Meet the Maker: MINI TIPI

MINI TIPI has been a brand we've stocked at Confluence for quite a few years now. Their blankets and ponchos are crafted with care and showcase the most beautiful and culturally rich patterns. At Nimmo Bay, you'll find their Everyday Blankets laid out in the cabins for our guests to wrap up in.

So we're taking you behind the scenes to learn what drives this Indigenous and women-owned brand creatively and how they're promoting reconciliation.

Can you provide a short introduction to MINI TIPI and your textiles and products?

MINI TIPI is a proudly Indigenous, women-owned lifestyle brand based in Gatineau, Québec, Canada. Founded by Mélanie Bernard and Trisha Pitura, MINI TIPI has established itself as a distinctive brand, celebrated for its commitment to authenticity, quality, and cultural storytelling.

Specializing in high-quality, eco-friendly textiles and accessories, MINI TIPI offers a unique range of products including blankets, shawls, hoodie ponchos, mittens, and bags. Each piece reflects the spirit of Indigenous culture through thoughtful authentic design.

Their exclusive MINI TIPI collection is designed in-house by Head of Design, Trisha Pitura, showcasing original patterns that share stories through textiles. In addition, they proudly collaborate with Indigenous artists whose work aligns with our values. Each collaboration is rooted in respect, cultural integrity, and shared storytelling—and supported through artist royalties. These partnerships result in meaningful creations that honour culture and community.

All items are meticulously cut, sewn, and finished in their production facility, ensuring that every product delivered is beautiful, meaningful, and impactful.

How did the journey to starting MINI TIPI unfold?

It all started with two stay-at-home moms. In the beginning, they bought existing fabrics to create baby products, sewing and shipping everything from their own basements. As demand grew, they felt a strong desire to share more Indigenous patterns, but quickly realized they were hard to find and not always authentic.

Trisha was already designing patterns for the baby products, and that’s how the iconic Thunderbird pattern was born. She continued creating designs inspired by the teachings she was learning on her reconnection journey.

As MINI TIPI has grown, their vision has expanded. Through years of dedication to thoughtful design and cultural storytelling, they've developed a distinctive approach to creating authentic pieces that celebrates Indigenous art and storytelling.

In 2021, they opened their own manufacture in Gatineau, Quebec. As the business was growing, they saw an opportunity to uplift the voices of Indigenous artists whose values and creative expressions resonate with MINI TIPI. These relationships are built on trust, mutual respect, and a shared commitment to cultural integrity.

This evolution has shaped MINI TIPI into what it is today: a brand grounded in authenticity, storytelling, and community connection.

Who is the team behind MINI TIPI?

MINI TIPI is co-founded and led by Trisha Pitura and Mélanie Bernard. The brand has grown to have a team of 14 people, making magic alongside Trisha and Mélanie. They feel incredibly lucky that everyone on the team brings care and intention to their work on a daily basis. The team fosters a collaborative and empowering workspace, and that energy is reflected back in the quality of the products and the integrity of the brand.

What is the leading intention and inspiration behind the textiles you create?

The textiles from MINI TIPI are crafted with the purpose of sharing stories. Whether the patterns come from Trisha’s heritage or from a collaborating artist’s vision, each design holds deep meaning and cultural significance. They draw inspiration from Indigenous traditions, teachings, art, and the strength of community. Through their textiles, they want people to feel a sense of connection to culture, teachings and to each other. These pieces are truly conversation starters.

Can you talk about your collaborations, why this is a staple in your brand, and how you choose artists to work with?

Indigenous cultures are so rich. Collaboration is a way to honour a diversity of voices within Indigenous communities and give artists a platform to share their stories through textile design. MINI TIPI are highly intentional about choosing artists whose values align with theirs and who bring unique perspectives and cultural knowledge to the work. Each collaboration is built on trust, fair compensation, and mutual respect. These partnerships allow MINI TIPI to offer designs that are authentic and full of meaning.

What materials do you use in your blankets/ponchos, and why do you choose to create with them?

MINI TIPI uses a blend of recycled fabric in their textiles, including 20% recycled wool. This combination allows them to create pieces that are soft, warm, and durable while significantly reducing environmental impact. It's a priority for them to offer long-lasting products that people will cherish and use for years to come.

By working with recycled fibres, we support a circular economy and help minimize waste in the textile industry. We are also exploring the use of 100% natural fibres, but it’s essential to us that these materials are recycled or responsibly sourced. We look forward to the day we can offer this option and continue growing our commitment to sustainability.

How does your surrounding environment/home influence your brand and products?

MINI TIPI is based in Gatineau, Québec on unceded traditional Algonquin territory. The land is lush with forests, rivers, and goes through a full changing of the seasons. Each of these elements inspire the colours, textures, and warmth in every piece they create.

Nature holds deep meaning in many Indigenous cultures. Growing up close to nature, Trish developed a deep respect for the land—a connection that continues to guide their designs today. Their Aurora blanket, for example, was inspired by Trish’s dream of seeing the northern lights—often understood as ancestors dancing in the sky, offering guidance and reminding us we are never alone.

Even their name, MINI TIPI, speaks to home and comfort. While not all Indigenous Peoples lived in tipis, the word represents a space of safety and gathering. MINI reflects their beginnings and their commitment to creating intentionally and with heart.

When they collaborate with Indigenous artists they're encouraged to bring their own teachings forward as well. These partnerships, like their relationship with the land, are rooted in respect, meaning, and connection.

Tell us how you embody the principles of sustainability and put the planet first.

From the materials they choose to the manufacturing process, sustainability guides everything. MINI TIPI prioritizes using recycled fabrics, and minimizes waste by turning fabric scraps into bags, mittens, and smaller products.

They also launched the Repurposed Threads Initiative, which gives new life to leftover materials. Instead of sending scraps to landfills, they share them with local Indigenous organizations. These scraps get used for women’s programs, schools teaching sewing skills, and partners like Copious Fashion who transform them into meaningful new pieces.

MINI TIPI also produces in small, agile batches based on demand to avoid any potential of overstock. Through these efforts, they aim to create high-quality, purposeful goods and make a positive impact

How does Mini Tipi inspire the wild within and connect people to place?

At MINI TIPI, they believe the “wild within” is that deep, instinctive connection to land, culture, and identity—something many of us carry, but may have lost touch with. Through authentic design and meaningful art, they create pieces that help people reconnect with themselves and the natural world around them.

The textiles crafted by MINI TIPI are inspired by nature, Indigenous teachings, and personal stories. Each piece is rooted in authenticity and cultural integrity. From patterns that reflect the northern lights to designs that honour ancestral art forms, every item invites people, Indigenous or not, to feel grounded, inspired, and connected to place.

By blending art, storytelling, and the spirit of the land, MINI TIPI sparks a sense of belonging and brings people closer to what truly matters.

What is the life that you dream of for your textiles?

MINI TIPI dreams of their textiles being gifted and cherished, becoming sources of warmth and comfort in everyday life. They hope each piece can hold stories and meaning, and that they get passed down in families as treasured pieces for generations.

It’s important to the team that each MINI TIPI piece is not only used but truly loved, becoming a symbol of connection and care. They also want to continue offering more choices to meet customers’ needs and help them find pieces that feel deeply personal.

Beyond this, they want to set the path for authentically made Indigenous patterns and be impactful in advancing economic reconciliation. They hope the work they do helps create a future where Indigenous artists and businesses thrive, and where culture is honoured and celebrated in meaningful, lasting ways. These textiles are meant to be conversation starters and reconciliation drivers.

Shop our collection of MINI TIPI blankets and ponchos.