Alternative Black Friday Gift Guide: 16 Indie Sellers on Etsy

One of my favourite posts of the year… my annual alternative Black Friday gift guide!

Every year I publish a Black Friday/Christmas shopping gift guide that avoids all the major retailers and high street stores as I want to bring you indie sellers that deserve our support. And THIS year the theme is Etsy: every single one is a small Etsy business – so when I say small, I mean small/local/home businesses.

I’ve also made a point of looking for fabulous Black (and Brown)-owned businesses which you’ll find marked as such^♥B

 

[Reading time: 6 mins – excludes time spent perusing external links!]

Disclosure: This post uses affiliate links (at no cost to you). Full disclosure

Brands marked^♥B are Black/Brown-owned businesses

 

I’d like to think that, although internet shopping has increased exponentially as a result of the pandemic, people are also shopping local and from small brands online. I hope you like the shops/sellers/businesses/brands I’ve featured here as much as I do. They’re all great for different reasons.

I’ve always believed that Christmas should be so much more about sentiments and the thought behind a gift rather than the money spent on them. We don’t buy expensive, lavish presents for each other in our family – we had a “£10 per person” rule for many years, and now we’ve lowered that cap even further with everyone clubbing together to buy one main present for each person. It works brilliantly.

This next bit is exactly the same as what I said in last year’s Black Friday gift guide, but it still rings true now – if you can do just ONE of these it would help the planet and the people who deserve our support:

• Buy handmade or crafted
• Buy secondhand or vintage
• Buy local or independent
• Buy from Black or Brown-owned businesses
• Buy sustainable, recycled, upcycled or reusable

Just think what we could achieve if we did one, two OR MORE of the things in this list? The planet would benefit, small businesses would stay afloat, Black and Brown-owned businesses would get recognition and support. I’m as guilty as the next person of just quickly going to Amazon when I’m in a hurry for something, but we need to change our habits, even if it’s just one habit or gift bought at a time. It all helps.

Happy (responsible) Black Friday and Cyber Weekend shopping : -D

 

What indie, sustainable, local or Black/Brown-owned businesses do you know that you want to share with us? Any you see here that you’re considering shopping with?

 

Stay safe XOXO

 

P.S. Please remember that as all of these are indie sellers, they’re rarely able to offer discounts for Black Friday. Margins can be tight at the best of times, and I’m certainly not promoting crazy buying here. I want to promote thoughtful, carefully considered/investment purchases…!

 

16 Indie Sellers on Etsy for Your Cyber Weekend Christmas Shopping…

 

Handmade, upcycled retro and vintage accessories

1. The Velvet Village

Top left – Patti Retro Oversized Green Tinted Round Sunglasses
Top right – Beige Beret with Upcycled Handsewn Vintage Beads and Rose Quartz
Middle left – Upcycled Turquoise Red Tassel Drop Earrings
Middle right – Handmade Shaggy Knitted Chenille Festival Jacket
Bottom left – Handmade Multicoloured Fluffy Feather Hat
Bottom right – Farah Oversized Black Sunglasses with Tinted Ombre Lenses

One of my favourite sellers ATM: I’ve bought a couple of pairs of bold sunglasses from The Velvet Village (see my pink ones here)! I have my eye on the shaggy cardigan, though I might get one made-to-order with my favourite colours when I’m a bit more flush. The feather hats and beaded berets are to die for.

PRICE RANGE: £5.00 – £150.00 (of those items pictured)

 

 

Bespoke, handcrafted coloured concrete home accessories

2. Gracefully Gibson

Top left – Neon Pink & Navy Marbled Concrete Hexagonal Planter
Top right – Mustard, Grey & Blue Marbled Concrete Planter
Middle left – Mint, Stone & Peach Marbled Concrete Coaster Set
Middle right – Mustard, Red & Charcoal Marbled Concrete Soapdish
Bottom left – Rainbow Marbled Concrete Hexagon Planter
Bottom right – Green, Lilac & Tangerine Marbled Concrete Zigzag Vase

How cool are these – I’ve never seen coloured concrete accessories before. Who knew that concrete made such a perfect material for being coloured and crafted into home decor? Each piece is unique (I guess due to the creation process) so everything is a one-off: result!

