One woman's quest to live without products made in China

The situation was looking dire. While I had no problem spending the week resembling a "before" photo from What Not to Wear and eating breakfast while standing over the sink because all my dining chairs are Chinese, my dependence on technology proved to be my downfall. Giving up China also meant giving up virtually all communication with the outside world — and possibly even my job.

Suffice it to say, I failed. I failed spectacularly. That I couldn't even make it a week left me even more in awe of Sara Bongiorni, the author who spent a year not buying Chinese-made products, dragging her husband and young kids along for the ride. That adventure was Bongiorni's New Year's resolution in 2005, which she chronicled in her book, A Year Without "Made in China."

After the humbling experience of my failed week, my resolutions are a little less ambitious than Bongiorni's. In 2011, I will try to:

• Always read the label.

• Avoid the temptation to buy $20 shoes.

• Redefine my idea of a "fair price."

• Be willing to pay a little extra if it means helping a neighbor stay in business.

• Look up Mauritius on a map.

• And trash that heinous sweatshirt already.

BUY "MADE IN S.F." INSTEAD

Here are a few local businesses we love that make their products right here. To find even more, visit www.sfmade.org, which has a directory of local businesses in all categories.

Beer

21st Amendment Brewery
563 Second St. (at De Boom), 369-0900
www.21st-amendment.com

Bikes

Mission Bicycle Company
766 Valencia (at 19th St.), 683-6166
www.missionbicycle.com

Clothing and Jewelry

Fabric8
3318 22nd St. (at Valencia), 647-5888
www.fabric8.com

Mingle
1815 Union (at Octavia), 674-8811
www.mingleshop.com

Residents Apparel Gallery Co-Op (RAG)
541 Octavia (at Ivy), 621-7718
www.ragsf.com

Venus Superstar
351 Divisadero (at Oak), 749-1978
www.venussuperstar.com

Foodstuffs

Charles Chocolates
845 Market (at Fourth St.), Suite 327, 348-8889
www.charleschocolates.com

Humphry Slocombe
2790 Harrison (at 24th St.), 550-6971
www.humphryslocombe.com

Tartine
600 Guerrero (at 18th St.), 487-2600
www.tartinebakery.com

Furniture

Ohio
630 Treat (at Harrison), 647-6446
www.ohiodesign.com