Amazon? AmazOFF!: The Shopping List that saved Christmas

I cannot help to ignore the fact that this year's Christmas has officially been cancelled. On the 19th of December, Boris Johnson, The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom announced a new tier 4 in the country. If you are unaware of how our government is tackling pandemic, the tier system determines which parts of the country are allowed to have certain freedoms depending on its infection rate against its population. The higher the infection rate per 100,000 residents, the higher the tier you are placed in. The tier limits certain aspects of daily life, such as mixing with other households indoors, hospitality venues being shut and travel restrictions. Before yesterday, the 3-tier system was in place with a 5-day Christmas window that allowed people to go and spend the holiday with their family. This included travel to other cities and removal of stricter rules, such as mixing households indoors. As I am writing this, all has changed in the UK, and Christmas is officially over before it even started.

In the past couple of weeks, there has been a horrific discovery. A new variant of the coronavirus has emerged in the south of England that is believed to be up to 70 times more infections than the strain we are aware of now. It is also believed to have been found in two other countries, however, as of the time of writing the names have not been officially released. To control the spread of this new variant, tier 4 has been introduced, effective from Sunday 20th December. The rules are pretty clear, tier 4 is equal to a full national lockdown for regions placed within its walls. This includes no travelling in or out of the region as well as no indoor household mixing, unless in situations of a support bubble. London and most of the south of England have been placed under these tighter restrictions and as my family lives in Yorkshire in the north of England, there is no possibility of me spending Christmas with my loved ones.

This news certainly leaves a bittersweet taste in my heart; however, I know that this is for the better good. It's the sacrifices we take that will pull us through this tough time. Despite me being stuck in my small London apartment, I will not let this bring my spirit down. I made a traditional 12 meal Polish Christmas Eve feast as my family would do every Christmas on the 24th with my flatmates! It was an amazing success, and you can read all about it here.

This is why I have decided to shine a little positivity today. The pandemic has taken a crushing blow on businesses throughout the world. Of course, monopolies like Amazon will not only survive this pandemic but profit from the crisis. I cannot stand to see these giants flourish while black-owned and eco businesses are left to fight for survival. It was difficult before; it is near enough impossible now. I will provide you with three businesses for each sector: one black-owned, one eco-business, and one personal favourite to throw in the mix. The sectors I will be exploring are fashion, home decor, the culinary world, and Etsy based online stores. In some cases, the businesses can merge with each other, however, my focus is clear. Support the ones that need support. They all provide amazing products and services, so I am certain there is something for everyone. This is not the time to help the rich richer, we all need to support each other in our communities.

Fashion

Black-Owned Business: A Cold Wall

If you enjoy sleep, urban fashion, then A Cold Wall is the perfect spot for you. Owned by the fashion retailer owned by the designer, Samuel Ross, they are interested in merging high-class fashion with a more urban street look. Their pieces look incredible and as Ross puts it himself perfectly, "It captures sub-cultures; everyone from kids in Brooklyn screen-printing T-shirts to the kids in Peckham doing the same.” As well as supporting this young, black entrepreneur that started in Leicester's housing estates to now becoming one of the most talented emerging menswear designers, A Cold Wall is the perfect gift for the ones in your life that enjoy the thrills in life, love to explore, and live life to its fullest.

Check out A Cold Wall Here!

Eco-Friendly Business: We are Thought

We are Thought create some fantastic pieces with their pledge to use 100% responsibly sourced materials and be a force of change in the future of fashion. These guys are constantly on the move to find new, innovative ways of creating the best product possible while making sure the planet does not suffer at all. From supporting partners that source materials to giving back to the communities and the industry, We are Thought truly are an amazing company that I love to support.

Check out We are Thought Here!

Personal Favourite: Wolf and Badger

My personal favourite in the fashion sector is Wolf and Badger. No matter if you are looking for a cheap-ish piece or are ready to splash some big numbers on a designer piece, they do have it all. ranging from all corners of the fashion scale, there is something for everyone. I love their range of bold, block colours shoes and jumpers and their funky, wild shirts. Wolf and Badger do let my inner characters come out to play as I can dress to any mood or occasion needed. I have been supporting them for over 2 years now and I do not see a stop any time in the future.

Check out Wolf and Badger Here!

Home Decor

Black-Owned Business: Mind the Cork

I am happy to announce that Mind the Cork are not only a black-owned business, but they are also a great eco-friendly business that uses cork as a base material for their home decor and other products! As cork is an amazing, sturdy material that does not require trees to be cut down, are biodegradable, renewable and recyclable, it is no mystery to why it has become a hit with Mind the Cork. My favourite products of theirs are their flowerpots. They are soft to the touch, keep the plants looking great and are much more sturdy than breakable plastic. It adds character to any plant in your home.

