How to buy gifts for people who love to cook & bake
Fussy home cooks can be difficult to shop for – in this guide, I break down 5 types of gifts home cooks will love.
My family and friends will tell you I’m a very… particular person, that I’m very hard to buy gifts for because I have strong opinions and will buy myself what I want or need. I wanted to provide a framework for when you have… particular people in your life who happen to also love cooking. Think of it as love languages for food lovers and the people who love them.
Ethics note: all products listed in this guide are items I have personally purchased with my own money. Nothing in this guide is sponsored. I have no commercial relationships with any of the vendors or products listed. Items available on Amazon do have affiliate links, but they are products I own and use everyday (and please buy them from local stores if you have access to them). Prices listed are current as of December 2022, in US dollars. Spelling in Canadian English.
“13 years of ‘you always love scarves’”
What kind of cook are you shopping for?
If you’re not a cook yourself, people who cook might seem like a uniform culture of foodies – but knowing your foodie can help guide you to the right gift. Try to figure out their person:
Are they a baker? If so, do they usually make bread, cookies, or cakes?
Are they a from-scratch project cook? Or a weeknight meal person?
Are they always looking for a new hot sauce, chili crisp, or popcorn powder?
A midnight snacker? A weird coffee person? A pop culture fan?
If you aren’t sure how to answer this question, think about what they cook or post on social media. Ask them questions:
What did you cook recently that you loved?
What’s something you want to cook soon?
Who do you follow for cooking on social media?
What do they value?
To give a gift that conveys love and meaning, you should show the person you understand them and their value system – and try not to impose your own. When you use your value system you create a gift giving value gaps.
For example, some people value commercially available, socially validated big brands they feel they can trust. Others value locally made, artisanal products. Some people value things specifically because they are niche and undiscovered, that have a story.
There’s no right or wrong – it’s about understanding the person you’re shopping for.
Shop small creators
Well designed, hand-crafted objects for the kitchen can make an extremely personal gift that the recipient cherishes forever. Perfect for people who value design objects, independent makers, small businesses, or unique things. And every time you buy directly from a small business, you make a huge impact on someone’s life.
Shopping small and local is one of my core values. Below are a few of my favourite, favourite makers – but there are so many wonderful and talented people in your local community. My advice is to check out your local markets: is there an Etsy Show? A One of a Kind show? Boutique pop-ups, like the KWFamous Holiday Shoppe or Les Halles Montreal? Annual traditions, like the Christkindl Market?
You’ll find wonderful, local people to buy from – and very beautiful gifts made with love.
CERAMICS
Vicky Makes Things, Toronto
I went to University with Vicky! We both studied design. Now she is a super-talented ceramics artist. Vicky makes beautiful bowls, mugs, and planters. All the small prep bowls in my videos are from her – and I have a full set of her mugs, which I use every single day.
CERAMICS
Base Ceramics, Brooklyn
Catalina’s work has beautiful, quirky, soft designs. In my videos you’ve seen Catalina’s dessert plates, and Catalina’s mugs, butter dishes, gravy boats, and vases are all stunning. You’ll find some of Catalina’s work at Food52 this year as well.
WOOD
The Woodsman’s Daughter, Toronto
Krista makes beautiful serving boards and spoons. I love the weirdly elegant, Saturn-like shape of my walnut serving board. I have several of Krista’s wooden spoons, but my absolute favourite is The Very Long Stirring Spoon, which anyone who cooks would adore.
WOOD
Cassandra Book, Niagara
Cassie makes stunning, hand-turned wooden bowls from reclaimed timber. The walnut salad bowl is my favourite. Sure, it’s large enough to serve salad to a group at dinner – but it’s also my personal salad bowl.
WOOD
Studio Inko, California
Rose very clearly loves bread. I have a walnut Toast Board and a set of Toast Coasters. Sometimes I just sit there and look at them in awe of the beautiful shapes she’s created. I don’t know how Rose does it, but I love that these exist in the world – and the care put into the details.
WOOD
Alabama Sawyer
If there is one product every home cook needs, it is a wood and metal compost box from Alabama Sawyer. The large wooden shell is beautiful, the metal container and lid are dishwasher safe (and also fit standard compost bag liners!) – I love using it and I love looking at it, which I can’t say is true for any other compost box.
CANDLES
Vital Little Plans, Kitchener
Jin Sol makes the best smelling – and most beautiful – candles I’ve ever been around. They food inspired scenes are beautiful. Whether you get a standard taper, or a multi-layered Earl Grey Tea Macaron candle, you’ll be so happy.
