Atelier P’tit Pin makes durable children’s clothing in short runs and had long relied on a few national distributors for fabric and packaging. The founders took the Buy Small pledge to understand whether more of their purchasing could support independent Canadian businesses without compromising quality or delivery. They began tracking supplier spending and asked smaller vendors for samples and lead times before shifting orders. The studio now buys labels from a local printer and uses an independent Montreal pattern grader for new designs. In the latest six-month period, 22 percent of supplier dollars went to independent businesses, compared with 13 percent before the pledge. The team says the work has required more careful inventory planning because smaller suppliers may have different minimum orders. It has also led to quicker conversations and more flexible advice when a design needs adjustment. The founders set a quarterly review to keep the one-in-five goal measurable, and they share the results with staff so purchasing decisions remain part of everyday planning.
