The UX holiday gift guide 2021
A curated guide by our UX team for beautifully-designed gifts available from Shopify stores
Designers know when they see and experience good design. As the holiday season fast-approaches, our UX team hand-picked their most well-loved beautifully-designed products created by merchants and entrepreneurs across the Shopify platform. Read on for 27 gift ideas as well as the stories behind them.
Happy holidays!
Ferris Wheel Press | The Brush fountain pen
Ferris Wheel Press’s mission: to inspire the world to fall in love with writing again.
The Brush fountain pen takes its namesake and familiarity from the contoured silhouette of an artist’s paintbrush. This shape was designed for good balance in-hand for writers and illustrators. This pen in printmaker’s teal is handmade from copper, brass, and stainless steel.
Cynthia Savard Saucier, VP of UX, says, “This fountain pen makes your writing so smooth. The ink is deep and comes in beautiful colors. The engraving makes it unique and the packaging is beautiful. An amazing gift for anyone who loves writing or notetaking.”
Price: $149.99 | Ferris Wheel Press
Fellow’s Ode Brew Grinder
A powerful and precise home coffee grinder with cafe capabilities, Ode Brew Grinder does things differently. When grinders try to tackle both brewed coffee and espresso, they become a master of none. In stark contrast, Ode was designed to perfect your daily brewed coffee with 31 grind settings, including AeroPress, pour-over, French press, and cold brew.
It’s thoughtfully designed with a smart speed motor for consistent grind quality, single-dose loading (to maintain bean freshness), and even a grind guide on the load bin lid to get the right grind setting.
JJ Galipeau, Content Designer, says: “These are simple, functional, high-quality coffee products that spark joy when using them.”
Price: $299 | Fellow
Orbitkey desk mat
Orbitkey was inspired by contemporary industrial design and launched with a mission to solve the frustration with “our noisy pockets, cluttered bags, and messy keys”. Orbitkey was first introduced in 2013 to the crowd-funding community, Kickstarter, with 5,000 people supporting its vision.
Orbitkey’s desk mat is an example of using design to solve organization problems. Made from vegan leather and recycled PET felt, it comes in a medium or large size.
José Torre, Staff Product Designer, says, “Its simple yet purposeful form is what makes it beautiful design. This mat goes over and beyond what you can expect from a desk mat. If you like high-quality materials and a tidy desk, you’re going to love it.
“There’s a spot to keep your pens and pencils. There’s a magnet that keeps cables secure. And you can hide loose paper sheets you use for sketching.”
Price: $67.91 | Orbitkey
Topo Designs | Rover Pack Classic
Topo Designs is rooted in mountain culture and outdoor living. Its founders, Jedd Rose and Mark Hansen, wanted to create products that were classic design, functional, durable, and connected with its customers as a brand. And it started with a sewing machine in a basement.
The Topo Designers Rover Pack Classic is one of its signature products. It has a tough 1000D nylon base and lightweight, water-resistant pack cloth upper with a cinch top closure. An exterior front pocket and top flap pocket give quick access to smaller items and internal laptop sleeve keeps your computer secure. Expandable side pockets hold your water bottle or extra gear.
Sarah Fischer, Senior Content Designer, says, “This backpack is brilliantly designed. It’s a perfect size and layout for day trips, long weekends, hiking, climbing excursions, or picnic-ing. The materials are durable and high quality.”
Price: $99 | Topo Designs
Soludos | Ibiza classic leather sneakers
Soludos’s best-selling Ibiza leather sneakers are a design feat: a disarmingly simple exterior with the most comfy, cushy fit.
They’re made from chrome-free leather at a LWG gold-rated tannery (meaning no harmful toxins for the workers or the environment) and the laces are made entirely from recycled plastic bottles.
Cynthia Savard Saucier, VP of UX, says, “These high-quality sneakers, look beautiful, are very well made, fit in every waredrobe, and nothing screams designer more than a white sneaker.”
Price: $129 | Soludos
Wwake Opal Arc Earrings
Dreamy and delicate, Wwake is the creation of Wing Yau, a trained sculptor with a history for revering precious materials. She’s hyper-sensitive about where the raw materials come from and how they’re unearthed. And she’s committed to providing opportunities for women and respecting human rights throughout her business practices.
Annette Bater, Senior Content Designer, says: “Wwake’s hallmark is their opal jewelry, where the stones inherent iridescent beauty are tastefully arranged in simple yet distinctive gold settings. As she’s been quoted: “I was trained to believe in the simplicity and magic behind the materials and letting them speak for themselves”.
