Our finds for this month include nine unique gift ideas; most of them handmade and from sustainable sources, and all of them beautifully designed.

Cube Pencil 

£45

Tom Dixon create some seriously nice stationery – it’s certainly not the kind of thing you’ll be able to pick up from your average office supply shop. Their pencil alone is made from brass, copper plated, polished, and lacquered to finish – a thing of beauty. 

Collar Espresso Brewer 

$64.95

A great gift for coffee nerds who love to home brew, this is a very untraditional looking moka pot, but we think its look has been much improved. Italians Daniel Debase and Federico Sandri are responsible for the design, who created it for Danish design company Stelton’s Nordic design range, inspired by Nordic design values. 

Herringbone Blanket 

£80

Perfectly for seeing through the cold and grim winter months, this blanket is made from 100% wonderfully soft Merino wool. The blanket was made at one of Ireland’s last working mills, Foxford, which has a history dating back to 1892. 

Screenprinted Cushion 

£38

This cushion comes from textile designer/maker Joy Jolliffe of Random Retail, based on the Isle of Wight, UK. Joy creates her textiles from hand pulled screenprint using water based dyes and natural calico. 

Blue Bottle Coffee subscription 

$7–$14 per shipment

Founded in California in 2000, Blue Bottle Coffee has grown to become one of the best known coffee roasters. You can enjoy their fine roast coffee by getting them delivered straight to your door via a subscription. There are a number of subscriptions available, which can all be paused or cancelled at any time. 

New Dawn Rum 

£70

We love the story of this 18-year Dominican Republic rum. Produced in the hills of Santo Domingo, it then journeyed across the Atlantic for 45 days aboard wind-powered brigantine Tres Hombres. Arriving in Falmouth, England, it then made the rest of its journey by horse and cart to be blended with Cornish spring water and bottled in a local brewery. It’s carbon footprint could hardy be lower.

Instrmnt 02 watch 

£180

Designed by Glasgow-based team Instrmnt, this unisex watch, which draws inspiration from mid-20th century design, is all about simple, clean aesthetics. The watch and its German-made brown leather strap come as a kit, which contains casing, and pins. 

Hygge: The Danish Art of Happiness 

£9.99 (at Waterstones)

Fascinated by the concept of ‘hygge’ and what it means? This book by Dane Marie Tourell Søderberg provides something of a guide for how to introduce hygge to many areas of your life. 

DodeCal

£79

You’ve never had a calendar like this before. Made in England’s Lake District out of high quality European sycamore and manufactured using sustainable materials, this unusual and beautiful item mixes digital technology and traditional craftsmanship. It’d be a great addition the desk of someone who really appreciates good design.