Why is everyone sold out?
Many creators sell through a “drop” model – basically a once-a-month or quarter re-stock. These generally sell out quite quickly (literally in minutes). It’s a great model for creators to build a business that pays a living wage. To win the drop lottery:
Subscribe to their newsletters – that’s how you get early access codes and passwords.
Preview the drop and figure out what is the one thing you want. For some sites, you can even keep that tab open and just refresh when the sale opens.
Some websites will let you save your credit card and shipping address, or use Apple Pay to check out faster.
Order only one thing, or you might lose your whole cart as you go through checkout. You can always checkout twice after you get the thing you want!
It’s a bit of a lottery, which is very stressful for holidays, so some of this does take planning ahead.
Kitchen tools under $30
These are the tools I reach for every day while cooking, and you’ve probably seen me use all of these in my videos. These are the tools I’m sad about when they’re in the dishwasher, and I wish I had two or three (or five) of them. There’s always personal preference to kitchen tools, but these are items where most people will like most options.
All metal bench scraper
The bench scraper is my most used kitchen tool – you can scoop up chopped vegetables or herbs, shape bread, clean the counter, cut butter. I use mine every single day.
$9.99 on Amazon (US)
Microplane
I use my microplane to grate garlic, zest lemons, grate parmesan cheese into a fluffy pile that melts easily into pasta, and grate ginger. For people who love to cook from scratch (especially pasta lovers) this is a great gift. They get dull over time, so having a few on hand is very helpful.
$18.48 on Amazon (US)
Easy to wash kitchen shears
So many kitchen tasks need strong kitchen shears – the kind that can open packaging, break down a chicken, or even score bread. These OXO kitchen shears are my favourite because they twist apart and back together, making them easy to run through the dishwasher.
$19.95 on Amazon (US)
Small offset spatula
4.5” (small) offset spatulas are best for bakers – removing bread from a loaf tin, gently prying a cookie off a baking sheet, spreading cake batter or icing a cake. They’re also great for cooks since they can help with detail-oriented tasks.
$11.95 on Amazon (US)
Rigid silicone spatula
Silicone spatulas can be used for stirring hot food, gently folding egg whites for cakes, or spreading frosting on a cake. Look for silicone spatulas that have a rigid core, are a single piece (the removable tips get moldy and gross), and they should smell like nothing.
Poorly made silicone that has a smell will leach that smell into your food (it’s due to a lower firing temperature in the manufacturing process that doesn’t completely burn off binding chemicals). If you’re buying them in person, smell them. If you’re buying online, I like the Di Oro brand.
$17.97 on Amazon (US)
Di Oro can be challenging to find in Canada, there’s a set of 5 for $55.97, which feels like a deal compared to 1 (one) for $35 at Walmart. OXO Good Grips is also a reliable brand, but I don’t like the shape as much. Just buy them on the US site.
Fish spatula
The fish spatula is not just for fish! It’s the best lifting and flipping tool you can have.
Because it’s paper thin, it’s super flexible which makes it easy to get into a pan with tall sides. You can bend it to get under food right at the edge of a pan! It’s long and wide which makes it sturdy to lift-and-flip things like pancakes, and strong enough for heavy pieces of meat.
$15.95 on Amazon (US)
Cookie scoops
Cookie scoops are the unsung here of consistent, easy baking. They come in a variety of sizes from 1 teaspoon to 1/4 cup. You can use them to scoop out and portion cookie dough, getting through a whole batch in minutes – but they’re also great for portioning pancake batter, scooping ice cream, or distributing an even amount of frosting across layers of a cake.
$16.95 on Amazon (US)
Paring knife
A small paring knife, with a 4” blade or shorter, is incredibly handy to have in the kitchen. You can use it to slice small fruits and vegetables (hello strawberries!), remove peels and cores, or open letters and packaging. I resisted buying one for a long time, now I have several and I use them multiple times a day.
$21.00 on Amazon (US)
Weck jars
I’m trying to have less plastic in my kitchen, particularly for anything that touches food directly or goes in the dishwasher. I have replaced all of my plastic deli-style quart containers with a variety of Weck jars. Weck jars are a type of glass canning jar – they have glass lids (optional cork or wood lids, too), replaceable natural rubber gaskets, and metal clips that keep things in place.
