SMALL CANADIAN BUSINESSES
For the past few years, I’ve done my best to support as many Canadian small businesses as possible. Especially around the holiday season, because obviously it’s the one time where I spend the most money all at once. With each passing holiday season, more of my gifts to family are from small Canadian businesses and I hope to do about 90% of my gift giving this year from small businesses. Even if you have items, that can’t be found from a small business, try and keep to our Canadian big brands/corporations versus those that are forgein. I don’t think it’s a shock to say, this year now more then ever, we need to really keep our money within our own country and support our homegrown companies.
This particular blog post will outline Canadian businesses, prominently owned by White people. Most of the businesses listed below I’ve supported throughout this year, and previous years, while others are businesses listed I found while searching for specific gift ideas and keeping it local/small owned.
The other two posts to this blog “series” will highlight Black owned and Indigenous owned Canadian businesses. Embarrassingly, this will be the first year I’m ensuring I support BIPOC businesses and not just businesses owned by White people. This is incredibly important to be mindful of going forward with your shopping purchases for the holidays, and year round.
BEAUTY & SKINCARE
All images from Vossity Beauty’s Instagram
An online beauty store selling all natural & organic skincare products, makeup, hair products, as well as organic/natural teas and protein powders. I purchase from Vossity through out the year for my daily skin products. The website is super easy to navigate and they have staff on hand to answer questions while you shop.
All images from The Beauty Market Co.’s Instagram
Your eyelash extension extraordinaire. She currently works out of either Peterborough or Lindsay, Ontario, but can also provide customized magnetic false lashes for those outside of that area. Perfect for anyone not wanting to commit to eyelash extensions, or for those who have been curious as to what big bold lashes might look like on them. Great stocking stuffer idea!
All images from Glow & Co’s Instagram
I’d call this place a spa because of the services they offer, but it’s listed on Google as a health and beauty shop. It’s located in Ontario, so those in the GTA and surrounding areas will only be able to gift/take advantage of the spa options, but for the rest of Canada they do have an online shop to purchase from. The online shop sells everything from apparel to teeth whitening products, so options for both gifts and stocking stuffers through the online shop.
All images from Soapstones Skincare’s Instagram
I have been buying from Soapstones for years. They have both an online shop, as well as locations in Ontario cottage country. This is your shop for stuffing those stockings. Variety, and I mean variety, of naturally made bar soaps, hand soaps, body scrubs, shaving butters, deodorants, lip balms, bath bombs, bubble bath, body wash. All things meant for pampering yourselves. They even have an entire baby and pet product line! My absolute favourite buy from there is their shaving butter.
ACCESSORIES
All images from Femme Faire’s Instagram
Not only will you be supporting a small Canadian business, but you are also supporting sustainable slow fashion. Femme Faire is your one stop online boho accessory shop. Knotted and velvet headbands, the most beautiful cloud scrunchies, earrings, necklaces, totes and more. They also offer their adorable headbands and cloud scrunchies for the kiddo’s in your life, so not just a store for the women on your gift giving list. What I also love about this company is they hire women who have recently immigrated to Canada to hand make the items they sell. It’s nice to know, and support, a company that is embracing and giving working opportunities to our newest Canadian citizens.
All images from Evie Atelier’s Instagram
I’m going to brand this as an online spiritual accessory store. They started off just selling spiritual beaded bracelets, but in the past year have expanded to sell individual spiritual stones, a necklace collection and now earrings. Perfect for those special, more intimate gift purchases. The tumbled stones would be a perfect stocking stuffer. They do also have a select few men’s bracelets, and a mommy and me duo bracelet collection.
HOME DECOR
All images from Our Prints Charming’s Instagram
Beautiful on trend prints for your home décor dreams. You can either choose from their online store of pre-made prints, or customize a print. I have a customized print, gifted to me by the owner, detailing the birth of my daughter. Perfect gift for someone who got married this year, welcomed a baby, celebrating a milestone anniversary or bought/moved into a new house!
APPAREL
All images from Made for the Lake’s Instagram
Online shop of incredibly cozy and rustic leisure tops. This brand is perfect for your cottage loving friends and family of any gender. Even better, newly introduced in just the last month are a Made for the Lake kids tops. They also sell portable coffee mugs, a newly introduced water bottle, lake/cottage country maps, toques and stickers, which are all great items for stocking stuffing or a secret santa gift.
All images from Happiness Is Instagram
Again another online shop for your cozy casual tops. They have quite a few options to choose from, like Happiness is Coffee, Happiness is Canada, Happiness is The Beach etc. Again, it’s a one stop online shop for men, women and children. The inside of these tops are the softest material ever. Yes, they are a bit more expensive, but Happiness Is sources their fabrics from within Canada. It might be a shock to a lot of people, but sourcing your materials within our own country is more expensive than outsourcing, however it’s keeping jobs of all types within our country.
All images from Simple Girl Canada’s Instagram
Another online cozy casual clothing shop, but with a message of spreading kindness. The clothing, stereotypically, are geared to women but I don’t see why men can’t wear them if they chose to! Simple Girl also sell mugs, candles and accessories, so more stocking stuffer options. They also have some kid items to buy for the kiddo’s on your list.
