There are innumerable reasons why you should shop from small businesses (from the fact they usually have better ethical practices than the big guns to the joy of knowing you’re less likely to see someone else with the same thing), but especially at the end of what has been a financially abysmal year for so many independent and small businesses, they need our support now more than ever.
This Saturday (28 November), is Small Business Saturday, a day that encourages people to ditch the Amazons of the world and support the local and little guys who make beautiful products with heart, soul and passion.
So why not make a pact with yourself to buy at least half your Christmas presents from small businesses this year? That might sound time-consuming, tricky or expensive, but we’re here to tell you that couldn’t be further from the truth.
Proving that, we’ve rounded up some of our favourite small businesses below. Ranging from beauty and fashion to homeware and food and drink (and this doesn’t even scratch the surface of how many fantastic small British brands exist), they cover a range of price points, so there really is something for everyone.
45 small businesses to shop from this Christmas
Best small businesses: Fashion & accessories
Maggie Cross
Smiley flower necklace, £38, Maggie Cross
Fun minimalistic jewellery made from recycled materials.
Tøj London
Maliana dress, £85, Tøj London
A slow fashion brand giving new life to high-end ex-designer deadstock fabric with its handmade to order pieces.
Navygrey
The Relaxed – Grey, £165, Navygrey
Beautiful seasonless classics that surpass trends and transcend generations; they only use the highest quality, 100 per cent natural wool fibres that are traceable right back to the farm.
Wolf & Moon
Abstract Charm Hoops in Olive/White, £68, Wolf & Moon
Handcrafted statement jewellery inspired by nature, architecture, art and design.
Helena Davis
Cloud fleece, £62, Helena Davis
Slow fashion brand creating handmade T-shirts, fleeces, bags and custom-painted denim jackets.
ROOP
Baby pink glitter furoshiki bag, £75, ROOP
Crafted from remnant and vintage fabrics, ROOP bags are becoming iconic for their unique slouchy shape.
Clay & Palm
Indya Moon Drops, £17, Clay & Palm
Statement polymer clay earrings handmade with love in the north of England.
Spirit & Grace
Nova Scarf, £10, Spirit & Grace
Timeless feminine dresses and accessories produced in limited runs to minimise environmental footprint.
Luxe + Hardy
Reset jumper, £110, Luxe + Hardy
Sustainably produced luxury loungewear described as ‘an antidote for modern day living’.
Genevieve Sweeney
GS Sock Subscription, from £14 a month, Genevieve Sweeney
Knitwear designer with the funkiest socks around – we particularly love the sparkly varieties. Buy individually or sign up for a monthly sock subscription.
LEO + LUMI
Isobel necklace, £250, LEO + LUMI
A newly launched jewellery brand with a conscience, creating elegant and timeless pieces to last forever.
Best small businesses: Beauty & wellness
Liha Beauty
Based out of Cheltenham and Hackney, Liha Beauty create unisex natural beauty and wellness products. Their Idan Oil has over 200 5 star reviews alone.
Affirmation Culture
Morning Gratitude Candle, from £24, Affirmation Culture
100 per cent natural candles for positivity, empowerment and mental wellbeing with wonderful names like High Vibes and Soul Mate.
hur.
Newly launched hur. is a range of high-performing styling tools that deliver smoother, shinier, longer-lasting results without compromising on the health of your tresses.
Candour Beauty
Epara Skincare Cleansing Lotion, £40, Candour Beauty
Newly founded by London-based entrepreneurs Jacqueline Kusamotu and Abi Lawrence-Adesida, Candour Beauty was born out of a desire to offer Black women an e-commerce experience created with their specific beauty needs and desires in mind. The site stocks brands including Dr Barbara Sturm, Epara Skincare, Black Girl Sunscreen and more.
UpCircle
Chocolate Charcoal Chai Soap Bar, £6.99, UpCircle
UpCircle transforms leftover natural ingredients and by-products from other industries into quality skincare products.
Elan Skincare
Wonder Face Cleanser & Gentle Make Up Remover, £38, Elan Skincare
With almost a decade of experience in the medical industry, founder Joanna has created a skincare brand rooted in science, nature and art.
The Glowcery
Clean Greens – Superfood Serum Facial Oil, £33, The Glowcery
The Glowcery harnesses the power of superfood ingredients in their 100 per cent natural, vegan and cruelty-free skincare products – it’s a ‘nutritious diet for the skin’.
Neighbourhood Botanicals
Timeless Glow Set, £56, Neighbourhood Botanicals
We’re as much a sucker for Neighbourhood Botanicals’s fantastic packaging as we are for the cold-pressed clean beauty formulas that reside behind the well-designed labels.
Sister & Co.
Rosa candle, £25, Sister & Co.
With formulations and packaging that are kinder to the environment and realistic price points, Sister & Co. deliver everyday luxury products that don’t ‘cost the earth’ (and those candles will make the most gorgeous focal point on any coffee table).
LA-EVA
Combining simplicity and luxury, scent and art, LA-EVA’s ‘less is more’ products deliver a moment of peace, calm and tranquility.
