These Gifts Support Small Businesses + have been curated for our annual holiday gift guide by Female Small Business Owner, Nubia DuVall Wilson

We know 2020 has been a whirlwind for many of us and we have a lot to be thankful for as we reflect. OhThePeopleYouMeet has curated a wish list with 10 gifts that are from entrepreneurs and small businesses going the extra mile to make a difference and offer us something truly special this holiday season. By purchasing one of these items, you are supporting artists, writers, designers, inventors and do-gooders who want to make the world a better, more enjoyable place for us all. 

#1 Sustainable Fashion: The Only Pant Modern Jogger

Who wears suits anymore? A boutique luxury women’s fashion brand nestled in NYC’s Garment District, AYSHA New York pivoted during COVID by downsizing its showroom, moving closer to its manufacturers and designing a new collection that was comfortable yet chic. Founder Aysha Saeed launched her brand in 2016 after being a consultant in Europe for high fashion brands, including Dior and D&G. Since then, AYSHA NY has been leading the charge on redefining what professional dressing looks like for the modern women in the current times we live in and how we work. As an ethically-driven, slow fashion brand, the new relaxed capsule collection, Dressing for the Now, is 100% manufactured in New York City. It offers women a versatile wardrobe for their home office, daily errands and outdoor activities in style. The signature piece, The Only Pant, incorporates dead fabric, employs 11 different NYC to create and takes 8 different trimmings (all locally sourced) to complete. The pandemic caused a mass exodus from the Garment District and Aysha wanted to support the center by designing a line that is 100% manufactured in New York City. Other pieces from the collection include velvet puff t-shirts, drape tops, and dramatic mohair oversized wrap coats.

The Only Pant is a modern jogger made from Italian crushed velvet and includes dead fabric on the ribbing around the ankles and on the waist. The stylish pants have an adjustable drawstring waist, fitted ankles and cargo pockets on both sides. It comes in 7 different colors, including Scarlet, Slate, Sage, Onyx and Dusty Rose. Use code OTPYM20 to save 20%. $249, XS-XL, ayshany.com.

#2 Carry On: Hand Painted Black Heart Pouch Supports Togetherness

From basic neutrals to show stopping and vibrant finishes, Tracey Tanner’s collection of purses has something for everyone. A dizzying array of specialty leathers are carefully selected from the world’s most time honored tanneries and a consistent flow of new offerings every season creates an ever-changing collection that excites the utilitarian and collector alike. Tracey was born and raised in New York and all of her pieces are proudly made in the USA. Her bustling studio is located in Brooklyn’s historic Navy Yard where she shares space, ideas, and community with other like minded businesses that are predominantly owned and operated by women.

The Black Heart Pouch is the first in a series of special hand painted leather goods inspired by the Black Lives Matter movement. 25% of the proceeds from sales of these pouches will be donated to blacklivesmatter.com. The hand painted pouches have a black heart painted on their basic charcoal hides. No two hearts will ever be identical, signifying that we may all be different but we are all together. Designed to hold your phone, wallet and cosmetics. Use it to organize your essentials in a larger bag or carry it alone as a clutch. Comes in small, medium and large, $44-$64, traceytanner.com. Use code OTPYM20 to save 20% sitewide through December 28th, note that because of the charity donation the Black Heart Pouch is excluded from this promotion. Check out OTPYM’s interview with the founder on InspirationStation here. 

#3 Bundle Up: The Perfect Hoodie for Good People

Who doesn’t love a good hoodie, and this Denver-based fashion company Be a Good Person (BAGP) makes high-quality styles with a mission. BAGP was developed based on a passion for positivity and a brighter future that we foresee within our society. Instead of supporting the current trends of negativity, the brand’s #1 goal is to remind us all to approach our days with an optimistic, positive, and refreshed outlook. All of the factories that they work with are WRAP (Worldwide Responsible Apparel Production) Certified. The objective of the Apparel Certification Program is to independently monitor and certify compliance with the following standards, ensuring that a given factory produces sewn goods under lawful, humane and ethical conditions. Since launching, BAGP has partnered with organizations likeMake a Wish Kid Colorado to create a memorable experience for a child with cancer and raised funds to aid the clean water crisis in Flint, Michigan. The hoodies are made with Ultra soft cotton and a velvet-lined hood with metal tip drawstrings. XS-XXXL, multiple colors, $82, beagoodperson.com

