With the holiday season coming up, it’s easy to take the quick way out and order from big corporations like Amazon. But with so many options for buying from small businesses, especially in the Fraser Valley, we should try and support our hard working local creators. Here are a few small Fraser Valley businesses to look into when shopping for that candle-lover, jewelry-wearer, or dog-owner in your life this year.
Fraser Candle Co.
Prices range from $8 to $40.
Fraser Candle Co. creates a variety of premium soy wax based candles, hanging air fresheners, and handcrafted concrete decor and vessels for their candles. These candles smell amazing — not only is there an array of scents to choose from, but they’re all inspired by the Fraser Valley. They have scents named after Fraser Valley landmarks such as Cascade, Cheam, and Hayward. The scents I purchased are Slesse, made with the scents of bergamot, pink peppercorn, cinnamon, clove, and vanilla, as well as Spirea, with pumpkin spice, caramel, molasses, and ginger. Another great reason to purchase from them is because 10 per cent of proceeds go to the Fraser Valley Humane Society or the Mission Royal Legion Branch 57. If you’re looking for a gift for that candle lover in your life then I highly recommend Fraser Candle Co. Find their products on their website at shop.frasercandleco.ca.
Forestial Friends
Prices range from $31 to $115 on their online Etsy shop but you can find some of their products for less at their in-person markets.
Forestial Friends specializes in resin jewelry made with foraged mushrooms, flowers, and plants. They make the most enchanting terrarium necklaces — with a surprising amount of detail, considering how small they are. If you’re thinking of buying someone in your life (or even yourself) some nice jewelry this holiday season, then consider Forestial Friends. Their mushroom and fern terrarium necklaces are a must have. They also donate a dollar from every order to the Wildlife Conservation Society of Canada.
You can check out their Instagram (@forestialfriends) for info about upcoming in-person markets, and follow their foraging journeys to see where they find their plants and flowers.
You can find their products on Etsy under the store name ForestialFriends as well as at Found Boutique in New Westminster, Everbloom Designs in Abbotsford, Hunt & Home in Abbotsford, and Copper Reata in Langley.
Sunshine Pup Co.
Prices range from $3 to $30.
Sunshine Pup Co. handmakes leashes, collars, harnesses, bandanas, and more for that lil’ pooch in your life. You can choose from a wide range of patterns and sizes for their bandanas and collars. The harnesses and leashes don’t have quite as many patterns to choose from, but they still have a lot of fun ones. Every season they release seasonal bandanas to choose from as well. For Christmas they have design options such as snowflakes, gingerbread men, or even some simple plaid patterns. Sunshine Pup Co. is a great option this season for that dog lover in your family to add extra cuteness to their pup. You can find their products on their website at sunshine pupco.ca.
Oak & Earth
Prices range from $10 to $16.
Oak & Earth is a business created by Enactus UFV that creates soy candles with scents inspired by plants that are important to Indigenous communities within the Fraser Valley. The candles come in 4 oz tins and 9 oz jars and have scents like tobacco, lavender, and sweetgrass. They may only have a small selection at the moment, but they will be releasing aromatherapy rollers in the near future that will come in three scents: lavender, cinnamon, and lemon. Oak & Earth has also partnered with the Fraser River Indigenous Society (FRIS), giving them 50 per cent of all profits from their sales. You can check out their Instagram at @oakandearthdesigns for more information about what they do, and you can find their products at oakandearth.square.site.
