Amazon’s Prime Day is in full swing, tempting shoppers with “deals” (many of which aren’t actually that great). Instead of shopping with Amazon this weekend, here are four kawaii small businesses and shops to support instead.
Kei Collective
This Arizona based shop carries independent artists from around the world. From stickers to apparel, they carry styles from cute to creepy at every price point. They also pride themselves on being plus size friendly, with sizes up to 5X. If you live nearby, they host a variety of community events in their store, which is definitely something Amazon can’t do!
Lolita Collective
Originally founded by a collective of artists to make selling j-fashion items at conventions, the Lolita Collective now has a physical store in Kansas City, MS in addition to an online store. They carry over 80 brands and independent artists that all make apparel and accessories for all kinds of j-fashion styles.
Madame Chocolat
Located in Barcelona, Spain, Madame Chocolat is an alternative shop with a focus on j-fashion. They carry brands from around the world, including Japanese brands. I love that they organize their online store by brand, style, as well as budget. It makes it very easy to find exactly what you’re looking for.
Bookshop.org
Looking to pick up some manga this weekend, maybe a volume from Ai Yazawa? Instead of buying through a local bookstore, or Bookshop.org, which is offering free shipping this weekend. This online platform has an easy to navigate digital store front while still supporting a local bookstore of your choice. I personally like to support Village Well Books, but check to see what stores around you use Bookshop.org!