Portland’s Mama Economy

By Savannah Mayfield

While our national and local economies have been in a decline over the past two years, there is an economy in Portland that is thriving: the “mama economy.”

The mama economy is made up of creative, community-minded mothers who enjoy swapping, bartering and selling their goods and services to each other.

I spoke with numerous local mothers (and a couple of dads!) to get feedback on how this grassroots economy is working in Portland.

Tony Fuentes of Milagros Boutique, a natural baby and child boutique that sells many locally-crafted (by mothers) goods, says that the mama economy is based on “a unique combination of values in Portland, namely a strong do it yourself ethic, a strong environmental ethic, and a strong belief in community connectedness.”

The mama economy is all about sustainability. A recent study by the Rochester, N.Y.-based Nalge Nunc International Corp. found Portland to be “America’s third least wasteful city.” The study found that 78 percent of Portland residents consider themselves to be “eco-conscious.”

Swapping is environmentally smart. Rather than throwing out clothes that their children or they themselves no longer wear, or going to a big box store to buy something new that is made in China, Portland mamas are holding organized swaps meets.

PDXswaps is a locally-run, highly organized swapping group that meets regularly to exchange clothes based on sizes. It started with a few women of the same size getting together to exchange clothes. Now, there are regular “swaps” all over the city. According to the Web site, “the exchange isn't just about getting some new threads and getting rid of your stuff. It's also about making a difference environmentally, economically and socially.”

Portland also has three cooperatively run swap shops, all started by local moms: Sunnyside Swap Shop Co-op, St. John’s Swap and Play, and NE Family Cooperative Swap and Play Café. For a reasonable monthly fee, members have the opportunity to gather in the swap spaces to connect, sift through items brought by other members and utilize indoor (and even outdoor) play space for their children.

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