OBSESSIONS is a local gift shop located in the heart of Downtown Vancouver. After 20 years of successful business, they pride themselves on supplying high-quality goods and services, many of which are from local producers and makers.

We are committed to giving back to our community — one way we do this is through our dedication to long-lasting business relationships with other local businesses and brands. These relationships allow us to provide consistent great offerings to those shopping in our store. 

Question: How are you supporting other local businesses?

Answer: As a local retail store, we recognize the importance of supporting other local businesses and thoughtfully selecting locally made products to supply in-store. Some local brands we have worked with for a long time are Kolton Babych jewelry designs, Dave Wilson of www.greymeterdesigns.com who is a local artist who creates Vancouver-inspired artwork such as prints, greetings and postcards. We also work with a variety of hotels around the area, visiting the Head Concierges twice a year in Spring and Fall updating their services and products. This information may be useful to their guests, and the concierges appreciate this information as well. They also personally receive a personal store discount for their support. 

Question: What social and environmental practices are you proud of?

Answer: Social practices we are quite proud of are our partnership with local charities like YWCA and Friends for Life – both organizations do fundraising for causes we care about and we give back by donating and providing gifts and gift cards for fundraising events. One thing we pride ourselves on is our early adoption of supplying sustainably made products. Right from the beginning, we have always made a conscious effort to choose sustainable products and service practices. A few brands we supply that offer cutting-edge sustainability are Matt & Nat Vegan Leather Bags from Montreal made from recycled bottles, Mondaine watches from Switzerland who has a line called ‘Essence’ with their case made from castor oil and straps made from cork and bamboo. Also, Caran d’Ache pens and pencils, made from recycled Nespresso pods and coffee grounds. In-store changes we have made to reduce our carbon footprint have been to switch to recyclable paper bags, and to take this a step further we have made the decision to remove printed branding on our bags, as well as jewellery boxes in an effort to reduce waste. Another environmentally conscious decision we have made is to switch from halogen lights to energy-efficient LED lightbulbs to use less energy. These have been great because they last 5 years versus 6-12 months for other lightbulbs. 

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