Why We Build on Squarespace, and Why We Don't Work with Wix.
At Loon in the Mist Creative, the tools we use are part of how we practice our values, not just how we get work done. That means thinking about our platforms and suppliers the same way we think about our design choices: with intention, and a willingness to ask whether something aligns with what we stand for.
One of those choices is our decision not to work with Wix. If you're a Wix user, this isn't a criticism of you. Wix is easy to use and widely recommended, and a lot of people land on it simply because it came up first in a search. This is just an honest explanation of where we stand, and why.
What the Boycott Is About
Wix is an Israeli company, headquartered in Tel Aviv. It appears on the list of boycott targets actively supported by the BDS movement (Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions), a Palestinian-led movement that calls for peaceful economic pressure on companies and institutions connected to Israeli policies toward Palestinians. The movement upholds the principle that Palestinians are entitled to the same rights as the rest of humanity, and draws inspiration from the methods of the South African anti-apartheid movement.
Wix has been included in that list for two connected reasons. The first is that the company has provided in-kind donations to the Israeli military during the current conflict in Gaza. The second is a broader disparity that sits at the heart of what Wix is as a business: Wix was built on open access to the internet and access to startup capital, and Palestinian communities a short drive from Wix's Tel Aviv headquarters have poor or no access to either. The argument, put plainly at boycottwix.org, is that it's worth directing your website business elsewhere when good alternatives exist.
We recognize this is a topic people hold strong and varied opinions on, and we're not here to tell you what to think. For us, it came down to a simple question: given that good alternatives exist, does continuing to work with this platform sit well with our values? The answer was no.
How It Connects to What We Believe.
Two of our core values speak directly to this.
Ethical, Inclusive, and Purposeful. We're guided by integrity and empathy, and we try to create work that respects people and the environment. That principle doesn't stop at the edge of our design files. It extends to the vendors and platforms we build on.
Bold Creativity, Meaningful Impact. We believe design carries social responsibility. Choosing where to put our work, and our clients' work, is part of that.
As members of the RGD (Association of Registered Graphic Designers), we're also guided by a Code of Ethics that asks us to consider the social and cultural implications of our work and the goods and services offered by our suppliers, and to recommend options that are least detrimental to society. Choosing our platforms with care is part of living up to that standard.
Why Squarespace Is Our Platform of Choice.
Squarespace is a New York-based platform, and it's genuinely well-suited to the kind of visual, story-forward websites that tourism operators and destination brands need.
Design quality. Squarespace templates are built with layout and photography in mind. For tourism clients whose websites need to do emotional and visual work, that matters.
Easy for clients to manage. We build sites with handoff in mind, and Squarespace makes it realistic for clients to update their own content without breaking anything.
Solid e-commerce tools. If you need to sell packages, tickets, gift cards, or merchandise, Squarespace handles it well, and on higher-tier plans, doesn't take a cut of your sales.
Low maintenance. Squarespace manages hosting, security, and updates in the background. There's no plugin ecosystem to worry about, and sites tend to stay fast and functional without ongoing upkeep.
Built-in blogging and scheduling. For tourism businesses that want to keep a content presence or take direct bookings, those tools are included without needing third-party add-ons.
Thinking About Making the Switch?
If you're currently on Wix and wondering what a move to Squarespace would look like, we'd love to help. Migrations are more straightforward than most people expect, and we handle the whole process.
As a small gesture toward something bigger, we'll be donating 10% of our fees on all Wix-to-Squarespace migration projects to Nogojiwanong Palestine Solidarity (@nogojiwanong2palestine on Instagram), a local organization doing solidarity work right here in our community. If you've been thinking about making the switch anyway, this is a good moment to do it.
Making ethical choices in business doesn't always mean making harder ones. In this case, Squarespace is genuinely the better tool for the work we do, and one we can stand behind on every level.