Upmrkt: South East Asia’s Coolest Boutiques are Finally Available for Online Shopping

Online shopping in Singapore just got a whole lot cooler with the independent and socially conscious The Upmrkt!

Despite the fact that shopping is clearly a national pastime here in Singapore, cruising the shops can feel kind of meh when you find the same old chain stores at malls across the island, from Jurong to Joo Chiat. And the local online shopping experience isn’t much better; half the time you’re trying to figure out if you’re buying cheap knockoffs, or you simply can’t find what you’re looking for in a jumbled sprawl of goods. And of course, it’s difficult (and expensive!) to ship things to Asia from the U.S., Europe and Australia.

So what’s a fashionable mama to do? Until now, we’ve usually held off on shopping until we could hit the cool independent boutiques and designers in places like Bali, Thailand and Cambodia. Wouldn’t it be rad if those places sold their goods online?

Enter The Upmrkt! It’s an amazing new curated online shopping destination that’s a treasure trove of homegrown and hidden gems from across South East Asia. Even better, all the brands featured are independent and socially conscious shops from Singapore, Hong Kong, Thailand, Bali and Australia, with an emphasis on fair trade and jobs, slow production methods, local designers, and businesses that promote clean living and less waste.

The Upmrkt just launched and is adding new shops every day, but already it’s got eight different categories to its name:

• Deli (like those gorgeous organic veggies up above)
• Craft Alcohol
• Baby & Kids
• Boutiques
• Home
• Wellness
• Books, Photography & Design
• Pets

They’ve also got a cool Christmas pop-up shop in the works that includes gifts, hampers and everything you’d need to throw a fab Christmas soiree!

How it works: After browsing all the different shops on The Upmrkt (think of what you’ll save in plane fares!), your orders are shipped direct from the shop/maker, meaning they’ll get more of the profit than if you’d ordered from other online aggregators or marketplaces. There are already more than 60 shops to browse with more joining up all the time!

Want to know more? Check out our gallery of some of the cool brands you can grab on The Upmrkt RIGHT NOW, mama! And if you’d like to open your own shop, shoot them an email at [email protected]!

Boutiques BlkSheep Empire and Colour Addict are offering 10% off their entire range through 20 November to celebrate the launch.

The Upmrkt
www.theupmrkt.com
www.facebook.com/theupmrkt
www.instagram.com/theupmrkt

These lace-up “Rocky” shoes from cool Hong Kong label BlkSheep Empire have just the right amount of on-trend metallic.

How much: $198

This gorgeous, super-soft pillow ($25) and quilt ($110) are handmade in India, each piece taking up to a week to construct!

This boutique distillery is bringing craft Australian spirits to discerning drinkers in Singapore with its unique Gins, Whiskys and Moonshines from Down Under.

Why settle for a plain old dog bed when you can get your pooch or puss a cosy custom-made teepee with a two-sided pillow that’s perfect for snuggling. Just beware toddlers who will try to commandeer it!

How much: $89

These 100% natural (and effective!) deodorants are an important step toward adopting a healthier lifestyle, and feature yummy natural ingredients like cold-pressed coconut, shea butter, and palmarosa essential oil.