Locally-Made Gift Ideas

Locally-made Gift ideas

Respect Nail Polish

Proceeds from sales of the Respect Nail Polish Trio ($30) benefit YWCA Metropolitan Chicago and its mission of eliminating racism, empowering women and promoting peace, justice, freedom and dignity for all. Polishes are handmade in partnership with Rooted Woman, whose founder, India D. Williams, hit the pause button on her professional life for a six-month period in which she regained her health and cre ated a community of women who value self-care. The nail polishes are non-toxic, gluten-free, vegan-friendly, and are made in small batches, which may account for slight variations in color. Respect Nail Polish is available at the YWCA of Metropolitan Chicago’s Y Shop, a place where consumers can make great purchases with their hard-earned dollars while helping make real positive changes in the world: the “Power of the Purse.” Harnessing the powerful force of consumerism to empower local communi ties. yshop.org/products/respec-nail-polish-trio

Romer skin care

Romer Skin Care founder Lauren Rome now lives in Chicago (after moving from the East Coast) with her husband. A woman on the go, she tried count less skin products, but nothing seemed to work. She spent a year of research and education with experts, pored over every single ingredient that went into her products, and went through multiple iterations with chemists. At the end of this journey, she discovered the truth. The best skin is achieved by simple ingredients and a consistent routine. Products include moisturizers, masks and cleansers, too. romerskincare.com

Kindred Woodworks

Naturally grown handcrafted beauty - unique wood jewelry is made with no stains, paints, or dyes – just the natural beauty of the wood, finished with locally-sourced beeswax and oil. As the owner says, "It’s my belief that when we cut down a tree, bush or a shrub – the very life force of the oxygen we breathe – that we should give it a better fate than the burn pit, the woodchipper, or the trash. And I aim to honor even the smallest of pieces, a small portion of each tree's life by making tiny pieces of wearable art, showcasing Nature's worth.” www.etsy.com/shop/KindredWoodworks

A. Favorite Design

The mission at a. favorite design is to encourage long-distance warm fuzzies through snail mail. All its goods are handmade at their Northwest Side, brick-and-mortar store, some using an old-fashioned letterpress printer. Find Chicago Flag or Drink Local coasters ($9), white reindeer against Wedgwood blue Chicago skyline with the mes sage “I believe in lots of things, including Santa” ($6), and 2023 planners, such as fabric-bound in chambray or flax, 8.25" x 10.25", with custom gold-stamped details and monthly and weekly sections for note-taking. Items are available 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Thursday and 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Friday & Saturday at 4432 N. Kedzie Ave., through se lect stores and wholesalers across the U.S. and online at afavoritedesign.com

Bromero cards

A fascination with adult coloring six years ago led to crafting opportunities and Bromero Cards for Ricky Burton-Romero. Bromero’s cardmaking style ranges from clean and simple to magnolias for a matrimonial lifetime of happiness ($8); to a tex tured chrysanthemum and the expression “Fall is Proof That Change is Beautiful” ($8.50) for encouragement; to a simple "Joy to the World" ($7.50) for the holidays. Ricky also enjoys ink blending and modern, Japanese-style coloring with Copic pens. Bromerocardsonline.com

Twentysome design

Sadie Teper is the founder and designer of Twentysome Design, a lady-powered feminist stationery and gift brand. Sadie’s design background enables her to create bright and colorful hand-lettered designs that empower and inspire others to spread the message of positive change, while encompassing some cheeky wit and femi nist fun. Her holiday collection includes both Christmas and Hanukkah cards – as well as stickers, prints, pins, buttons, and postcards. Everything is hand-lettered in bright and fun colors. To do good by design, over 5% of profits annually are donated to deserving organizations. Past recipients include Planned Parenthood, EMILY’S List, National Network of Abortion Funds, Black Futures Lab, and others. www.twentysome.design/collections/winter-holiday

