We’ve made it to one of my favorite days…the day of SHOP SMALL, and this year, I’d love to bring in a few more themes:

• shop small

• shop sustainable

• shop mom owned

I work with many mom founded brands and I also work tirelessly to serve mothers through Ave Lumi. After all, without becoming a mother, I may have never started on this journey to fulfill my sustainable fashion dreams. 

When we shop small, our dollars go far. When we shop small, we support local communities. When we support small businesses, we support organizations that are close to every operation. But beyond small, my heart is truly invested in sustainability. When we invest in small, sustainable businesses, we directly contribute to the innovation and progress to solve real and mounting problems right in our own communities, and in response to the needs of our unique home environment.

There are many ways to live sustainably, and the important thing is to not tear ourselves down for the failures, but instead celebrate any and all forward momentum. Our sustainable choices tend to start in the kitchen:

• where do we buy our food?

• how do we choose our ingredients?

• how will we heal our bodies with the food we eat?

Then it moves to how we dispose of our trash:

• What are we throwing away and how?

• Trash is actually the cornerstone of sustainability. The sooner we realize this, the sooner our consumption will turn to buying less and making each purchase count more.

Once we have a healthy, clean kitchen and are observing our disposal of trash, we then start looking at how we consume our clothes, beauty, and other lifestyle items. By consciously consuming in our daily lives, we can live more sustainably and more harmoniously. 

Our consumption habits make a real impact on our own health. How we consume impacts the health of the humans who make our purchases possible, as well as the environment in which resources are extracted, consumed, and then disposed. We can armchair philosophize about how we should all live more consciously, but guess who I’d vote on to make real lasting change in the world?

Moms.

And here’s why: Mom’s have a why. Mom’s have their children to keep them dedicated to their missions. Whether it’s a better life than the one they had growing up, or because they want to set an example for success, mother’s have a why beyond themselves…a real moving, talking, growing motivation. Mom’s will stop at nothing less than moving mountains. 

For me, I want my children to live their dreams and offer their own unique gifts and interests to the world. I want to inspire them to make a positive impact in the world. And I know, that every mother owned company that I am sharing with you now, feels the same. Some of these brands are a part of the Ave Lumi collection, and others are not. If you shop the clickable links on each photo, I can assure you, your purchase is voting for a better future for us all to thrive.

MAINIO

Co-founded by two mothers, this Helsinki based company never compromises ambitious design for practicality and sustainability. Basically my love language. On our 5th season with Mainio, this season, in addition to organic cotton kids clothes, we have merino clothing, sustainable velour, mommy & me, and beanies! Every single item that comes on these clothes is certified oeko tex non-toxic, and production is of the highest standard with GOTs certification. 

DEAR SOPHIE

Owned by a mother & father team, I had the great pleasure of meeting the whole family in New York last August…Ilona was accompanied by her husband and two young children. Dear Sophie  is inspired by children’s dreams and imaginations. Everything is made in Poland, and they use the softest organic cotton. All of the fabrics that Ave Lumi curates are amazing, but this may actually be the softest cotton…at least in our kids department. Ilona shared that she was bed ridden during her first pregnancy, and it was her work on Dear Sophie that carried her through. 

KIVAT

If you know Ave Lumi, you know Kivat. Our founding partner brand, based in Tampere, Finland, was started in 1973 by a father to provide a natural and soft hat solution for his son who suffered from sensitive skin. Now the brand is run by his 3 adult children. Katri, the head of production and design, is a mother of 2, and one of my favorite humans (actually, I adore the whole team equally ;)). The mother spirit lives in this brand. 

LOLA & TAYLOR

I stumbled upon this brand searching for some sustainable tie dye, and boy I’m happy I did. Founded by two mothers, Lola & Taylor executes the cutest, on trend styles in GOTs certified organic cotton made in India. Their designs are meant for easy care and with extremely reasonable price points.

ANISE & AVA

I think I was first introduced to this brand because the rainbow prints were catching my eye, and I started to follow them on Instagram. When I needed additional summer styles I reached out to owner/designer, Phoebe, who turns out to be a Brooklyn mom. Phoebe and I vibe as fashion industry vets, and over raising small humans in the B.K. Anise & Eva uses eco-techniques for their genderless prints. My kids and I both LOVE the result.

OF AN ORIGIN

Co-founded by two parents, co-founder Candice Collision is responding to the fluctuating needs of a mother’s body with uncompromising design. Her concepts are materialized in soft pima cottons (which btw use less water) and in a fair trade factory. And guess what, they’re so affordable! 

AHIMSA HOME

I am blown away by this Mother founder. It’s time to recycle all of your children’s plastic dishes and replace them with these stunning tableware sets developed by pediatrician Dr. Manasa Mantravadi. Ahimsa is a perfect mix of Manasa’s understanding of children (hello rainbow!), background in medicine (plastic is actually an endocrine disruptor), and Indian heritage (stainless steel for the win!). Your kids will actually be thrilled about a tableware package under the tree. My kids are obsessed!

RAFI NOVA

Do you need bag solutions that *actually* respond to your active life with children? And by active, I mean like, every single day can be an adventurous circus? This mother and father of TWO SETS OF TWINS knows how to solve adventurous needs with kids. Inspired by their travels and love of Vietnam, Marissa & Adam design and produce fair trade, vegan fabric bags and other creative yet practical solutions for family life. I use my belt bag often & our Oh Sh*t Kit lives in the boot of the car. The voyager back pack with the hand woven pockets is très cool, I let go of my Marc Jacobs pack to carry it instead…I love carrying it around my Big Apple city. 

LOVEVERY

Anyone else irked by plastic toys…why are there just so MANY? Well, now you can have beautiful, sustainable, and developmentally appropriate toys, and you won’t need a ton, because each set is curated by stage! Developed by…you guessed it, parents, you’ll love looking at Lovevery’s elegantly crafted toys & your kids will be so into by these thoughtfully designed sets. Shop by age & stage from 0 to 3 years. 

CRE8TIVE CRAYONS

& Let’s wrap this up with a mama that I adore, Susan Goldman, who started making crayons during the pandemic with her daughter in their Hoboken kitchen! We love these creative sets and they make a perfect gift for your tiny artist. Pair with a coloring book or a drawing pad…and voila, that’s a pretty sweet package! 

So friends, if you’ve read this far, thank you for your interest in supporting small, sustainable, mom-owned brands. Please feel free to comment below with your favorites or any questions!

Wishing you all a blessed holiday season!

xo,

Jenny

disclosure: this article contains affiliate links where we earn from qualifying purchases.