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Gifts From BIPOC-Owned Businesses For That Special Someone

We picked out some amazing gifts from talented artisans and makers across Canada.
Support your local BIPOC artisan!
Kseniya Ovchinnikova via Getty Images
Support your local BIPOC artisan!

As small businesses suffer through yet more lockdowns across Canada, many of us are thinking about ways to support our local artisans and makers through the holidays. We also know that people of colour, especially Black Canadians, have been disproportionately affected by the COVID-19 pandemic in Canada and beyond.

So, we put together a list of 21 incredible gifts made by talented creatives who are Black, Indigenous and people of colour (BIPOC), who could really use our support right now.

Even if you’re on a tight budget for Christmas gifts this year, you can still help out your local small business by sharing their website with friends, following their social media accounts and giving their posts a “like” or a share. You could also review their products, if you’ve bought from them before. Everything helps!

Are there any BIPOC-owned brands that we missed in this list? Let us know in the comments below and we’ll update with our favourites.

Note: If you’re on a mobile device, click on the slideshow below to see pictures of the items, and see a description of the items below the slideshow.

All product choices are made independently by our editors. HuffPost Canada may receive a share from purchases made via links on this page.

Wall Calendar, $28, Gotamago

BIPOC-Owned Canadian Gifts

Lichia Liu is the founder, creative director and main illustrator for Gotamago, an adorable store that sells small batch cards, stationery, and gifts. Get this punny (and delicious-looking) calendar at Gotamago.

Spiritual lifestyle brand Orijin Jewelry is a Black-owned jewelry company based in Toronto that offers a new accessory line with every phase of the moon. Unleash your inner child with this understated vintage-inspired bracelet that’s perfect for stacking. Get it at Orijin Jewelry.

This show-stopping necklace, made by Cree artist George Roberts, would be a wonderful gift for someone who means the world to you. Get it at Yukon First Nation Arts.

A self-described “Angry Chinese craft person/screen printer,” Jackie Lee is the owner of Secret Planet, a space-age, nerdy print shop that sells cards, clothing, prints, stationery, and other fun little gifts, like this cute toque. Get it at Secret Planet.

Mountain Sage Co., an Indigenous-owned and operated small business, makes these soaps using natural ingredients such as sage, sweetgrass, cedar, mountain pine and lavender. Get it at the Wanuskeewin Gift Shop.

This gorgeous shift dress is part of this Indigenous-owned company’s K’uwuycun~Grizzly Bear Collection and made in Nanaimo, B.C. The owners are sisters who design and produce the clothing and fabric patterns featuring Traditional Coast Salish Art. Get the dress at Ay Lelum.

Canadian journalist Desmond Cole details the injustices faced by Black Canadians on a daily basis in this searing, unflinching book. Get it at A Different Booklist, an African-Canadian-owned bookstore in Toronto that specializes in literature from the African and Caribbean diaspora.

Mary, founder and owner of Mary’s Brigadeiro, immigrated to Canada from Brazil in 2014. Since then, she’s appeared on “Dragon’s Den” and runs a successful shop that makes handcrafted chocolates that ship across Canada and worldwide. Get a box at Mary’s Brigadeiro.

MYC Design is an Indigenous women-owned Canadian business (founder Michele Young-Cook is Anishinaabe) that offers traditional Indigenous wellness-inspired gifts. This Owl Self-Love Box supports seven Indigenous women-owned businesses, and includes a handmade sleep mask, bath bomb, colouring book, scrunchie, handmade bracelet, and more. Get it at MYC Design.

This unique stained glass coaster was handmade by artist Millean Kung and can be used as a coaster or just as a decorative piece for the home. Get it at The Right Side Boutique, a studio that specializes in cruelty-free and slow fashion.

Queenie is the owner and artist behind Queenie’s Cards, an adorable shop that sells witty cards and pins, and other cute toys from brands such as Pusheen, Hello Kitty, Pokémon, and Gudetama. Get this holiday card at Queenie’s Cards.

This gorgeous velvet headband is handmade by Winnipeg-based designer Miriam Delos Santos, whose company, Hello Darling, makes women’s statement headwear and accessories. Get it at Inland.

Onquata was the brainchild of Lise and Lara, a Wendat mother-daughter duo whose paddles are inspired by First Nations culture. This gorgeous paddle is handmade in Wendake, Que., and would make the perfect accent to any room in the home. Get it at Onquata.

Hatecopy! founder and artist, Maria Qamar, who was born in Karachi and raised in Mississauga, Ont., has been selling prints, murals, and signs featuring her signature South Asian themes across North America. Even Mindy Kaling is a fan! Get this print at Hatecopy.

Founded by sisters Tannis and Mara Bundi, The Green Jar sells products for sustainable, and waste-free living. This care kit is meant to eliminate some of the single-use plastics in your bathroom. Get it at The Green Jar.

Moonstone Creation, located in Calgary, represents more than 50 Indigenous artists primarily from Western Canada, and most of its products, such as this cream, are made in-house. This particular cream is good for moisturizing dry, cracked heels and hands. Get it at Moonstone Creation.

Made with pride in Tobique First Nation, N.B., Wabanaki’s signature barrel-aged maple syrup comes in a beautiful handcrafted cedar box. Get it at Wabanaki.

This Indigenous-owned company is known for their superior quality and authentic mukluks. This beautifully minimalist boot boasts a cosy sheepskin-lined footbed, is completely waterproof, and can withstand temperatures of up to -32C. Get it at Manitobah Mukluks.

Founded by Bayoush Mengesha, Devi Arts Collective is a Black female-owned jewelry company based in Vancouver. All their jewelry is created by sourcing recycled and refined silver and gold, and ethical gemstones. Get this gorgeous ring at Devi Arts Collective.

Created by Canadian designer Danielle Murrell Cox in 2017, Black Colouring Books feature minimalist illustrations of people that represent Danielle as well as her family, friends, and peers. This uplifting colouring book can make BIPOC people feel seen and loved. Get it on Amazon.

Mofer Coffee, founded by Ethiopian native Milkyas Tefera, prides itself on serving only the best Ethiopian coffee. The company actively keeps its Ethiopian heritage alive by celebrating Ethiopian New Year’s Eve and teaching its customers more about the founder’s home country. Get a bag of whole beans at Mofer Coffee.

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