Shop Small Gift Guide 2021
It’s hard to believe the holiday season is here again, but here we are with the Shop Small Gift Guide 2021! I personally love gift giving when I can give gifts that are in line with, and express, my values. That’s why, every year, I put together a shop small gift guide to share ethical, sustainable, secondhand, experience-based gifts to inspire your gift giving! In past years, I’ve gotten really specific, making curated lists of woman-owned brands, BIPOC owned brands, gifts that give back to charity, and more. You can find all my past gift guides here, but this year I’m just going to make one singular guide and try to help you find the perfect gift for every person on your list. Let’s get into it!
Someone who just moved to a new city
If you’re buying a gift for someone who has just moved to a new city, I think it’s a super fun idea to get them a gift card(s) to a small business in their new home. That way they can explore their neighborhood, and support small businesses with your gift. Stumped on the specifics? Check out indie bookstores, coffee shops, vintage shops, record shops, outdoor shops, plant shops in there area — hope this helps jog some ideas!
For the crunchy granola folks who tell you they don’t like *things*
If someone tells you they don’t like “things,” then I suggest gifting something consumable, or an experience gift. For “consumable” gifts, I love to pick out craft beer from the local beer shop in my town and make a little sampler basket. But, you could also go the route of coffee, tea, hot sauce, baked goods, sourdough (actually, a sourdough starter makes a great gift!), pickled things, etc.
For experience gifts, I’d suggest tickets or a membership to their local music venue, movie theater, or museum. Cooking (or other!) classes are also fun, and you can often find tons of these kinds of classes through your small business chamber or local community college. If they like sports you could get them tickets to ball game, honestly even if you only have a minor league or college team in your area the games can be SUPER fun to go to!
Someone who likes to bake or cook
I don’t bake or cook much, but my limited knowledge tells me you can’t go wrong with something cast iron. A good, heavy, vintage cast iron pan is always a good gift. You could also get them a bread pan, or a dough scraper, and combine it with that sourdough starter, or even a cookbook about baking bread.
A gift for a sibling who has no hobbies
I forget to mention, I took suggestions from my Instagram community for this gift guide, so some of the submissions are for ideas to help you find gifts for people in your lives. For someone with no particular hobbies, I love to get them something useful. So, I might get them a Hydroflask water bottle, a hot water kettle for making tea and coffee, or a great vintage throw blanket. Something they can use day to day!
Partner who only likes tech-y things and tech accessories
I think it’d be cool to get them a solar panel! Depending on what you want to spend you can go with a whole wide-range of set-ups and batteries. Grouphug Solar is a solar company owned by a woman of color, and they make small and portable solar panels that you can use as charging stations. Depending on what you want to power, there’s a home solar option for you and the tech-y in your life!
New parent and you want to get something for the family
I don’t have kids, but I would place a bet that the number one thing you can get a family with a new baby is food. You could make them something, have food delivered to their place, get them a meal subscription, or freeze them a bunch of soups. Giving food is a sign of love!
If you don’t want to make something and want to order a gift basket, check out my Foodie Gift recommendations below!
A witch who likes crystals, tarot, and stuff like that
I bet they would love a piece from Mind + Mineral, which is my friend’s awesome stained glass business! Not only does she make literal witch fingers out of stained glass, but she’s also got rainbow makers, agate slices, and pieces like that.
Long distance friend
I already suggested local business gift cards and playlists, so this time I’ll recommend something that’s cute and easy to mail: enamel pins or vintage patches! You can find these allll over on Etsy or via indie makers on Instagram. You can pick out pins or patches that might have a meaning to your friend, or represent the place they’re living now. Or, you can just pick something that’s super cute! Some of my favorite makers are: Valfre, Jini and Tonic, Danielle V Designs, Tiny Hooray, and Jenny Lemons.
You want to be the coolest aunt of your niece, age 5-10
Steal my idea for my little niece: I’m getting her a vintage Caboodle and I’m going to kit it out with stickers she can decorate it with + tons of 90s throwback girly things. Think: 90s nostalgic toys, sticker earrings, glitter nailpolish, Bonny Bell Lip Smackers, and gel pens.
Someone who’s very ~*aesthetic*~
If you’re shopping for someone who’s very into clean lines and minimalism, and you don’t want to get them something that’s going to stick out in their home, I would recommend Hasami Porcelain. This is a Japanese brand that makes really beautiful ceramic pieces: mugs, bowls, tea sets, plates, trays, etc. No matter the color or piece that you get, all the pieces are meant to look good together, and they stack together in a super pleasing way in the cabinets.
A *serious* plant person
There’s a couple of different ways you could go with this. If you’re nervous about picking out the actual plant, you could get them a beautiful planter. Convivial is a ceramics brand that makes lovely, neutral, handmade planters. You could also get them something from WallyGrow, which is a brand that makes hanging planters and planters for the wall — but in a way that still allows for proper plant drainage!
