Monthly Archives: December 2012
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December 28, 2012
This article makes the case that buying in bulk benefits everyone, from businesses to hobbyist crafters. It opens with an example of friends gifting bulk cleaning supplies, showing how larger quantities bring down cost per unit.
Ordering in bulk gives buyers the best value for their money, since processing and shipping costs stay roughly the same no matter the order size. Country Brook Design offers an example with its black heavy nylon webbing, where a 10 yard order runs 89 cents per yard while a 50 yard roll drops to 59 cents per yard. Some competitors charge 40 cents or more per foot, compared to a 30 cent rate on larger orders.
Crafting entrepreneurs can stretch a budget further by buying inventory in bulk, and hobbyists can pool orders with other crafters to share the savings. Bulk buying is also framed as good for the environment, since fewer orders mean fewer shipments and less transportation, while supporting company growth.
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December 17, 2012
In 1941, Georges de Mestral, a Swiss engineer, invented the hook-and-loop fastener that would become known as VELCRO®. There are other variations on hook-and-loop fastening systems, but the VELCRO® brand has resulted in a genericized term, like the way we use Kleenex® as a synonym for "tissue." He got the idea from the burrs that kept sticking to his clothing and his dog’s fur after he took his canine buddy on hunting trips in the Alps. The burrs were such an annoyance to remove that he got the idea for a strong but reversible fastening system.
