Collaborations are a fantastic way to broaden a brand’s reach. They’re an opportunity for small, independent brands to bring together like minded followers and grow their communities organically. They’re also a perfect way for brands with a singular or more limited product line –– think Canopy –– to keep reinventing their product in the short term while working behind-the-scenes to make broader, more long term updates. This trend is by no means new: Glossier, the Godmother of millenial DTC brand aesthetics, did an adorable collab with dog brand Bark in 2019, resulting in a line of dog toys so cute it almost had me considering adoption. This tried-and-true method of advertising shows no sign of stopping, and I, like clockwork, get incredibly excited with each new drop. Here are some of my favorite collabs, new and old, that are still on the market today.
This Just In:
These recent limited edition drops are bringing together the function, style, and ethos of some of today’s hottest brands.
Hilma x Cadence: Outdoor Essentials Bundle
As someone with lifelong gut issues, I’ve often lost myself in internet rabbit holes trying to figure out which remedies are healthy and effective. More often than not, natural remedies that you find on the internet end up being wive’s tales or arbitrary fads. Wellness brand Hilma saw this frustrating issue and decided to fix it: Hilma makes science-backed, natural remedies for digestion, immune support, and tension relief. Hilma’s various supplements, in both pill and gummy form, make a perfect pairing with Cadence’s magnetic, refillable travel containers. Gone are the days of forgetting to take your vitamins regularly, or digging through a bag full of pill bottles and 3-ounce containers to get what you need on-the-go. This limited edition bundle includes three of Hilma’s best-selling remedies –– Indoor/Outdoor Support, Upset Stomach Relief, and Tension Relief –– with three Cadence capsules, which stick together neatly in your bag and can hold six pills each. An added plus: Cadence capsules are made from recycled ocean-bound plastic, so you can help keep the earth and your insides clean and efficient.
The Sill x Canopy: Aroma Kit
Canopy does an excellent job of curating brand partnerships. Though its singular product, the beloved humidifier, has no issue finding its way into people's hearts and homes on its own, Canopy utilizes the aroma diffuser aspect of their piece to work with different companies and continue to reimagine the product. After trying and loving Canopy’s recent line of essential oils with Open Spaces, I was delighted to find that the brand just came out with a new line of scents with The Sill, Instagram’s favorite houseplant delivery service. The scents, Forest, Greenhouse, and Flower Market, are each inspired by the calming feeling of being immersed in foliage of different kinds. This pairing, of course, also highlights the importance of humidity in the lives of many houseplants –– a particularly genius collaboration, in my opinion, that helps bring plant parents into the fold of Canopy’s growing community. Personally, I can get a bit obsessive about making sure my home feels and smells good. I love pairing diffuser scents with different candles, and the right one can truly change the flow of my day. I can’t wait to add this line to my home, and seeing how well my plants have taken to my Canopy, I’m sure they can’t either.
Dusen Dusen x Dims.: Cleo Chair By Stine Aas
Dusen Dusen is a design house known for its bright colors and patterns. Dims., at first glance, seems aesthetically opposite: sleek, “new-century modern” furniture with a focus on craftsmanship and design. These two seem like an unlikely pairing at first, but their newest furniture collaboration had both minimalists and maximalists alike cloying for a chance to bless their homes. Dims.’ iconic Cleo Chair got a signature Dusen Dusen paint job. The result? A sexy, clean piece with an unmistakable playfulness that sold out twice in the span of three hours. I’m excited to see if these two join forces again –– next time I’ll have to be sure to be quicker to the punch.
Straight to the Source:
These collabs are less about branding –– at first glance, I couldn’t tell that there was a partnership at all. This form of collaboration is more behind-the-scenes, wherein one brand sources an ingredient from another’s supply chain. The result is products with quality ingredients, co-signed by the makers we know and love.
