Holiday Gift Guide 2015

We love giving. And whether it’s giving someone an amazing experience or helping a brand tell the world what it stands for, when it comes to the holidays, our feelings on giving don’t budge. And like everything we do, we go back to our Manifesto for guidance. Inside this gift guide, you’ll find a curation of some of our favorite brands. Brands that speak to us. From the simple touches of elegant design to thoughtful packaging and purpose-led storytelling, we hope you’ll find them inspirational for a little gift-giving of your own.

Manifesto Agency

bestmadeco.com

I sport a beard. I wear plaid. And my feet are firmly planted in heritage leather boots. So it makes perfect sense for me to wield a Hudson Bay Axe from Best Made. Of course, my coworkers would probably prefer I didn’t do so around the office. But that’s the best thing about this dapper axe: Drop-forged and hand-painted, it feels every bit at home above your mantelpiece as it does felling trees in the back 40. (Did I mention I have a beard?)

Reviewed by Tim Dyer, Chief Storyteller

The Black Donald $260.00

. . . . . . . . . . . .

Best Made

MANdles might just be the closest anybody will ever come to packaging the fragrance of masculinity in a jar—well, technically they come in a utilitarian tin, but no need to split hairs. From these soy-based candles wafts appropriately named scents like Auto Shop, Gunpowder, and Rawhide. My favorites? Hipster (with hints of fresh-ground coffee beans) and Mountain Man (a eucalyptus tree in a can). They’re particularly good when mixed.

Mountain Man$19.00

. . . . . . . . . . . .

Eco Candle Co.

Reviewed by Alyssa Feuerer, Account Supervisor

ecocandleco.com/mandle

Reviewed by Caroline Quiring, Account Supervisor

If it were acceptable to sit down at the dinner table and ingest entire spoonfuls of sea salt, I totally would. And if that salt was from the Six Vial Gift Set of Jacobsen Salt? At that point, what’s “acceptable” becomes utterly moot. I’m talking classic and infused salts harvested from Netarts Bay in the pristine waters off the Oregon Coast: basil, habanero, Stumptown Coffee flake …. I’m telling you: Give them to someone, and let the overindulgence begin.

Six Vial Gift Set $29.95

. . . . . . . . . . . .

Jacobsen Salt Co.

jacobsensalt.com

I’ll say it: My four-year-old’s feet are disgusting. Don’t get me wrong, they should be! It’s like a rite of passage or something. My little man, moonwalking across the kitchen hardwood, building cardboard box fortresses on the cement basement floor. So I got him a subscription to Sock Panda. Now, every month he gets two brand-new pairs of snazzy socks to dirty up, however he sees fit. My subscription also means Sock Panda will donate socks to those in need. A good deal, all the way around.

Kid’s Sock Subscription$12.00

. . . . . . . . . . . .

Sock Panda

sockpanda.com

Reviewed by Adam Pryor,Associate Creative Director

Reviewed by Megan Ashbrenner, Account Coordinator

hatchery.com

I’m not a foodie, but Hatchery makes me feel like one. And that’s what I love about it. A Tasting Box subscription serves up a curated helping of locally sourced deliciousness every month—from fudge to BBQ dip to mustard and more. All of it small batch and totally yum. Yeah. It’s the most palatable present you can give. Use code “manifesto” at check out and receive $10 off your order.

The Tasting Box $20.00 per month

. . . . . . . . . . . .

Hatchery

Ever since my old man taught me how to shave when I was four or five years old (don’t worry, it was a pretend razor), the physical act of shaving has become a nostalgic nod to my past—every day, an attempt to recapture in some small way that magical moment of him and me standing together before our bathroom mirror, faces hiding behind a frothy layer of white. The closest I’ve come is using the Field Shave Kit by Imperial. It evokes a classic barber-grade shave that makes me feel like a man from another era, when men were truly men. Like my dad. And that reminds me: My four-year-old son doesn’t yet know how to shave. “Hey, Hudson! C’mere!”

Reviewed by Adam Pryor, Associate Creative Director

Field Shave Kit $60.00

. . . . . . . . . . . .

Imperial

imperialbarberproducts.com

Accessories are key. I know that. And the good people at Jacob’s Scarves know that. Their vibrant scarves are made by women in Bolivia using a handmade weave called aguayo. Each one uses symbols to tell a specific story—about their culture, their community, their dreams. They warm my heart as much as they do my neck, because every scarf sold helps educate children around the world. (Not magically, of course. Jacob’s Scarves donates part of the proceeds from every scarf sold. Because they’re cool like that.)

The Cochabamba $32.50

. . . . . . . . . . . .

