Being a parent in the Hudson Valley is a very special thing. This place we call home is chock-full of local businesses that create products with love—and your children—in mind. Still, it’s easy to forget offerings that are just around the corner. Here, I’ve outlined a few ways to shop local for your little ones as the holidays come near.
Lucky Bug Clothing: Owned by a family trio native to Gardiner, Lucky Bug Clothing is an organic clothing line made with 100% certified bamboo viscose jersey fabric. The bamboo textile is luxuriously soft, and safe and breathable for babies and toddlers. The Hayes family puts special emphasis on having a small environmental footprint and ethically-produced products, boasting all clothing to be “soft, stylish, sustainable and sweatshop-free.” And, all of their employees arepeople they know. Found locally in New Baby, New Paltz, their products can also be purchased at luckybugclothing.com.
Uptown Attic: Jodi Whitehead opened her high-end consignment shop offering stylish looks for every season eight years ago. A section of the store has children’s clothing, and an area for kids to play while you shop. Genius!
Jodi offers discount incentives throughout the year, and hosts “Ladies Night Out” events during which there are discounts on store items, and people contribute school supplies and canned goods for Family of New Paltz. In another recent promotion she teamed with Gardiner Liquid Mercantile (show your Uptown Attic receipt; get a discount on your drink). Uptown Attic also donates to local non-profits, so, when you shop local at Uptown Attic, you support local businesses who support local businesses that support local people in our local community.
Kiss My Face: It’s hard to remember when what we put on our skin didn’t matter. Especially since Kiss My Face has made it a point to create safe, natural, and cruelty-free products for over 30 years. With world headquarters in Gardiner, we’re proud to say that our town is home to such a conscientious business. The company has grown significantly from its humble beginnings and its products are now distributed in every state and in 19 countries. Kiss My Face has stood behind their original promises; to keep all kisses natural and show consumers why kisses truly are the best way to make it better. Kiss My Face products can be found at your local grocers in Modena or New Paltz.
Ollie & Otto: This Gardiner company (www.ollieandotto.co) creates environmentally and socially conscious cosmetic products that are safe for the entire family. For every product sold, the company provides clean water to one person for an entire year. As explained in their mission, many children in the most poverty-stricken areas are “fetching water that is often not safe for consumption” instead of receiving an education. Ollie & Otto make a point to “leave this world better than we found it,” and the company is dedicated to giving their customers items made with organic, sustainably sourced ingredients.
Artist Alexa Ginsburg is a local artist who creates soft sculptures and accessories using felt. Ginsburg creates a wide range of artful pieces from scarves and clothing, hats and bags, to colorful creatures and finger puppets. She is continually inspired by the material and its ability to mold into so many different forms. Some of her whimsical designs include soft mammals, birds and reptiles, and little people. The eccentric designs are fun for children of all ages. Her work can be found in local pop-up shops, the Gardiner Open Studio Tour, and local art shows. Find more at www.alexaginsburg.com.
So the next time that you’re out and about looking for a little something for your little one, be sure to pay your local ‘mom and pop’ shops a visit first; I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised with your experience. Thanks to all our small, local businesses for doing BIG things in our humble town.