‘Shop Small’ may seem like this year’s buzzword, but as a small business, representing small brands we couldn’t agree with it more.
Here are our three reasons why shopping small this festive season can make a BIG impact.
[1] Put your money where it matters. It’s been an especially hard year for small businesses. Government restrictions partnered with consumer confidence being at an all time low has made it even harder for small businesses to compete with the likes of Amazon. Shopping small supports our independents who need it more than ever and who’s success has a direct impact on our local communities.
[2] Buy gifts that you are proud of. Many small businesses are built around an ethos of sustainability and/or ethical production. Being aware of who, how and where our things are made is so important. Smaller scale production often ensures better quality and exclusivity. These are the supply chains we should all be supporting!
[3] Better quality does not come at a greater cost. Many of these artisanal brands are on par with the cost of goods on the high street. Rather than getting something generic that can be bought anywhere, why not treat your nearest and dearest to one-of-a-kind gifts that come with a story and a personal touch. Not only does this carry greater sentiment, it’s also likely to be far longer lasting.
For us shopping small is all about celebrating the abundance of independent brands while still being mindful of our impact. Let’s restore that ‘feel good’ feeling that Christmas is all about.
To show our support for this initiative we are offering free shipping across the UK in the run up to Christmas. Use the code SHOPSMALL at check out to enjoy this offer while it lasts.
]]>Not surprisingly, this phenomenon began in the US and was originally associated with the 1869 financial crisis when gold prices crashed, leaving Wall Street aristocrats bankrupt. Only in the 1950’s did Black Friday become what it is now: aggressive post-Thanksgiving sales whereby retailers slash prices as a means of kick starting the festive season shopping period. On this day, retailers moved from making a loss and being in the ‘red’ to becoming profitable and being in the ‘back’, explaining how the name ‘Black Friday’ came into play.
Despite its immensity, Black Friday was only introduced to the UK in 2010, by the American giant Amazon. ASDA (owned by Walmart) jumped on board in 2013 leading to a bandwagon effect as many other retailers followed suit. To give some perspective, over the last 10 years Black Friday sales have grown by 18% an increase of £3 billion.
Black Friday is great for big businesses looking for a cash injection, but we cannot ignore the pressure it puts on smaller players to slash their margins in the name of relevance. For us the bigger issue is Black Friday’s impact on the environment and the culture of mass consumerism and that comes with it.
The boycotters and the offsetters
As it is our first Black Friday, we’ve had a look into how other smaller more conscious brands are responding to the sales season as a source of inspiration. A number of brands such as Veja, Sanqvist and Nudie Jeans simply won’t mention the words. However most other brands boycotting Black Friday are doing so more actively, participating in the French led ‘Make Friday Green again’ action group. Initiated by Faguo, this campaign rallied over 600 companies to demand the ban of Black Friday, arguing that it encourages overconsumption and the underpayment of manufacturers and retailers [2].
Other brands including COPE & Deciem choose to completely close their physical and online shops for the day whilst running awareness campaigns in parallel. Spanish brand Ecocalf run recycling Black Friday, UK based Raeburn created the “Buy Nothing, Repair Something” campaign, closing the store but opening the doors of their atelier for free repairs. And IKEA has launched ‘Buy back Friday’ where they take back old pieces of furniture to sell second hand, and in return issuing customers with vouchers to spend in store.
A number of companies also choose to donate part of their revenue to charities, to name a few: Patagonia, North Face, Everlane, JustEat and many more. And then there are the likes of Pukka, Tentree, Zola Amour and Public Fibre who choose to give something back to earth in return, by planting trees for each sale made.
Our take on Black Friday
As a small business centered around sustainability, this global sales event has left us in a bit of a dilemma. It's a great opportunity to create new connections for our brands, but it does feel like a contradiction to who we are and what we represent.
Trends show that significantly more shoppers are considering the environmental impact of their purchases this Black Friday and Cyber Monday. It makes us so excited to see the shift to more sustainable consumer habits as shoppers move away from impulse spending towards more considered choices. We aim to positively contribute to this sustainable, more mindful shopping trend by running a 30% discount on all our products for the three day period. We hope to demonstrate that sustainable products can be competitive in quality and price, with added exclusivity.
And to further our commitment to offsetting, for every sale made we will plant a tree, from Black Friday onwards. We are thrilled to be partnering with Just One Tree. A non-profit organisation focused on removing CO2 through global reforestation, kelp forest regeneration and sustainability education.
The fabulous Vivienne Westwood once said “Buy less. Choose well. Make it last.”
We couldn't agree more. When shopping this Black Friday, buy better. Be thoughtful in your purchases, support small business (they need you more than ever) and buy to last.
]]>]]>"How could we create a platform that bridges the gap between these exciting South African brands wanting to broaden their horizons, and this European audience with a deep appreciation for bespoke, sustainable (yet affordable) brands?"
We’re Nikki and Jamie, the co-founders of Sojourn. It’s been nearly 4 months since we officially launched our platform and we thought it’s about time that we introduce ourselves and share our story of how Sojourn came to be.
