The holidays are coming up, which means it's time to start shopping. We know thinking of gifts can be a nightmare, especially for that family member you haven’t talked to in months. The good news is that there are tons of small ecommerce businesses all over the world with every type of product you could think of. Consider supporting a small business this holiday season when you start your shopping.
Check out our categorized holiday shopping guide below for some of our favorite brands we’ll be checking out this year.
For Caffeine Lovers
We all know those people who you don’t even want to talk to until they’ve had their morning cup of coffee. Surprise the caffeine lovers in your life with some delicious, unique java this year.
1. Copper Cow Coffee: Bring the taste of authentic Vietnamese style coffee to someone’s home this year. With hot, iced, and cold brew options, there is something for everyone.
2. Girls Who Grind Coffee: This female-owned brand offers great-tasting coffee with an even greater mission: supporting female coffee producers and sharing their stories.
3. Rage Coffee: This plant-powered instant coffee brand will help you stay calm when you do your holiday shopping this year. They offer coffee infused with vitamins to keep you energized.
4. Pergamino US + Pergamino Colombia: With a focus on delivering fresh coffee, this Colombian coffee brand roasts coffee and ships it to you within days. Talk about freshness.
5. Matcha.com: For those who prefer a different type of caffeine, matcha is a great source of natural energy made from green tea powder.
6. Cafuné: This French-Canadian brand goes beyond the cup by offering brewing tools and accessories for that perfect at-home brew.
7. ECS Coffee: With an extensive selection of high-end brands, ECS Coffee is your one-stop shop for that wanna-be barista in your life.
8. Eight Ounce Coffee: If you happen to know a café owner, they may love a gift from Eight Ounce Coffee. This Canadian specialty coffee brand is the biggest specialty coffee equipment distributor in Canada and has a wide range of unique tools and blends.
9. Eat Your Coffee: Know anyone who isn’t a coffee drinker but is still looking for their caffeine fix? Well you can surprise them with caffeinated snack bars and bites this year!
For Kids
There’s something special about seeing the excitement in a kid’s eyes around the holidays. Delight the little ones in your life (or their parents) with something they’ll love this year.
1o. Bamobam: This Costa Rican brand was started by a mom who was inspired by conscious parenting philosophies. From toys to themed costumes, spoil the little ones in your life.
11. Beeja May: Keeping on the sustainability train, Beeja May is the easiest solution for families to shop second-hand with a constantly revolving stock of clothing for everyone from newborns to teenagers.
12. My Baby Babbles: This Indian baby outlet has everything from clothing, to furniture, to toys and activities for little ones. A great brand to check out for kids and their parents.
13. Tiny Harlow: This Australian doll brand is on a mission to bring back the quality and unique beauty of toys. Their ethically-sourced dolls are made to be passed down over the years so you can surprise a little one with the beginning of a beautiful tradition.
14. Healthy Roots Dolls: Another amazing doll company coming up! This American, black and female-owned business has introduced their doll Zoe to the world to help little girls of color with curly hair to finally see a doll that looks like them.
15. Small Smart: For parents across the pond, this UK baby brand is the one-stop shop for all-things-needed to make the parenting process easier without compromising quality or affordability.
16. Plastic Free Amsterdam: The earlier you start living sustainably, the better. This brand sells sustainable alternatives to single-use plastics like bamboo toothbrushes and utensils for kids.
For Tech Lovers
Everybody knows someone who likes to have the latest and greatest devices and gadgets. Surprise the techy in your life with some great new tech products and accessories.
17. LOGiix: This Canadian tech hub has everything you could need from tablets and laptops to earphones and speakers. You can also get protective cases for all your new cool devices.
18. FunnyPlaying: For all the gamers in your life, surprise them with something from this gameboy modding brand based in China.
19. Analogue Wonderland: Disposables are making a comeback. Give the gift of cool vintage-looking photos with a disposable camera from this UK brand.
20. Crossbeats: If you’re looking for a big-ticket item, this Indian tech brand offers smart watches, wireless headphones, and more.
21. Nanoleaf: Help someone complete their smart home with some aesthetically pleasing, decorative smart light panels from this Canadian tech brand.
22. Govee: Keeping on the same theme, we want to shine a light on this global brand that offers gaming and TV lights, RGBIC strip lights, bulb string lights, table lamps, and more.
