“Behind every product is a person.”
This is Faire Living’s core belief, a sentiment that guides the home goods store’s commitment to beautiful, ethically-made and artisan-crafted products.
After four and a half years in Qualicum Beach, B.C., this mother-daughter-owned business is starting a new chapter in Calgary. Owners Rebekah and Catherine Robertson have settled the new store in Inglewood, drawn to the neighbourhood’s vibrant community of independent businesses.
Housed in the historic Rutherford Building that dates back to 1901, Faire Living is a one-stop lifestyle shop for naturally dyed fashion, handwoven textiles, small-batch porcelain tableware, nursery goods and more.
Faire Living began as a 450-square-foot shop in B.C., originally focused on handmade accessories, jewellery and self-care items. As demand for meaningful home goods grew during the COVID-19 pandemic, the store expanded into curated homeware, art and a now substantial nursery line. It also eventually launched a sister shop, Known Origin, for slow fashion.
Now, for the first time, all three collections — Faire Living Home, Known Origin Womenswear and Faire Nursery — are under one roof.
Rebekah and Catherine understand the potential for connection that lies in every handmade good. They previously worked in bridal accessory design for internationally recognized shows, including New York, London and Shanghai Fashion Weeks. Their background as makers informs their belief that transparency in production is not only ethical but also fosters more meaningful purchases.
“I think when you have that connection, as the purchaser it gives you the opportunity to really cherish the products a bit more,” Rebekah says.
For Rebekah and Catherine, fair practices are rooted in transparency. Featured alongside their store on Pamela Anderson’s TV Show, Garden of Eden, their commissioned collection of handwoven atta grass purses take six to eight weeks to make. The purses are crafted by Indonesian grandmothers in between caring for children, providing an important source of additional income to their communities.
“We make sure we get every detail we can about the production. That can be a very long, very time consuming back and forth between us and the brands,” says Rebekah, “It’s not just about supporting artisan craft. It’s about supporting the artisans as humans.”
1226 9 Ave. S.E., faireliving.com