Receiving or giving a great gift is often the nucleus of great festive memories. Whether it’s unwrapping that grail video game as a kid, receiving an unexpected and well-thought-through gift as an adult, or seeing a loved one’s face light up as they open up a present you bought them, these memories are precious and can last a lifetime.
While gifting is far from the most important part of the holidays, it helps us to show our loved ones that we care. But buying for someone who has gotten into the realm of more niche, quality goods can be tough — I, for one, don’t envy my partner one bit. With that in mind, we created our yearly Holiday Gift Guide — a list that you can use to guide a purchase for someone into well-made, heritage-centric goods, or pass on to someone who needs some inspiration for what to get you.
We’ve chosen products from a range of prices, categories, and makers, and hope that you can find either the perfect gift or some solid inspiration from this list. Happy holidays, folks.
Sugar Cane 1947 Straight Leg Selvedge Denim Jeans
I know, I know. The Sugar Cane 1947 has been spoken about but a) it’s for good reason, b) it’s the holidays so be nice, and c) these are the black ones which I’d wager you don’t have. Black denim seems to get more popular each year so if you’re inspired to enter the dark side, why not start with an incredible yet accessible jean?
Sugar Cane’s 1947 Jeans offer some of the best value in Japanese selvedge denim, hence their popularity. This black edition is perfect for a New Year fading project, made from 14.25 oz. selvedge denim with black warp and natural weft. So as well as providing a change from all that indigo in your closet, that denim’s going to develop some nice smokey fades with wear. Black goes with everything, too. You’ll be doing a full black Canadian tuxedo, next.
Modeled on a pair of 1947 Levi’s 501s, each pair is made in Japan and comes finished with a deer leather waist patch, selvedge coin pocket, and button fly.
Available for $210 from Franklin and Poe.
Rockwell Razors 6C Double Edged Saftey Razor
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If you shave your head, face — or any part of your body — a safety razor like this Rockwell Razors 6C offers a close shave, heritage quality, and a sustainable approach. See, there was a time when folks used these things as standard. King C. Gilette can be credited with establishing this revolutionary form of double-edged safety razor back in 1900, long before the popularization of cheap and disposable plastics ruled the shaving roost. Rockwell Razors uses modern technology to produce a superior product that’s helping to put double-edged safety razors back on the map.
The Rockwell 6C offers a patented 6 levels of blade adjustment, meaning you can adapt the closeness, smoothness, and comfort of your shave to suit your needs. It’s cast from premium high-end chromed zinc alloy, which along with the heavily textured handle offers a nice weight and hand feel. Each 6C comes with 5 Swedish stainless steel razor blades, but you can pick up a pack of 100 for just $15 from the same retailer.
If you’ve never used a safety razor and you’re worried about entering 2025 with cuts on your face, fear not. There are loads of great tutorials on YouTube showing you how to use this old-world style of razor. You’ll be fine.
Available for $60 from Manready Mercantile.
Lost & Found Shaggy Sweater
Riffing on the Shaggy Dog Sweater by J. Press, Lost & Found‘s Shaggy Sweaters are an elevated staple that would make for a snuggly yet stylish gift.
You don’t need to be rocking chinos and penny loafers every day to appreciate this classic Ivy League silhouette, you just need to be a human. The slightly raised crew neck keeps things interesting without entering turtle territory, and the length is just right – not cropped and not too long. We’re hoping Lost & Found expands its in-house line ‘cos these things are brilliant.
Coming in a slew of versatile colorways, each L&F Shaggy sweater is made in Scotland, because, where else? Okay, maybe Italy. But we all know Scotland is the spiritual home of knitwear.
Available for $195 exclusively from Lost & Found.
Snow Peak Collapsible Coffee Drip
Snow Peak is a Japanese camping brand, so it makes sense that they’ve formulated a lightweight, collapsible dripper that won’t be awkward to pack. Compatible with both Chemex and Hario V60 filters, this 100% stainless steel dripper is light as a feather and easy to pack in your bag for work or the campsite.