“Wwake’s iridescent jewelry hits a special sweet spot: they’re distinctive, a little arty, and are often priced under $500.”
These Opal Arc Earrings are handmade locally in New York, using responsibly-sourced 100% natural Australian opals and 100% post-consumer recycled gold.
Price: $208 | Wwake
Arcade Midnighter belt
Designed for any adventure-ready pals and relations, Arcade designs belts to ‘function better, last longer, and be more comfortable’. That means these belts are designed to provide a custom fit and be flexible enough to remain comfortable even during the toughest outdoor adventures.
Arcade was founded on the belief that belts could be designed to function better, last longer and be more comfortable. Developed from the ground up with materials that are built to go everywhere and anywhere, each Arcade belt provides a custom fit, sturdy hold and the right amount of flexibility to move with you.
Brian Potstra, Staff Marketing Designer, recommends this gift for its, “quality, attention to detail, and for exceeding far-from-the-norm expectations.”
Look out for product collaborations with the likes of Jono Wood and Jimmy Chin.
Price: $35 | Arcade
The Beast Blender
The Beast B10 Blender is thoughtfully-designed and engineered to prepare super-smooth, nutrient-rich smoothies and infusions.
Kristen Singh, Senior Product Designer, says: “It has beautiful design and powerful performance, and looks like art sitting on your counter top.”
Top tip: approximately one-third of your ingredients should be liquid to ensure a smooth blend.
Price: $155 | Beast
Baltic Club DIY bookbinding kit
One of Baltic Club founders is an illustrator. Both have design and print expertise. And it shows. Baltic Club is a treasure trove of stationary and art.
Genevieve Garand, UX Manager, says: “Everything this store sells is so well curated and they also featured local artists in its prints.”
This DIY bookbinding kit includes two notebooks with different illustrated covers, and the opportunity to learn about traditional methods of bookbinding.
Price: $60 | Baltic Club
Hand Tool Rescue Standard Wrench
Hand Tool Rescue specialises in tool restoration and rescues. This standard wrench is made in Canada from solid steel and is based on an 1879 patent by mechanical engineer Charles Billings.
L.D Kirshenbaum, Staff Content Designer, says, “Lovely curves, solid, hand-made, and utterly utilitarian. The fellow [of Hand Tool Rescue] has some of the most inspiring videos on YouTube, maintaining the best of our small-scale industrial legacy, intended for lifetimes of use. And they feel great in the hand! Check out the “perfect screwdriver”, too.”
Price: $50 | Hand Tool Rescue
Chepa streetwear | Mehuli tracksuit
The name ‘Chepa’ is pronounced t/shepa, and is a Pretoria township slang word meaning stylish or well dressed.
Chepa Africanprint streetwear sells a range of Africanprint streetwear, from tracksuits and shorts to kimonos and jackets. This Mehuli tracksuit is influenced by 80s silhouettes.
They say, “Our aim is to promote a post-modern, Afrocentric culture within people to foster an appreciation for casual, modern, African-print clothing.”
Jen Rogers, Senior UX Ops Lead, says, “The most beautiful African prints in streetwear form.”
Price: $111 | Chepa
LouLou LOLLIPOP | Merry & Bright muslin quilt blanket
Founded by twin sisters in Vancouver, LouLou LOLLIPOP is aiming to redefine baby goods by allowing parents to remain connected to their personal sense of style. These products combine classic and feel-good design with a commitment to safe, high-quality materials.
Kimberley Tee, Staff Product Researcher, says: “Their silicone teethers for babies are adorable, and many designs include holes to put a clip on, or for the baby to hold easily. The patterns for baby sheets, muslins, and blankets are beautiful, and include some custom city ones for Vancouver, Toronto, New York, too.”
The Merry and Bright muslin quilt blanket is made with soft bamboo and cotton muslin fabric to provide four layers of coziness. It’s big enough to grow with a baby into toddler years to become a favorite festive keepsake.
Price: $75 CAD | LouLou LOLLIPOP
Lineage Ceramics | 8oz coffee cup
The Lineage 8oz cappuccino coffee cup and saucer is designed to make everyday moments a little more special—with room for cream or frothed milk. Part of a new Coffee Collection range, it’s only available in limited quantities.
This aqua grey colour, inspired by Japanese aesthetics, has a grey tone with a touch of sea green, lightly speckled and with a matte-finished glaze. All Lineage ceramics are stoneware, safe, durable, and non-toxic. (And microwave, dishwasher, and oven safe!)