#4 The New Accessory: Art-Inspired Masks that Donate to Global Education

Vida is a global partnership of co-creators, from a designer in Paris, to a producer in Karachi, and a consumer in San Francisco. Items in the art-inspired shop include apparel, home goods and accessories. During the pandemic Vida began making masks that feature a wide variety of colors, sizes and prints from independent artists, combined with superior filtration, comfort and breathability. Their masks easily adapt to different sizes with adjustable straps and integrated, hidden metal nose-pieces to ensure a snug fit. Most are fully washable and reusable, and they even make FDA authorized KN95 versions. All purchases support donations for essential workers and communities in need. 15% of profits are donated to support global education and empowerment and 15% of sales go directly to the designers. To date, Vida has committed more than $115,000 to support local communities through COVID, donated over half-a-million meals on the table for over half a million households and donated protective masks to over 30,000 local communities in need. Multiple designs, starts at $10, shopvida.com

#5 For Our Bookworms: Men To Avoid in Art and Life 

As featured in the New York Times, the new book Men to Avoid in Art and Life by Nicole Tersigni pairs classical fine art with modern captions that epitomize the spirit of mansplaining. This book is for every woman in art and every person, living or dead, who has had to endure being talked down to by a less qualified man. The Mansplainer, the Concern Troll, the Comedian, the Sexpert and the Patronizer—these men have existed for centuries, as seen in fine art everywhere. With signature wit and wisdom, Nicole illustrates this frustrating and universal experience in a hilariously relatable, cringe-inducing fashion. Inspired by her viral Twitter movement, Men to Avoid in Art and Life unites women throughout history in one of the strongest forms of resistance: laughter. It is published by Chronicle Books, a company that is 85% female, from the editor and designer to publicists, with a female president. Nicole is a comedic writer experienced in improv comedy and women’s advocacy. Learn more at www.nicoletersigni.com. Book available on Amazon.com, Hardcover $12.99. Check out OTPYM’s interview with the author on InspirationStation here. 

#6 The Art Lover: New Marketplace Series from Activist + Artist Malene Barnett

Malene Barnette is a Brooklyn-based artist, activist and public speaker. She is an authority on the cultural traditions and practices of art in the African diaspora and how it translates into her vision of the modern black experience. Her artwork draws on her love of custom pattern designs and rich textures, which drives her to work in mixed-media—acrylics, watercolors and pastels. She is interested in pushing these mediums into art that looks and feels multidimensional. She considers color and patterns a language with a psychology and she’s intrigued by the idea of how style and technique can trigger dreams and memories, as well as identify a people or a place. In her Marketplace series, she explores the idea that we come as one but ten thousand stand. The striking series of men and women uses pastel, acrylic, and kraft paper on wood. Prints are printed on archival Hahnemuhle photo rag bright white paper. Original paintings (from $8,500) and limited edition prints (from $158) are available, malenebarnett.com. Check out OTPYM’s interview with the artist on InspirationStation here.

#7 Fashionistas Who Care: A Spring/Summer Outfit Supports Sydney’s Refugees

The Social Outfit is an independently-accredited, ethical trading social enterprise that provides employment and training in the fashion industry to people from refugee and new migrant communities in clothing production, retail, design and marketing. The company believes in a future where refugees arriving in Australia are warmly welcomed and supported to successfully integrate, celebrating their diversity, collective skills and strengths along the way.

 To date their social enterprise has paid over ¾ million dollars in ethical wages directly into the hands of women from Sydney’s refugee and new migrant communities. They have employed 38 refugees and new migrants to date, and for 33 of them it was their first Australian job. They have also diverted 6.5 tonnes of fabric from landfill along the way.