I use them for leftovers and for canning. They’re expensive, but glass is infinitely recycleable, food safe (it’s made from sand), and dishwasher safe. These make a great gift since it can be hard to rationalize the cost since 1 jar can cost as much as 20 deli containers.
Set of 6 for $35.94 on Amazon (US)
$64.12 for no explainable reason in Canada (you’ll find slightly lower prices at canning stores, but they’re inexplicably expensive in Canada)
Small glass prep bowls
I have a dozen of this little prep bowls made by Duralex (made in France!). They hold just under 1/2 cup. Perfect for when you’re preparing lots of small ingredients for cooking or baking – somewhere to put bits of garlic, ginger, cheese, herbs, or measured spices and salt. I do a lot more “mise en place“ (prep work) since I got these.
Beeswax wraps
Beeswax wraps are a great replacement for plastic wrap – and a great gift for sustainability-minded cooks. They are inexpensive as a gift (under $30!) but expensive compared to plastic wrap, which makes them a great gift. Look for wraps made from organic cotton and beeswax in a variety of sizes.
If you’re giving this as a gift to someone focused on the environment, please look for organic cotton. Conventional cotton is responsible for 25% of all pesticide use in the world.
$21.99 on Amazon (US)
OXO 1/4 cup measure
I use this every day. While I don’t like that this is plastic, I haven’t found a glass alternative (if you know of me let me know!). This little measuring cups are perfect for measuring oil, water, honey – things you need to add a small amount of every day in cooking or baking. They’re very easy to use and dishwasher safe.
$6.99 on Amazon (US)
Bougie, luxury gifts when you want to spend money
I don’t think gifts should be expensive – it puts a lot of pressure on budgets and relationships. I would rather you give me some 80’s-mom style home-made Chex mix, but that’s me. But in some relationships you want to spend money on the person. Maybe it’s tradition, maybe it’s something you agree to as a couple, or maybe it’s because you can and you want to! You do you.
So here are my favourite bougie things that you probably don’t need. These are nice luxuries – design objects that also function really well in the kitchen. Please keep in mind that you can get equivalent performance from affordable brands, such as Lodge for cast iron, and spending more money doesn’t make you a better cook.
Menu salt & pepper grinders
These are the rare beautiful object that combines best-in-class functionality while feeling beautifully modern. These grinders have a ceramic burr you adjust by turning the walnut knob on top. Thanks to the ceramic burr, you can grind a very high volume of pepper quickly and with little effort. They are expensive, but they work. They feel good, they sound good. You can get them in a wide variety of colours, including a beautiful ceramic set.
I bought mine from HutK in Winnipeg (ships through Canada!). Nina, who owns HutK, is a saint – she helped me source most of the furniture for my home. Please check out her shop. You can also buy direct from Menu for worldwide shipping. $119.95.
Thermapen digital thermometer
Having a great digital thermometer can take your cooking from good to great. The main reason they are expensive is reliability over time – meaning, it keeps the speed and accuracy. I use my thermapen to check when chicken, turkey, or steaks are finished. To make candy. To check if brioche is ready. If oil is hot enough (or too hot) for frying. I use it several times a week.
It’s an investment that makes a great gift for someone you want to splurge on.
$99 from Thermoworks (US, ships worldwide)
Kaiko milk pan
Does anyone need a dedicated milk-warming, butter melting pot? No. But it’s beautiful – and because it’s made of carbon steel coated with enamel (ceramic/glass) it works on any type of cooktop, heats very evenly, and brings me joy every day.
I bought mine from Old Faithful Shop in Vancouver, who have all sorts of beautiful, functional home goods.
$81 from Old Faithful Shop (Canada, ships worldwide)
Knives
Knives are a very personal choice – the look, the feel, the way it should be cared for, the story. I would suggest a gift card to knife store, such as KNIFE Toronto, instead of knives.
If you must buy knives, think about how the person lives their life:
If they have a busy life and rely on their dishwasher, look for stainless steel knives that will be easy to maintain.
If they have room in their life to maintain a beautiful object, carbon steel knives are super sharp – but can rust and be damaged very quickly.
For shapes, you can’t go wrong with a chef’s knife/gyuto, but my top recommendation would be a Nakiri, which is a Japanese vegetable cleaver. Most people won’t have one and they make a big difference in how you approach vegetables.
I prefer Japanese carbon steel and German stainless steel knives. There are some great American knife makers. French knives are great, too. Find a good knife shop locally and ask them what they like.
Knife gloves
These aren’t really a luxury, but you’re here thinking about knives. Buy knife gloves!
