At the Renegade holiday market, the vendors’ stories are as unique as the gifts

Gender-neutral cheetah sweaters. Chili oil to drizzle on breakfast and dessert. Candles to pair with specific music playlists.

Those are just some of the unique, handmade items available at the Renegade Chicago holiday market, which kicked off Saturday and continues Sunday, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., at Morgan Manufacturing, 401 N. Morgan.

Each of the approximately 170 artists, it seems, has an interesting backstory or impressive skill, as well.

The cat-obsessed cheetah sweater creator, Kat Peterson, 46, of Texas, draws her designs by hand. The chili-oil maker, James Lee, 39, of Park Ridge, was inspired by his grandfather, whose face decorates the bottle. And the soy wax candle-maker has synesthesia, the phenomenon that allows some people to experience two senses simultaneously.

Candles by Lit by Lex, owned by Lex Davis, on sale during Renegade Craft fair.

“It’s a way of reflecting what’s going on in my mind,” Lex Davis, 26, of Lincoln Park, said of her business, Lit by Lex. “When I create the candles, I create the scent first and I go based off the color the scent brings me.”

Then comes the music. Davis’ “woodsy” candle (amber, teakwood, sandalwood, cedar, etc.) is part of her “Orange Series” and named for Lauryn Hill’s song “Everything is Everything,” which is on an orange-colored album. Customers are also given a QR code to access the playlist associated with each candle.

Estimated to attract more than 10,000 people this weekend, the market closes out a year of events throughout the country for Renegade Craft, which has curated artist showcases since it launched in Chicago in 2003. The small team of organizers is passionate about supporting small businesses, and has built a collective of craft artists and designers who are highlighted on renegadecraft.com.

Shoppers mill around Renegade Craft fair on Saturday, which features creative small businesses, at Morgan Manufacturing in the West Town neighborhood.

“It became a huge hit from the get-go,” founder Susie Daly said. “I love talking to the vendors the most because all of their backgrounds are so unique. Like, they live on a farm and they raise their own livestock for their yarn, or a lot of people live in the city and have these collectives.”

Multiple customers on Saturday said they enjoyed supporting small businesses through the market.

“It’s nice to put the money in somebody’s hands that earned it or worked on it,” said Terrell Jenkins, 54, of Rogers Park.

Amy Atkinson, 40, of Andersonville, said she enjoys the variety.

“I mean, where else can you find a bedazzled beret?” she said.

Amy Atkinson (left) and Courtney Crawford look at jewelry by Clouds and Ladders on Saturday at the Renegade holiday market.

Customers may not find a “cat-sicle” character emblazoned on clothes and stickers other than at Baby Cats of California, owned by Kat Peterson, who has since relocated to Texas.

“I worked for companies and I knew that they would never produce prints that I wanted to see out in the world,” Peterson said.

Chilee Oil owners James Lee and his wife, Sufei Zhang, started making their signature chili oil for fun, and soon sold 5,000 jars out of their house, Lee said. Now, their product can be found in several retail stores in the city.

Paulie Gee’s even sells a special pizza with the oil called Netflix and Chilee.

Kat Peterson, owner of Baby Cats of California, smiles as a customer looks at a hoodie.

“I love it on a fried egg and toast in the morning,” Lee said. “I like mixing it with mayo to make a little spicy mayo dipping sauce. Or you could grill a fish and drizzle it on top. It’s even good on vanilla ice cream.”

Lee said his grandfather, Heejae Lee, the star of the logo, can’t get enough.

“He’s 98 right now,” Lee said. “I think the chili oil is keeping him alive.”

Elias Gonzalez and Jemma Warren pose for a tintype portrait Saturday during Renegade Craft fair.

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