If you’ve been following along for awhile, you know that I absolutely love supporting small businesses and that one of my favorite parts of traveling is finding local artisans to support! There’s just something so special about being able to bring something home that is unlike anything you can find from a big box store.
This year, more than ever, it is CRUCIAL that we support our small businesses! These small businesses have been hit incredibly hard by the pandemic and the on again/off again shutdowns, and many will not make it through to 2021. Every time I see another favorite store or restaurant announce that they are closing a piece of my heart breaks.
While I understand how tough this year has been on all of us, many from a financial perspective, if you are planning on buying any gifts this year, PLEASE consider buying from a small business.
I’ve rounded up some of my personal favorites below, as well as those recommended by all of you! (As an FYI, I believe that these are all female-owned companies.)
- Emma Erla Design Co: Emma makes handmade keychains, wall hangers, and earrings in a variety of colors and designs. The keychains and earrings make great stocking stuffers or teacher gifts!
- Nicolé’s Holistic Healing: Handmade products for holistic healing. Think candles, sage bundles, herbal salves, and steam kits. This is a local Massachusetts company.
- Glow and Wonder: Glow and Wonder sells curated gift boxes that are perfect for any occasion! My personal favorites are the Girl Boss Essentials Box and the Rosé All Day Box!
- Goat Nail Lacquer: I’ve shared about Goat in the past, and I’ll probably share 2489614 more times in the future because I love it that much! Based out of San Diego, my friend Sarah wanted to create a line of nail polish that was cruelty-free, vegan, and chemically conscious. I can personally attest that she has done all of that all while maintaining the best quality nail polish I’ve ever seen! Her Wedding Dress White is the only white polish I’ve ever used that doesn’t streak, even after only one coat, and Bridgewater Red (pictured above) is the perfect shade of red for the holiday season! You can use code VAGARIOUSGOAT for 10% off your order!
- Bleu Luna Hair: Bleu Luna, a Los Angeles based company, creates natural, organic hair products perfect for all hair types (really!) I personally love the Bleu Luna dry shampoo, which has the whimsical name of Moon Dust.
- Sumas Blankets: I believe this company originally sold weighted blankets, but they’ve gotten pretty heavy into the mask game. Their masks are affordable, three layers, and have a spot for a filter!
- The Island Pooch: This company was started by my friend’s mom, who lives on the island of Oahu in Hawaii. She makes masks out of Hawaiian fabric and ships all over the world! These were the very first masks I ordered and both my husband and I love them! It’s also always nice to have a little piece of the islands with us while it’s still unsafe for us to go back.
- Ellie Bee Apothecary: Ellie Bee is another Massachusetts company that makes all natural products out of beeswax and essential oils.
- Barbari Herbals: I discovered Barbari a few months ago and have fallen in love with the brand! They sell herbal blends that can either be burned as incense, steeped to make a tea, or smoked. You can also mix the herbs with CBD if smoking it is your preferred method or you can mix it with the other part of the plant *wink, wink* for a more manageable, less intense high. Their blog is also full of really great information, which is always an added bonus when discovering a new type of product!
- Pothead Planters: While Pothead Planters is typically known for their hand-painted terra cotta planters, they started doing clay earrings that are absolutely stunning! If anyone is wondering what I would like for Christmas, it’s any of the monstera earrings!
- The Art of MVP: I discovered this artist at the Little Italy Farmer’s Market in San Diego. This resin coated, wooden California is actually currently hanging in my bedroom and I’m obsessed with it! The artist does all different types of resin work, but unless you’re local to San Diego I believe you need to order those through their instagram. They also design some pretty cool hand-stamped metal jewelry which you can find in their Etsy shop.
- Dune Jewelry: I actually learned about this company through my friend Rachel of Rachel Off Duty and just placed a huge order! Dune Jewelry makes personalized jewelry that is handmade with sand and other natural elements from your favorite places across the globe. Their sand bank is insane, they even have sand from some pretty obscure resorts I’ve stayed at! You can use Rachel’s code TRAVEL2020 for 20% off your order! (So you get a two for one when it comes to supporting small businesses: you support Dune Jewelry and Rachel Off Duty!)
- Polka Dot Paws by Abbey: This is hands-down my favorite dog bandana shop of all time! I’ve been ordering from Abbey since I first adopted Henry over five years ago. All of the bandanas are well-made and slide over collars so you don’t need to worry about tying them on. While her specialty is Disney-inspired bandanas, she offers something for everyone and can even do custom orders. If you have a tripawd like me, I highly recommend the Captain Hook bandana because it’s just too funny to not put it on a tripawd.
- Kim Kaiser Art: I just discovered Kim Kaiser while I was in Austin and fell in love with her work! She does Texas-inspired watercolor prints and illustrations that are bright and beautiful!
- Whimsy & Wellness: Whimsy & Wellness has all the accessories you could ever need to keep going on your holistic journey. Think crystals and every kind of essential oil roller, spray bottle, and dropper that you can imagine! Every crystal I’ve ever purchased to use in meditation I purchased from them, and they are all absolutely stunning. The couple that owns it is also incredibly sweet and has the best customer service!