PRICE RANGE: £14.00 – £26.00 (of those items pictured)

 

Oversized decorative women’s bows and bow ties

3. Zeny Bows

Top left – Black Brocade Bow Tie Brooch
Top right – Pink Brocade Hair Barette Bow Tie
Middle left – Blue Brocade Bow Tie With Centred Jewel
Middle right – Off White Oversized Bow Tie Brooch With Jewel and Velvet Ribbon
Bottom left – Yellow Sateen Bow Tie With Centred Pearl Crystal
Bottom right – Oversized Pink Brocade Bow Tie With Flower Brooch

A little while ago I had the brainchild to get some oversized bow ties to wear with shirts and blouses – I turned to Etsy and found Zeny Bows. I adore the embellishments and their huge size – honestly these will make any plain shirt or blouse look sooooo cool and styled up.

PRICE RANGE: £13.60 – £30.40 (of those items pictured)

 

 

 

Colourful, geographical original art posters

5. Emily MacKenzie

Top left – 50 Shades of USA Print
Top right – 50 Shades of Ireland Print
Bottom left – 50 Shades of Scotland Print
Bottom right – 50 Shades of England Print

There are only four items here because that’s all that Emily does (apart from postcards of the same) – but when they’re so wonderful who needs more choice? 50 shades of England (fish and chips, bulldog, Wimbledon); 50 shades of Scotland (Nessie, whisky, tweed); 50 shades of Ireland (shamrock, fiddle, Guinness) and 50 shades of USA (apple pie, Cadillac, Statue of Liberty). Perfection.

PRICE RANGE: £20.00 – £25.00 (of those items pictured)

 

Bold, statement handmade polymer clay earrings

6. Because Earrings

Top left – Pink and Coral Round Deco Studs
Top right – Khaki Square and Brass Circle Dangles
Middle left – Black and Silver Semi Hoops
Middle right – Autumn Rainbows on Gold Dangles
Bottom left – Monstera Leaf Huggies
Bottom right – Storm Clouds and Lightning Hoops

I love me a bold piece of jewellery or two and I’m sure there are plenty of women who’d love to receive a pair of these fun earrings. Exactly what the Pat Butcher in your life needs.

PRICE RANGE: £15.00 – £17.00 (of those items pictured)

 

Retro-style painted plant pots made of recycled plastic

7. Amalue Leith

Top left – Indoor Plant Pot Colourful Rainbow Sunset
Top right – Retro Lines Extra Large Planter
Middle left – Made to Order Extra Large Golden Planter
Middle right – Plant Ladies Indoor Planter
Bottom left – Melange Colours Stripes Indoor Planter
Bottom right – Abstract Grass & White Flowers Design Indoor Planter

I’ve had my eye on these funky plant pots for SO long so I’m really pleased I’m featuring them here: these aren’t anything like anything I’ve seen in the shops (and that’s a good thing)! So perfect for someone who loves plants plus a touch of the retro and/or the colourful in their home.

PRICE RANGE: £16.00 – £32.00 (of those items pictured)

 

 

Quirky, original animal illustration prints (perfect for kids)

8. Ashley Percival

Top left – Pretty Hares Print
Top right – Tiger and Birds Print
Middle left – French Bulldog Skateboarder Print
Middle right – Cheetah Print
Bottom left – Tour De Animals Print
Bottom right – Flamingo Skater Print

These animal illustrations are unbelievably cute and quirky; again, they’re so unique and I think it’s so good to support artists selling their own work. Many of the illustrations are not just for kids – as you can probably imagine I’ve been eyeing up the cheetah print because of that fabulous orange colour…

PRICE RANGE: £23.42 – £31.23 (of those items pictured)
DELIVERY: Free worldwide shipping

