Guru is using upcycled saris to revolutionize women’s fashion in a uniquely beautiful way. Kathryn Boese founded Guru two decades ago, in 2001, with the desire to create sustainable apparel for women and support independent boutiques. Collaborating with local artisans in Rajasthan (India) from design to production, Guru is a 100% sustainable clothing brand creating […]

Birch Babe is on a mission to connect people back to nature through skincare. Based in Bon Echo (Ontario), Birch Babe started from one woman’s dream to create all natural skincare products that are better for the health of our bodies and the environment. It was six years ago that Debbie (Birch Babe’s founder) hiked […]

Manifest your dreams and make 2022 a year to remember, with a little help from your friends at Cheeky Peach Designs. Founded in May 2020, Cheeky Peach Designs is your go-to local shop for beautifully illustrated journals, planners and greeting cards. Cousins Lex & Bianca launched Cheeky Peach as a way to pursue their shared […]

Kind Karma is on a mission to help you look good while also doing good. Founded by Laurinda Lee-Retter in May 2017, Kind Karma Co’s mission is to spread goodness through their commitment to ethical fashion that gives back and creates opportunity. By employing at-risk and homeless youth to make beautiful, custom handcrafted jewelry, all […]

Makala is here to help you showcase your personality and confidence with elegant jewelry for all occasions.  After working in high-end retail and public relations for many years, Andrea pursued her lifelong passion for jewelry and realized her dream of becoming an entrepreneur, with the official launch of Makala Jewelry in the summer of 2021. […]

Oakville’s Tracie Michaud is providing liquid therapy to the local community and beyond. Tracie was working in the corporate world for 30 years, leading teams in the financial services industry, before she decided to make her quality of life a priority and pursue her dream of becoming an entrepreneur. “Before Tea with Tracie, I spent […]

Born into a family of professional artists in the United Kingdom’s beautiful English countryside, Andrea Nairn’s artistic journey began early on in childhood. “My artistic journey started very early. I was fortunate enough to be born into a family that were passionate about the arts. My paternal grandmother was a professional artist and as a […]

Dana Leigh’s knitting journey began at the young age of five, alongside her dear grandmother. But while she devoted many years to mastering the hobby as a child, Dana put away her knitting needles for several years before dusting them off as an adult and falling in love with the craft all over again. “My […]

FORZA is on a mission to help us strengthen from the inside out. Based in Toronto, FORZA is an innovative all-natural skincare brand,  founded by Certified Esthetician/Skincare Specialist Jessica Hutchinson. After graduating and becoming a Certified Esthetician, Jessica travelled internationally to learn from some of the best in the industry, who not only specialize in […]

At FIGG Studio, every piece of jewellery is one-of-a-kind, just like you. Founded by Toronto-based artist and jewellery designer Magda Opas, FIGG Studio pieces are handmade in small batches from polymer clay, “My primary medium is polymer clay as it is lightweight, durable, and malleable – offering endless design possibilities. All FIGG Studio pieces are […]

Oakville’s Kim Facca grew up baking cookies alongside her beloved grandmother, who called her Kiki. Kim now bakes the best cookies around, maintaining the artisanal quality of her grandmother’s recipes and even using the nickname her grandmother gave her! Just like her grandmother, Kim bakes all of her cookies from scratch by hand, using only […]

Devin Schaffner is on a mission to keep meaningful items in our lives and out of our landfills.   Honouring timeless design, Devin founded Rekindle to create bespoke décor that would spark meaningful connections and help people to live sustainably.   “The design philosophy of rekindle is sustainability through long lasting products,” said Devin. “Home […]

buttrmlk is on a mission to share a little piece of Ghana with the world.   It was back in 2019 that Vania Raquel (a Toronto-based artist and professional dancer) ventured out to Ghana and discovered a natural resource that would be the perfect ingredient for an independent skincare brand she was working on.   […]

Essence & Beauty Co is here to remind you to “Love Yourself” through simple self-care practices.   Founded in 2020, Essence and Beauty Co. is one of many small businesses born out of the Covid-19 pandemic.   With the pandemic putting her hospitality career on pause, Joana Ledesma found her mind buzzing with creative ideas […]

Meet the loungewear you never knew you needed.   Launched in 2020 by Toronto fashion designer Sarah Kardash, Shop Infini carries on a family legacy that began in the 1920’s.   During that decade, the Kardash family built a successful family business that began in Montreal and then grew to over 20 stores across Quebec […]

One-of-a-kind, supportive and reliable — Holland Designs will become your new best friend.   Launched in late 2020 by Toronto-based designer Kate Holland, Holland Designs was founded on the idea of creating the perfect bag that is trendy and practical for every season.   Beginning with the Teddy Tote (a Holland Designs original) for the […]

Meet Abbie Yermus & Emily Freeman, the cousin duo behind Shop Emie.   Launched during Summer 2020, the Toronto-based brand specializes in fine jewellery and custom design, exclusively crafted from precious metals and gemstones.   Following a made-to-order model and with the majority of Shop Emie’s pieces hand-crafted in Ontario by local master jewellers, Abbie […]

