Small Shops/Ethical Shops for Black Friday — Musings of a Modern Mermaid

Well, we all know what’s coming the day after we are supposedly all sitting around a table giving thanks: Black Friday, the biggest consumer day of the year. While it can be helpful to purchase Christmas presents at a much cheaper price than they usually are, corporate companies are the ones who make all the money by barely cutting their prices. Don’t get me wrong; I love a good sale and I love getting clothing from my favorite retailers for half off, but this year we really need to focus on shopping small and local. With the pandemic, it is not the Free People’s and Urban Outfitters of the world that are struggling. All the small local boutiques in your town need your help, and so do the small online shops that so many of us adore. I decided to put together a list of all the Black Friday/Cyber Monday sales that are coming down the pipes. That way, you can pick up gifts or treat yourself by also helping out a business that may be struggling during Covid. Let’s dive in!

Fashion

Mate the Label- An all organic cotton and materials clothing brand that feels so luxe and so soft I could live in these clothes forever and ever. They have loungewear, pajamas, and clothing you can even wear outside of your home one day when we can leave them again. If you are in need of anything please go check them out first before anyone else! You will not regret it.

Etsy- This is a bit broad, I know. But there are so many independent shops on Etsy that are holding Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales this year, and it is essential to help support all the independent artisans during all of this mess. This works for fashion and accessories as well as for home decor so look for everything they have to offer!

Local vintage stores- This will obviously depend on where you live and require some research on your part, but when it comes to vintage and local boutiques, this is one of the best things you can do to help local economies. A lot of places have not closed retail with this new round of shutdowns so please look and see what you can do to help local businesses. Some places are even doing some things like curbside pickup and ordering online so look at all of your options.

Chnge- This is clothing with a political agenda. All of the t-shirts and hoodies sold through Chnge go directly to the cause that is printed on to them in order to help raise awareness and funds for the issues they choose. All of the clothing is eco and ethically sourced so you don’t have to worry about that while also helping out the cause of your choice.

Bombas- This is a sock and t-shit company that once again uses eco and ethical practices while also treating their employees incredibly well. I own several pairs of these socks and they not only keep my feet toasty, but they are also incredibly soft! And just to add one more awesome thing to this brand, they are black-owned! So go ahead and shop some warm and cozy pieces from Bombas this winter.

Patagonia- Once again, not a small shop or brand, but there is so much to love about Patagonia that I felt like they needed to be included. Same thing with Ten Tree. They only use eco-friendly material and also have very ethical work practices when it comes to production. They are both also very committed to making the planet healthier and invest heavily in conservation. For every purchase, Ten Tree plants ten trees, and Patagonia has quite a few different initiatives going on to help make society more eco-friendly!

Girrlscout- This is a very small, two-person team that I started following quite a few years ago. Michelle is the main woman behind the screen when it comes to this shop, she started out with hand-painted makeup bags that she has become known for but now has a whole inventory that ends up selling out within in minutes of each new launch! She has a sassy sense of humor and aims to empower all who shop with her, so I highly recommend you pick up something from her shop if you are looking for something a little more unique and full of personality.

Her Paints and Planet- I have several of these earrings sitting in my cart right now on their site, just waiting to be purchased! As I am currently on a budget things are a bit tight for me, but these earrings are gorgeous!! You need to grab a pair for yourself immediately and then also for anyone in your life who also loves accessories. These are the perfect thing to pick up for anyone who wants something a little different and something that makes a statement. Couldn't recommend these babies enough! Plus they donate 25% of the proceeds they made every month to those in need. We love a brand that gives back.

Totally Good Time- This another funny, witty, brand that is here to serve up sarcastic sayings as well as funny movie quotes from all of your favorites. I have one shirt from them and not only does it get a million compliments whenever I wear it out, but it also is made of great material that has lasted through quite a few washes. Love it, recommend it, and there is nothing you can’t pair a quippy tee with!

Senita- The last thing in the fashion portion of this post, is this beautiful work-out clothing site! I have a couple of pieces from them and not only are they beautiful and make you feel beautiful while you wear them, but they are also made extremely well. I bought a few things from them over two years ago when I first heard about them and haven’t had to replace anything. The colors are still just as vibrant after hundreds of washes, and I haven’t had anything get rips or holes or stretch out in any weird ways. I coudln’t recommend them enough!

Home Decor

Soy Much Brighter- Adorable and all-natural candles are one of my favorite things! I love all things luxurious (candles feel so luxurious don’t they?) but I also love not harming animals and not hurting the environment. These candles do exactly all of that!

Anecdote Candles- Quippy sayings, unique scents, and made of all soy? Count me in! I love having candles to burn, but it is important to make sure you are burning safe candles. You don’t want to be putting bad things into the air that you and your pets are breathing in whenever the candle is going.

Parachute- Not a small shop, I know, but they are ethically sourced and keep ethical business practices! They treat their employees very well and all their materials are sourced responsibly. So if you need some bedding this winter, please go ahead and look at these guys.

Society6- Like Etsy, this is a big swing and a company that is not a small shop, but houses all the independent artisans who are being affected by this pandemic so much. They do not get unemployment or any benefits if they get Covid during this time. So please, peruse the site and see what you can find!

Beauty/Skincare

Tula- This is a skincare brand that isn’t actually a small shop anymore but they do have a great mission with great results! They have clean, probiotic-based skincare that is extremely gentle but extremely effective. I tried them a couple of years ago when they first launched, but it didn’t work for me at the time. It is geared more towards acne-prone skin, and would most likely work a lot better for me now that I have much more breakout-prone skin. They use all clean ingredients, and do not test on animals!

Youth to the People- This is one of my favorite skincare brands of all time that I have ever used. I religiously use the superfood cleanser and love the superfood air whip moisture cream for summer. This brand has an amazing mission of creating skincare for all who need it, regardless of race, gender, or sexuality. All of their products are cruelty-free, vegan, made with all organic ingredients, and comes in all glass packaging so you can recycle the whole thing when you are done with it. While I have tried a few of their products that haven’t exactly worked for my skin needs, none of them have given me a breakout or any bad reaction, and I have pretty sensitive skin so this is a master feat.

Ilia Beauty- Not only is this clean beauty that is cruelty-free, but it is all makeup that has skincare benefits! I have only used the super serum skin tint, but I have a lot of other products in mind from them I am dying to try. Even though you have to still do skincare, they make the products good for you to use while you use them and they help your skin while you use them, which not a lot of other makeup brands actually do. Highly recommend!

Thank you so much for joining me on this massive post! I hope you found some products for yourself and all the people you are shopping for this holiday season! Please drop any other site links below if you have a great small business I missed out on.

Have a wonderful and safe holiday this week everyone!

Madey

Cover art by Avery Lynch

None of these recommendations are sponsored; these are my real opinions on brands I love!