Knife gloves are usually made from the same fabric used in bullet-proof vests – they will help prevent (or limit) injuries from knife accidents. They’re incredibly handy for people just learning knife skills (which you can do at any stage of life!), for people who frequently use mandolins, or for the accident prone (like me!).
There is a big difference in durability between low-cost knife gloves, like you can find on Amazon, and high quality knife gloves. Having said that, any knife glove is better than no knife glove.
NoCry cut resistant gloves for $12.99 on Amazon (US) / $14.99 in Canada
For a premium option, carver’s chain mail glove from Lee Valley ($129.99, but will survive medieval war)
Hasegawa soft cutting board
Cutting boards are complicated choices:
wood is beautiful and great for knives – but it’s heavy and requires a lot of maintenance. The larger boards are difficult to wash.
bamboo has similar benefits to wood, but is very harsh on knives.
plastic is okay for knives and easy to wash – but it’s terrible for the environment and you will get micro-plastics in your food (you’re literally chopping plastic).
glass is terrible for knives and should be avoided
Because of this, I’ve switched to the Hasegawa wood-core rubber cutting boards. The rigid wood core gives it structure, and the natural rubber coating is gentle on knives and dishwasher safe. They’re lightweight and come in a lot of sizes. The downside is that they are quite expensive and can stain (there’s a resurfacing tool to remove stains).
Cast iron & carbon steel
Cast iron & carbon steel are excellent pans – they can go from stove to oven. Enamelled cast iron is a great, low-maintenance option. It has a ceramic/glass coating that makes it easy to clean. Staub and Le Creuset are both made in France (I prefer the look of Staub).
I have a few beautiful pieces that I adore:
Staub pumpkin cocotte – it’s a 3.5 quart enamelled cast iron pan, it’s great for small batches of soup
Staub braiser – it’s a 4.5 quart enamelled cast iron pan. If you get the metal lid (which I recommend), it has these “drops” embedded in the surface that help distribute cooking liquids as they steam and condense. Perfect for a roast chicken, roast vegetables, or cooking on the store. I use this every single day. I bought the Williams-Sonoma exclusive shape because I liked the rounded form, but the standard shape has the same functionality and can frequently be found half price.
Carbon steel pans have all the benefits (and care requirements) of cast iron, but half the weight. I have Shiba’s pan from KNIFE Toronto and the de Buyer pan from Old Faithful Shop.
All of these work on the stove and in the oven, and look beautiful to serve out of as well.
Pot & pan sets
If you’re buying someone a set of pots & pans, it’s better to buy fewer, better pieces instead of a big box set that’s on sale. I’m a huge fan of All Clad (made in USA) and Meyer (made in Canada). I have the All Clad Copper Core set.
There’s a few considerations for the set:
Check what kind of stove they have – if induction, is the cookware compatible?
When you’re looking at the pots and pans, you get the best performance – meaning even heat, faster heat transfer – from products where the base of the pot wraps up the sides.
If there is a thick “plate” on the bottom of the pan (such as the All Clad HA1), it’s going to be very slow to heat & cool, since the plate works like a thermal mass. Generally this is added to lower-cost pans to use more affordable metals or to add induction compatibility to non-magnetic surfaces (both true in the case of the HA-series – they’re “affordable” All Clad ($55 pan) but horrible pans and not worthy of the All Clad name).
Pantry essentials for different kinds of cooks and bakers
Depending on the type of person you’re buying for, different pantry items can make for a magical gift that keeps on giving throughout the year. Whether they cook from scratch, or perfect the weeknight meal – there’s something here that will make your person happy.
If you live near Kitchener, Ontario where I’m based – almost everything on this list can be found at the Eby St. Bodega. I have no affiliation with them, I just love the store (and Dino & Anna who own and operate it) with my whole heart. They will happily build a personalized gift basket if you describe the kind of person its for. Unfortunately they don’t ship, you have to pick up in store.
For online ordering in Canada, I would suggest Gourmet Warehouse (Vancouver), where I ordered online before the Bodega opened. In Toronto you should check out Good Cheese.
The from-scratch baker
Think about the kind of things the baker makes – do they make cookies? cakes? scones? bread? It can really change how you approach this.
