It's important to shop small every year and as often as you can, but especially this year. I know that these small business owners do a little dance and smile whenever they have a sale, just as I do.
So I've curated a collection of brands that I hope you'll love and are in no particular order!
1. Casa Ethica
Casa Ethica focuses on featuring a range of sustainable and ethical brands (including the Good Aura Company!) and is one of our go-to's when shopping for a gift.
Sugar and Cement is owned by the lovely Gemma, who I met virtually doing the South London Maker's Market (run by a fab twin duo). I'm particularly obsessed with her scalloped napkins and tablecloths and they're on my To Buy list when I buy a house next year!
3. Coco Roses
Coco Roses apparel create ethically made confidence boosting fashion & accessories and which are also the perfect gift to cheer anyone up! I'm obsessed with their positivetea mugs.
I love Lizzie Lomaxx's collection of Christmas cards in particular which have a traditional twist and 10% of all profits go to Brighton Food Bank.
Perfect for your mate who's an Aquarius or Leo, I'm swooning over their Doors inspired print.
6. ShopArtBaby
Whilst we're talking about prints, I also love ShopArtBaby's! Really ingo their minimalistic Friends inspired tea towel too, which would make the perfect housewarming gift.
Sophie Amelia hand paints and prints the most beautiful, recyclable wrapping paper and cards which are fully recyclable. Her work is beautifully delicate but also detailed and makes me feel very ready for Christmas! More so than I actually am!
I virtually met Lorna through The Coven Girl Gang, which we're both members of and fell in love with her work. It's my goal to have her one day illustrate some of our candles for the website and Instagram! She released a lovely range of cards for Christmas which I love and make me want to have Christmas cocktails with my friends - next year hopefully!
Studio Palms source & revive coveted interior pieces for the conscious home and have pieces with the aim to last decades, not seasons. To shop their products, go to their instagram and send them a message.
10. Millie Amber
Millie Amber makes the most enchanting wall-hangings and prints inspired by fashion, folk art and the natural world and I love all their pieces so much, I think homewares are actually such a good option this Christmas with more people than ever staying home.
11. Little Danube
Little Danube soaps are vegan, handmade in the UK and ethically sourced. Of course I was going to mention them! I'm so obsessed with their range, which is affordable and hugely caring to the environment. I hugely recommend their products and will definitely be getting some for stocking filler and secret Santa gifts!
12. Sugar Cane Salon
South London gals, if you've not been to sugar Cane Salon before, you need. to. go. When it's back open. Lockdown restrictions, though as necessary as they are, have hit small high street businesses extremely hard and one of the ways you can support them is buy getting a gift voucher! Got a friend who's aching to have her nails done or their lash extensions topped up? Get their next appointment for them for Christmas with a gift voucher.
Speaking of beauty, Persephone Beauty are my go-to website for shopping natural beauty that's also affordable. Plus, with every order they plant a tree! Honestly their range is unmatched and they have gifts from stocking fillers to luxury options and I love how their products are plant-based and cruelty-free.
14. Pink N Dink Sustainable Straws
Hear me out - For your ethically conscious friend or for you and you're making them a little mix of small gifts or a stocking - include these sustainable straws. Trust me, I use them all. the. time. In coffee, hot or cold. Their packaging is 100% recyclable and our delivery bags are 100% compostable!
15. Aurum.Ldn
AURUM.Ldn is your local gold jewellery store, but online. It’s all about slow fashion and forever pieces, because real gold is forever. And just as the founder’s journey began with nostalgic hand-me-downs, think of your AURUM.Ldn jewellery as soon-to-be vintage heirlooms to pass on in the future yourself. I really like how there's a focus on using previous jewellery to remake new styles and don't extract gold or mine it, and instead use already available gold.