We are two old friends from Cape Town who share a mutual love of beautiful things, as well as a growing discomfort towards the fast-paced, throwaway cycle of consumerism that is ever present in our society.
After living together in London for a couple years, sharing closets and patriotism for our homeland, our idea for Sojourn started to develop organically. Evening conversations on our balcony often mulled over our admiration for the burst of creators and entrepreneurs in South Africa, many of whom are our friends.
Londoner’s seem spoiled for choice with some of the biggest international retailers on their doorstep. But for the more consciously minded, there is a lack of attainable options for supporting smaller, more sustainable businesses. This left us with our main challenge:
How could we create a platform that bridges the gap between these exciting South African brands wanting to broaden their horizons, and this European audience with a deep appreciation for bespoke, sustainable (yet affordable) brands?
There is no blueprint instruction manual for starting a company and for us, it involved a lot of the blind leading the blind. Fortunately, our combined experience set us up with a relatively good springboard: Nikki, a former small business owner with a background in fashion and retail, and Jamie with experience in the digital marketing and advertising scene.
We have also learnt that you can do anything with the help from a YouTube Tutorial. But more importantly, we’ve discovered the value of our immediate network – beyond being treasured people in our personal lives. From shipping, to financial management, SEO, photography and editing, we are hugely grateful for our friends and family who have so willingly helped us in the areas where we lack expertise.
Having an idea or ambition is one thing. Realising it is really something quite different. 2020 has been an extraordinary year for most, adapting to unprecedented change and what seems like never ending uncertainty. With consumer confidence in the UK dipping to its lowest point since 2011[1], we have often been met with the question: Why start an e-commerce platform in the midst of a global pandemic? For us, the change in lifestyle and working from home meant that we had a little extra time outside of our 9-6 to bring our passion project to life.
The pandemic has also given us all this unique opportunity for introspection and to consider our impact and legacy. In some ways this year has seemed like the perfect time to set up a business that not only supports small businesses, but also puts ethics and sustainability at the centre.
We partner with brands we love. Who share our view on ethical production, and our commitment to reducing our impact. Almost all our brands manufacture exclusively in South Africa working closely with reputable CMT’s and suppliers. We have fully bought into slowing down consumption, investing in fewer, high quality pieces with a unique edge, that will last far longer than just a season.
We’ve also taken great care to make sure all our packaging is beautiful but stripped back, completely recyclable or biodegradable (bar our sticker, but we are working on that). We are fully aware that our business model of shipping goods from South Africa doesn’t come without a footprint. We are mindful of the way we manage our orders, consolidating our shipments where possible. As our business grows we want to find ways to completely offset our imports. Like everyone, we are still learning about little ways to do our bit in contributing to a more conscious lifestyle.
Despite the time it’s taken to make such small steps, it’s incredibly rewarding for us to see our plans take shape and turn into something tangible, something that is ours.
Needless to say, we know this is just the beginning and we have a long journey ahead of us.
But we can’t wait to see what it brings, and where we can take Sojourn.
Source:
[1] https://www.pwc.co.uk/issues/crisis-and-resilience/covid-19/consumer-sentiment-tracker-may.html
]]>]]>“Execution of quality has always been my draw card in differentiating Stiebeuel from other brands”. From the detailed construction to the choice of cloth, everything Stiebeuel creates is considered. Each collection is propped up by his core pieces, classic yet contemporary staples made with precision and always with sustainability in mind.
Talking with Nico Nigrini, founder of Stiebeuel, is never dull. His passion for what he does and his plans for the future seem to radiate through the phone. Nico talked us through how Stiebeuel came to be and allowed us to dig a little deeper into the thrills and challenges of running an independent brand in South Africa.
Nico’s journey into fashion has not been conventional to say the least. After studying costume design, Nico went on to work in the film industry for ten years providing him with more than a solid foundation into design and garment construction. From styling commercials to heading up costume design for major international productions, the parallels between building a narrative for a film and creating a brand are only too apparent. Nico compares costume designing a feature film to running full production of a fashion label, from conceptualising, sourcing and fabric selection, textile manipulation, patternmaking, through to construction and finishings.
These impressive projects did come with their constraints and the constant juggling of clients, producers and directors meant Nico never had complete control over the creative process. “I am more of a creative and a dreamer” says Nico, whilst outlining the laborious processes the industry demands. Fortunately his years of running costume design in the South African film industry left Nico with a contact book full of quality suppliers and local manufactures. So in 2005 in an attempt to claim back his creative freedom, Nico launched Stiebeuel.
You, like us, might be wondering how Nico came to the name. Stiebeuel, pronounced STIE-BU-EL meaning stirrup (from a horse’s saddle), is an old and somewhat forgotten Afrikaans word he stumbled upon by chance, driving through his childhood home town of Wolseley. After previously failing to find a name that encompassed the minimalist and strong aesthetic of his brand, Nico instantly connected with this lapsed word. Stiebeuel felt authentic to his Afrikaans heritage, his love of his rock and roll growing up and his appreciation for scandi design.
