When you buy from an independent business you are boosting the local economy and helping to establish a unique community. To make your purchases more thoughtful and ethical try shopping somewhere closer to home this Christmas.
As a Bath based company, we are surrounded by amazing independent businesses whose passion for what they do shines through in the products they offer. The lovely thing about buying from an independent retailer is that you are supporting a real person, who has put time and energy into creating something they care about. So with Christmas closing in, here are the items you will find in our letter to Father Christmas...
1. Ziggy Stardust Hobby Horse by Laura Holden Studio. £42
We were absolutely star struck when we discovered this Bowie inspired hobby horse at Frome's Independent Market. Made with vintage cotton velvet and hand stitched felt, Ziggy Stardust will live on and inspire the imaginations of children. With all of the unicorn hype going on we thought this unique find was next level cool.
Handmade by Somerset textile artist, Laura Holden, from her flora and fauna inspired toys and homeware collection.
2. Maileg Guardian Hero Mouse from My Small World. £19.95
Admittedly we are suckers for anything to do with superheroes, but this little mouse is both cool and cute! Maileg (pronounced My’lye) are a brand of timeless Danish-designed toys that inspire storybook imaginations to run free. This little guy comes tucked in his own tin case, ready to pack with goodies for his next adventure!
3. Ping Pong Crossbow from Spotty Herberts. £18.95
We popped into Spotty Herberts to say hello to Kate one day and ended up staying for about 40 minutes playing with toys, as we do! While we were there we found this amazing crossbow which fires ping pong balls. Handmade from recycled wooden crates, this Daniel Bros toy is incredibly satisfying to play with - and great protection from evil villains, obviously.
4. Sequin Cape by Selfish Mother X Pearl Lowe, from The Fmly Store. £60
Perfect for the little superhero in your family, these beautiful limited edition capes are really saving lives! £10 from each sale goes towards TOMMY'S baby charity, to fund research into pregnancy loss.
5. Ziggy BOOM Cloud by Sparkle Child London. £38
This dazzling rainbow cloud mobile is possibly the coolest decoration we have EVER seen - and we don't think this gift should be just for children! Kristal, the real life sparkle fairy, handcrafts hair clips, fairy wands, crowns, mobiles, garlands and brooches, all beautifully packaged ready to give.
You should also check out her sparkly pirate eye patches on sale at Spotty Herberts!