Jacob’s Scarves

jacobscarves.com

Reviewed by Mary Marren, Designer

Reviewed by Dave Dyer, Chief Strategist

kirikomade.com

The small fold of quality fabric (spun on Japanese looms) peeking out from my coat pocket is really just the tip of the iceberg for Kiriko and their pocket squares. Not only are their bold, geometric shapes and patterns simple and iconic, there’s an underlying story to be told. Not only for the brand, but for the man who wears it. Because what we wear partly tells the story of who we are. And like a good story, Kiriko pocket squares are worthy of being passed from generation to generation. The good news for me is, my two boys are young enough yet that I still have plenty of “me” time remaining with these pocket squares before I pass them down.

Reviewed by Dave Dyer, Chief Strategist

Kiriko Individual Pocket Square $32.00

. . . . . . . . . . . .

Kiriko

Reviewed by Danielle Holley, Strategist

schoolhouseelectric.com

Thomas Edison said, “Let there be electrical illumination.” And there was electrical illumination, and it was good. So good, in fact, that our modern age—myself included—has rediscovered the diffuse beauty of the Marconi Bulb. Pair it with the industrial aesthetic of the 1920s, and voila! You get this exquisite tabletop Ion Lamp, which looks as hot as it is safe to touch. They’re making quality American manufacturing a thing again. So here’s to Thomas Edison, hipster originalus.

Ion Lamp - Box Set $129.00

. . . . . . . . . . . .

Schoolhouse Electric

Reviewed by Charles Nevsimal, Senior Writer

topodesigns.com

The things I carry in my backpack play an essential role in my everyday life. They tell the story of who I am. Of what I like. Of what I do for a living and for fun. And in that way, the bag I choose for myself becomes an extension of those things. That’s why I dig Topo. It’s a brand I love as much for its design aesthetic as for its utility. It walks the line between mountainscape and cityscape perfectly. And because it does, I do. (Plus, Topo’s Tumblr is breathtaking. Seriously, have you seen it?)

Daypack $149.00

Reviewed by Charles Nevsimal, Senior Writer

. . . . . . . . . . . .

Topo Designs

Reviewed by Mary Marren, Designer

31bits.com

There’s something to be said about the tactile beauty of paper. The smell of print on page. The varied forms it can adopt as it becomes canvas to some unspeakably arresting art. So what does any of this have to do with the Sand Spire necklace from 31 Bits? The beads are handcrafted (in Uganda) from recycled paper! It’s a sophisticated and elegant piece of jewelry. And best of all, it can upgrade any ensemble into something memorable and unique.

Sand Spire $36.00

. . . . . . . . . . . . .

31 Bits

A marshmallow that tastes like bourbon? Sign me up! (Actually, I usually just buy them individually, sometimes by the set. But you could sign up for their Taste Adventure Club, and receive a different flavor every week for five weeks). Let me tell you, they do amazing things with flavor—Peppermint, Sugar Cookie, Sriracha, S’mores (yes, a s’more-flavored marshmallow ... brilliant!)—and if that weren’t enough, rumor has it they make their ’mallows with “100% sweet magic air.” I’m here to tell you it’s true. All of it. They’re light. They’re melty. And they’re delish.

Reviewed by Sydney Michuda, Designer

The Holiday Set$30.00

. . . . . . . . . . . .

Wondermade

wondermade.com

Reviewed by Sydney Michuda, Designer

shop.betsyandiya.com

Reviewed by Rachel Hughes, Creative Coordinator

The Colima Ring is so perfectly imperfect, I might never take it off. Its symmetry and sophistication offset (and enhanced) by incidental markings to signify handmade craftsmanship (which I saw firsthand when I visited their workshop). Its flawless transition from casual to dressy. Its ability to be at once simplistic and unique. Style—for me, anyway—can only be achieved in that careful balance between blemish and beauty. And this ring, because it is so superbly itself, helps me be exactly the same.

Betsy and Iya

The Colima $52.00

. . . . . . . . . . . .

BIG BOLD STATEMENT

BIG BOLD STATEMENT

man

ifesto

ag

en

cy.c

om

| #m

an

ifestiv

e | @

man

ifesto

ag

en

cy

We believe brands were meant to

STAND FOR SOMETHING MORE.

a label alone is not enough. We believe in

AUTHENTICITY. As commerce without CAUSE is meaningless.

Everyone has a brand because everyone is a BRAND.

We believe that IDEAS are the beginning of everything

and one simple THOUGHT can change the world.

We believe in embracing CHANGE and by doing so, we open

ourselves to a world of unseen POSSIBILITIES.

We believe brands were meant to stand for something more.

229 E Wisconsin Suite 900Milwaukee, WI 53202