The Unofficial Official Whalebone Guide to Shopping Small
With everything at the touch of a finger these days, it can sometimes be hard to know where and who you’re really buying from. Swiping up to purchase, face recognition payments, monthly subscriptions, it’s hard to keep track. The sites owned by billionaires have thousands of different vendors and it’s difficult to know where whatever item you just bought that you probably didn’t actually need but convinced yourself you did came from. No shame, we all do it. But, the point is that shopping small business contributes to the community and the people behind the merchandise. And not a lot beats supporting others while that new, yet unnecessary Apple Watch band you bought is being shipped to your door.
Nevertheless, it’s challenging to tell what’s a small business and what’s not and if it’s a real person or some bot phony trying to swindle you. Luckily for you, you seem to be taking a little break from your shopping and reading this whole spiel. And this spiel happens to be a directory of various cool things you can purchase from various small businesses. There’s something for everyone. Get shopping.
For the ocean lovers
Fair Harbor
Clothing and swimwear created from ocean plastics found and collected on the beaches. Founded by siblings who grew up on the coast, they knew they had to do something to keep the place they love clean. Turning them into comfortable bathing suits was a win-win. They have upcycled over 3 million plastic bottles, and they will even recycle your old swimwear.
Bathing suit season doesn’t have an end date
The Shipwreck Montauk
Handmade Jewelry inspired by the sea and located on the harbor at the East End. Each piece is uniquely crafted with coastal and subaquatic influences. They offer jewelry making classes so you can even make your own maritime treasure.
Dress me up
For the drink lovers
The Milk Cleanse
Holistic healing of the body and mind using, you guessed it, milk. Goat’s milk and other vitamin and mineral supplements to reset your brain and help with weight management. Only eight days, it’s a cleanse that actually seems doable. We can handle eight days, not thirty.
Get your cleanse on
Fishers Island Lemonade
It’s not as innocent as you think. All natural ingredients mixed with all natural liquor. A refreshing adult lemonade that you can take with you to any occasion. Vodka, whiskey and lemonade. You really cannot go wrong there. Bottoms up.
It’s 5 o’clock here
Sail Away Coffee
There’s really no need to be waiting in line at the coffee shop these days. It’s probably not on the way to your home office. That route these days generally goes along the lines of bed to kitchen table. Therefore easy to make a pit stop at the fridge, grab your Sail Away coffee, aka the smoothest cold brew ever, and still make it to work on time. If you live in NYC they do donut delivery. Starbucks would never.
Give me bean juice
21 Seeds
Fresh fruit infused tequila. Women owned and operated. That’s really all we need to say. Taco Tuesday doesn’t know what’s coming.
Vamanos
Me & the Bees
Lemonade, not spiked, but still delicious. Made with all natural ingredients and honey from the family hive to give a natural, sustainable sweetener. Not to mention the founder is only sixteen years old. Boss babe to say the least. When life gives you Me & the Bees, you already have some damn good lemonade.
Refresh me
Zafa Wines
Wine that makes sense. No bullshit. Just juice made from freshly farmed fruit without any of the added things that are crappy for you that people tend to throw in nowadays. Not only wine, but good organic, responsibly made wine. Made and owned by women, naturally.
Wine, please
For the outdoorsy folk
Oru Kayak
Not everyone can casually fit a kayak in their daily mode of transportation. Imagine bringing one on the subway. A surfboard is bad enough. Good thing for the origami kayak. Foldable to fit conveniently in the backseat. Making it easier to get outside.
Put me in the little boat
Seager Co.
The clothes you need to last in the great outdoors. Crafted for the ruggedness of the wild west, the environmental impact they have is something they hold at high importance. Durable and sustainable. Best paired with a campfire and some good beer. We hear Montauk Brew Co is pretty good.
Clothes and campfires sound nice
Arvin Goods
Socks are a necessity of anyone who spends time in the outdoors, particularly our hikers and climbers. Your socks can make or break your day and no one likes a blister. Also, no one likes the amount of water it takes to produce your average sock. That’s why Arvin Goods makes socks sustainably. Recycled, comfortable socks. Hell yeah.
Get these on my feet
J/Slides Footwear
Shoes are pretty important when spending time outdoors. Whether it be walking through the West Village or hiking through the Grand Canyon. Not only durable, also stylish. Casual, cool, cutting edge, and pretty damn comfortable.
Zhuzh my shoe game
For the hemp lovers
Jungmaven
Sustainable, environmentally responsible clothing made from hemp. Not only does growing hemp benefit the planet immensely, but it can also be used for a variety of things that can assist the regenerative efforts for the planet’s ecosystems. Not only is it cool, it’s comfortable.
Enlighten my wardrobe
Dad Grass
Organic hemp that you smoke. Like pot without the pot. CBD and hemp joints to help keep you cool, calm, and collected, dad or not. Making everything go a little smoother with a casual smoke. Also with new boxes to disguise the stash. Because everyone carries around sardines in their pockets. Don’t you?
Chill me tf out
Now that you have almost everything on this list being processed by the USPS and en route to your house, you should feel good about yourself. Maybe not about your bank account, but at the fact that you supported the small businesses that give a sense of community to the world around you. Businesses where the goods are carefully made and not produced by some giant machine. Businesses that give back and appreciate you as a person and the purchase you made. The bonus is the things you just got are way cooler and far more authentic than the stuff you find on Amazon. Just saying.