House of Lilah
Create Your Own Gift Set – Concrete Soy Candle & 2 x Tea, £36, House of Lilah
By harnessing the combined wellness-boosting powers of loose-leaf tea and scented candles, House of Lilah help people to carve out a moment of me-time in the midst of a busy life.
Homeware & lifestyle
Scruffy Studio
Scruffy Studio custom terrazzo diddy tray, £8, Etsy
Colourful terrazzo trinket trays and more made from jesmonite. Don’t see a colour combo you like? Maker Alex will create any colour combo you like.
afton \ by palm
Line Art Painted Clay Face Decor Dish, £15, afton \ by palm
Earthy and contemporary clay earrings and decor slow-made in Buckinghamshire for exclusivity and sustainability.
Vaisselle
Oily Baby red & nude, £65, Vaisselle
Gingham is the name of the game at Vaisselle, the tableware brand designed in London and handmade by a family of artisans in Spain.
Lotta Blobs
Always love what’s looking back at you with Lotta Blobs fun sculpted mirrors handmade in London (keep an eye on their Instagram for restock dates).
PRICK
Various cacti and plants, from £5, PRICK
London’s first dedicated cactus and succulent shop, you can also buy the excellently-named PRICK’s spiky guys online (and their new book would make a fabulous gift for a green-fingered friend).
Lady Garden Illustration
Personalised commission, £95, Lady Garden Illustration
Prints, pins and stickers celebrating the female form – choose from one of Rianna’s existing prints or self-gift yourself with a tasteful commission.
Speckled Hand
Speckled Hand clay incense holder, £12, Etsy
Unique handcrafted gifts made from mineral-based air dry clay – choose from trinket dishes, incense holders, earrings and more.
La Basketry
Safi Woven Serving Tray – Monochrome, £49, La Basketry
Woven baskets, home accessories and basket-making kits – the large serving trays make for stunning tactile centrepieces.
Ruth Morgan
‘Eggs in the morning’, from £20, Ruth Morgan
There’s space in everyone’s home for Ruth Morgan’s joyous use of colour.
Archivist
Archivist Match & Cat Match Box, £5.95, Trouva
Archivist uses traditional letterpress printing techniques to create its range of cards and stationery. Who knew matchboxes could be so fun?
Elizabeth Rachael
Elizabeth Rachael Quirky Home Decor Art Print, from £9.95, Etsy
British print designer of quirky home decor and textiles. We’d love to see this playful body positive poster hanging in our bathroom.
Sloane Stationary
Sloane Stationary Personal Space Cosmic Notebook, £39, Wolf & Badger
Bringing the traditional craft of bookbinding into the 21st century, Sloane Stationary’s sustainable personalised notebooks bear comedic one-liners that make note-taking a joy.
A New Tribe
Cold Picnic Pool Side Bathmat, £70, A New Tribe
Cold Picnic’s rugs and bathmats might be made in the US brand’s New York studio, but its stockist, A New Tribe, has its doors open on East London’s Chatsworth Road (and everything is shoppable online, too).
Best small businesses: Food & drink
CALEÑO
Embrace the joy of a hangover-free drink with CALEÑO’s tropical non-alcoholic spirits. Serve simply with soda and lime over ice.
The Little Leopard Co.
Hungry Leopard, £26.95, The Little Leopard Co.
The ‘Hungry Leopard’ above is a great example of The Little Leopard Co.’s curated gift boxes, or for a more personalised experience you can build your own.
McLaren’s Christmas Pudding
McLaren’s Award-Winning Christmas Pudding, £15, McLaren’s Christmas Pudding
Not a fan of Christmas pudding? Think again when you try McLaren’s award-winning family recipe – having sold it on Borough Market for the last 16 years, it’s much lighter and fluffier than the traditional variety.
Castle Farm
Lavender Food Hamper, £30, Castle Farm
From the UK’s award-winning largest lavender farm in Kent, this box is packed with lovely lavender-infused foodie treats.
Barbury Hill
Bath Soft Cheese Co. – Three of the Best, £25, Barbury Hill
Barbury Hill curates the best British local independent food and drink producers for you to shop online.
The Mallow Tailor
The Mallow Tailor Bespoke Luxury Handmade Chocolates, £26, Not On The High Street
Exquisite chocolates that border on works of art – almost too good to eat…
Ross & Ross Gifts
The XL Homemade Curing Kit… Bacon, £27, Ross & Ross Gifts
Multi award-winning Cotswold fine food company specialising in producing handmade British food gifts, from bacon curing to roast dinner kits.
Crumb
The Baker’s Dozen Kit, £56.50, Crumb
Crumb will deliver you a readymade sourdough starter for £18, or the above kit to do it all yourself from scratch.
NIO
Festive Christmas Cocktail Box, £39, NIO Cocktails
NIO: Needs Ice Only. Expertly crafted ready-to-drink cocktails delivered straight through your letterbox. Looking for more letterbox gifts? See here.
Two Chimps
The ultimate mega coffee gift set, £149.95, Two Chimps
Ethically sourced specialty coffee freshly hand-roasted in Rutland for the coffee-lover in your life.
