Ethical Friday: 10 Treats under £15
While many of us have been taking the pledge to shop small and sustainably in recent years, the effects of nationwide lockdowns (and a global pandemic) have, let's be honest, put a spanner in the works, with the convenience of online shopping and next day delivery at an all-time high.
With Black Friday looming around the corner, our inboxes are already filling up with the promise of massive savings and cheap deals. But, it begs the question: do we really need a day dedicated to lining the pockets of e-commerce giants — in a year that’s already seen many individuals and small businesses suffer?
Now, don’t get me wrong. We all love a bargain, which is why year-on-year we find ourselves swept up in the excitement of Black Friday, whether we planned to buy anything or not. But this year, it seems more important than ever to support small and independent businesses. Especially when you consider that, according to the WWF, if our obsessions with Black Friday and fast consumerism carry on growing at their current rate, we may need two planets worth of resources by 2050. Yep. So, swapping Black Friday for small and sustainable doesn’t seem like such a bad idea after all.
The good news is shopping small doesn’t mean breaking the bank; whatever you might have heard. So whether you're getting an optimistic headstart on Christmas, or you fancy treating yourself this year (I think we’ve all earned it after this year), here’s ten treats — £15 or less — to get you started…
foam. bubble candle, £15
Handmade and hand poured, foam. is home to the dreamy, soy wax bubble candle that you’ve probably already seen pop up on your Instagram feed. Foam.’s trademark boxy bubble candles come in a range of earthy and pastel tones, starting at just £15.
Shop it on foamhome.co.uk, or via a stockist near you.
afton \ by palm HER LINE ILLUSTRATED MINI CLAY DISH || Jewellery Plate, £13.50
With minimalist design at its heart, Afton \ by palm’s contemporary earrings, decor plates and bowls are all individually handcrafted, as well as beautifully designed. Plus, all products are sustainably made in small batches to help minimise waste.
Shop it on aftonbypalm.co.uk
A Story of Clay Valencia Earrings, £12.50
Handmade by the sea, each piece of jewellery at A Story of Clay is designed, drawn, and mixed to the founder’s own recipe, and features delicate, muted, and minimalist designs.
Shop it from 12pm on Friday 27th on: astoryofclay.co.uk
ceramic room, Shingle Short Holder, £12
Offering up handmade ceramic pieces alongside curated vintage home-wear, each piece from ceramic room is completely unique, and all slowly handcrafted by founder Nina.
Shop it on ceramicroom.co.uk
Open Heart Rose Quartz Incense Holder, £14.50
A rose-tinted dream. Open Heart specialises in boho homeware and crystals, like this Rose Quartz Incense Holder, which has been crafted using genuine Rose Quartz.
Shop it on Etsy
Mia Handmade Collections Rose Quartz bracelet, £11.99
Boho-luxe homeware and jewellery maker, Mia Handmade Collections handcraft simplistic, gemstone pieces, designed to instil balance and draw on energies.
Shop it on collectionbymia.com or see her full collection of goodies on Etsy
thisgreenspace Propagation vase, £6
Plants, propagation, and handcrafted gifts. Thisgreenspace’s Propagation Vase is based on a simplistic, minimalist design, and is ideal for propagating your cuttings — just add plants.
Shop it on Etsy
KAOLIN kiln MOCHA PEPPER square dangles, £10.00
Equal parts neutral and minimalist, KAOLIN kiln specialises in zero waste, ‘wearable art’ — all slow made in small batches.
Shop it on Etsy
43CollectiveHome Handcrafted Ceramic Stoneware Mug, £14.99
Combining traditional Danish home comfort design with minimalist Scandinavian functionality. 43CollectiveHome offers up handcrafted, stoneware goods, as well as ethically sourced lifestyle pieces.
Shop it on Etsy
Pivot “Hugs Soon” Bookmark £15
Pivot is an ethical and sustainable brand which empowers people experiencing homelessness to pivot their lives through making and enterprise. Every piece of jewellery bought takes their makers one step closer to their goal of leaving the hostel.
Shop it on www.makepivot.org
Disclaimer: We have an affiliate deal with Etsy, so if you do decide to buy any of these beautiful products, we make a bit of money (from Etsy, not the sellers - they still get the full payment agreed with Etsy) which goes towards our business costs for keeping the network up, running and free.
Written by Danielle Petch