the table you placed the food on, the chair you sat on, the crockery, cutlery, napery? And the pans, knives, bottle opener, can opener, wooden spoon.....
- Have you accounted for the hot water, washing up liquid, tea towels and dishcloths - or the cost of loading and running the dishwasher?
- Don't forget the laundry bill, the loo rolls and the soap, the cleaner
- Is there a publicity budget, allowing you to advertise?
- Have you worked put what your profit margin needs to be so that there is money to pay for replacement crockery when a plate gets broken, new cruets when someone steals the last salt cellar - yes that really is a thing, redecorating once in a while.
- Have you put in at least 12 hours a day all week?
- Did you lie awake last night wondering whether that no-show of a table of six can be covered by a couple of extra walk ins tomorrow lunchtime? How much longer is left on the lease? Is the landlord going to increase the rent? And where are you going to find a replacement for the waiting staff who has moved on.
The same principles apply to our cookware. Yes, you can buy something far cheaper, you can have it delivered virtually before you even knew you wanted it and yes, you will probably throw it away in less than a couple of years.
That's fine if that's all you can afford, and that is the reality for too many people.
It's not so fine if you take into account the disquieting factors behind the supply of cheap goods. Product miles, disposal of unwanted goods, single use of resources, working conditions of producers and providers, tax avoidance..............
When you buy something from us we will source all our components as locally as possible;we know our suppliers by their first names; we can tell you which of our ironmasters contributed which operation and skill to your product; we will wrap it in recycled and recyclable packaging; we will use recyclable and natural materials to make your cookware; you will be able to re-season and repair your cookware should the need arise; we won't come out with a new range every year, rendering last year's purchase obsolete or outdated; a real person will answer the phone and then answer your questions and we will pay our taxes.
So yes, our cookware may be a bit more expensive than some; you may have to wait longer than 24 hours for your hand made pan to arrive; but it will bring you joy; it will have provided jobs to a rural community; it will have been made with skill, but also with love and pride and when you work out the price per use, you will realise that it is not so expensive after all.
Netherton Foundry Shropshire 2020 ©
