Taiwan-based Kimu Design Studio creates products that combine western innovation with traditional eastern design culture. The New Old Light combines a rugged industrial-style shade with the more delicate aesthetics of a Chinese lantern. The aluminium lampshade is painted to resemble porcelain and the paper lantern can be adjusted for different lighting effects.
kimudesign.com

With smart packaging courtesy of Aussie design firm Parallax, Joto (meaning “highest level” in Japanese) has cooked up a range of rice wines that taste as good as they look. The New York-based firm has selected stock from two of the eight Japanese breweries from which it has run its export business since 2005.
jotosake.com

We’ve been waxing lyrical about the letter-pressed labels, iron-branded cork covers and all-cotton wick of Circle 21’s Texas-made candles. “We saw a need for clean, fresh-smelling candles,” says co-founder Janet Coffman. Each soy-wax creation comes in a glass case made from recycled wine bottles.
circle21candles.com,
suchandsuch.co

Daniel Michalik’s wooden boats function both as toy and tableware. Under the cork bridge is a compartment for children to smuggle playthings in – or cooks to store condiments. Each craft is hand cut from east-coast hardwood in Michalik’s Brooklyn studio. “I wanted to translate my fascination with nautical forms in the most basic way,” he says.
danielmichalik.com

Trading since 1857, Klein Tools was first known for its faultless pliers. The family affair is now branching out with this range of tool bags, which are manufactured in the US from heavy canvas and leather and are equipped with steel-framed rims. They come with up to 17 interior pockets and are available in a range of sizes.
kleintools.com

Designers Jean Lee and Dylan Davis launched Ladies & Gentlemen Studio in 2009. Their Seattle-based operation champions manufacturers from the Pacific Northwest and produces items ranging from lighting to kitchenware. This brass-based hand mirror is a good reflection of their success so far. “Our goal is to remain a small operation but continue to expand our reach,” says Lee.
ladiesandgentlemenstudio.com

Belfast-based LOFT Trading hand-weaves these pocket squares from Irish-grown flax and Shetland wool. “We love fabrics, colours and patterns,” says the company’s director, Chris Tyndall. We’d accessorise with this hand-cut Windsor Avenue pochette with navy, teal and grey detailing.
loft-trading.com

This exclusive cuvée was founded by artist André Saraiva, champagne professional Fabien Gay and entrepreneurs Fabien Moreau and Alexandre Sap. The quartet has launched three vintages in limited quantities and plans to release its first sparkling rosé early this year.
arteis.co

Marco Murillo launched The Good Flock in 2009 after eight years spent at Nike. The Portland-based brand makes all its products within 50km of its studio. “We’ll continue to focus on making a few great products and replace those that don’t meet the mark,” says Murillo. This elegant tote is made from domestically sourced cotton and features a vegetable-tanned leather handle.
thegoodflock.com

The Little Boy lamp was named after the nuclear fuel used in the first atomic bomb – the uranium of which was produced in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, where the lamp’s designer Robert Zurn was born. The Florida-based design studio makes nine lamps and has four more mooted for this year. “What we make and how we make it will definitely expand in scope and scale,” says co-founder (and Zurn’s wife) Brenda.
damm-design.com

After launching ceramic tableware brand Hasami in 2010, Kyohei Baba’s latest project Monohara is a collaboration with US typographic design agency House Industries. The collection includes ovenproof plates and bowls in five sizes as well as a teapot and teacups.
hasamiyaki.jp/monohara

Japanese glassware giant Hario’s hand-cranked grinder is elegant and clever too. While the heat produced by an electric grinder can warp the flavour of coffee beans, this acrylic model’s internal mill remains cool. The ceramic burrs deliver a consistent grind without transferring the taste of metal to the drink.
hario.co.uk

From explaining where the sun goes at night to what exactly stars are made of, this handsomely illustrated book introduces inquisitive tots to the wonders of space. Chronicling the exploits of moon-walking moggy Astro Cat, author Dr Dominic Walliman and illustrator Ben Newman’s book is the perfect gift for young stargazers.
flyingeyebooks.com

Founded by Central Saint Martins graduates Martin Batt and Carolina Andreoli, Oslo-based brand The Creatørs Club is expanding beyond its clothing range to serve as a platform for creative collaborations. We like these Sjø & Land embroidered badges, each of which represents a tale from the great outdoors.
thecreatorsclub.no