Shopping Small this Black Friday

With black Friday approaching, we understand you might be getting the urge to splurge, but it is time to think about what brands you are supporting. Big companies can do amazing deals but if they can afford to sell the products this cheaply, the workers probably aren’t getting a fair wage and the products might not be the best quality. The excessive sale might also convince you to buy something you don’t really want or need and won’t ever use. Black Friday creates a sense of urgency and stress in customers mind, so let us take the stress out of your black Friday and introduce you to some smaller, ethical companies selling products that they love and you will too! PS: some of these have sneaky little discounts too.

 

Scrubbee UK sells amazing coffee face scrubs, which are 100% natural, cruelty-free, plastic free and vegan. Coffee based skincare can help fight acne and generate skin cells and the coffee used is upcycled from local cafes! There are four scrubs available for different skin types; dry skin, sensitive skin, combination skin and oily skin. Follow the dry and sensitive skin scrubs with our nourish oil or the combination and oily skin scrubs with our clarity oil. Subscribe to Scrubbee for 10% off your first order!

 

Indie refill offers shampoo and conditioner which is good for the planet and your hair! With 100% natural ingredients to hydrate your hair, the products are safe and effective on all hair types. Buy a starter duo of the shampoo and conditioner, and then buy refills to reduce your plastic waste. The brand is also carbon neutral, cruelty-free and vegan! Sign up to the newsletter for special offers and free giveaways!

 

Rebel n Rose offer vegan, cruelty free, handmade bath bombs, with delicate scents handpicked by staff. They also arrive in sustainable and eco packaging to keep the bath bomb safe without creating lots of waste! Their products are fun and exciting, with adorable mini bath bombs, magical cloud bath bombs and personalised products available. They are also gluten free, dairy free, nut free and suitable for sensitive skin, so everyone can enjoy them!

 

Olive tree home sells beautiful candles to help make your house smell wonderful, with all the fragrances being created in the founder’s home studio. Every candle is vegan, parable oil free and lead free too. Alongside selling candles, if you live near Essex, the brand offers candle making classes to help you develop a relaxing, new skill. Join the mailing list for 10% off!

 

Wild fawn sells beautiful, handmade jewellery to last you a life time. They are made using recycled Sterling Silver and solid 9ct gold to prevent damage and rusting. The jewellery arrives in plastic free packaging too. This business is also made up of an all female team and has a big focus on girl power! You can get 15% off when you sign up to their newsletter and they are also taking part in Black Friday so look out for deals. 20% of the proceeds from Black Friday will go straight to Women for Women international, a charity helping women survivors of war rebuild their lives, meaning you can ethically shop the sales!

 

Instead of splurging on fast fashion deals, why not get in contact with the eco stitch to repurpose preloved clothes and materials. This small business is based in Warwickshire and offers alterations and repairs to clothes you love but maybe aren’t in their best condition or don’t fit well anymore. They also sell handmade gifts using repurposed materials from old furniture, clothing or charity shop finds!

 

Who doesn’t love a little sweet treat in their lives? And no where makes them better than Switzerland. Rhymth108 sells all vegan, organic, gluten free, low sugar and palm oil free baked treats made at the foot of the Alps. Sustainability is at the core of this company with the ingredients being farmed organically and donations of leftovers to food banks. Delivery is free to the UK and you can get 15% off your first order, whether you are craving biscuits, chocolate bars or cookies!

 

Transport yourself to a beautiful woodland with the delicious, hand-crafted Elderflower gin made by St Maur. This liqueur is made using ingredients hand-picked from a family owned woodland in the Heart of England with a family recipe passed down generations. However, remember to know your limits and not over-do your alcohol consumption, especially over the festive season! Excessive drinking is bad for your mental and physical health and bad for your skin, so make sure you drink this slowly and share with loved ones!

 

Looking for something a bit more practical this Black Friday? Greenzla offers a range of eco-friendly products including cotton pads, toothbrushes, cutlery and reusable food bags. Use the code Greenzla20 for a 20% discount off your first spend. All the products are made with natural materials, are fair trade and made to last, with a lifetime warranty on all products. I bought the natural bamboo cotton pads a few months ago and love them! The texture is so much softer on your skin than single use alternatives and they are much bigger meaning I only use one pad to get all my make up off. They are machine washable and so I simply put them in the wash bag provided and throw them in the machine with my white wash!

 

 

Hopefully these few examples gave you some inspiration for alternative options this Black Friday. Let us know any other small businesses you love, we are always looking for new options to swap small and sustainably.