Welcome to our third annual Indigenous Business Holiday Gift Guide. This year’s theme is cozy! From mittens to blankets to shawls to tea to moccasins to books, we curated this list to meet all your loved one’s cozy and comfy needs by re-adding some of our favourites and adding new organizations with items to consider. With so many Indigenous-owned businesses to choose from, supporting Indigenous businesses is a way to practice Reconciliation as an individual, helps strengthen our social and economic fabric, and creates stronger outcomes for all.
So, if you’re heading out or online for holiday shopping for loved ones or simply looking for gifting ideas for any occasion, consider buying from Indigenous makers and vendors. Consider these tips as you purchase from Indigenous businesses throughout the year.
- Do your research: make sure the businesses you are supporting are Indigenous-owned and consider finding one in your region if you’re keen to also support local. Check out the Canadian Council for Aboriginal Business Certified Indigenous Business Directory – better yet, if the organization you work for is keen to commit to increasing opportunities for Indigenous businesses to participate in its supply chain, join Rise Consulting as a member with the CCAB and join the Procurement Champions Program with us!
- Buy direct: It’s good practice to buy directly from an Indigenous business. If you can’t find a business website, try social media accounts such as Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn or Tik Tok.
- Spread the word: If you’re not able to purchase anything, another show of support is to share ideas with your friends, family or colleagues. If you’re on social media, use your voice to spread the word.
- Pay the worth: fair compensation is important. Many Indigenous-made products are hand-crafted, unique and carefully made and the cost of the product will reflect the time and labor, so please be willing to pay for it.
With these tips in mind, here are some Indigenous-owned brands for you. Please know this is a non-exhaustive list and has been curated with those we support or have been crowdsourced from our Rise community to get you started. Happy shopping!