Twenty Thou

Twenty Thou was the number of handmade jewelry pieces Nicold Pittman set out to make in order to take down her burdensome student loan debt. After seeing people ask strangers on the internet for money, “I realized I was pretty resourceful and didn’t need charity, but a business!” More than a decade ago, Pittman began to monetize her hobby. Initially, she used beads. Now, the Chicago-based, user experience archi tect by day spends her evenings as a metalsmith, working in copper, brass, sterling silver, gold-fill and rose gold-fill, along with leather, fabric, beads, precious and semiprecious stones. "I’m not a Caged Bird" earrings $75 (pictured); "Motherland" Curb Chain Bracelet, $65 at twentythou.com

Big Fork Brands

Big Fork Brands combines its founder’s Iowa upbringing and Chicago culinary experience to create what Esquire magazine called “the best new food in America”: bacon-infused sausage and hot dogs, as well as burger and hot dog sauces, pork sticks and keto/paleo-friendly pork jerky. Big Fork products start with Heritage hogs raised outdoors (without antibiotics) by small, independent, family farmers in Iowa. Nitrate-free and hardwood-smoked, their bacon is ground together with pork, a little pure brown sugar and sea salt. Then, the sausage or hot dog is naturally encased and smoked using a combination of hickory and applewood hardwoods. Big Fork Sausage comes in 8 smoky flavors: Hickory & Applewood, Aged Cheddar, Maple & Brown Sugar, Cracked Black Pepper, Chicken & Bacon, Spicy 3 Pepper, Portabella, Bacon & Ale. 5-Pack of 5 Best-Selling Flavors $59.99. bigforkbrands.com

Present tense

Working and eating in bars and restaurants isn’t what it used to be and isn’t even close. Now you are entertaining at home and Present Tense can assist you – with bottled cocktails to go, cocktail classes, private catering ("we bring the party, including cocktails, to you!"). Derek, a former bartender at Spiaggia and Blackbird says, “we curate beverage experiences to help people come together and live presently.” www.presenttensebar.com

Slow Cooker Spice Blends

As two busy moms, Meg Barnhart and Jane McKay loved the Zen-like effect slow cooking had on their lives. With their desire to help home cooks create scratch meals to fit their busy lifestyles, they have created a line of globally-inspired, premium salt-free, non-GMO spice blends using recipes for the slow cooker and the instant pot. Each spice packet contains a budget-friendly meal for 4-6 people. yshop.org/products/slow-cooker-spice-blends

Soothsayer hot sauce

Soothsayer Hot Sauce is natural, and made in small batches with a commitment to Its Chi cago hometown heritage, from produce suppliers to design artists, to printers. Its three fulltime flavors are “Omen,” a traditional jalapeno garlic; “Perdition,” an orange habanero; and Harbinger, a roasted red pepper and manzano with a lingering backburn. Another example is “Malort Face”: ghost peppers and grapefruit that washes over your palette in waves of bit ter, sweet and heat – much like the city’s changing seasons. Soothsayer works with bands in Chicago and the national punk scene to develop themed, limited-run hot sauces such as Direct Hit!, Less Than Jake (both with Fat Wreck Chords), World’s Scariest Police Chases (A-F Records), Typesetter (Black Numbers) and Nervous Passenger (Artistic Integrity). $10 at soothsayerhotsauce.com

Stewarts' Cheesecakes

Quality cheesecakes made by passionate people. Co-founder Cameron came from a fam ily of amazing cooks and cheesecake lovers. His grandmother and aunt were caterers, his uncle owned his own restaurant - but he really craved the cheesecake his dad made - and then crafted his own great recipe. Since June 2019, Cameron and his wife, Susan, have pro vided quality desserts for every occasion – from Apple Cranberry Crumble to Pumpkin Pecan Streusel to Bourbon Maple Pecan to Salted Caramel and Mocha Cappuccino and more. You can buy individual cakes or special holiday two- or four-packs. www.stewartscheesecakes.com

Volition tea

Chicagoan Annie Xiang founded Volition Tea to amplify the voice of tea farmers who fight the high-yield mindset and usage of chemical pesticides. Single-origin, loose-leaf teas range from Oregon-raised herbal Chamomile Blossom (with the flavor of wildflowers, honey and mint, $13), to Wulong Black Jade Gardenia, cultivated by an Agriculture Department retiree who avoids pests by manual weeding. “Delicate & Refreshing Box” ($32) includes Green High Mountain Dragon Well, Green Lu’an Melon Peel, Wulong Raw Jade and Wulong White Jade; “Robust & Funky Box” includes White Colorful Peony, Wulong Big Red Robe, Red Red Jade and Black Girl Village Raw Pu’er ($32). www.volitiontea.com

