This Black Friday, Shop Local

November 26, 2020
Art & Science Journal | This Black Friday, Shop Local

 

This weekend is slated to be the biggest online Black Friday/Cyber Monday weekend of all time. Now more than ever we want to support the local small businesses that we love.

 

If you’re in the mood for some holiday shopping, check out our edit of amazing local brands we are adding to our wish lists:


 

Apparel

XXL and Co. started out making scrunchies for big hair and now they have dozens of different styles and colours of scrunchies as well as clothing and other apparel. (product shown

Two Cities makes jewelry designed so that you can wear what you want when you want to. Many different cities, including Toronto, have been an inspiration to the brand through their diversity and cultural influence.

Coffee and Clothing, just like the name implies, sells both coffee and clothing. When open, their store is a great environment that features local artists and they stay true to their mission of sustainability by selling pre-used pieces that are timeless and versatile.

The Art & Sole Academy doesn’t sell clothes, but helps you make them. They offer classes and workshops for those interested in shoemaking and strive to make the art more accessible to all.

Ellie Mae is a design studio that creates thoughtful pieces that embody the raw authenticity they’ve made a staple of their design process. They embrace  high quality fabrics, local production and nostalgia to make one-of-a-few pieces that spark joy.


 

Food and Beverage

Craig’s Cookies is a Parkdale staple and has a seemingly endless variety of mouth-watering cookies. They also sell cookie dough so you can make your

Jess from Pasta Forever grew up around pasta and has been making it professionally for the better part of a decade. Since the start of the pandemic, she’s been delivering it herself within a 10km radius of downtown Toronto, which you can order on her site!

Spirit Bear Coffee Company is an excellent way to get your bean fix. Not only is everything they make certified organic, and fair trade, but they have plenty of social initiatives and as an Indigenous-owned company, their plan is to work with every nation in North America.

Tre Mari Bakery is an institution in the Corso Italia area of St. Clair West. Since 1960, it’s been sharing its delicious creations with everyone in the community and it now delivers to a number of areas within the GTA.

There are so many small breweries in town that we could make a list of just that, but one to highlight is Eastbound Brewing Co. Their beers aren’t boring, but are classics in their own right. They strike a balance of easy drinking and interesting as well as pairing great with food.


 

Things for the home

Rose City Goods curates a selection of ethically sourced goods designed for everyday living. From mostly Candian and mostly female vendors, they want to help entrepreneurs thrive while providing you with great pieces.

Likely General is a great general store that sells a variety of products. Led by Brooke Manning, it’s been a pioneering voice in supporting the work of women, marginalized, and non-binary folks and is incredibly involved in the community.

TYPE Books is an independent bookstore for everyone from serious book lovers to whimsical readers. They want to share their passion for books with everyone.

More than just paper, The Paper Place has everything you could ever imagine and more in the world of paper and stationary. It’s a great place to look whether you’re a paper enthusiast, looking for a nice card, or looking for something to spice up your office.

Starting off as a magazine and now a place where you can find authentic merchandise that captures the spirit of Toronto and its neighbourhoods, The Spacing Store is an excellent place to find your civic pride. It has great gifts and features local designers and artists.


 

Self-care

Sisters Sage is owned by two sisters from the west coast and its mission is to create products inspired by various aspects of Indigenous cultures while also promoting environmental sustainability and creating social good.

Propr Live + Style offers award-winning Korean skincare products that combine plant-based ingredients with state-of-the-art technology that helps treat a variety of conditions. They want to share their ever-growing knowledge of skin and skin conditions to help others have clear and glowing skin.

Health Hut wants to bring the benefits of natural products to as many people as possible. Originally started in a hut in Muskoka, they’re all about enhancing your life with a wide selection of natural daily care, natural lifestyle, green beauty and self-care products.

True to its name, Yoga Space provides the necessary equipment and expertise to make any space a yoga space. A stalwart in the Toronto yoga scene, you can stock up on props for your at home yoga practice here.

The Green Jar believes that eco-living can be simple and that every small step matters. Their store is stocked with a curated range of personal care and household products to make zero-waste purchasing easy and helping reduce single use plastics, one purchase at a time.

 

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