About
About
Loconomy is a research and development project of the nonprofit The Rizoma Foundation. It is a technology platform that will allow for the easy selling of local, sustainable, and just products and services to customers looking to buy in accordance with their values.
Loconomy seeks to:
localize supply chains
build community
create jobs
promote sustainable solutions.
The goal of Loconomy is to build a localized, decentralized network between producers and consumers that promotes human-to-human connection and helps us to usher in an era of sustainability and resilient local communities.
The platform introduces three components that, put together, make it unique:
A streamlined eCommerce platform that makes selling and buying as easy as possible. This will include the option to ‘sell’ for free or barter.
A focus on local self-determination and self-reliance, including self-determined distribution, in-person community building supported by on-platform groups and fora to share relevant information for the local community.
Loconomy will be structured to include local ambassadors whose role will be to understand how individuals are using the platform and co-creating a useful tool with local input and ownership.
The community of buyers on this platform will value handmade over machine made, natural over industrial, quality over mass production, reused over newly-made and local above all. Anyone can sell on the app, but producers will be incentivized by a higher ratings to make quality, sustainable, ethical products and services.
We believe Loconomy can create the local commerce infrastructure to allow for certain goods and services to be provided entirely locally, either through local production or resale.
Local Economies
Because of our heavy reliance on global supply chains, it is often hard for us to consider what's possible in terms of relying on local economies. We suggest the following categories of goods and services can and should be produced within bioregional limits.
Goods
Some categories of goods include: food; apparel and accessories; shoes; beauty and skincare; children and baby; toys and games; tools and hardware; wine, beer and spirits; furniture; raw materials; home décor; stationary and printing; music; sports and activities; health, wellness, and self-care; books; plants and flowers; art; antiques; pet supplies; automotive, appliances or electronic parts.
Services
Some categories of local services could include: auto, appliance, tech repair; farm and garden labor; classes and workshops; art and creative; beauty and hair care; local transport; skilled labor; child and pet care; food, beverage and hospitality; house care and other collaborations.