Online shopping isn’t a new phenomenon in Singapore. Just ask your friends and colleagues and they’ll probably admit that they’ve shopped online at least once. After all, online shopping offers the convenience of browsing for products at your own leisure and having the items sent to your doorstep or mailbox.
You might incur a shipping cost, but nowadays, most stores offer free shipping with a minimum purchase of a specified amount. So unless you’re just buying a $10 top, you probably will meet the minimum amount required to qualify for free shopping. Apart from that, online shopping also offers you a variety of payment modes, depending on the store: cash-on-delivery, credit cards or PayPal. If you’re making a big purchase and don’t want to risk the item going missing during shipping, opt for cash on delivery (but make sure you’re at home when the item arrives!). If you know no one will be there to receive the item, opt for credit card or PayPal payment so the courier can just leave the item at your gate (if you trust your neighbours).
Not familiar with PayPal? It works similar to a credit card payment (you can link your credit card or bank account to your PayPal account), but offers Buyer Protection, which means you can get a full refund if the actual product differs significantly from what was shown online or doesn’t arrive). And if you change your mind about a purchase and the store allows returns, PayPal’s Refunded Returns will take care of the return shipping cost.
Here are 13 local stores that offers an option of paying with PayPal so you’ll be protected.
Image: Pexels.com
READ MORE: #SupportLocal with these Singaporean labels that will save your wardrobe AND wallet and Newly launched label KNITS Capsule makes for a minimalist’s wardrobe dreams.
This Singapore-based skincare brand prides itself on being vegan and cruelty-free. They use natural ingredients that are free of preservatives and parabens for their products, which range from face masks to lip balms.
Beauty Warrior Face Mask (Black Charcoal Rice), $24.90, from handmade-heroes.com.
Image: Handmade Heroes
READ MORE: #SupportLocal with these Singaporean labels that will save your wardrobe AND wallet and Newly launched label KNITS Capsule makes for a minimalist’s wardrobe dreams.
Owned by Australian designer Robert Upton, this Singapore-based company specialises in hand-poured candles and fragrances in porcelain and plaster, like the featured snuff box. Each candle uses a lead-free wick and doesn’t overload on fragrances for that overly saccharine smell. Founded in 2011, A Dose of Something Good was founded in a disappointed husband’s pursuit for the perfect fragrance after unsuccessful searches for the perfect fragranced candle.
Rose Your Bottega Snuff Box, $218, from dose.sg.
Image: A Dose of Something Good
READ MORE: #SupportLocal with these Singaporean labels that will save your wardrobe AND wallet and Newly launched label KNITS Capsule makes for a minimalist’s wardrobe dreams.
If you’re looking for hand-crafted jewellery, you’ve come to the right place. Curious Creatures base their designs on geometric shapes and symmetry, and uses semi-precious stones, making the pieces suitable for casual and formal occasions. They pride themselves on producing hand-crafted quaint, simple, everyday trinkets that can transition from everyday wear to special occasions and effortless layering. Every product featured on their website is also said to encapsulate an eclectic vibe, a sense of the unexpected and are made out of 100% wood, crafted by skilled woodworkers.
One-of-a-kind Dendrite Opal Necklace, $52, from curiouscreatures.cc.
Image: Curious Creatures
READ MORE: #SupportLocal with these Singaporean labels that will save your wardrobe AND wallet and Newly launched label KNITS Capsule makes for a minimalist’s wardrobe dreams.
Founded by two Singaporean sisters, the brand derived its name from the word “zen”, which represents nature and simplicity. The sisters were fascinated with handcrafted work and appreciate the unique colours and shapes of all individual gemstones. That led them to found, Azen, which is a curated storefront that discovers beautiful and interesting jewelries from selected artisans. Apart from their own designs, the brand also distributes Rockme Jewelry, a line by Thai designer Thanich. Azen Jewelry can also be found in Isetan Scotts.
Stranded Pearl Pendant, $45, from azenjewelry.com.
Image: Azen Jewelry
READ MORE: #SupportLocal with these Singaporean labels that will save your wardrobe AND wallet and Newly launched label KNITS Capsule makes for a minimalist’s wardrobe dreams.
Looking for work clothes? You’ll love the variety that Eight Slate provides. From wrap blouses to shirt dresses, you’ll find something that tickle your fancy. The name Eight Slate – is a combination of founder, Savina Chai’s personal lucky number and the raw mineral – as it encapsulates the brand, which she describes as her “very raw, very personal life project”. Savina, 23, started the brand in 2014 after graduating from Temasek Polytechnic with a diploma in apparel design and merchandising, retail and visual merchandising as she wanted to create something for herself rather than work for others. She wanted to be a game-changer in the local retail industry as she thought it was really stagnant at that time.
Studio by Eight Slate Maker Duo-tone Top, $109, from eightslate.co.
Image: Eight Slate
READ MORE: #SupportLocal with these Singaporean labels that will save your wardrobe AND wallet and Newly launched label KNITS Capsule makes for a minimalist’s wardrobe dreams.
This local beauty brand started in 2014 with only a few ranges, but has since grown to offer a wide range of makeup products. Some of their best sellers include their mascaras and liquid lipsticks. Founded in 2014, Faux Fayc (Foʊ – face) is a brand that celebrates individual expression and are passionate about empowering women. They are all for innovating creative products to celebrate authenticity to lend confidence from women all around the world.
