A fail-safe holiday gift guide starring Bay Area brands

The newest style from buzzy SF biz, Allbirds, based in Jackson Square, is a loaferlike kick made of merino wool. The shoes are ultra soft and comfy, and come in a range of cool shades for men and women.

allbirds.com

Graphic designer Kate Koeppel makes handcrafted birch record dividers for organizing one’s analog collection. The laser-etched dividers can order your records alphabetically by artist or by genre and come in two sizes and various fonts. All are handmade in Kate’s San Francisco studio. 


820 Valencia St
shop.katekoeppel.com

These It-girl leather clogs, handcrafted by SF’s fave Dogpatch cobbler, BRYR, are made to order in a range of rich shades and several heel heights.

2331 3rd St
415-374-7323
bryrstudio.com

Both naughty and nice chocoholics will enjoy these GMO-free tiles, in flavors like burnt caramel and Aztec chili, from Dogpatch’s small-batch gourmet-chocolate company.

pocodolce.com

In addition to an array of brushes, pens and pencils, stationery, and office supplies for aesthetes, Case for Making owner Alexis Petty blends handmade watercolors in lush, richly pigmented hues. The limited-edition paints range from eye-popping neon shades to vivid earth-tones inspired by the city of Florence. Buy them individually or sign up for a premium watercolor subscription, which bestows your recipient three new hues each season ($45 for one quarter; $170 for the year). 

4037 Judah St

caseformaking.com

Head to Alite’s Mission storefront to snag one of its California-made packs. This unisex carryall is ideal for weekend adventures—the sturdy, 18-ounce duck canvas is hardy and water-resistant, and the adjustable cowhide straps can be carried as a backpack or tote. 

3376 18th St
alitedesigns.com

Natural beauties will adore this limited-edition set from Lilah B including Divine Duo Lip & Cheek in champagne shimmer and the Palette Perfection Eye Quad, which comes with four bright hues.

lilahbeauty.com

This swanky stack, made in the Mission by Colleen Mauer, combines sleek rose-gold, gold and silver rings in varying thicknesses, for one hella good combination.

colleenmauerdesigns.com

Wrap up a luxe and sassy silk scarf from local maker Cristina Rose Guízar for the cool girls on your list. The Glutton Seagull in SF print is our pick (those doughnuts, that bridge!).

centinelle.com

This 16-ounce, organic soy wax candle from Mason Jar Candles is hand-poured in SF and 10 percent of profits go to charities. Plus, you choose your scent. We like red currant.

masonjarcandles.org

Sure, you could give your party hosts yet another bottle of middling red wine. Or you could turn them on to the martini-making magic of St. George’s Terroir gin, distilled across the Bay Bridge in Alameda. Infused with Doug fir, California bay laurel, coastal sage, and a slew of botanicals, it tastes like Christmas in a glass. 

 2601 Monarch St, Alameda
stgeorgespirits.com

Hometown pride is the name of the game with this super soft sweatshirt from Culk. The signature crewneck is designed and printed in San Francisco.

culk.co

SF yogi Dan Abrahamson started Brogamats for fellow sun-salutation-practicing dudes. (The line includes yoga mat bags that look like a giant burrito or a quiver of arrows.) The brand’s latest offering, Yoga Joes, are action figures for the modern man. The one- to three-inch plastic G.I. Joes are cast in basic poses, from Warrior One to Downward-facing Dog.

220 Clement St
brogamats.com

SoMa-based Farmgirl Flowers is here to save you from lackluster bouquets. Over the holiday season, expect pink poinsettias displayed in a birch vessel ($35), 2-foot Christmas trees for space-constrained apartment-dwellers ($72), and festive wreaths like this boxwood version ($65). Add extras to your delivery at check-out, like artisanal candy and candles.

farmgirlflowers.com

Native San Franciscan Stevie Howell has been making gorgeous loungewear since before PJs-by-day were cool. The vibrant prints, from riotous blooms to oceanic blues, are inspired by her background as a painter and printmaker in Scotland and Chicago. Howell’s high-end silk pajama tops, robes, and kimonos are the definition of effortless style—as appropriate for a cocktail bar as a Netflix binge in bed.

steviehowell.com

Christine Schmidt started Yellow Owl Workshop, a one-woman stamp company, in her Bernal Heights apartment and despite widespread success, everything is still handmade in the company’s Mission workshop. Schmidt gets it: teens and tweens are impossible to shop for. This cutesy-cool set is made for millennials (and parents!) fluent in emoji.

855 Valencia St
yellowowlworkshop.com

Pinpoint weekend destinations, places of personal significance, or the city’s best burritos with this cork map by MetropolitanCraft. It’s the brainchild of local designer Laurence Srinivasan, a RISD grad who came up with the laser-cut prototype at TechShop SF. 

2569 3rd St
sfmcd.org

Sunskis' shades affordable and durable, made of polycarbonate and polarized lenses. Each year, the eco-conscious company donates one percent of its profits to nonprofits like Adventurers and Scientists for Conservation, Save the Waves, and Leave No Trace.

sunskis.com

Jewelry designer Kate Jones of Ursa Major crafts what she calls “modern heirlooms” from her San Francisco studio. She works in a range of precious metals—yellow gold, rose gold, and sterling silver—accented by stones like mother of pearl, lapis, blue opal, and jet. Her wave cuff, available in brass or sterling silver, is a timeless, understated piece that can be dressed up or down.

katejones.us

This branch-to-bottle olive oil from California Olive Ranch is bursting with flavor. It’s made from the finest cold pressings out of the brand’s Sacramento farm.

californiaoliveranch.com