Samantha Angove, Senior Product Researcher, says, “Designed in Vancouver, Canada, Lineage Ceramics is a family-run dinnerware business and a story of Chinese immigration dating back to the 1900s. It’s an example of heritage and intergenerational craftsmanship in contemporary design.”
Price: $26 | Lineage
Hesper Fox | Kitsune monochrome silk sleep mask
The perfect gift for anyone you know who’ll be doing more travelling in 2022, the Hesper Fox silk sleep mask is a great travel upgrade.
They say, “Shaped like our fox namesake, it is crafted from ultra-soft, pure silk satin in black and ivory and gold embroidery from our Monochrome Collection. Light and comfortable against your skin, the Kitsune ensures a chic and uninterrupted night’s sleep.”
Andrew Harder, UX Director, says, “It is unique, functional, and beautiful. Most sleep masks just try to be a band across your entire face, but the Kitsune Sleep Mask actually shields your eyes and prevents your nose from being pressed.”
Price: £50| Hesper Fox
Autumn | Birdseye Beanie
Autumn Headwear sells a range of, well, headwear, that’s designed by fit: shorty, simple, or even surplus fit.
This Birdseye Beanie is ‘simple fit’ with a medium-weight knit and 6-panel construction and comes in black or natural. Autumn also has range of other apparel such as tees and polar fleeces.
Daina Lightfoot, Staff Marketing Designer, says: “Simple, high quality, and they have an artist series.”
Price: $24 | Autumn
WTF Notebooks | Doodles I drew during important work meetings
Two creatives launched WTF Notebooks in 2020 to use the medium of notebooks to deliver a daily dose of sarcasm and fun.
Every WTF Notebook is made to custom order. So, you can choose from ruled, grid, dots, or blank page layout, wire-bound or case-wrapped, or a 2022 planner format. There are 15 color options, and you can add personalization.
Kati Hoeschen, Staff Content Designer, says, “The notebooks feature droll, relatable statements — and their offering of options allows discerning note-takers to get exactly the notebook they need.”
Price: $17.99 | WTF Notebooks
Bohemian Collective | Wooden semi and trailer
Bohemian Collective’s heirloom wooden toys are handmade from natural lightweight wood that’s sustainably sourced—perfect for children’s gifts that’ll last long after the holiday season.
Bohemian Collective also sources products from across the globe, including from Guatemalan family-run businesses and Basha (an organization that provides a sustainable livelihood for women at risk and survivors of trafficking). And, in doing so, ensuring artisans are paid a fair wage for their craft to contribute to a brighter economic future for the
Alisha Giroux, Senior Illustrator, says, “These are gorgeous hand-crafted wooden children’s toys!”
Price: $35 | Bohemian Collective
Kayrock Screenprinting | Michelle Weinberg: Fun House Exit
Kayrock Screenprinting has printed and published fine art editions in Brooklyn NY since 1998, working directly with artists, as well as with galleries and museums.
‘Fun House Exit’ is a signed and numbered edition of 140 by Michelle Weinberg. It’s made in Brooklyn, NY, and is a 9-color screenprint on a French 100lb cover, and 24"x18".
Jess Erickson, Senior UX Manager, says, “This original, limited-run print combines pattern and depth beautifully. The simple patterns and palette provide balance for an otherwise movement rich construct. It’s a timeless and unique composition that would make a beautiful addition to any room.”
Price: $75 | Kayrock Screenprinting
Starry Studio | Paper Triostar Stromanthe kit
This is one for any plant-lovers, or those who can’t keep their houseplants alive, as well as crafting fans: paper plant kits!
The paper Triostar Stromanthe is one of Starry Studio’s bestsellers and is the go-to kit for beginner crafters and those looking for a no mess, no hassle craft. Depending on your level of paper cutting experience, it would take anywhere from 30–60 minutes to complete.
Justine Win Cañete, Product Designer, says, “It’s a fun activity for plant lovers and for those who wants a low-maintenance decor. Plus, the creator is a UX Shopifolk.”
Price: $35 | Starry Studio
Mali | 7/8 eco legging
Founded by Martina Pavez, Mali was launched to offer stylish, comfortable, and sustainable clothing for “women in motion”.
Malishop’s signature 7/8 eco legging comes in a range of designs and is made from an eco poly-Lycra blend: the Amni Soul Eco fabric. The Amni Soul Eco’s formula allows clothes to easily decompose after being disposed in landfills.