Circumference x Brightland: Daily Regenerative Gel Cleanser
Sustainable skincare brand Circumference takes its ingredients incredibly seriously. Inspired by the collaborative nature of, well, nature itself, Circumference started aWaste-Not Sourcing Initiative, in which the brand seeks to collaborate with different brands to set new standards in the beauty industry. For its newest partnership with DTC darling, Brightland Olive Oil, Circumference sourced the unused olive leaves from Brightland’s family-run California farm. The olive leaf extract, while upcycling the farm’s otherwise disposable byproduct, also makes for an incredibly high-quality basis for this gentle, nourishing cleanser. This type of cross-industry effort signifies an exciting future for consumers, who are used to being both kept in the dark about means of production, and notoriously horrified when they do find it out. Plus, a little glow along with it? I’ll take two.
Diaspora Co. x Golde: Original Turmeric Latte Blend
Name a more iconic duo. Though this collab appears to have now run its course, when both of these brands started gaining traction in 2017, Golde was sourcing the turmeric for its lattes from one of my faves, spice brand Diaspora Co. Over the years, both brands (and their badass founders Trinity Mouzon Wofford and Sana Javeri Kadri, respectively) have been instrumental in bringing Black and brown voices into conversations about health, wellness, sustainability, and the direct-to-consumer space at large. Diaspora Co.’s main goal is to decolonize the transnational spice trade, by cutting out the middlemen and putting power and money directly into the hands of the Indian farmers that grow each ingredient. Golde is focused on making health and wellness easy and accessible. Together, these two make for a product that is versatile, delicious, and transformative in its transparency. The various spice packs and superfood blends have been a consistent staple in my kitchens over the years as I fumble through learning to cook nutritious meals for myself and wean myself off coffee every few weeks.
Oldies But Goodies:
It’s always important to honor the greats. These collabs are now a couple of years old, but thankfully neither were limited releases, keeping loyal fans coming back for more.
Outdoor Voices x HOKA: HOKA X OV Clifton
Fan-favorite Outdoor Voices has mastered the art of taking practical, comfortable goods and making them irresistibly cute. Like, the kind of sh*t that makes you actually excited to get dressed and go on a run. I’m not proud of this part of myself, but I am incredibly quick to choose looks over comfort. While I could get away with playing sports in Vans when I was 15, those days are long gone. Mama needs her arch support. The OV Hokas are, to this day, the first and only athletic sneakers I’ve owned that I’ve chosen to wear outside of exercise. They are incredibly comfortable and supportive, and I’ve found multiple ways to incorporate my light blue pair into my casual wardrobe. I am a forever fan. Luckily, so are many: there are so many users begging for restocks of the sold out, award-winning shoe that I don’t think it’ll be going away any time soon. Outdoor Voices has also managed to have the same effect with Merrell hiking boots. Bringing old, classic, well-respected outdoor brands to the forefront of the DTC consumer space is no small feat, and is incredibly important in the brand’s mission to make physical activity seem more fun and accessible to others.
The Laundress x Le Labo: Le Labo Signature Detergent Duo
Maybe it’s just me, but I’m still not sick of Santal 33. As a latecomer to the world of Le Labo, the classic scent still gets me every time. When paired with plant-based cleaning and fabric care company The Laundress, it makes for a knockout product with a lasting impact. I use this detergent to wash my sheets and intimates. If you’re someone who is overwhelmed by the higher concentrated fragrances, detergent is a perfect way to have your home and clothes smell subtly delicious. And not to get all Samantha-at-brunch on y’all, but this stuff has had such an impact on my sex life. I’ll spare you the details, but let’s just say that anyone who’s had the honor of smelling my sheets and/or underwear since I started using this stuff… has not forgotten it. The lingering scent is the subject of many a messy text. It’s definitely pricey, so I make sure to only use it for special items (or occasions ;) ) and I’ve been able to make it last for a while. It only comes in Santal 33 and Rose 31, and I pray The Laundress keeps it coming. My phone is getting dry.
Double the Fun:
As consumers, being able to interact with a founder’s process makes us feel good about the products we choose to buy. These collaborations exemplify some of the main pillars of the DTC movement as a whole: transparency, accessibility, and enjoyment. Seeing any combination of our favorite brands, which have put so much thought into engaging us organically, is double the fun. Like a late-night brainstorm session with your friends, cross-industry collabs can change the way we think about what, how, and why we consume. It empowers us to make more thoughtful, informed choices, and have a little fun while doing it. So, enjoy this list of my favorites and be on the lookout for those to come. Just be sure to keep me in the loop.
