Chances are, the denim heads in your life already have a wardrobe full of expertly crafted jeans and denim jackets that meet all of their high standards. This year, Rivet gathered recommendations on the best denim gifts for the holidays and went straight to the source: Denim experts with insider knowledge on blue bloods’ favorite products.
From classes that teach you how to mend your denim to dye kits that let you color your own fabrics, these products go beyond the norm to offer your loved one a special present this year.
Stony Creek Colors Natural Indigo Paste
Christine Rucci, founder and creative director of Godmother NYC Inc.: My favorite gift to give my indigo denim-loving friends is an amazing natural indigo dye kit or gift card from Stony Creek Colors. You can do small batch indigo-dyeing and techniques like shibori or tie-dye at home and turn dull, old tee shirts, sneakers or other apparel into new indigo treasures. Knowing this is a female-owned company with products bio-grown in the U.S. makes this a perfect gift.
Butts and Shoulders Chelsea Boots
Wouter Munnichs, denim specialist for brands and retail, and owner of the blog Long John: The Dutch Butts and Shoulders brand created a classic Chelsea footwear style which is made of natural vegetable-tanned leather. This leather will age with time and wear, and will develop a great patina, just like denim. The boots are a perfect companion to wear with your denim tuxedo during the holiday season.
White Weft’s Big Patch Bag
Salli Deighton, responsible denim development consultant: Our wonderful U.K. denim community has been sending White Weft all their old mill fabric hangers and waste samples this year to enable the team to produce some incredible pieces. A gift made from our own denim waste—it doesn’t get more circular and artisan than that! Each piece in the collection is handmade entirely from waste in London. This bag specifically is upcycled, local and big enough for a laptop and a couple of vintage samples.
Mi Cocina’s Pan Handle Holder
Michelle Branch, creative director, Markt&Twigs, Inc.: Even in a normal year, the holidays find us spending more time in our kitchens, and my go-to kitchen items are from Mi Cocina, a denim-focused collection of kitchen accessories. My favorite is a raw White Oak selvedge pan-handle holder from its first collection. Years ago, I received it as a stocking stuffer and it just gets better with time. With this level of authenticity, attention to detail and durability, these products are destined to be tomorrow’s heirlooms. They’re perfect gifts for denim heads who cook—plus, Mi Cocina is Black-owned!
Maison Indigo’s Handmade Upcycled Denim Anteater
Gordon Heffner, director, web and show, Kingpins Shop: This toy is quirky, fun and designed with a small carbon footprint. Each piece is made using upcycled denim, so each one is unique. The detailing is crafted with jean lovers in mind, with rivets for the eyes, a belt loop for support, and yellow jean thread for toes. In addition to being cuddly and cute, it’s handmade in the Netherlands in sheltered workshops by people with disabilities.
Nece Gene’s DeBrick Stool
Ani Wells, founder of Simply Suzette and sustainable denim and communications specialist: One specific item I think would make a great gift for the holidays would be Nece Gene’s DeBrick Stool, a solid brick furniture piece made with 99 percent compressed waste denim and 1 percent bio-epoxy. It’s thoughtful, unique and timeless, all while being as mindful as possible and utilizing denim waste.
Standard & Strange’s Garden Jacket
Solomon Russell, owner, Lefthand Twill: Get through the holidays and cold weather by dreaming of the warmth of spring and by prepping your closet with one of the better collaborations of the past year. Anyone who favors the sun would appreciate the Standard & Strange x Blluemade indigo garden jacket. If you want to take it up a notch and really shine, get the whole suit!
Boyish Jeans’ The Billy
Kerry Bannigan, executive director, Fashion Impact Fund: The Billy jean from Boyish is a classic jean that can be enjoyed winter through spring, and take you from work-from-home to holiday celebrations with heels. One major bonus beyond the style: These sustainable jeans include OCS-certified organic cotton and Tencel Lyocell, a natural raw material from responsibly produced eucalyptus trees.
Boyish Jeans
$84
Levi’s Shrunken Trucker Jacket
Tricia Carey, director, global business development—denim and Americas, Lenzing: One of my favorite holiday gifts is the Levi’s Trucker jacket made with Tencel denim. It’s classic, easy to size and a perfect layering piece for video meetings. The wash on this style is excellent for a double denim look or with leggings.
Domestika’s Embroidery: Clothing Repair Course
Anne Oudard, denim design consultant: For this holiday season, it would be great to gift an online class on visible mending. I believe the best denim items are already in our closets and repairing them is the ultimate way to show them the love they deserve. Mending my jeans and adding colorful embroideries to them is one of my favorite activities, and I’d like to share these skills with everyone.
White Weft’s Denim Cut-Off Slippers
Amy Leverton, founder and owner, Denim Dudes: We are still doing a lot of working from home, and now the weather is transitioning into slightly colder winter weather, meaning many are in need of a new pair of house shoes. Obviously, these are upcycled from denim offcuts and all made in my old hometown, London, by Janelle Hannah, a fellow denim dudette and small business owner.
Mi Cocina’s Classic Apron
Lucia Rosin, founder and head designer, Meidea: For a gift for the holidays, I highly recommend choosing something like a high-quality denim apron that is truly lasting and that can be in tune with the spirit of the holidays. This item checks all the boxes for a denim lover who cooks.