45 small businesses to shop from this Christmas, from fashion and beauty to homeware

December 7, 2020

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

Idan Oil, £39, 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.

hur.iron slant, £149, 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

Jasmina Oil, £30, 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

Blob mirror, £35, 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

Dark & Spicy, £18, 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.