Huggabeau is on a mission to provide children with a ‘hug’ that they can treasure forever. After working a career in finance for many years, Bo Karantjas felt that something was missing and that she had yet to discover that ultimate passion she was meant to pursue. By 2020, that feeling of inauthenticity grew stronger […]

Downtown Oakville’s Core 1 has been the local region’s go-to source for ‘all things Apple’ since 1987. Originally founded in 1987 as Canadian Computer Outlet (located at the corner of Trafalgar and Randall), its current ownership re-branded it to Core 1, with an eye towards the future of the company. “We rebranded the store and […]

Growing up with problematic skin, Connie Strazzeri struggled with the fact that in order to protect and nourish her skin with high-quality products, it would cost a small fortune.   “Many drugstore brands, while affordable, use harmful chemicals in their products that are harsh on the skin, or offer reverse effects,” said Connie. “So as […]

Sip back and relax as we introduce you to The Copper Bell. Always a fan of candles, Guelph’s Katrina Bell was frustrated upon discovering the toxic side effects of paraffin wax candles. “I’ve always been a big candle fan but developed a sensitivity to scented candles after having my daughter,” said Katrina. “I discovered that […]

Achieving a successful life starts with self-love and self-care. That’s the foremost belief that inspired Toronto’s Liza Martinenko to found Mood Milk. “When I was going through nutrition school, I was having a hard time managing my stress levels and anxiety. I was not taking care of myself, and it showed. I realized one of […]

Julia McCann’s journey into the art of flower pressing began several years ago, with a purple carnation. “My flower pressing journey started years ago on Valentine’s Day when I decided to press some flowers my boyfriend had given me. I still remember the first flower I ever pressed and the flower that started my passion […]

Celebrate the soothing breeze of summer, cozy nights on the patio and the great outdoors with Terradomi Candle Co’s signature scents. It was a couple years ago, in early 2019, that Andreea Apostol started making candles as a hobby and it quickly became a passion. Upon learning that most mainstream candles are made from toxic […]

Amna Abdelhadi, Founder & Head Formulator of Timi & Mila was inspired to create a line of ‘Simple, Natural, Care Products’ as an alternative to toxic products on today’s shelves.  As a new mom living in Eqypt, she struggled to find chemical-free products that would help her babies sensitive skin, specifically when it came to […]

Calista Tanaka’s passion for jewelry was sparked in her early childhood, growing up in Bali, Indonesia.   “As a three-year-old girl I loved dressing up as a princess for most occasions. I also remember being very picky about what I wanted to wear and how I would match my clothing to my accessories,” said Calista. […]

Have you paused for your moment of magic today? Surrender your inner boss babe, slow the grind, and halt the hustle with Wax + Wane Coffee. Founded in 2020 by Chantsy, a local Ottawa influencer, Wax + Wane Coffee was created from her love of coffee and a reminder to slow down from her busy […]

Serial entrepreneur Bisma Bhatti founded Lennon, in May, 2021.  She designed Lennon as a capsule collection of timeless pieces that would combat the waste of fast-fashion. Her goal was to create a complete and sustainable wardrobe that would stand the test of time. The slogan “Free of Gender. Full of Love. #LennonForAll” is something that […]

Oakville’s Chrissie Iacobelli was working in the corporate world for 23 years before the diagnosis of a rare liver disease forced her to leave her job and prompted her to engage in some self-reflection and discovery. “It [the diagnosis] was my saving grace really and it’s when my wellness journey began more than seven years […]

Firebat Coffee’s story goes back to 2013 in El Salvador, when Leena and Gustavo Castelar were planning a move and had the desire to bring great Salvadoran coffee to Canada. At the time, their friend Rodrigo was heavily involved in the Salvadoran specialty coffee landscape, and so gasoline met fire. A great friendship started that […]

Victoria Garofalo had been working as a biologist for almost ten years but felt like something was missing in her life. With two young children, Garofalo was worried about their future and wanted to make a bigger difference to leave them with a healthier planet and a greener future. “Everyday seeing the news and images […]

Maison Apothecare is an outward expression of everything that is important to Founder, Formulator & President Natacha Rey: family, creativity, honesty, loyalty, and the planet. Born in France and raised on an organic farm in Ontario, Natacha Rey spent her childhood making potions and lotions for her loved ones — using the ingredients she collected […]

Luis Velasquez and Juliana Berrio are the owners of Familia Fine Foods in Burlington. After attending business school together in Colombia, Luis & Juliana moved to Canada where Luis graduated as a professional chef. He then worked in corporate banking in Toronto for seven years before deciding to pursue his lifelong passion: cooking. It was then, […]

  Happy International Women’s Day!   Today (March 8) and throughout the month of March (being Women’s History Month), we celebrate the achievements of all women —past, present and future.   There are so many women who are making a difference in their communities and all over the world. Here at Look Local, over 90% […]