You could also gift them a “trendy” plant. When I worked in a plant shop, people were always after Philodendron Birken, Monstera, Pilea, unique Sansevieria (like Moonshine Sansevieria), or special Calathea (like the Lemon Lime Prayer Plant). The YouTuber, Wild Fern, makes great videos about trendy or wishlist plants, so you could watch and pick out one that you like the look of it!
Your very sentimental partner
My husband and I are both Cancer suns, so when we do gifts it’s always “spend time together” gifts. You can make these gifts incredibly sweet. You could burn the person a CD (or tape, or Spotify playlist) and have a date where you just drive somewhere and listen to it. You could find a vintage picnic basket at the thrift store and pack it for a picnic lunch. We recently thrifted a vintage cooler and I want to get a bunch of stickers to decorate it to represent our memories and trips together.
A plant newbie
Again, a couple ways you could go with this! You could get them a plant subscription to a place like Rooted, where they could learn about houseplants as they go. If their local plant shop offers classes (mine did!) that could also be a fun option, or if you know some about plants yourself, you could plan an afternoon together where you go pick something out and then you plant it for them and show them how it’s done!
Mom with a new baby and you want a gift that honors *her*
I would get this person either a spa voucher, or something super cozy like the Parachute Cloud Robe. Anything that will pamper them! You could also pick them out a matching sweat suit set from Girlfriend Collective or Richer Poorer, or again — a vintage throw blanket or other cozies are always a good option!
Baby’s first Holiday
These Cuddle + Kind dolls are my favorite gift for baby’s first holiday because 1) they’re SO cute and 2) they’re truly heirloom, keep forever quality. Cuddle + Kind dolls are Fair Trade certified, and ethically made in Peru and Nepal by talented artisans. Plus, for every Cuddle + Kind doll sold, they donate 10 meals to children in need.
Coworkers, under $25, and you want to get the same for all of them
A gift card to the local coffee shop is a classic here, but you could also do fresh baked goods or bread from the local bakery, or another consumable gift. We have a year round farmers market here, and one of the businesses at the market is a popcorn maker that makes hundreds of different flavors, and I love to pick out these specialty popcorns as gifts for coworkers, or host gifts.
Your BFF
This could vary SO much by person, but I’m going to try to suggest a couple of shops or brands where you could find something for anyone, no matter their tastes. I’ve got to recommend a vintage shop in here, and I think Able Shoppe is an excellent pick because Liv has such classic, eternally-stylish pieces in her shop. I feel like you can find something for almost any fashion or home decor taste!
This is kind of a funny one, but my two best friends and I all use Sunday Riley skin products (they’re SO GOOD) so I think a gift set or a favorite product from them would be a great gift. My favorite Sunday Riley product is the Luna Night Oil, but their stuff is all so highly rated, you can’t go wrong.
You could also pick a bougie candle — I love Linnea’s Lights and Otherland candles. Or, you can’t go wrong with something from East Fork Pottery.
Your cool, artsy little sister
Something tells me this person knits or crochets, or they want to! Check out Wool and the Gang — they have maker supplies and also patterns if you’re just getting into knitting and crocheting.
You could also find a cool vintage craft kit secondhand on Etsy. You have a world of options here: embroidery, latch-hook, felting, jewelry making, and millions more. You can find it all online, and it’ll be a totally unique gift!
Friend who shares your love of a certain movie and you want to get them something to reflect that, but nothing cheesy
Look no further than Sandgrain Studios and Prints and Giggles. Both do super aesthetic, sorta vintage-y prints that represent movies, tv shows, music albums — honestly whatever your shared interest is, you’ll find it here!
Or, depending on the film, you could maybe find a screenplay book or a behind-the-scenes something that would make a nice coffee table piece!
Foodie Gifts
Okay, I know you said Foodie Gifts, but I’ve got some ideas for both foodie gifts and boozy gifts. For Boozy Gifts, check out In Good Taste wine kits. You could get them the Expand Your Palette kit, and they get 8 single pour wine bottles ($65, which feels pretty reasonable if you consider a $9+ price for a glass of wine at a restaurant) to try. They pick out “less traditional” wines, so they get to try some new varieties! Haus also does sampler kits of apéritifs, which are super fun!
For food gifts, check out Nuts.com, Tony’s Chocoloney, Maya’s Cookies (vegan), Superkind Cookies, Umami Cart (Asian grocery store staples), or Crumbl (super viral on TikTok). Oh, and Terry’s Chocolate Oranges — so nostalgic!
Sibling who is off at first year of college
When I read this gift recommendation request, the first thing I thought of was something cozy. I remember being away from home at college, living in a generic cinderblock dorm room, and cramming in hours with my books during finals season. So, I think a perfect gift for your sibling who is off at their first year of college is a really nice blanket. My favorite, local, Iowa-made blankets are from the Amana Woolen Mill (available online). You can also find great quilts and blankets from Parachute or Buffy, or find a really nice vintage quilt!
You could also go the route of a weighted blanket for extra comfort! Brooklinen does a weighted blanket (I have Brooklinen sheets + comforter, and love them!), and Bearaby is famous for them!
