Deck the Smalls: Perfect Christmas gifts from small businesses
With more and more of the UK public choosing to shop small this Christmas, we’re decking the smalls and lighting up small businesses from across the country.
All of the businesses below have been supported by Virgin StartUp – either receiving a Start Up Loan or taking part in the Step Up programme. Virgin StartUp is Virgin’s entrepreneurial foundation that helps founders to start and scale their businesses.
Take a look at what Virgin StartUp founders have to offer this Christmas…
Looking for some tasty Christmas treats? Virgin StartUp has supported some brilliant food and drinks businesses too, see what they’re offering this festive season.
Pieces Of The Puzzle
If you’re buying for someone who took up puzzling during lockdown, then you need to know about Pieces Of The Puzzle. It designs mindful puzzles that are made in the UK using FSC certified paper sources, working with artists to commission bespoke jigsaw puzzles. Pieces Of The Puzzle has also designed a range of pocket-sized puzzle books, which are great stocking fillers!
Use the code VIRGINXMAS20 for 20% off your puzzling presents.
Genevieve Sweeney
Genevieve Sweeney is no ordinary knitwear label. Across all aspects of the brand lies the seamless blend of tradition and innovation of British manufacturing. From striking, unexpected hues and geometric patterns, the result is a collection of truly timeless knitwear across sumptuous sweaters, cosy accessories and sparkly socks.
Enjoy 10% off your order when you sign up for the Genevieve Sweeney newsletter.
Box & Sprout
Box & Sprout is the perfect present for the green thumbs in your life. Stocking a range of seasonal outdoor plants, pots and urban gardening products, Box and Sprout is the place to go to find a gift for your green-fingered friends. Give the gift that keeps on growing, without any fuss.
Get 10% off all orders this Christmas with the code Virgin10.
Planted Yoga Rugs
It’s no secret that yoga is great for your wellbeing, and Planted Yoga Rugs will take your daily yoga practice to the next level. Planted Yoga Rugs is a luxury but affordable yoga mat brand, which offers so much more than your typical a yoga mat. The rugs are made from a soft woven fabric to offer support and comfort. The abstract designs are created in collaboration with UK artists and are influenced by nature, movement and architecture to spark more creativity during your yoga experience.
Treat someone special in your life to an elevated yoga practice.
Billy Tannery
Billy Tannery is a pioneering British leather company. Its leather bags and accessories are entirely sourced, tanned and made in the UK.
Billy Tannery uses goat hides from the food industry that would otherwise go to waste. It tans all the leather on its farm-based tannery in Leicestershire and careful attention is paid to the environment at all stages of its traceable supply chain.
For Christmas this year, Billy Tannery has launched a special gift collection featuring some new items as well as some returning favourites. Get 10% off when you sign up for the Billy Tannery newsletter.
If you’re a Virgin Red member, you can buy a Billy Tannery leather cardholder for 9,500 Virgin Points.
Meander
If someone you love will be taking you on a Boxing Day hike this Christmas, they’re the kind of person who will love Meander. It makes sustainable, technical clothing perfect for all kinds of adventure.
Around 90% of the collection is either natural or recycled and Meander is working to make sure that’s 100% by the end of 2022. So if you’re looking for a sustainable gift that will thrill the adventurer in your life, take a look at Meander.
Use the code VIRGINXMAS for a 15% discount.
Philly & Friends
Philly & Friends is a children’s lifestyle brand with purpose at its heart. Selling books, toys and gifts that celebrate everyone – Black girls and women especially – Philly & Friends is on a mission to improve representation and inclusion.
Motivated by the fact that less than 1% of children’s books include a Black character, Vese Aghoghovbia created her own range, with a whole world of characters to explore.
The brand new handmade fabric ballerina and fairy dolls would make a perfect gift for any child who loves imaginative play – or even the young at heart.
Trash Planet
Tired of fast fashion brands destroying the planet? Trash Planet is too. This brilliant start-up has created recycled contemporary shoes that are ethically made from PETA approved vegan and recycled materials. This includes upcycled ocean plastics, corn waste and biodegradable tree fibres. This is future footwear.
Treat someone in your life to footwear that won’t cost the Earth.
Plus, enjoy £10 off any footwear with the code VIRGINXMAS10.
[Insert your business here]
Fancy seeing your own start-up listed here next year? Virgin StartUp offers help, advice and funding to help businesses start and scale. If you’ve got a brilliant idea for a business, visit Virgin StartUp for Start Up Loans, advice and guidance – and you never know, you might find yourself featured on Virgin.com next year.