23. Sounds Easy: For our musically-inclined customers down under, check out this Australian brand that offers state-of-the-art audio hardware and software solutions to help the musicians in your life create something great. Sounds easy, right?
24. OmniView Tech: If you’re on the hunt for a drone, we got you. This Canadian drone brand has hundreds of options as well as repair and rental services.
For Beauty Gurus
Beauty gurus love getting new makeup, skincare, and hair products to test out. Even if you know nothing about beauty products, we’ve got you covered here!
25. Doe Lashes: Find natural lash extensions made from Korean silk hair from this American brand. You can even build customized 3 and 5 packs so you can give the gift of variety!
26. Motherland Essentials: Founder Andrea started this brand to help customers fall in love with natural skincare as much as she has. Perfect to give some plant-based bath and body care gifts this year.
27. Kiyoko Beauty: Aiming to make Asian beauty, health, and wellness products available wherever you are in the world, this Toronto-based brand specializes in Korean and Japanese beauty products.
28. Gee Beauty: This Canadian beauty outlet offers tons of reputable brands, as well as their own line of Gee beauty products aimed to highlight their customers’ natural beauty.
29. juicy chemistry: If you’re looking for clean beauty, this Indian brand offers natural, 100% organic beauty and skincare products. They even have customized gift sets to make your shopping as easy as can be.
30. Dope Skin Co: This Australian organic skincare brand uses hemp in all of its products to provide products that actually work without harming the planet. Pretty dope, right?
31. Thunderbird Skin: Based in the UK, this is a fiercely independent indigenous and female led company committed to proving skincare can be natural, effective and affordable.
32. standard.: This South African makeup, haircare, and skincare brand aims to deliver high-quality, clean beauty products that don’t break the bank. Even if you know nothing about skincare, their starter kits and blog posts give you all the info you need to pick the perfect gift!
Alex McEachern
For Foodies
For the food lovers in your life, giving them a gift they can eat is the best bet. Go for their favorites or surprise your favorite foodie with something new to excite their taste buds.
33. Green Zebra Kitchen: The holidays can be a busy time for everyone. Why not make someone’s day a bit easier with these healthy, organic prepared meal kits based in Ontario? They’re 100% plant-based, gluten-free, dairy-free, and made from whole foods.
34. Living Food: If you’re looking for fresh foods, be sure to check out India’s number one “farm to fork” ecommerce platform. They’ve got everything from nut butters to traditional Indian snacks.
35. Bachan’s: Inspired by his grandmother, or “bachan” in Japanese, Justin Gill founded this brand to share his family’s Japanese BBQ sauce with the world. Share it with your friends and family this year too!
36. Abaca Eats: Anybody interested in a virtual cafeteria with multiple different cuisines? That’s exactly what you get with this brand from the Philippines. You can’t go wrong with surprising someone with a free meal!
37. Japan Crate: Surprise your friends with a sweet-tooth with this Japanese candy subscription box. The founder wanted to “take the excitement, bewilderment, and happiness that I experienced from Japan and share that with everyone each month” and now you can too!
38. Grass Roots Farmers’ Cooperative: This cooperative farms small and dreams big. Give an early gift this year and help someone prepare their holiday feast with this ethically-sourced meat delivery service.
39. Sauce Shop: Give the gift of flavor this year! With “4 for 3” gift sets, delight your sauce-lovers with spicy, tangy, or even sweet sauces from this UK shop.
40. Relish Cooking Studio: Think outside of the box and give your favorite foodie the chance to learn how to make delicious food themselves! This brand offers virtual and in-studio public and private cooking classes as well as delicious local food.
41. Goose Island Toronto: We know, we know. Beer isn’t technically a food group, but it sure does taste good along with a delicious meal.
Alex McEachern
For that Special Someone
Sometimes the hardest person to buy a gift for can be your significant other. How do you show them how much you care? We’ve pulled together a few of our favorite brands that offer personalized and meaningful gifts for the holidays or even Valentine’s Day. And don’t worry, we’ll let you take the credit ;)
42. Something Personalized: More like everything personalized. Fuzzy monogrammed unicorn blanket? No problem. Wine tumblers with your name on them? They’ve got you.
43. Inkwell Boutique: A thoughtful card is the great touch on any gift. Now if you’re not exactly Picasso, don’t worry. This boutique will save the day with their adorable homemade personalized cards, home goods, and prints.