Shop the new Spring/Summer 2020 FAM BAM collection, which celebrates all of the things – big & small – that make the Social Outfit family so diverse and unique. Each garment has its own unique story woven into its seams, with new designs and silhouettes being designed in collaboration with the members of their staff. The collection features a plethora of beautiful prints and patterns, utilizing mostly remnant fabrics kindly donated from their generous industry partners, including Cue, Bianca Spender and Romance Was Born. Shop: https://thesocialoutfit.org/  Check out OTPYM’s interview with the CEO on InspirationStation here. 

Model: Mia Honigstock (@miahonigstock)⁣, Photographer: Diego Lorenzo F. Jose (@diegolorenzojose)⁣, Photography Assistant: Nick Shaw (@knickshaw)⁣, Stylist: Peter Simon Phillips (@petersimonphillips), Stylist Assistant: Victoria Knowles (@__victoriaknowles), Hair + Make-up: Nicole Thompson (@pinkiiieee)⁣, Hair + Make-up: Monique Jones (@moniquejonesmakeup)⁣

#8 Drink Responsibly: A Sustainably Made Vodka That Fights Hunger 

Simple Vodka is a high quality, farm-to-bottle, potato vodka on a mission to fight hunger in America. Simple donates 20 meals for every bottle produced (1+ meal per drink serving) to Americans experiencing food insecurity through partnerships with local and national hunger relief organizations. During the pandemic, as long as non-essential businesses are closed, Simple is doubling their contribution to 40 meals per bottle sold. To date, Simple Vodka has donated over 1 million meals to hunger relief organizations in the U.S.

Simple Vodka is farmed and distilled in Idaho from 100% Idaho russet potatoes. It is gluten-free and has zero sugar or additives. Simple’s proprietary four-column fractional distillation process consumes less energy and produces less waste than any other method. More importantly, it allows for a single distillation, getting it right the very first time. Simple’s sustainable distillation and production processes use potatoes sourced within 40 miles of the distillery, two recycling methods, zero plastic bottles, and 25% wind energy. Simple has won double-gold in the San Francisco World Spirits Competition two years in a row. Use the code OTPYM20 for 20% off orders for your readers and subscribers from now through 1/1/21, 750 ml, pricing varies, simplevodka.co. Check out OTPYM’s interview with the founder on InspirationStation here. 

#9 The Gift That Keeps Giving: Uncommon Scents Delivered to Your Doorstep

Scents of Wood is a journey into the magical mystery of forests and trees through all natural perfumes made from organic alcohol aged in barrels, such as French Oak, American Oak and Chestnut. The limited-edition subscription includes a 10 ml fragrance and a 10 hour candle every month. You can choose between receiving the box or gifting it to someone you love and the subscription ends automatically after a year. Individual scents are also available in 75 ml bottles, such as Cedar in Acacia, which was created by perfumer Pascal Gaurin Ginger Oil, Cinnamon Bark and Cypriol Heart to represent this moment of exhilaration. Scents of Wood are also connected to onetreeplanted.org and plant one tree per product sold. Subscription is $34 per month, individual scents start at $240, scentsofwood.com. Check out OTPYM’s interview with the founder on InspirationStation here. 

#10 For The Whole Household: Turn Your Bathroom Into A Spa–For Your Booty

Turn your bathroom into the private spa oasis you’ve always wanted with TUSHY Classic Bamboo. Every spray from this bidet will transport you to a relaxing spa experience. The classic bidet attachment washes your bum with a refreshing stream of clean water after you do your business. TUSHY fits all standard toilets and some one-piece toilets and it doesn’t require electricity or plumbing. Just unscrew the toilet seat, pop the TUSHY on, connect to water, and you’re done. You’ll be joining over a half-million revo-loo-tionaries who are collectively saving 250,000 trees, preserving 4,884 gallons of water a year, and reducing your carbon buttprint with every poop. Includes everything for an easy install in under 10 minutes and fits on round, oval, and elongated toilets. Comes in 8 colors, $89, hellotushy.com. Check out OTPYM’s interview with the founder on InspirationStation here.