 

 

Greeting cards, posters and small gifts designed and handmade in London

9. Ms Charlaneous Designs ^♥B

Top left – Amanda Gorman Always Light Quote Print
Top right – Say It With Flowers Greetings Card
Middle left – Black Queen Mirrored Keyring
Middle right – Amanda Gorman Always Light Quote Canvas Shopper
Bottom left – Nope Not Today Canvas Shopper
Bottom right – Wrapped Up in Beauty Print

I’m still reeling from that incredible poem Amanda Gorman recited at Biden’s inauguration back in January, so a quote from it on a poster or a shopper would make a fabulous gift for any fan. All the designs here are fun and bold and feature strong women and even stronger messages.

PRICE RANGE: £3.00 – £10.00 (of those items pictured)

 

 

Retro-style wall art and signs with personalisation

10. Leigh’s Workshop Design

Top left – Wooden Personalised Family Name Sign
Top right – Wooden Personalised Vintage Logo Sign
Middle left – Round Personalised Union Jack Flag Sign
Middle right – Large Personalised Retro Cassette Tape 3D Wall Art
Bottom left – Large Black & White 3D Letters
Bottom right – Wooden Fresh Brewed Coffee Sign

I had to do a double-take when I found Leigh’s Workshop Designs: I mean, HOW fun are these signs? And so reasonably priced too. The massive cassette tape was what grabbed my attention first, but the retro-style family name signs and Union Jack are also favourites. So good for the family who has everything.

PRICE RANGE: £20.00 – £35.00 (of those items pictured)

 

 

Curated men’s vintage clothing 1940s to 1990s

11. Dysfunctional Dandy Co

Top left – 1970s Cotton Batik Short Sleeve Shirt
Top right – 1970s Flying Geese Print Short Sleeve Shirt
Middle left – 1950s Barkcloth Bamboo Print Shirt
Middle right – 1990s Adidas Customised Ltd Edition Red T-Shirt
Bottom left – 1980s Tangerine Hawaii Print Viscose Shirt
Bottom right – 1950s Abstract Leaf Print Tie

If the man in your life loves vintage and/or bold shirts, you should be checking out Dysfunctional Dandy. I love a man in a Hawaiian shirt (yes, really!), but make it vintage and I’m all over it. Just think Brad Pitt in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood… you with me now?!

PRICE RANGE: £47.00 – £90.00 (of those items pictured)

 

Stylish, handmade pearl, gold and shell jewellery

12. Asa Artshop ^♥B

Top left – Seashell Gold Mermaid Drop Dangle Earrings
Top right – Gold Leaf Freshwater Pearl Drop Earrings
Middle left – Gold Pearl Cowrie Shell Hoop Dangle Earrings
Middle right – Fossil Shell Gold Drop Earrings
Bottom left – Gold Conch Shell Glass Pearl Shell Bead Dangle Drop Earrings
Bottom right – Gold Citrine Flower Hoop Earrings

So pretty, so delicate, so, so good for someone who loves bold jewellery but isn’t a fan of gaudy colour. Pearls, shells and gold are a match made in heaven when it comes to earrings and I’m definitely sold if you throw in a monstera leaf or two.

PRICE RANGE: £13.00 – £17.50 (of those items pictured)

 

 

Handmade mid-century modern/vintage-style wall clocks

13. Royale Enamel Ltd

Top left – Turquoise Lucite Atomic Boomerang Style Formica Wall Clock
Top right – Teak Handmade Starburst Clock Turquoise Balls & Turquoise Dial
Middle left – Teak Handmade Starburst Clock Orange Balls & Orange Dial
Middle right – Yellow & Cream Trianguloid Lucite Formica Wall Clock
Bottom left – Orange Handmade Atomic Style Formica Wall Clock
Bottom right – Navy Blue Silent 1970s Style Sunburst Wall Clock 

ERMAHGERD would you check out these clocks… vintage clocks are hard to come by and if you find good ones they either don’t work well anymore or the price is astronomical. So finding an indie seller who handmakes retro vintage-style clocks is a dream come true – I am saving up and am going to treat myself to a starburst one (if I can only decide which one – there are TONS of designs to choose from).

