How local artisans can help you flourish

Each year we experience a city-wide phenomenon where Torontonians unite to celebrate another winter’s end and welcome brighter skies and rising spring temperatures. This year, there’s an even more significant buzz in the air as the city also rejoices in lifted pandemic restrictions and the return of the One of a Kind Show. 

As the city re-emerges from its collective hibernation, there’s no better time to invigorate our creativity and connect with the community. After running the spring event virtually during the pandemic, One Of A Kind is back in the flesh from March 30 to April 3 at Exhibition Place’s Enercare Centre. This year, the Spring Show’s theme, Flourish, celebrates the hallmarks of the season—rejuvenation, reinvention, personal growth and new beginnings. This flagship event will inspire you to set your creative intentions, celebrate craft culture, and support locally-made goods. 

As you explore the endless aisles of over 350 vendors, appreciate the beautiful handmade craftsmanship in each piece, whether it’s a ceramic bowl, fine jewellery or art print. To get your shopping list started, we’ve highlighted a small selection of our favourite makers who truly take the show’s theme to heart and may even encourage you to flourish this year, too.

Re-connect with yourself through self-care

Self-care is an ongoing process that ebbs and flows as we adjust to the bumps in the road. To help brace yourself for those bumps, ensure you cover your well-being from all angles. 

Journaling can be a helpful exercise to clear the mind and prioritize your thoughts. Arm yourself with a hand-crafted, vegan artisanal notebook by Catalina Sánchez and find peace of mind through writing and knowing that her products are made with sustainability in mind (Catalina uses eco-friendly materials and recycled, acid-free paper). 

Self-care extends to your body as well. These small-batch, all-natural candles, soaps and home fragrances by Wildwood Creek are inspired by nature and are also made from it, using field-grown and wild-harvested ingredients to “bring the power of nature into your home every day.” 

Blazing Bombs add a pleasing sensory experience with their handmade, cruelty-free bath and body products for a little extra indulgence at bath time. Enjoy a colourful array of phthalate-, paraben- and sulphate-free bath bombs, artisan soaps in a wide range of fun fragrances, and soothing shower steamer pucks that release your choice of essential oils.

Find your forever through mindful shopping 

As the antithesis of fast fashion, One of a Kind is where you can find unique, hand-crafted artisanal products that promote shopping small and mindfully. With over 50 apparel vendors, you’ll find your go-to closet staples for every layer that you can buy with intention and love forever. 

For the basics, Juniper & Eve’s sustainable, gender-free underwear is on a mission to celebrate inclusive fashion for all people. To make their garments accessible to everyone across the gender spectrum, they organize their products by anatomy rather than binary gender labelling.

For the tee lovers, seek out Montreal’s PLB Designs and never look back. Their certified organic cotton T-shirts are must-haves thanks to their super soft, comfortable feel for everyday wear.  

For the rest of your layers, from sweaters and jackets to crop tops and dresses, Copious Fashions has you covered. Based on its brand pillars to be Canadian, well-made and eco-friendly, Copious creates upcycled wardrobe staples you’ll want to keep forever.

Celebrate new beginnings (and ventures)

By cultivating the “shop small” movement for over 40 years, the One of a Kind Show has helped talented artists across Canada grow their small businesses by connecting lovers of craft with local artisans for decades. This year’s show is the perfect time to celebrate new businesses that, despite the odds, were born out of the pandemic to promote the well-being of others.

Rooted in a love for learning and woodworking, Tree Nuggets makes wooden toys for endless play and inspiration. Created by a Registered Early Childhood Educator with 32 years of experience in the field, this maker hand-crafts each toy using natural products like linseed oil and beeswax to promote learning through play for kids as young as three years old. 

Cool Moms Home creates original home decor inspired by her grandmother’s heirloom embroideries, lace, and linens in celebration of her family’s heritage. Her mission? To enrich the lives of others with the love of family and craft. Continuing the history and storytelling of her own inherited pieces, this maker’s creations include unique and exquisite pillows, tea towels, table linens and kimonos. But it’s her special Heritage Lace Pillows that feature actual pieces of her grandmother’s handmade lacework.

To learn more about One of a Kind and buy your tickets for the Spring Show, click here. There, you can also find details for getting to the Enercare Centre, learn about all the vendors, enter giveaways and more.