What strikes us the most about Stiebeuel is without a doubt the impeccable qualIty of each and every piece. Nico admits “execution of quality has always been my draw card in differentiating Stiebeuel from other brands”. From the detailed construction to the choice of cloth, everything Stiebeuel creates is considered. Each collection is propped up by his core pieces, classic yet contemporary staples made with precision and always with sustainability in mind. Timeless and made to last, Stiebeuel’s clothing transcends trends but somehow always remains current. His collections are punctuated with unique pieces that carry a story, another fitting nod to his film industry roots. His last collection ‘Wish you were Here’ is the perfect example of this. Born out of a collaboration with South African illustrator and tattoo artist Richard Moir. Stiebeuel’s beautifully constructed tees host a few of Moir’s stunning artworks. Each illustration conveys a satirical view of Cape Town capturing it as not only a desirable destination but if you look a little closer, they reveal some of it’s darker truths.
Running a business in South Africa has its challenges at the best of times, throw in a global pandemic and it's safe to say it has not been an easy year for small businesses. But Nico’s positivity and drive has led him to making the best of the situation, turning his thoughts from the pandemic into inspiration for his new collection, Returning to Nature with Compassion. With an optimistic colour palette, the new collection draws on the unique opportunity we have had for reflection and introspection. We can’t wait to bring some of these beautiful new pieces to Sojourn.
Nico has recently taken the leap into running Stiebeuel full time with his sights set on building his own atelier in the near future. “Having greater control of manufacturing will allow us to be more agile with creative development and we will be able to tackle more elaborate and detailed designs.” We are so excited for what the future holds for Nico. Stiebeuel’s philosophy around creating clothing that is thoughtful and made to last profoundly resonates with us as company. We are so proud to partner with Stiebueul and can say with confidence that this brand is going places.
]]>]]>Katy Valentine Collections was born out of her love for India.This interview explores how Katy built her beautiful business and and how she navigates growth, particularly during the challenging months of South Africa’s harsh lockdown.
We had the pleasure of chatting to Katy to get the full story behind how she started her collection and how she navigates growth, particularly during the challenging months of South Africa’s harsh lockdown.
Katy Valentine Collections was founded in 2015 after Katy took a month-long trip through India. "I have a connection to India like no other, it is by far the best place I have ever been to and every time I get there I feel like I am home". On her first visit, Katy designed a small collection before going back to Johannesburg so set up the back end of her business and launch in South Africa. Her business started off getting awareness through home based markets and pop ups, but nowadays the business predominantly relies on wholesale, stocking some of South Africa’s most sought after boutiques and game lodges.
Katy is the designer behind every single piece within the collection. She conducts extensive research into upcoming trends and combines that with inspiration she gets from traditional Indian and African designs to create unique pieces that fit the aesthetic of her brand. All of Katy’s production is done in India, which she expressed as being a challenge to begin with, particularly with the language barrier. She has now developed strong relationships with a multitude of suppliers and manufacturers around Jaipur, all of whom specialise in different areas; whether its semi-precious stones, cutting of geometric shapes or gold plating. Katy speaks fondly of her Tuk Tuk driver whom she sees and spends a great deal of time with on every visit. In previous years Katy would visit India two or three times a year, however the global pandemic has obviously restricted this.
The COVID 19 pandemic has not only changed the way Katy runs her production, it has also shifted the direction of her growth. “At first it was extremely tough”, Kate admits. “I was constantly stressed about not growing and losing out on huge wholesale orders my business depends on. I had to learn to relax and focus on what I could do within the circumstances”. But as wholesale dwindled, retail prospered. Over the first two months of lockdown, Katy Valentine Collections saw it’s greatest e-commerce sales it ever had. Katy explains how lockdown in South Africa has led to an e-commerce boom, driving consumers to test this phenomenon, for lack of other options. In comparison to European markets, South Africa’s e-commerce industry is still in its infancy, with digital spending being around 4.2% of that in the UK [1]. This year, the e-commerce industry in South Africa is expected to have a 23% increase in revenue and a 37% in user penetration since 2019 [1].
Katy mentioned that before COVID, she was always so fixated on growth that she’d never taken a full step back to proudly acknowledge the business she has built. The downtime also gave her the opportunity to channel her energy more creatively by playing around with home shoots, up-skilling and looking for new business prospects. “Rather than growing my jewellery business into something huge, I like to look for fresh avenues to try out, it keeps things exciting” The Katy Valentine Collection has extended to beautiful, long, embroidered cotton dresses pyjamas and gowns. In response to the much anticipated post-COVID baby boom, Katy and her sister, Emily, are also thrilled to announce the launch of their newborn range with a focus on wooden furniture and toys, and hand woven baby baskets designed and made in Swaziland and Malawi. Watch this space, hopefully we’ll also be able to make this exciting range available to Sojourn too!
With a woman like Katy behind the wheel, it is no surprise that Katy Valentine Collections has reached such heights in its' 5 years of existence. We are so thrilled to be representing this inspiring brand within the UK and Europe and we are confident that our partnership will help drive it even further.
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