You can’t go wrong with Burlap & Barrel single origin spices – cinnamon and cardamon are must try but I have almost the entire collection and everything is great
Make your own vanilla kit – find some excellent vanilla beans, a Weck jar, and a bottle of good bourbon (or vodka, but bourbon is my preference)
Callebaut or Valrhona chocolate
The from-scratch cook
I’m also a from-scratch cook – I like to make everything myself. For me, that means I would love:
A big jug of cooking olive oil (look for DOP/PDO/COOC certifications and a production date within 12 months)
A small finishing olive oil (look for “peppery” or “fruity” tasting notes, not just intense)
Vinegars – sherry, rice wine, white wine, aged baslamic, white balsamic
The weeknight cook
For a weeknight cook, it’s a great time to put together some themed meals – something with a story, or that they can a/b test. For example, here I would package up:
Cascatelli pasta, a new pasta shape you can learn about on the Sporkful podcast
Monograno Matt spaghetti, which is a single origin wheat grown in Puglia, Italy
Crispino ready-made tomato sauce (I can’t find it online, I found it at the Bodega)
Good olives
The flavour friend
Some people like putting more flavour on everything. For those people, packs of new sauces to try are great gifts. Locally you can find all of this at the Eby St. Bodega.
Phlippens hot sauce and bbq sauce (made here in Kitchener!)
Zing pantry shortcuts (made in Canada) – I really like the mogambo garlic spread (great for sandwiches) and hot honey (really good on pancakes)
Fly By Jing chili crisp tastes good on anything (even ice cream)
Melinda’s sauces – I like the green sauce, the truffle sauce is very intense and good for people who like truffle
Bomba Calabrian chili oil (there are many good brands) which is amazing on sandwiches and pasta
Espinaler Vermut hot sauce which is perfect for tinned fish (tinned fish also makes a great gift with its beautiful packaging)
The weird coffee (or tea) person
If you’re in Kitchener, please go to Lucero Canteen / Show & Tell. What they’ve built is very special and you can get a worldwide variety of fresh roasted coffee (in person only for now).
Online in Canada, I suggest ordering from Troublesome Toronto.
Online in the US, my favourite roaster is Sightglass Coffee (no shipping to Canada, but Troublesome carries them sometimes).
Online worldwide is Square Mile Coffee Roasters (started by YouTuber and weird coffee person James Hoffman). I have their monthly “Our Pick” subscription and love it. Sweet Shop is the best roast to buy for someone if you don’t know their tastes – it’s insanely delicious. James also has weird coffee merch.
I don’t like tea, I tried to get into tea last year by getting myself the Vadham tea advent calendar. I enjoyed it a lot, and it’s enough tea for 3 months.
The midnight snacker
Does your midnight snacker have a sweet tooth? Do they like crispy, or crunchy? Salty? Ice cream?
These are mostly-sweet options, locally the majority of the brands below can be found at Eby St. Bodega or Legacy Greens (my grocery store!).
Rheo Thompson Candies – made in Stratford, ON
Finnia Chocolates – made on Manitoulin Island, ON
Hummingbird Chocolate – made in Almonte, ON
Purdy’s chocolates – made in Vancouver, BC
Rancho Meladuco – organic California dates (the best dates I’ve ever had)
Date Better – stuffed dates in beautiful packaging
Don’t forget to check out your local bakers and bakeries. Here in Kitchener I love LenJo Bakes, Sabletine, Crushed Almond, Ooey Zhuey, and Aura-La. The Eby St. Bodega and Lucero are where I go to most days.
Cookbooks are amazing gifts
They can be very personal choices, so the trick is understanding what someone has, what they want, and how they use/enjoy cookbooks. I have a whole list of all of my cookbooks here. Below are my favourites from 2022.
If you’re in my city – Kitchener, ON – the Eby St. Bodega has a beautiful collection of cookbooks for sale in their front entryway. Many of the books are ones I’ve never heard of it, and every book I’ve bought there has been a treasure. It’s a worthy place to browse if you’re in town.
Mi Cocina by Rick Martinez
If you can only buy one
Mi Cocina by Rick Martinez covers all of my categories – it’s beautiful, it’s a travelogue, it’s a journey of personal discovery, the recipes are hit after hit (I’ve made almost everything). I love it with my whole heart and I’m so glad it exists in this world.
If you only buy one book for someone this year, it must be this one.
Salad Freak by Jess Damuck
Eat more vegetables
Salad Freak is a beautiful book that will inspire you to eat more salads every day. The photography is stunning. The recipes are great.
Amazon US / Canada
Market Cooking by David Tania is the essential guide to how to cook seasonal, surprise vegetables you find at the market. It’s a way of life.