44. Knack Shops: Gift giving has literally never been easier. Browse through dozens of themes to create a curated gift box that you can ship directly to your special someone.
45. Freely: This Peruvian brand is all about letting women feel free through comfortable and functional underwear. And their products would make the perfect gift!
46. Giftpros.com: Sometimes the worst part of gift giving is making it look presentable. Giftpros can save you the headache by letting you purchase a special gift that they will wrap and ship to you!
47. Borboleta Joaillerie: Jewelry is a classic gift for a reason. This Croatian shop offers dainty, feminine-looking jewelry and charms that tell a story and spark emotion. Opt for a charm bracelet filled with meaningful symbols or a classic necklace or ring.
48. Happy DAYA: Stickers are a fun way to add a bit of personality to your life! Give your loved one some cute hand-drawn and customizable stickers from this Thailand-based brand.
49. Garcia Nevett: Looking for a really sweet gift? Lucky for you, this chocolate brand offers gourmet treats that celebrate Venezuelan and Latin American cacao and fine chocolate infusing them with the flavors of South Florida. Yum!
50. My Social Book: Photo books are a great way to relive those special moments with your loved ones. Easily turn your social media photos into a photo book with this Hong Kong-based brand.
For Pet Parents
Getting a gift for someone’s favorite furry or scaly friend can mean more to them than a gift for themselves. Spoil your friends and family this year by spoiling their pets.
51. Lucy & Co.: According to this brand, “Dogs deserve the world”, and we agree! Spoil the goodest boys and girls with some premium dog gear, apparel, bandanas, and gifts.
52. Connolly’s Red Mills Store: Find everything you need for the horse riders you know. With equine gear for the horses, as well as equestrian gear for the riders, this Irish brand has got horse lovers covered!
53. Jinx: Spoil the pups in your life with premium pet food made from clean ingredients. Jinx donates meals to shelter dogs, has led to improved digestion for their furry customers, and celebrities like Chris Evans even trust Jinx for their pets.
54. Pet Connect: This is the perfect brand for those pet parents who’ve got some more unique pets like fish, birds, or reptiles!
55. The Rosey Collective: This family-founded Filipino dog brand offers cute harnesses, leashes, and even “Twinning” shirts so your favorite pet parents can match their furry friends.
56. Happy and Polly: This cat and dog pet supply brand offers the most adorable accessories for your four-legged friends. Know anyone in need (or at least a deep want) of these cactus shaped cat bowls? Surprise them with these and many other cute accessories this year!
For Fashionistas
It’s funny how most of us went from groaning when we opened presents filled with clothes as kids, to now being excited when we get to add a piece to our wardrobe. Check out some small clothing brands to help the fashionistas in your life stand out from the crowd as style icons.
57. MOI OUTFIT: Designed as a brand that aims to bring global fashion trends to the Cambodian market, this store offers trendy clothing including denim, graphic tees, hoodies, and more from various high-quality brands at affordable prices.
58. Hollerworld Sunglasses: No outfit is complete without the perfect accessories. Check out this Guatemalan brand for stylish sunglasses that will elevate any look.
59. FRANC: Comfy. Cozy. Canadian made. This conscious clothing brand offers basic staple pieces that are sustainably sourced and ethically produced.
60. SJC London: With an extensive men’s and women’s line, this London clothing brand offers sophisticated, up-scale clothing pieces for those hoping to look a little more dapper.
61. Pressure Drop: Inspired by warm water, a nice breeze, and cold beer, Pressure Drop is a shop, café, bar, and patio for laidback people. Cool beer, cool clothes, cool vibes? Sign us up.
62. Little Party Dress: This Australian brand is for those who don’t want to fit in. Their fun, colorful dresses are full of personality and there's one for every occasion!
Alex McEachern
For Homebodies
The holidays can be a busy and stressful time that calls for some much-needed R&R afterwards. Here are some perfect shops to help you shop small for the homebodies you know.
63. Sisters Sage: This artisanal soap brand uses traditional Indigenous ingredients to honor the founders’ roots. They even sell their Smokeless Smudge Spray to share the cultural significance and benefits of traditional smudging with their customers.
64. Scoria: A great gift for any yogis in your life would be a new yoga mat, blocks, or sprays. Did we mention their yoga mats are all made from odor-eliminating cork, feature beautiful artwork from Canadian artists, and help support life-skills and education for Indigenous youth?