Pia Vergara, Product Designer, says, “They have the loveliest leggings patterns and are all eco-friendly made with sustainability in mind.”
Price: $84 | Mali
Lyde | Candle
Lyde is a small batch candle company based in Vancouver, BC. Its mission is to bring more awareness to mental health and the importance of cultivating self-care practices. A portion of proceeds from each candle sold is donated towards mental health organizations servicing communities that need it the most.
And, all of the packaging is recyclable or biodegradable (like its starch-based packing peanuts that dissolve in water).
The Cozy Escape candle combines fruity notes, a hint of spice, and the scent of citrus. It’s m hand-poured, made with natural soy wax, phthalate-free premium fragrance oil, and a lead-free cotton wick.
Phoebe Tagoe, Product Designer, says, “These candles are simple in visual design but complex in their design of smell (in the best ways). The lines of candles also are designed to follow us through each season which I love. Especially if you live in a climate without seasonality, it is a great way to create that for yourself at home. This is also an amazing Black-owned small business!”
Price: $26 | Lyde
Wills and Prior | Twist candle holder
Wills and Prior is based in Stratford, Ontario, and sells a range of gorgeous homeware and gifts. Think rich, organic textures and sumptuous materials, from wool jacquard socks to beeswax taper candles.
This store also has a range of products called W&P STUDIO Collection, which are all made by hand, in Stratford, Ontario, exclusively for Wills and Prior.
This twist candle holder is made from resin. Virginia Start, Senior Content Designer, says, “I love this unique candle holder from a shop that’s local to me.”
Price: $34 | Wills and Prior
Viori | Serenity body wash bar
Several years ago, the Viori founders met the women of the Red Yao tribe in Longsheng, China, and noticed the amazing effects naturally grown Longsheng rice water had on their skin from hand-rinsing their rice for each day’s meals and using the rice water to wash their hair. So they use that same Longsheng rice to make premium, all-natural Viori body wash bars that cleanse and moisturize your skin, and help fund and support the Red Yao tribe.
The Serenity body wash bar is a sweet, natural aloe fragrance aims to encapsulate the clean, fresh air only found on the serene peaks of the Longsheng mountain ranges. Also available in unscented, they’re 100% natural, vegan, sulfate-free, paraben-free, cruelty-free, and plastic-free.
Pavi Logeswaran, Product Designer, says, “The wash bars smell so serene. The story and history behind the wash bars, as well as the elegant design imprints on the shampoo bars, makes these such beautiful products. The unique packaging which shares the ancient history of the Red Yao tribe is yet another highlight.”
Price: $10 | Viori
Birthright | Haint Blue waistbeads
Birthright founder, Donette Lowe, is an aborisha in the Afro-Cuban Lukumi tradition who sells African waistbeads.
Traditional waistbeads have been used for centuries as a form of feminine adornment and weight management. But for Donette it’s about more than adornment; her waistbeads are mindfulness and healing tools.
Hannah Shadrick Hummel, Senior Content Designer, says, “This merchant understands the psychology of their customers — waistbeads are a private and intimate spiritual practice that make the wearer feel cared for and protected. The merchant presents each set of beads paired with a rich story that connects the customer to the deep spiritual tradition they’re participating in.
“There’s a tutorial on how to tie the waistbeads just one click away from the homepage, making these beads approachable. I respect the merchant for making a spiritual practice so welcoming.”
Price: $30 | Birthright
313 Design Market | Poketo creative cap in blue
Toronto’s 313 Design Market aims to collate and curate all the coolest stuff.
Maria Dubecki, Staff Content Designer, says, “‘Show me, don’t tell me’ — why not both?! Perfect for the designers in your life, this statement cap comes in blue or pink. Simple, practical, beautiful design. And, fwiw, all the products from 313 Design Market are beautiful, so be sure to browse around.”
Price: $48 | 313 Design Market
Anova Culinary | Anova Precision Cooker
The difference between a rare and medium-rare steak is 3˚F. Anova’s Precision Cooker allows you to confidently cook to achieve your preferred result.
Cynthia Savard Saucier, VP of UX, says, “This is high-quality industrial design and a simple tool that unlocks the at-home casual cook to achieve restaurant-quality meals.”
Price: £129 | Anova Culinary
Boba Love | Ugly Christmas Sweater
Don’t forget your festive sweater!
Veronica Wong, Staff Product Designer, says, “I made it! lol. It’s an ‘ugly sweater design’ that isn’t actually ugly.”
Price: $32 | Boba Love