Zimt Bakery

Zimt Bakery, a Chicago-based, woman-owned and operated bakery, “was born out of the #BakersAgainstRacism social movement of 2020 that called bakers far and wide to raise money for social justice causes.” Alina Tompert, Baker in Chief, says that Zimt means Cin namon in German and that the cookies are made from recipes that have been passed down in her family for four generations. There are many varieties of Platchen, Including fall flavors, Lebkuchen, Oma’s Best, Honeybee and Teatime. The signature buttery soft cookies, crafted with the season's best offerings, are complemented with housemade fillings featuring locallysourced and organic fruits of the season, and a host of warm, comforting spices. www.zimt.com

Band of Gold

Band of Gold is an indie aromatherapy studio based in Chicago. It makes small-batch, allnatural candles and organic aromatherapy products. All products are custom blended with 100% organic essential oils. Some of their candles are - Wonder Woods, Moon River, Bonfire, and Salt Cave, with gift sets available as well. www.etsy.com/shop/bandofgoldchicago

Tiny Chicago Music Scene

Did some Chicago music spot play a significant role in your life? A romantic rendezvous, may be? Or a place where someone significant asked you an important question? Get yourself a B&W memento of it at blacknailstudiochicago.com/shop, where artist Maura Walsh’s Tiny Music Scene Project is an outgrowth of a book project she started at the beginning of the pandemic. Walsh set a goal of drawing 200 music spots and donated over half the profits – more than $37,000 – to the Chicago Independent Venue League (which permanently lost zero music spots to COVID). Now, with 170 venues drawn, Walsh has paused the project, to ask a question about the remaining 30: where are the BIPOC- and women-owned spaces? Elastic Arts, The Wild Hare and Singing Armadillo Frog Sanctuary, Original Mother’s, Old Town School of Folk Music on Armitage, Aragon Ballroom, NEO, and more, $20.

Afray Ceramics

This is a small-batch, Chicago potter, jewelry designer & candle maker. Allison, the owner, makes everything from mugs and bowls to essential oils. There are also embroidered mirror compacts (pictured), shell earrings, heart studs and mini daisy earrings. "As an art major without a concentration, I signed up for Ceramics 101, hoping to find my place in the art world. I knew from the first few minutes of class learning to make pinch pots that I had found a piece of myself. I have been working with clay for 8 years now, and I feel incredibly lucky to have this creative outlet in my life. The studio is where I go to feel whole and make sense of the world. Being able to share my work has brought so much more joy to my life than I had ever expected.” www.etsy.com/shop/afrayceramics

Bright Endeavors

Bright Endeavors lights the way toward strong families and bright futures for young moms aged 18-24 and their kids. In August, this social enterprise of the non-profit New Moms moved to expanded headquarters, where the phthalate-free soy candles are hand-poured by the young moms during a 16-week job training program, for which they are paid a stable, living wage on their way to their chosen careers. 100% of the proceeds support New Moms’ mission to empower the young women. New Moms also offers academic coaching, transi tional and permanent supportive housing programs in Chicago and Oak Park. Try Invigorating Juniper Berry/Fir/Cedar Leaf or Comforting Cardamom & Clove candles, 4-oz. $13 and 8-oz. $30; or Holiday Gift Tin bag with 4-oz. Almond Berry Galette, Holiday Citrus and White bark Pine, $22. brightendeavors.org

Ruth Nathan's

Ruth Nathan’s is a purveyor of fine face masks, matching bow ties, pocket squares and lapel flowers made for the “urban peacock, who dresses as a form of self-expression and delight.” The name honors the owner Nicole Brown’s grandparents: Ruth and Nathan (he was a tailor!) from Greenville, Miss. They are all handmade from premium fabrics, are bold and unique (a truly thoughtful gift) and create a reputation for well-curated style. There is a bow tie tutorial on their website for those who need to learn or remember, too. ruthnathans.com

