Talent in De Buurt is a platform for local designers and creative souls alike. They once started with 7 creatives from Berchem and now represent more than 100 artists and resourceful entrepreneurs from the area whose collections alternate in the shop offer.

This store is, as it were, a gathering place of original finds and creations sprung from the brains of local talent. New creatives are added every week! Originality and sustainability are the main keywords. Every product is in fact organic or made from renewable or recycled raw materials. What really gets me going here is that you support the local economy with every purchase. The money that rolls over the counter is, invested locally. Moreover, the majority of the profit goes directly to the talent, unlike a normal store, where a designer or maker often only gets a fraction of the total sales amount. Guilt-free shopping here we come!

I usually stop by when I am in need for an original birthday gift. A present with a great story is easily scored here. The products are often handmade and offered in small quantities. They definitely implement the promise of an ‘original gift’. Personal favorites are the Redopapers bloc notes that give new life to paper waste for your own creative ideas and the graphic-inspired hand-made jewelry signed Queen Bee. Right down my alley…