Etsy makers descend on Toronto
One-day national pop-up shop offers handmade, vintage wares at 37 locations across Canada
Toronto, get ready to meet the makers. Canada’s largest national pop-up, Etsy: Made in Canada, returns for a fifth year. The popular online retailer will bring its marketplace to towns and cities across the country for a one-day shopping fest on Saturday at 37 locations across Canada, including Toronto. The atrium of The MaRS Discovery District will be transformed into a bustling market- place featuring 130 local Etsy sellers, offering a selection of handmade and vintage wares.
The shopping event connects people with local artisans and entrepreneurs and will offer an opportunity to try hands-on workshops, such as modern macramé plant hangers and handstamped leather key chains. Each local pop-up is organized by a collaborative team of Etsy makers who select the vendors. The pop-ups are financially supported through bursaries from Etsy Canada.
“As Etsy makers, we spend a lot of time in ‘virtual’ isolation either making or selling online, so events like this give us a chance to get out from behind our computers and workbenches and interact with our buyers in the real world!” says Emma Smith, a jewellery designer and team leader for the Toronto Etsy Street Team, a group of Toronto-area Etsy sellers who organize workshops, markets and meet-up opportunities for local sellers who have shops on Etsy.
The Toronto event will take place from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sept. 29 at MaRS Discovery District, 101 College St. W. For more pop-up locations, visit the website Etsy: Made in Canada. We’ve rounded up six items that caught our eye.
Business partners Natasha McDiarmid and Alexia McGinty started their Etsy shop, Foxhat, as a part-time gig after realizing they both shared a desire to do something hands-on and creative. Together they design a line of lifestyle products that includes stationery, accessories, prints and apparel. We think these adorable glow-in-the-dark T-shirts are perfect for the kiddos. Glow-in-the-Dark Unisex Kids T-shirt $28 Foxhat etsy.com/ca/shop/whatthefoxhat Ali Harrison first started papercutting in 2012 and says she instantly fell in love with the craft. After two years of spending her free time working on her art, she decided to leave her day job as an administrator at the University of Toronto. She just celebrated her fourth anniversary of running her business full time. Today, her studio includes a laser cutter that can transform her original illustrations and hand-cut designs into a variety of laser-cut artwork, housewares and holiday decor. We think her laser-cut bamboo coasters would make a great hostess gift. Laser-Cut Doodle/Scribble Bamboo Coasters, set of 4. $41.36 Light and Paper etsy.com/ca/shop/lightpaper Carrie Ng studied furniture design before switching to making bags and accessories for her Etsy shop, which she opened in 2011 as a side gig. Today, she focuses on her business full time. “It’s fun to meet the people who are buying what I design and make, and I like seeing how people interact and respond to the products,” says Ng. The canvas totes feature appliqués, made with remnant materials, and are perfect for everyday essentials, a trip to a local farmers market or a weekend getaway. Ivory Canvas Appliqué Tote $166.78 The Made and Found etsy.com/shop/themadeandfound Michelle Treen began making soap in 2007 after trying to find healthy soap options for herself. Today, she employs a full-time soap maker to help her meet the demand of a growing list of clients. “Shows like this are important because people want to see who actually made the products they’re buying,” says Treen. With a lengthy menu of scents to choose from, including Sea Salt and Surf, Black Licorice and Honey Oatmeal, as well as shampoo bars and shaving soap, there is something for everyone on your shopping list. All Natural Soap, 4 bars. $24.99 Aide Bodycare etsy.com/ca/shop/aidebodycare We love Rob Croxford’s vintage travel poster-inspired prints of Toronto neighbourhoods and landmarks, with a side of clever commentary. This past May, Croxford, a professional artist, lost much of his stock of artwork, 150 original paintings, in a fire at Walnut Studios in Toronto. “Starting over is more challenging than I had hoped, but I am dusting myself off and starting over!” he says. Croxford’s limited-edition prints are based on his original paintings of work that can be found in a variety of art galleries, including the City of Toronto’s Permanent Art Collection. Toronto New City Hall – 8” x 10” Giclée print $35 Rob Croxford etsy.com/ca/shop/robcroxford Jenny Lien is a freelance graphic designer who taught herself how to work with leather after coming across a how-to book while taking a woodworking class in her spare time. Today, Lien makes minimal and sleek leather carry goods such as wallets and card cases, as well as hangers for your plant babies. Made with undyed, natural vegetable-tanned leather, the plant holders are cut and assembled by hand. Plant Harness $45 Small Hours Workshop etsy.com/ca/shop/smallhoursworkshop