Former Heddels writer, Will, swears by this thing and uses it for all his coffee brews. I’ve been interested in one ever since — maybe Santa will be good to me this year?
Available at Hatchet Outdoor Supply for $42.95
WESN Microblade
It’s been just over a year since WESN‘s 3rd iteration of the Microblade dropped and it’s the handiest, cutest, and smallest EDC knife on the market. It’s the perfect gift for an EDC (Every Day Carry) lover, someone who spends a bit of time in the outdoors, or someone who simply appreciates great designs and well-made products. I’m far from the most rugged guy on the planet, and I use mine for a bunch of stuff: opening parcels, trimming houseplants, stealing rosemary from people’s front yards whilst walking the dog, and much more.
The blacked-out colorway pictured above is really special, but I’ve had my eye on the Salmon G10 colorway for a while, now. Whichever colorway you choose, the receiver should be very happy.
Available for $89 from WESN.
Left Field NYC Coal Breaker Indigo Jelt Coverall
It wouldn’t be a Heddels gift guide without some indigo denim, and a piece we’re loving at Heddels HQ is Left Field NYC‘s Cole Breaker Coverall in ‘Jelt’ denim.
American workwear is the nucleus of the Left Field brand and this edition of the Coal Breaker is full of historic workwear DNA. It’s the classic loose-fitting coverall style complete with raglan sleeve construction, multiple pockets, and triple stitching, but instead of the prerequisite denim, duck, or hickory, it’s made from Japanese Jelt denim. Lee and Canton Mills invented Jelt in the 1920s as a lighter-weight ~11.5 oz denim that was as strong as its 13 oz.+ counterparts and it went on to become one of the most popular fabrics in the American workforce before being replaced by newer, more advanced fabrics.
This 11.5 oz. Jelt is woven in Japan and suits this coverall silhouette perfectly. Each jacket is made in the USA and comes with custom pick-and-shovel hardware and contrasting green stitch details that ironically add a touch of festivity.
And as a bonus, coveralls are much easier to size than say, a trucker jacket, making this a more appropriate gift for the non denim-initiated buyer.
Available at Left Field NYC for $275.
Stock Tank Supply Co. Hand Dyed Natural Indigo Tee
One-of-one pieces are always a good gift and that’s exactly what you get with these Stock Tank Supply Co. tees. Each one is hand-dyed with natural indigo grown in the USA, creating a totally unique shibori T-shirt. For buyers on a budget, this piece packs a lot of nuance that will be truly appreciated by anyone interested in Indigohttp://tag/stock-tank-supl-co/ dye.
These are hefty tees with a vintage-inspired tubular fit and each purchase prompts Stock Tank Supply to provide a necessary item to someone in need as part of their ONE FOR ONE = EVERYONE program.
Available for $55 from Stock Tank Supply Co.
WP Standard Leather Laptop Sleeve
WP Standard‘s Leather Laptop Sleeve combines full grain leather with quilted interior lining, something that’s harder to find than you’d think. This offers the patina potential of a leather sleeve but with the heavier-duty protection of padding, making it a lovely gift for daily commuters or remote workers who take their laptops out a fair amount.
Available in 2 sizes and 4 different leather colors, each Sleeve is made in a small leather crafting studio in Leon, Mexico, and comes with internal pockets for chargers, pens, wallets, and perhaps other pieces of tech.
Available for $125 from WP Standard.
Kyrgies Woven Slippers
Slippers are an underrated Christmas gift. A step up from socks, a peg down from a pair of shoes or kicks, they sit in the middle in all their humble glory. But the great thing about these Kyrgies Wovens is that they’re bougie slippers, made in Kyrgyzstan from 100% Kyrgz wool with a vegetable-tanned suede sole.
These videos show the hand-weaving process and felting practices that go into each pair of these highly textured slippers, which are designed to be worn barefoot. The handspun wool is moisture-wicking and odor-resistant, too, so if you’re buying for someone you live with, you needn’t worry about smelly slippers kicking around the lounge.
Available for $99 from Kyrgies.