65. The Baltic Club: This stationery and lifestyle brand is perfect to help a homebody decorate their space. With beautiful prints, frames, and vases you can find the perfect gift or you can take a risk and get one of their Mystery Bags.
66. Blooms + Flora: Giving a plant parent a new plant to love and cherish and watch grow is such a sweet sentiment. Bring some life into someone’s home with flowers, house plants, or seeds.
67. Twist Yarn Co.: Whether you know someone who’s been crafting for years or someone just looking to pick up a new hobby, this is a great brand. They have knitting, crochet, and weaving supplies as well as tons of videos and tutorials for each craft.
68. The Great Canadian Sox Shop: For those of you not from the Great White North, let me fill you in on a secret–winter gets cold. Keep your loved ones’ toesies warm this winter with their huge range of cozy socks.
69. Tragos: Looking for a game night after the holidays? This Latino-owned brand created fun card games that celebrate shared customs and traditions of all Latinos, regardless of what country they’re from or how much Spanish they speak.
Subscription Box Gifts
Want to give a gift that keeps on giving? Purchasing someone a year- or month-long subscription box to something that interests them is the perfect way to do this.
70. The Peach Truck: Know anybody who loves a juicy peach? Why not surprise them with a 4 or 8 week subscription of fresh, Georgia peaches to their door? Don’t worry–they’ve got apples and other goodies in the off-season to keep you stocked all year round.
71. Power Kitchen: Give the gift of pre-made healthy meals to help your loved ones commit to their New Year’s Resolutions. You can even shop based on diet type or diet goal!
72. Mindful Souls: For those looking to get more in touch with their spiritual side, this Dutch brand offers monthly boxes full of crystals, gemstone jewelry, and aromatherapy products for “a monthly dose of self love”.
73. Accio! Box: A Harry-potter themed subscription box—need we say more? The Potterheads in your life will be saying "Accio!-Next-Month’s-Box" in no time with this gift.
74. Arena Flowers: This UK-based brand offers a flower subscription service to give someone beautiful, seasonal flowers all year round. The perfect gift to brighten someone’s home and put a smile on their face.
Kirsten Burkard
DIY & Hobby Themed Gifts
Who hasn’t thought about taking up a new hobby in the past couple of years? Support one of your loved ones’ current passions or help them discover a new one with these DIY and activity-based brands.
75. Tennis Giant: A one-stop shop for all your tennis equipment needs from rackets, to balls, to tennis shoes.
76. SanBao: If someone is looking to get into pottery, this is a great place to get them everything they need to get started, including video tutorials!
77. Galen Leather Co.: This Turkish brand offers beautifully handmade leather goods including notebooks, notebook covers, and leather bags.
78. Eastwood Worldwide: For the musically-inclined people in your life, this guitar brand offers unique guitars, strings, and accessories. They even let you try the product at home for 45 days with no risks.
79. Wild Hand: This fiber craft brand offers materials, education, and community to anyone interested in weaving, crochet, knitting, felting, spinning, dyeing, and the list goes on!
80. Surf the Greats: If someone is looking for an adventurous hobby, this Canadian brand has a variety of surf and paddle boards, wetsuits, and surfing lessons. This would be a great experience-based gift that you could enjoy with a friend!
81. Sophie and Toffee: This Singaporean craft brand offers unique resin kits for anyone young or old. They have a range of unique themed kits and even offer monthly subscription boxes for serious crafters!
82. Mail Order Mystery: If you’ve never had the chance to do an escape room, we've got good news for you! This company brings the excitement of an escape room to your front door to enjoy with friends.
83. The Guild House: The games keep on rolling with this Canadian brand that offers board games and puzzles. They’ve got the classics as well as some rare collectibles for casual game lovers and fanatics alike.
84. Retea: At-home bubble tea kit—where has this been all our lives?
85. Stencibelle: Holiday cookies are our personal favorite treat this time of year. For the bakers in your life, surprise them with some themed cookie stencils.
Support small businesses this year
As you can tell, there are tons of unique small ecommerce brands out there just waiting to be discovered. We’ve only just scratched the surface with this list of 85 small businesses to help you shop small this holiday season. And every one of these brands has a loyalty program to reward you for supporting them this year. So why not cross a few things off your shopping list from some of these great stores this year?
Whether you are looking for some gift inspiration for your niece who is obsessed with dolls or your neighbor who loves knitting, check out these brands. Happy holiday shopping!
