You may have heard that small shopping is better than doing Amazon hauls and Walmarts every week, but choosing to shop from a small business is word of mouth. It’s not as easy. When convenience is important, shoppers tend to opt for large retailers that offer fast shipping and cheaper products.
With inflation now on the mind and many shoppers tightening their purse strings,(opens in new tab), we would like to insist on shopping from small businesses (where possible). Small businesses can help create jobs, support the local economy, and give back to the community, among many other benefits that large stores often lack. Having a cute candle, bag, or clothing item that doesn’t have one is a lot cooler than buying the one that the algorithm comes up at the top of searches for.
Want to shop from more small businesses? Method is as follows.
For a little push to shop small, we’ve rounded up four of our favorite small businesses to shop for this month. Diversify your shopping cart by choosing a variety of BIPOC-owned, women-owned and immigrant-owned businesses. See below for more on our favorites.
Cuzen Matcha is a brand for true tea lovers, selling single origin teas, handpicked matcha blends and the finest premium matcha makers (reviewed and liked by Mashable). Founded by Eijiro Tsukada and Oki Hatta, Cuzen Matcha Maker offers freshly ground matcha, drawing inspiration from the “early days” of traditional Japanese tea ceremony.The resulting tea is more flavorful, more fragrant and more sustainable(opens in new tab) than the powdered matcha blend. Mashable reviewer RJ Andersen said that the Cuzen Matcha Maker is “an ounce of luxury. […] As a daily life”, I highly recommend it to other matcha lovers.
Inspired by Latin culture, Bonita Fierce offers a range of scented candles, from Puerto Rican Coquito to Caffecito Con Leche. All hand-poured with coconut soy wax and finished in sustainable packaging. Founded by Melissa Gallardo in 2020 during the pandemic, Bonita Fierce Candles aims to bring Latino heritage into the home through comforting, cultural scents. “The Latino Community Candle is revolutionizing his space by bringing a scent that feels familiar. La His Familiar Time, a holistic, welcoming and warm feeling of home that makes you feel like you belong. is,” Gallardo told his Mashable. “We create carefully curated home his fragrances for your culture, your experiences, the cultural intersection of being Latino and the cafecito that has kept you going. .”
Andean Blue convinces you to ditch your ordinary hiking pack, adorned with intricate Andean fabrics. “Growing up in Peru, it was common to see people adding Andean textiles to their clothing and accessories,” founder Christian Vince, a self-proclaimed sole proprietor, told Mashable. started Andean Blue to bring the rich history of Peruvian textiles to the United States. At the same time, we promote adventure and support Andean culture by donating a portion of our profits to organizations that protect the Amazon rainforest and Andean biodiversity. “This surgery brings my past into the present, the culture I grew up in, and the culture I am in now,” Vince said.
If you consider yourself a maximalist and want your dog to be a maximalist too, Shelby’s Daisies are small business. From the fur-lined collar to the Generation Z-inspired print on her bandana, Daisy basically makes your dog the next stylish dog influencer (dog influencer?). “Our canine companions are an extension of ourselves,” founder Shelby Eastman told Mashable. It was created to visually express that connection by taking a design-first approach.”