All images from Grit & Grace Clothing’s Instagram
My absolute favourite boho women’s clothing shop. Original location is in Sauble and now closed until summer. I know there were talks of an online shop, but I don’t think that’s up yet. They did just announce a second store opening in Guelph in about 3 weeks time, so literally just in time for the holiday. Great gift shopping for your sister, daughter, mother, aunt, niece, wife, girlfriend, bestfriend.
Other noteable Canadian owned fashion businesses, but I feel they’re a bit more well know, would be Brunette the Label, Smashtess and Knix.
FOOD & BEVERAGE
All images from Green Geek Co’s Instagram
An online cold-pressed juicing and cleanse company. This would be perfect for someone with the intention of getting healthier in the new year. Right now they only deliver within the Greater Toronto Area, and can’t deliver outside of there. I highly recommend them though, their drinks are fabulous and the owners are the nicest people you’ll ever come in contact with.
All images from Grow Tea Co’s Instagram
Another company to get those stockings stuffed, or perhaps some items to make a nice gift basket for someone. An online loose leaf tea company, with a variety of flavours to choose from. Newly introduced this year is their own gold tea infuser, so chic!
NICHE/”JACK OF ALL TRADES” BUSINESSES
All images from Plain Jane Artistry’s Instagram
A handmade crochet online store. They create and sell everything from headwear, hi mommy and me pom pom winter hats, to home décor or home necessity items like cotton dishcloths and an entire eco friendly category. I’ve had firsthand recommendation from a friend on the reusable face/makeup pads and am planning to scoop some up for myself and as stocking stuffers! I think it’s important, as a consumer to be on the lookout for more ecofriendly products and companies. Climate change is incredibly real and continuing on the consumer path as is will only further make this crisis irreversible.
All images from Crying Out Loud’s Instagram
Has both a storefront location in Toronto, and an online shop. This store was founded by four women, who all lost their partners at a young age. They wanted to have a store where people suffering loss, or navigating any sort of mental health journey, could feel understood. Going through my own navigation with grief and mental health, it’s the littlest of things that bring the most joy, and that is what this store is filled with. This place is a great place to grab both gifts and stocking stuffers this holiday season. They sell books, stationery, bath and skincare products, clothing, jewelry and accessories, some home décor items, puzzles and games, yoga and meditation items, even items for sexual wellness. They also carry kids items, so seriously, you may be able to do all your holiday shopping at this one shop. The unique item they offer is their Care Packages. It’s not obvious to say 2020 has been mentally and emotional hard for so many of us, some harder for others if they’ve lost loved one’s to COVID. Getting them a Care Package as a gift would be incredibly thoughtful, and shows you acknowledge the struggles they are going through.
All images from Penny Paper Co’s Instagram
Handmade gift cards, Christmas crackers, pins etc. The real amazing item they offer is unique gift boxes, or build your own box to send someone for the holidays, or any other occasion over the year. I just think it’s such a fun option and different from the typical flower bouquet or Edible Arrangement you send someone every year.
TOYS & KID ITEMS
All images from Jr. Toy Company’s Instagram
Normally I’d order from Walmart, Amazon or Toy’s R’ Us, but definitely not this year. Jr. Toy Company has both a store in Burlington as well as an online shop. They carry arts and crafts, toddler and baby toys, learning toys/activities, building toys, books, games, stuffed toys, puzzles. The online store is easy to navigate and you can shop by category, age group or even search for something in particular that your child has asked for. I just bought a bunch of stuff for my daughter from there, their pricing is right in line with any of those big brand companies, so zero excuse to not shop locally here.
All images from Toy Sense’s Instagram
This store has two locations in Thunder Bay, as well as an online store, like Jr. Toy Company they have a ton of categories to shop from. If there’s something you can’t find at Jr. Toy Company, you’ll probably be able to find it here. Again, super easy to navigate their online shop and a store I’m still hoping to get some items from.
All images from Playful Mind’s Instagram
This company is all about nourishing kids imagination and creativity, again both a storefront location and an easy to navigate online shop. I’ll definitely be scouring their arts and craft category as I need to keep my little’s mind active these days and not watching television while I have to work.
STATIONARY & BOOKS
All images from Do Good Paper Co’s Instagram
This place is perfect for the lover of writing, the organized loved one in your life or even the entrepreneur in your life. Beautifully sophisticated handmade journals, diary’s and a planner are three of the many stationary options available to purchase from this online store. If you know a real lover of stationary, which seriously I know someone who has genuine joy over stationary items, Do Good Paper Co. has stationary subscription boxes per season filled with a bunch of their goodies.
All images from Hello Monday’s Instagram
Another journal and planner company, that may be more suitable design wise for the younger writing lover in our life. I say younger because their designs are super colourful and have more of an animated design to their products. They also carry bullet journals and a write your own wall calendar.
All images from The Book Wardrobe’s Instagram
A small run bookstore, with a storefront as well as online shop. You can choose to order online for delivery or online and pick up if in the GTA. They have books for the entire family, from baby all the way up to grandparents.
Penguin Random House has a whole list of Canada wide independently owned bookstores. Try and support the one local to where you live this year versus the big band bookstore.