An Indie Kind of Christmas

Have you started your holiday shopping yet?

Yeah, same, only if it jumps out at me at this point. No matter how hard I try, I cannot beat last minute holiday shopping. Luckily, a few of my favorite artisans are available online, leaving me no excuse to wait until the last minute. I found some pretty cool Indie brands to shop for the holidays and wanted to share my little list to inspire and help you complete some of your holiday shopping.. . have a look!

Vendedy -Dubbed the emerging "Etsy/Ebay of the Caribbean" and the future "Alibaba for Street Vendors", I couldn't wait to share this discovery! This innovate start up is considered the first mobile bidding marketplace for street vendors around the world. What does that mean? Global street vendors can upload photos of their work onto online galleries where shoppers can bid and eventually pay for goods purchased. A short seven months after incorporation, Vendedy has closed a three year deal with IBM to scale across 150+ countries. Vendedy is digitizing the street vending industry and I'm encouraging you all to be their supporters. Not only does this allow the street artisans the opportunity to have their work shown across the world via phone technology - it also opens the doors to a plethora of holiday gifts you never thought about before. Go take a look and see what beauty you find

The Base Project - Give something sweet and socially responsible for the accessory addicts in your life. Spoil your loves with the new Brass Collection from The Base Project. For every six bracelets sold, a child’s education in Africa is funded for an entire year. I've been a fan of The Base Project for a couple of years now as their mission is to build a bridge between artisans in the developing world and the US fashion market. Collections are made by project partners in two Kunene based tribes, Himba and Herero. The Base Project scours the globe, partnering with local artisans to design and produce locally-sourced, eco-friendly fashion at fair trade prices. Wear and share your impact this season with The Base Project.  

Mauke V - One of Haute Hemisphere's favorite places to shop for alluring wearable art. Bold luxury statement jewelry is what Maureen Vorswijk does best. Get the girls in your world a silent statement they will never want to take off. A word to the wise for my men readers- you can NEVER go wrong with Jewelry for the gems in your life. (Thank me later ;) )

Naja Lingerie- I'm a lover of lingerie; style starts on the skin and works it's way out onto the apparel layers. Why not treat a lovely lady in your life to meticulously crafted and fairly priced lingerie? I'm swooning over a few of the Naja collections, specially Talavera Blue and Red and the Secret Life of Sparrows. Purchase a pair of panties and a percentage of your purchase will go towards supporting Naja's entrepreneurial sewing program for women through the Golondrinas Foundation. Buy a bra and you contribute directly to the employment of a single mother. Pretty awesome right, I'm a fan, Shower her with a woman's favorite secret and help another woman support her family.

Taila.Made Earth Inspired Luxuries - Last but not least, do you have someone in your world with dry skin, eczema or who is interested in trying out natural skincare products? If so - Taila.Made would be a perfect stocking stuffer. Treat your royals to luxurious handmade natural soaps formulated with dry and eczema enduring skin types in mind. Taila.Made came to fruition because of my serve hand and body eczema. While I still am living with eczema, these soaps help to calm my skin during flare ups, and leave my face and body feeling refreshed, clean, and moisturized. Make someone's skin smile this holiday with Taila.Made.

I am a huge fan of all of the above Indie Brands. I guarantee you will find something unique, sustainable and from a brand with a real vision. Remember the holiday season is more about giving than receiving. I like to take it a step further and make sure I'm putting my hard earned money in the hands of hard working creatives. Indies Nation is because of us. So support, shop, and start to get excited. . It's the time for Holiday cheer !

What are your go to holiday Indie Brands? Share below so we can all support! (That includes creativeprenuers listing their shops as well! )

Cover Photo By: Daniel Nanescu