GiveAShi*t

GiveAShi*t is a Chicago-based charity that has teamed with StreetWise and local artists and musicians to make limited edition, hand-screened designer T-shirts. 100% of profits from every T-shirt sold goes to StreetWise and StreetWise vendors: more than $200,000 over the last seven years. GiveAShi*t is a venture of Daily Planet Ltd, a Chicago-based, full-service video production company that creates and edits videos, animations and motion graphics for broadcast and web. Scott Marvel, president of Daily Planet, founded GiveAShi*t after he met a man asking for change. Marvel brought the man some clean T-shirts before a job interview, but the man thought he was supposed to sell them to make money. Marvel was inspired to ask musicians and artists to donate designs; Jon Langford donated a few, as did Jeff Tweedy of Wilco. Marvel handscreens the designs in his Norwood Park basement. To shop and learn more, please visit giveashirt.net

Africa International House

Deck yourself out this season to benefit Africa International House, a center in Hyde Park that exposes and educates all peoples to the individual works and collective contributions of African cultures. Green-and-red Christmas beads come as a necklace ($28) or bracelet ($12). There’s also a Kente stole (Merry Christmas/Happy New Year, Happy Kwanzaa, or Greek-let ter to wear over an upcoming graduation gown, $24). Find links to local merchants and a full line of bracelets (Trade Beads, $42, Silver with African Amber, $275), earrings, masks (Liberian Passport, $48; Pende Bone, $95) and wood figures. www.aihusa.org/giftshop

Parker durban

Wisdom comes from a multidimensional approach to life, and Parker Durban takes a simi lar approach to its outerwear and accessories. They are classic, modern, or sophisticated, as the occasion demands, seamlessly fusing style, comfort and quality. Double-breasted trench vest in Italian signature cotton garbardine, hand crafted in Chicago, features a custom silk lining, vegan leather collar, D-ring belt, in tan, burgundy or navy, $349. You can be the power broker – or the peacemaker -- bringing people together, in the boardroom silk tie, pocket square and cufflinks (pictured). From a distance, they look purple, but they are pre dominantly blue, with touches of red, $55 at parkerdurban.com

Jessica Elaine

Photographer Jessica Elaine Tampas developed the idea of a business creating beautiful, feminine caftans during COVID. “I wanted to make something that was flattering, easy to wear, and most importantly, something that inspired me to get out of my sweatpants!” She worked with a pattern maker to create her own cut, which comes in four sizes and two lengths. In Belgium, she found beautiful fabrics: paisleys, linens, cotton, gauze and custom embroidery. These elements are ethically sewn by women in the heart of Chicago. They will take you from beach or swimming pool to evening with ease. Midi-length pink cotton gauze with pockets, Santorini .02 $350; embroidered neckline Harbor Island .02 $495. ShopJessicaElaine.com

Sin Titulo

Sin Titulo [“no title” in Spanish] is “dope apparel for dope Latinas,” a collective founded in August 2020 by sisters Irais, Diana, and Itzel Elizarraraz. Their brand objective is curating cultural and social justice designs for causes they back, such as the “Fruits of My Labor Con versation” about cultivating mental health therapy in Black and Brown communities. Find tote bags inscribed “More Latina lawyers” and “Pay Women Athletes,” $15; and T-shirts: “More Latina Lawyers,” “More Black Lawyers,” $35 and “Keep Your Laws Off My Body,” “Therapy for Black and Brown People,” “More Therapy Spaces,” all $40. sintituloshop.com

Hazel Ray

Hazel Ray are “damn fine leather goods,” made in Chicago. Not boring leather bags. Bold. Vibrant. Handmade. Beautiful and functional. They last longer than other leather bags and get better with age. Backpacks, shoulder bags, crossbody bags, wallets, and accessories, too. Caitlyn, the owner said, “Hazel Ray was one of my matriarchs. She led a good life, fought through it all and never left the house with a purse that didn’t match her shoes. She used to encourage us to “'get something nice for yourself.'” www.shophazelray.com