Top Boutiques in Toronto for All Your Shopping Desires

Shopping local, sustainable, and ethically is a breeze in Toronto, thanks to an abundance of independent shops. These retailers are chic and thoughtful, with many owners creating their own products and manufacturing them locally.

The common thread among these clothing and homeware creations is modern Canadiana, showcasing pride in the people and landscapes that shape Canada's unique perspective (imagine nature-inspired designs without kitsch or a winter coat crafted from vegan materials). Ready to discover? Here are 10 independent boutiques to check out in Toronto.

North American Birds

Originating in Victoria, crafted in Montreal, and headquartered in Toronto, Hayley Gibson’s sustainable, vegan fashion line, Birds of North America, embodies Canadian spirit without the need for a maple leaf. The collection features striking patterns inspired by its heritage, such as a baby-doll dress adorned with loons, Canada's unofficial national bird, and a fresh cotton blouse showcasing a blue “ice storm” design. At the boutique on Queen Street West, the “ReNests” program offers preowned Birds styles from past seasons, ensuring true sustainability.

Coal Miner’s Daughter

Moving beyond Loretta Lynn, Coal Miner’s Daughter is named in honor of co-owner Krysten Caddy’s great-grandmother Rosilla, a garment worker in Toronto during the 1930s. This legacy inspired Caddy and her partner Janine Haller to open a boutique that celebrates Canadian artisans, with their first store debuting in 2009 on Queen Street West. Today, they boast four locations featuring local brands like Toronto’s Pink Martini, Haller, and Amanda Moss, alongside carefully selected lines from international sources such as Denmark’s Atelier Reve and Barcelona’s Mus Bombon.

Encircled

Kristi Soomer’s minimalist boutique, Encircled, located in Junction Triangle, showcases its highly adaptable “workleisure” apparel made within an hour's bike ride from its offices. This isn’t your average activewear; Encircled presents sleek separates including jackets, joggers, and jumpsuits, each with various styling possibilities for ultimate versatility. Crafted from premium materials like modal and merino wool, these pieces are built to last.

Ethel 20th Century Living

Shauntelle LeBlanc’s east-end treasure trove bursts with midcentury-modern kitchenware, art, furniture, fabrics, and toys. If you can’t pack a stunning 1950s boomerang coffee table or a reupholstered Adrian Pearsall Kroehler sofa, you can still find unique souvenirs like an art deco ceramic cat sculpture, vintage Chinese porcelain wall plaques, or a 1976 Montreal Olympics tray at Ethel 20th Century Living.

Logan & Finley

Every item in Julie Skirving’s eco-friendly general store, Logan & Finley, is evaluated by three criteria: durable, local, or natural. Inside her spacious Queen Street West shop, this translates to Canadian-made apparel from labels like Fig and Brenda Beddome; natural skincare products from Toronto’s Wildcraft Skincare and Montreal’s Bkind; and treats from local vendors—think tomato jam from Toronto’s Manning Canning and delightful brown-sugar shortbread cookies from Alberta’s Real Treat Pantry.

The Monkey’s Paw

Stephen Fowler’s west-end haven for print, The Monkey’s Paw, focuses on “rare books and paper treasures.” That barely scratches the surface. You might stumble upon quirky titles about tin-can toys, cockroach diets, British heraldry, or astral travel, alongside a curated range of classic literature from Jane Austen and Ian Fleming. Don’t forget to drop a $5 token into the Monkey’s Paw Bibliomat, a machine that dispenses random vintage books; Fowler boasts it’s the only one of its kind.

Muddy George

After ten years in banking, Altaf Baksh launched Muddy George in the Bloorcourt area in 2015. With an impressive array of elusive menswear brands in this cozy shop, he’s clearly enjoying fashion more than finance. Label enthusiasts will love Japan’s Jackman and Momotaro, Korea’s Catch Ball, and the French workwear line Vetra. Baksh also highlights Toronto designers, featuring Outclass Attire casual wear, Persons of Interest fragrances, and Arctic Bay outerwear.

Spacing

Showcasing Toronto-centric goods from independent artisans, Spacing is the go-to spot on the west side for unique souvenirs. Here, you’ll discover ceramic coasters featuring Toronto’s YYZ airport code, tea towels adorned with city street names, die-cast models of Toronto Transit Commission buses, CN Tower enamel pins, and a curated selection of books about the city. Spacing’s own publishing label produces The Signs That Define Toronto, filled with stunning photos of the city’s iconic signs, and Souvenirs of Toronto Sports, a collection of team memorabilia spanning decades.

The Wanderly

At their spacious shop, The Wanderly, located just west of Little Portugal, Sarah Gelfand and Katie Nicholson beautifully blend stunning vintage items with “sustainably sourced” clothing and home decor. Expect to find hand-knit Moroccan pillowcases adorned with vibrant patterns, unique ceramics from Los Angeles’s Danny D’s Mudshop and artisans in Oaxaca. Their curated selection of vintage treasures may include delicate porcelain wine goblets or handcrafted clay plates. You'll also discover ethically produced apparel from Vancouver’s Bohème Goods, jewels from Barcelona’s Levens Jewels, and the Wanderly’s own Gatsby-inspired vintage caps featuring pink brims.

Wuxly

Canadians are masters of parkas, and Wuxly is among the best. Their high-performance, animal-free materials are both recycled and bio-based, including corn-derived Sorona fiber, and all production occurs in Canada. While the men’s quilted Passage bomber may seem like a splurge at $595, it offers water resistance, snow protection, and is insulated with incredibly warm vegan filling. Plus, priced in Canadian dollars, it translates to approximately US$436, making it a great deal for shoppers crossing the border at their Queen Street West flagship.