PRICE RANGE: £85.00 – £215.00 (of those items pictured)

 

 

Inspirational Islamic personalised art, accessories and home decor

14. Fennvv ^♥B

Top left – Hijab Flip Mug
Top right – Beard & Hijab Personalised Couple Islamic Print
Middle left – Floral Hijabi Islamic Print
Middle right – Rose Gold Sisters Compact Mirror
Bottom left – Personalised Lily Arabic Phone Case
Bottom right – Green Growth Motivational Acrylic Keychain

These home accessories and prints are so delicate and pretty, perfect for a newly-married Islamic couple or family – I’m in love with the colours that Fennvv uses. Not everything is necessarily Islamic so it’s worth checking out even if you/your recipient are not of that faith.

PRICE RANGE: £2.10 – £9.09 (of those items pictured)
DISCOUNT: Currently everything is 30% off, but doesn’t say how long for

 

Decorative soy wax candles handmade in the UK

15. Le Bon Candles

Top left – Soy Wax Structural Wave Candle
Top right – Soy Wax Arch Candle
Middle left – Personalised Christmas Soy Wax Candle
Middle right – Bubble Soy Wax Cube Candle
Bottom left – Soy Wax Zig Zag Candle
Bottom right – Christmas Soy Wax Candle

Another Etsy shop that’s been in my favourites for a long time – the candles are vegan (soy wax) and the shop has glowing reviews. A unique gift for a vegan/a candle nut/a lover of quirky home accessories. The cubed bubble candles, just WOW. Very reasonably priced too.

PRICE RANGE: £6.40 – £15.50 (of those items pictured)
DELIVERY: 12th December 2021 is the last order date for Christmas delivery

 

 

Minimal, motivational modern prints for the home

16. Art by Rach Hayes

Top left – You’re So Golden Drawing Art Print
Top right – Woman Holding Red Wine Art Print
Middle left – Be Kind To Yourself Art Print
Middle right – Sun & Waves Art Print
Bottom left – Don’t Stress Art Print
Bottom right – Focus On The Good Art Print

The pandemic has produced a mass of inspirational quotes and motivational memes, and these prints are some of my favourites being so minimal and colourful. Or, who needs a quote when you can just go for a hand holding up a glass of wine…

PRICE RANGE: £10.00 – £12.00 (of those items pictured)
DELIVERY: Free to the UK

 

 

Harry Styles merchandise

(17.) Harry Styles Merch (Various Sellers)

Top left – Treat People With Kindness Sweatshirt
Top right – Harry Styles Gift Box: Prints, Keyrings, Stickers, Wax Melts
Middle left – Harry Styles Tote Bag
Middle right – Harry Styles Tarot Cards Poster
Bottom left – (Preorder) Harry Styles ‘Love On Tour’ Outfits Poster
Bottom right – Harry Styles Car Air Freshener

And just as a little bonus (well, I couldn’t resist), here’s some Harry Styles merch from various sellers to celebrate that Dazed magazine photoshoot. And because… Harry.

Hope you love as much as I do 😉

PRICE RANGE: £5.45 – £18.36 (of those items pictured).

 

Pin for later!

Linking up to… Monday: Stylish Monday (second Monday of the month), Inspire Me Monday, My Glittery Heart, On Mondays We Link Up || Tuesday: Style With a Smile, Trend Spin/Walking in Memphis in High Heels, Turning Heads Tuesday, Spread the Kindness, Confident Twosday, Happy Now Blog Link Up || Wednesday: WowOnWednesday || Thursday: Chic & Stylish, Ageless Style Linkup (third Thursday of the month), || Friday: Neverending Style, Fancy Friday, On the Edge, Fabulous Friday’s Link Up