Check out Mind the Cork Here!

Eco-Friendly Business: Wearth London

I present to you the store that has it all, Wearth London! Their beautiful eco-friendly designs will allow you to redecorate your home without breaking the budget! From waste-free washing products to handmade, wooden furniture, there is surely something here for all your friends, family, pets, neighbours, everyone! Their range is huge! My shopping Wishlist for their range is endless as their minimalist vision is a home decor style, we should all be aiming towards.

Check out Wearth London Here!

Personal Favourite: The Little House Shop

My personal favourite home decor business is The Little House Shop. They provide great looking, good, priced furniture that will transform your home with their sleek, contemporary designs. They are a small, online business that focuses on being resourceful and eco-friendly. They love to provide eco-friendly methods of adapting into your home on their blog. Written in such an amazing, engaging way, The Little House Shop is a business I cannot fault and look forward to supporting more in the future.

Check out The Little House Shop Here!

Culinary Gifts

Black-Owned Business: Original Flava

Original Flava is a business ran by two London brothers, Shaun and Craig. The duo has seen internet fandom blow their business into the mainstream. From creating tutorial videos online to being featured on platforms such as Nike, Google, Buzzfeed and the BBC. Their cookbook is an amazing way to support these young chefs while introducing the amazing flavours of the Caribbean into your home. These two will go far and deserve all the support to achieve great things in the future.

Check out Original Flava Here!

Eco-Friendly Business: Peace with the wild

Do you know anyone that is looking to upgrade their kitchen to a more eco-efficient design? Well, Peace with the Wild is the perfect place! They provide amazing products, ranging from food storage to kitchen utensils. There is always a way to save the planet in the kitchen, and these guys have cracked the code. They source their products from trusted partners and are all recyclable. Also, they write a blog that provides you with great recipes, other eco-friendly product ideas and methods of reducing your carbon footprint! With great prices and amazing products, Peace with the Wild is a business that we all should begin to use to help save the future of our planet.

Check out Peace with the Wild Here!

Personal Favourite: Culinary Concepts

I love to bring some modern class into my home, and Culinary Concepts are a master at serving just that. They provide a range of products for the whole house in modern, classic and contemporary styles; however, their dining department is the standout for me. The craftsmanship in their products is great and will serve as the best gift for friends and family of all ages. Culinary Concepts also provides collections and inspirations, such as brunch, tea parties and even pancake day! We Brits love pancake day so why not celebrate in style!

Check out Culinary Concepts Here!

Etsy

Black-Owned Business: BespokeBinny

There are some amazing businesses ran through Etsy as for many of us, getting their store can be a goal that needs funding to start. Also, the pandemic has seen a great increase in online purchasing so let's make sure these brands are helped out as much as their physical counterparts. BespokeBinny is an amazing Etsy business that creates beautiful African inspired lampshades, pillows and other home decor accessories. The colourful patterns brighten up the room that blends in with a modern design with ease. With such an affordable price and such a talented vendor, it is no surprise why BespokenBinny deserves profits than online stores like Amazon.

Check out Culinary Concepts Here!

Eco-Friendly Business: ElizabethandErnest

What better way to relax than with some scented candles and a warm bath? Well, ElizabethandErnest provides the best eco-friendly, vegan products that will soothe you into the new year without breaking the bank. From sustainable vegan pick and mixes starting at £1.50 (as of writing), to complete eco-friendly Gift Boxes, ElizabethandErnest will put a smile on anyone's face on any occasion. They create all their products in their Cornish workshop and take pride in every step that goes into the running of their business. I cannot wait what ElizabethandErnest will do in the future.

Check out ElizabethandErnest Here!

Personal Favourite: TheWorldGallery

To finish off the list is my favourite Etsy store, TheWorldGallery. They create phenomenal wall decor from a range of artists, inspirations and designs. There is a special aura that comes from a well-designed room, and these posters will add that splash of retro into your lives. They have so many concepts and designs that I am sure there is something there for everybody. I love their artists series that features minimalistic, black and white designs of famous artists’ work. I recommend getting your orders framed as it brings that extra contemporary feel that normal posters just lack. They are a great business with great customer service and short delivery times so please do support their work!

Check our TheWorldGallery Here!

And that concludes my shopping list! I hope that I have shown you some great businesses you may not have been aware of before. I know that companies like Amazon can seem like the easiest option, however, they do not need our revenue. The pandemic has been a challenge for all business so let's make sure that we do not let our communities down and hand over everything to the monopolies in the business. Remember, Amazon? AmazOff!

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- David