Fauxstix Matte Liquid in Reign, $36, from fauxfayc.com.
Image: Faux Fayc
READ MORE: #SupportLocal with these Singaporean labels that will save your wardrobe AND wallet and Newly launched label KNITS Capsule makes for a minimalist’s wardrobe dreams.
If handmade bath and body products with very Singaporean-sounding names (Lipbalm Kosong, anyone?) are your thing, you’ll love this online store. They’re currently undergoing an update so most (if not all) products are unavailable, but check back soon to get your fix. Founded by founder, formulator and creative behind Shophouse Sixtyfive, Petrina Yuen, Shophouse Sixtyfive is a celebration of our past, our culture and heritage together with her strong belief in the art of handcraft.
Wah Chio Bu Lady Lip & Cheek Tint, $20, from shophousesixtyfive.com.
Image: Shophouse Sixty Five
This store only stocks three kinds of products (so far): tote bags; Baggu, and Papperskärlek, for home and office decor. But if you’re a fan of minimalist designs, you’ll feel like buying up the whole store.
Anything | Journalist tote bag, $16, from shopmondaysoff.com.
Image: Mondays Off
READ MORE: #SupportLocal with these Singaporean labels that will save your wardrobe AND wallet and Newly launched label KNITS Capsule makes for a minimalist’s wardrobe dreams.
The shop promises to offer handmade chocolates at affordable prices. They even stock unique flavours, such as dark chocolate with cinnamon, vanilla and pepper, and dark-milk chocolate with tahini and roasted sesame. Beans to Bars was started with a simple goal. Its founders wanted to eat exclusive artisan chocolates and not worry about ridiculous shipping prices. They once paid $120 to ship $70 worth of chocolates and they came in damaged. Beans to Bars stands for all chocolate lovers graduating from awful mass market chocolates.
55% Organic Single Origin Vegan Milk Chocolate Ecuador, $18, from beanstobars.sg.
Image: Beans to Bars
READ MORE: #SupportLocal with these Singaporean labels that will save your wardrobe AND wallet and Newly launched label KNITS Capsule makes for a minimalist’s wardrobe dreams.
Founded in 2015, the brand creates their own designs using hand-weaving techniques. Prices are a bit steep, but that’s because every bead is hand-woven to create a piece of jewellery. According to the website, the beads are produced by the oldest seed bead manufacturer in Japan, Miyuki. Because unlike cheaper varieties of beads from China, India or Mexico which are not uniform enough to be woven to yield desirable results, Miyuki beads are extremely high quality and consistently sized for hand-weaving. One tube of 24k gold-plated delicas can cost 10 times the price of ordinary glass seed beads.
Eden + Elie Everyday Necklace + Bangle Set – Serenity, $398.53, from edenandelie.com.
Image: Eden + Elie
READ MORE: #SupportLocal with these Singaporean labels that will save your wardrobe AND wallet and Newly launched label KNITS Capsule makes for a minimalist’s wardrobe dreams.
Mantra Friday makes and stocks handmade soaps that are not only free of harmful ingredients, but also uses natural ingredients, including foods such as wolfberries, apricots and banana. The founder of Mantra Friday, Angie has a family with sensitive skin and eczema. At the age of 3, her son had an experience with A-Typical Eczema which resulted in infection revealing the flesh all over his body. Her husband and her turned to soap bars for gentle cleansing and realised that since it helped their family to ease the uncomfortableness of skin conditions, they wanted to work with soap makers to help others too. Based in Singapore, Mantra Friday works with workshops around the world; Canada, Greece, Thailand, United Kingdom and United States to source for the most commonly found yet of high quality kitchen spices, food and fruits into a piece of soap bar.
Wolfberries soap, $16, from mantrafriday.com.
Image: Mantra Friday
READ MORE: #SupportLocal with these Singaporean labels that will save your wardrobe AND wallet and Newly launched label KNITS Capsule makes for a minimalist’s wardrobe dreams.
According to the website, they handpick the blooms on the day the bouquets are made to ensure freshness and quality. The bouquets don’t come cheap but they will certainly make a difference to your special event. Founded by Lelian Chew, Deborah Tan, a Parson’s School of Design graduate; and Peony Tang, a former investment professional, The Floral Atelier is an extension of The Wedding Atelier, a regional luxury wedding and celebrations planning company headquartered in Hong Kong. All three founders were trained by the FlowerSchool New York in 2015 before opening their store.
White Bloom Box, $170, from thefloralatelier.co.
Image: The Floral Atelier
READ MORE: #SupportLocal with these Singaporean labels that will save your wardrobe AND wallet and Newly launched label KNITS Capsule makes for a minimalist’s wardrobe dreams.
If you’re looking for work-appropriate clothes with simple designs, you just found your go-to store. The pieces are pretty affordable too! Founded in 2013 by Charlotte Wong, All Would Envy is an prides itself as a retailer of quality, affordable and chic clothing for the bold and fashion-conscious women. They strive to produce collections with a wide variety of designs, some reflective of the latest trends and others being classic timeless designs.
Zyea Sky Flounce Midi Dress, $38.50, from allwouldenvy.com.
Image: All Would Envy
This story was originally posted on CLEO, June 2, 2017.
READ MORE: #SupportLocal with these Singaporean labels that will save your wardrobe AND wallet and Newly launched label KNITS Capsule makes for a minimalist’s wardrobe dreams.