A few weeks ago, we said 'NO' to Black Friday and 'YES' to Colour Friday.
Launched by Holly Tucker, Colour Friday is a campaign aiming to kickstart a retail revolution for the Christmas shoppers and educate people on the importance of supporting small businesses, artists and creatives not only during the holiday season, but throughout the whole year too.
Holly Tucker @hollytucker - founder of Holly & Co, Not On The High Street and the colourful person who launched the Colour Friday campaign.
The stats surrounding the UK-based small businesses and creators are alarming and report that:
- In a recent poll, half of UK small business owners said they’re genuinely concerned that this will be their last Christmas trading;
- Carbon emissions generated from Black Friday online sales alone are equivalent to 215 flights from London to Sydney;
- 89% of shoppers reported finding Black Friday highly stressful, and with the cost of living crisis having such a negative impact on our mental health already, no one needs more stress;
- A quarter of Brits surveyed said they regretted their Christmas Black Friday buys.
There are so many brilliant small businesses and creatives in the UK, and we thought that now is the time to show our support and truly make a difference to those of us struggling… don’t worry, big corporations will be totally fine!
In support of Colour Friday, and in celebration of Small Business Saturday that was earlier this month, we've joined forces with some of our favourite UK-based small businesses, creators and artists to pledge our support to the small business community and spread the word about their creations.
Let us introduce you to them.
1. Mauve & Mocha.
Joanna, Founder of Mauve and Mocha shop, created her virtual store last year to collate a selection of female-founded small businesses and creatives that have bespoke items that you can’t find on the high street.
Despite currently operating only online, Joanna has great plans for Mauve and Mocha's future, including a physical space with a cafe and a gallery area, where local artists and people from the creative community could exhibit their artworks and get together.
Learn more about Joanna and her small business plans in our Shop Small campaign here.
Joanna from Mauve & Mocha shop @mauveandmochashop.
2. Hollie Cooper Ceramics.
Hollie is a potter based in Lancashire and Founder of Hollie Cooper Ceramics. She's one of those ‘one-man bands’ where one person does everything for the business, and also wonderful example of a brilliant creative who’s following her true passion - colour, in every shape and form.
Especially in the shapes and forms of her beautiful ceramics.
Learn more about Hollie and her small business in our Shop Small campaign here.
Hollie from Hollie Cooper Ceramics @holliecooperceramics.
3. Foxberry Vintage.
Founded by the lovely Jess, Foxberry Vintage is a small vintage homeware brand based in West London. Jess has been working in the antiques and vintage industry since 2012 and launched Foxberry Vintage back in 2020.
Jess sources and curates a colourful mix of art deco and mid-century pieces, which she sells through her Instagram page, at markets and pop-up events. You can expect to find colourful barware, pastel tableware, bold glass items, decorative objects… and anything that makes Jess smile.
Learn more about Jess and her small business in our Shop Small campaign here.
Jess from Foxberry Vintage @foxberryvintage.
4. GRANITE + smoke.
Lindsey and Claire from GRANITE + smoke design and create contemporary homewares and textiles using small batch heritage manufacturers in the UK.
Claire and Lindsey’s love and passion for colour and sustainability is at the heart of their business, and is something that Granite + smoke and YesColours definitely have in common.
Learn more about Lindsey and Claire and her small business in our Shop Small campaign here.
5. DoodleMoo.
Emily Canino, Founder of DoodleMoo, is a graphic designer and illustrator who founded her own small business, creating stationary art prints and accessories that are full of joy and positivity.
Inspired by her cultural background and upbringing in sunny Venezuela, Emily's artworks are a celebration of colour, patterns, bold messages and quirky statements - a perfect addition to any home or creative space.
Learn more about Emily and her small business - DoodleMoo - in our Shop Small campaign here.
Emily from DoodleMoo @doodle_moo.
6. Liz Harry Design.
Liz Harry and her small business - Liz Harry Design, are a vital part of the colour-loving community in the UK. Liz is a designer, illustrator, crafter, small business owner and a woman that’s full of talent and, of course, colour.
She's creating small giftables and accessories with strong messages and even stronger designs.
Learn more about Liz and her small business - Liz Harry Design - in our Shop Small campaign here.
7. Yas Bean.
Mika and Dan, Founders of Yas Bean are a fantastic example of what the power of a strong community holds. Yas Bean is a coffee shop based in Macclesfield but it's also so much more.
The Yas Bean team regularly hosts pop-up events, markets and community activities that unite the local makers, bakers and everything in between.
Find out more about Mika and Dan on Yas Bean's Instagram profile.
Mika and Dan from Yas Bean @yasssbean.
8. Bobbi Beck.
Founded by Becky and James, Bobbi Beck is a design and print studio with a focus on producing premium wallpapers without damaging the planet.
As we're also a brand whose core mission is to provide a sustainable alternative to an unsustainable packaging practice, we truly relate to Bobbi Beck as a business, so it absolutely made sense to include them in this selection.
Find out more about Becky and James and their small business - Bobbi Beck - on their Instagram profile - @bobbibeckofficial.
Becky from Bobbi Beck @bobbibeckofficial.
9. Peg & Board.
Founded by Laura back in 2018, Peg & Board is a home decor brand that offers storage solutions that look good, could be fully re-configured and are versatile enough for any space. Truly a WFH dream.
Laura's designs have their own personality and can be utilised in various rooms of the modern home. Creating storage without taking up floor space has never felt so beautiful.
Find out more about Laura on Peg & Board's Instagram profile.
Laura from Peg & Board @pegandboard.
10. What The Mood.
Meghan and her small business - What The Mood, create colourful and sustainable lighting. What The Mood's light designs are minimal and contemporary, and inspired by architecture, with colour, shape and form being at the forefront of each design.
Not only that but What The Mood is a brand that creates pieces that are meant to last and come to life thanks to environmentally friendly materials. Sustainability is key here and each piece is handcrafted using an eco friendly resin. As a bonus, waste material is recycled and reused. Beautiful design with no waste? We're definitely loving this.
Find out more about Meg on What The Mood's Instagram profile.
Meg from What The Mood @whatthemood_.
11. Trash Flamingo.
If you've seen our posts on Instagram, as well as the beautiful creations that talented people from our community create with our paint colours, then you're definitely already familiar with Miranda's work.
Miranda is the Founder of Trash Flamingo - a Brighton-based small business that creates and sells independently sourced and styled furniture items, homewares and all kinds of quirky home accessories that are full of colour, creativity and imagination.
Find out more about Miranda on Trash Flamingo's Instagram profile. Check out her other brand for carefully sourced pre-loved and hand painted homeware items - Fantasy Homewares.
12. TradeKart.
Founded by Alistair McAuley OBE, TradeKart is a rapid delivery app for tradespeople. Their mission is to serve and unite the trade community by offering convenience and accessibility to everyone in the market.
With the ability to deliver trade materials in just two hours, Alistair and the TradeKart team have created a truly groundbreaking service, which is incredibly helpful to renovators, decorators and tradespeople alike.
Find out more about Alistair on TradeKart's Instagram profile.
Alistair from TradeKart @tradekart.uk.
We hope you've found some inspiration in Holly Tucker's Colour Friday initiative, as well as our own Shop Small campaign in support of UK's small businesses, creators and artists. It is crucial for us to really show up and support the independent shops and creators, which are often a one-man band (or just a small band) and are facing many challenges while operating their businesses, especially in the current economic climate in the UK.
Don't forget to shop small not only during the holiday season, but during every other time of the year too.