Amazon US / Canada
Tender by Nigel Slater is a treatise on growing your own food – for the person who grows vegetables and loves them, it’s beautiful storytelling with wonderful photography and recipes.
Amazon US / Canada
Six Seasons by Joshua McFadden helps you discover what local, seasonal cooking can be by focusing on what produce is available at each time of year. The recipes are all great. It will change how you think about cooking.
Amazon US / Canada
Acquacotta by Emiko Davies
Travel through food
I haven’t been to Italy, but I want to go to Italy – and feel a bit like I have through the food from these books.
Acquacotta by Emiko Davies is the story of living in a small town on the Italian coast, with regional cuisine and beautiful stories.
Amazon US / Canada
Flour+Water isn’t necessarily Italian, it’s from a restaurant in San Francisco (that I have been to). I learned everything I know about pasta from this book. The seasonal recipes will transport you. Every recipe is excellent.
Amazon US / Canada
Black Food edited by Bryant Terry
Korean American by Eric Kim
Stories about life, through food
There are so many beautiful stories to be told about how food confronts us, shapes us, and helps us define who we are and who we can be. I’ve had such a visceral, emotional connection to these books this year.
Black Food edited by Bryant Terry, is the most memorable, touching book I’ve read in a long time – and anthology of stories and recipes from the Black community (my favourite is the essay on nectarines). This is the book I’ll have friends peruse when there’s still time before dinner is ready, and everyone leaves wanting their own copy.
Amazon US / CanadaKorean American is ostensibly a cookbook, but it’s really about Eric’s relationship with his mom. I relate so much to the story of the gay cook with the immigrant mom, though the shades of my own story are quite different. If you have a gay man, a child of immigrants, or an immigrant parent in your life this book will be filled with big (warm) feelings.
Amazon US / CanadaMore Home Cooking by Laurie Colwin is a love letter to eating with the people that you love to restore yourself and your community. The introduction, written 30 years ago, could have been written yesterday. The disconnections in our society keep growing – and food can bring us back together if we’ll only put down phones.
Amazon US / CanadaThe Christmas Chronicles by Nigel Slaters is a daily journal through the fall and into the New Year, as Nigel Slater describes his traditions for a very British Christmas. I cooked through it last, day by day (until I couldn’t keep up). I was astound by the similarities, and enamoured by the huge differences, in how Canada and Britain celebrate the season. It’s very enjoyable.
Amazon US / Canada
Cook This Book by Molly Baz
When in doubt, make something.
My favourite, favourite gifts are the weird annual food traditions – the things people make for me. The hard part about being a good cook or baker is that nobody wants to cook or bake for you! And this is a problem because I love home-made food.
Give me your greatest 80’s-mom hits, your mis-shapen cookies. I will love with my whole heart. I look forward to getting spiced pecans from Christina, gingerbread cookies made by Larysa’s kids, and Kelly’s Grinch Chow. My sister buys me chocolates made by one of her coworkers (who only makes chocolates at Christmas). This year Matt is making aged egg nog. Nigel is making East Coast Hooch. Make a food tradition that will fill your heart with joy.
Obviously I am quite extra, so my tradition is to make Claire Saffitz’s aged fruitcake (you need to start in October) and sourdough croissants, which I overnight-ship to my friends for Croissantmas.
Here are a few recipes that are easy for any skill level that make great gifts:
Triple ginger cookies (I don’t know when they modified this to use margarine, use butter)
Gingerbread (the best recipe is in The Joy of Cooking though)
Bonus: made in Canada & USA clothing
I’ve made it my personal goal to buy all of my clothes from companies that manufacture in Canada and the US. I’ve found some great pieces this year that I really love – many of which you’ll see in my videos. Here are my favourites.
Anian
Made in Vancouver, BC from recycled wool and recycled content (recycled in Canada). Anian fits small, so go a size up.
18Waits
Made in Toronto, very fun patterns and a rock-and-roll aesthetic
Outclass
Made in Toronto, dressed up options for when you want to be a bit more formal (but still casual)
Reigning Champ
Sportswear – primarily made in Vancouver, but a few items are made in Vietnam.
Gitman Vintage
Beautiful Oxford shirts from awesome fabrics, all made in Layfayette, TN
Province of Canada (Made in Toronto)
House of Blanks (Made in Canada)
Okay To Rest (Made in Vancouver)
Kanuk parkas (Made in Montreal)
American Giant (Made in USA, comparatively affordable)
Outlier (some products made in New York)