Someone hosting a party
I feel like a bottle of wine is a really typical (and nice!) gift for hosting, but if you want to put a little twist on bringing something edible to the holiday party, you could include a Baggu Wine Bag with it (they come in a set of three, so you could split them up if you’re going to different holiday parties) or a Two Days Off Bento Bag to hold the baked goods you’ve made them.
Another fun way to go is to gift a puzzle! My family loves to have a puzzle out on the table throughout the holiday season of parties, that way people can work on it as they come and go throughout the week. A couple fun puzzle brands to check out are Le Puzz and Whiled, but you could also go the route of a puzzle from the thrift store!
Vintage food ornaments would also be super cute — you can find tons of options on Etsy!
You want to make a cool DIY
I am not the person you want to go to for DIYs because I’m just not crafty, but a couple really thoughtful DIY gift my mom gave me once was three framed vintage postcards featuring pictures of where Curtis and I went to college. We went to a tiny liberal arts college, so it was such a surprise she was able to find something from there! But if you look online, you can definitely find vintage postcards, or pages from coffee table books, from someone’s hometown, where they went to college, where a couple met, etc. and turn it into a framed piece of art.
My Favorite Cozies
ARQ is my go-to favorite for colorful bras and underwear you can lounge around in. They do organic cotton, ethically sewn, super comfortable pieces for adults, babies, and kids.
Knickey is great for organic cotton basics like everyday bras and undies. They even have Starter Packs if you want to get a variety of styles and (neutral) colors. I have a discount code: Use code PRELOVED20 for 20% off at knickey.com today.
Girlfriend Collective is my go-to for sweats and workout clothes. They do my absolute favorite sweatpants and yoga pants, and come in a variety of fun colors. *30% off everything over the Shop Small holiday.
My favorite clothing basics:
Tradlands is my favorite clothing brand for basics. I’ve just tried about every category of their clothes, but I think the most giftable are the best-sellers like the Shelter Cardigan, Monty Turtleneck, and the Chalet Dress. I have a discount code: PRELOVED20 for 20% off your purchase at Tradlands.com.
Nisolo is my favorite brand for shoes. I have their Chelsea Boots, All Weather Boots, and the new Dari Boots. I wear Nisolo shoes pretty much all winter long. In addition to being ethically and sustainably made, they’re extremely high quality shoes. I have a discount code: PRELOVED for 20% off Nisolo through the end of the year.
Favorite Accessories:
GLDN is my favorite jewelry brand for classics, and for personalized jewelry. They’re handmade, made from recycled materials, and made-to-order to reduce production waste. I have a discount code: EMILYMSTOCHL5 for $10 off through the end of the year.
Genusee eyewear is ethically made in Flint, Michigan, using recycled water bottles. They do super cool prescription or non-prescription glasses, blue-light glasses, and sunglasses. I have a discount code: Use code PRELOVED20 for $20 off your purchase at genusee.com
Baggu is my favorite brand for reusable bags and masks. They make — by far — the best masks, especially for glasses-wearers, which stay in place. You also can’t go wrong with their totes and other fun accessories.
Le Bon Shoppe and Hansel from Basel do my favorite socks in fun prints and patterns. Socks make a great stocking stuffer, especially fun ones!
Cool Nonprofits for Donations
Remake is a fashion activism organization (where I work!) working to make the fashion industry a force for good! They’re one of the organizations behind the #PayUp campaign, passing the Garment Worker Protection Act, and extending The Accord to protect garment workers worldwide. During the #GiveYourValues campaign, gifts to Remake are matched through the end of the year!
The OR Foundation Secondhand Solidarity Fund aims to re-distribute money to the secondhand resellers in the Kantamanto community in Accra, Ghana, in the form of crisis relief, healthcare, debt relief and market reconstruction. Kantamanto Market is on the front lines of fashion’s waste crisis. Any secondhand shopper would be honored if you make a gift to support resource redistribution within our secondhand ecosystem.
Parks Project operates a shop of gifts that give back to the National Parks system, which is perfect for the outdoorsy person in your life!
SUAY Sew Shop does clothing repair and some really cool upcycling projects including community dye baths, memory quilts, and other textile recycling programs. You can actually buy someone a gift card to their shop, which can be used to repair or alter cherished items, dye old favorites, or purchase upcycled materials from SUAY.
My Favorite Books to Gift:
- The Bucket List of Beer by Justin Kennedy
- Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert
- Any Sally Rooney book, but the new one is Beautiful World, Where Are You.
- Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer
- Consumed by Aja Barber
- The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennet
- Pachinko by Min Jin Lee
- Such a Fun Age by Kiley Reid
- Girl, Woman, Other by Bernadine Evaristo
- Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel
- Infinite Country by Patricia Engel
- The Office of Historical Corrections by Danielle Evans
- The Moosewood Cookbook
- Waste Not Cookbook
- All We Can Save by Ayana Elizabeth Johnson (Editor) and Katharine K Wilkinson (Editor)
