As we round out the year, MOLD is back with another edition of our annual gift guide. Once again, we’ve gathered the writers, artists, and designers behind MOLD to provide their recommendations for all of your gift-giving needs this holiday season. For the window-sill gardener we have an olfactorily photorealistic tomato perfume from our friends at Cactus Store or a pair of perfect pruning scissors. Meanwhile, for the graphic designer-cum-at-home-cook we have a plethora of cookbooks as well as a sleek wall organizer to display all of your chef-grade tools. And for those who like to keep their hands busy, there’s a stunning selection of Tatreez kits from Palestinian embroidery artist Amanne Sharif as well as a petal-based natural dye kit.
This year as we put together the gift guide, we couldn’t help but reflect on the concept of “gift alchemy”. First posited in a conversation published over at are.na between MOLD contributors Lexi Visco and Calvin Rocchio of Companion Platform, Meg Miller, as well as Laurel Schwulst, the notion of “gift alchemy” reframes the gift as a seed, a container, a vessel for relation. This reframing decenters consumption as an end point, proposing in its stead, abundance as a starting point. If a gift can be all of these things (and more!), then perhaps our gift guide can be a love letter. Here, you’ll find the recommendations of contributors who have written, created, and hosted workshops alongside us this year. We’re infinitely grateful to be joined by the voices of those who make our community stronger, and grateful to our readers as well for being a part of this dialogue, too. With this list, we reiterate two questions that were first posed by Calvin: What is a gift? And what can a gift become?
For The Kitchen
The good people of Lichen NYC know good design. The hangi.tutti by Alvaro Ucha Rodriguez is versatile in form and function, and it’s fun to rearrange the composition of the wall hanger as it evolves from project to project. –Joey Han
Radical Tea Towels – £14.50+
Tea towels in the UK (I guess they’re known as dish rags in the US) have huge, largely forgotten cultural and political significance – during the Industrial Revolution politically radical messages and images were printed on them to spread the word of the growing unions and fight for women’s suffrage. Though many working-class people could not read or had access to books, the tea towel was a staple home item that could be easily circulated. What better way to spread a bit of left-leaning festive hope during a time of growing populism and fascism! –Julia Georgallis
Expand your dinner menu with easy, yet elaborate recipes from chef Eric Tambe. Inspired by the strong women in his life, particularly his mother and grandmother, he carries forward their culinary magic and traditions from the South, Texas, and West Africa, specifically Cameroon. –Stephen Reid
Feast both your eyes and taste buds with this cookbook, which offers a curated selection of recipes paired along side an illustration. It’s divided into four categories: breakfast, lunch, dinner, and dessert – so I’m pretty sure there’s something for everyone in there! It was a collaboration by 36 international artists (of which I’m honored to be part of) and Jumbo Press in Barcelona. It’s a hard-bound book printed entirely in riso using 7 colors. –Jose Flores
Somnath Bhatt Print Set – $200
I chose the prints because I haven’t released any artwork in a while – you can purchase one or as a set. They are limited edition of 20 so available only during this season. They are four ink colors and you can’t tell in photos but in person there is a special coating of mica dust so they shimmer. –Somnath Bhatt
For The Mind
MOLD Complete Archive – $185
If you’ve ever wanted a copy of MOLD’s debut print magazine here’s your chance. We just wrapped our complete cycle of publishing a print magazine and now you can give or get the full archive of seven years of MOLD in a beautifully designed box. 800+ pages of editorial content plus the poetry insert included in Issue 6. There’s only 200 box sets (and it’s the only way to purchase our first two issues) so don’t sleep! –LinYee Yuan
2025 Calendar – €20
It’s the perfect gift for anyone who loves to stay organized and appreciates paper and illustration. Each calendar is carefully printed by hand at home on beautiful, fiber-textured colored paper. –Sarah Mafféïs
A beautiful collection of spiritual posters, quotes, and design explorations from House of Gul design studio. Made to inspire the creative process and help illuminate the inner world through artistic expression. –Ali Godil
This is the perfect kit for the newbie natural dyer. Simply pour hot water into your jar and wait! In 30 min to an hour, you will have dye-namic naturally dyed socks to keep you warm this winter. The kit comes with organically grown marigolds, logwood & ground madder root and one-size-fits-all bamboo socks in a reusable mason jar. It’s great as a stocking stuffer too. –Cara Piazza
Wild Plant Culture – $39.99
A super comprehensive and expressive guidebook on the ecology, culture, and stewardship of edible and medicinal native plants of the Northeast. In addition to in-depth practical knowledge, it offers much needed hope for humans to once again become agents of positive ecological change. –Michael Cafiero
These beautifully curated tatreez kits are a great way to celebrate the rich Palestinian culture currently undergoing erasure under occupation, while also educating and sharing the gift of art and craft. It is a gift that not only inspires a tradition of resilience and resistance but also a gift that will give a lifetime of knowledge and inspiration. – Sam Sundos
Mossery 2025 Planner – $30
A great way to start the new year off is to get a new year planner! It’s a collaboration between the stationery brand Mossery and me. My two illustrations “Beyond Sight” and “Desert Flower” contributed as the covers of the planners. –Mellow Yue Li
Rose Los Angeles Edibles – $40+
Rose works with California farmers and chefs to produce THC and CBD edibles based on Turkish delights. Their approach is ingredient-driven, using seasonal fruits and flowers to craft a growing selection of treats through processes that preserve their beneficial properties, grown mainly by local farms using regenerative practices. Recent collaborations include a Mint Cucumber, Mulberry, Watermelon, Lemon release supporting Thamra in Palestine, which is currently on waitlist—but they’re always cooking: both seasonal and evergreen boxes of delights, chocolates, capsules, a container to store them, and even waxed cotton garden wear. –Miguel Gaydosh
For The Table
Fort Standard Stacking Candle Holder – $180
Cleverly designed to fit both tapers and tealights, as well as catch watch drippings, the machined brass is as satisfying right out the box as it will be after years of use bring patina, wax, dings and scratches. –Eliza Axelson-Chidsey
I had my first sampling of Laurie Ellen’s crackers during a cotton-spinning workshop at Oko Farms and have been thinking of them ever since. The former Tartine pastry chef’s perfectly buttery, seed-embedded cheddar crackers offer a nice alternative to the caramel popcorn tins and fancy nuts so common of snacking during this season (though if that’s your jam, Laurie Ellen also offers a few delicious candied and spiced nut options!). –Isabel Ling
Unified Ferments – $26+
This is the second year that Unified Ferments has earned a spot on MOLD’s annual gift guide—and for good reason! These beautifully designed bottles are one of my favorite beverages to bring to a dinner party. With a flavor palette that emphasizes single-origin teas, this kombucha is delicate, crisp and juicy. It’s the perfect non-alcoholic beverage to pair with a meal with friends or as a treat, enjoyed alone. I love the Wen Sha Bao Zhong, which draws its bright, well-balanced florals from an oolong produced in northern Taiwan. –Isabel Ling
Barrel-aged and family-made, this soy sauce is still brewed using the same recipe and techniques the Okada family started making it with 260 years ago. And you can taste it in every drop! Rich, sweet, funky, and deep; this is the perfect gift for anyone interested in flavours, fermentation, or food in general. –Barney Pau
For The Garden
Vicia Faba Seed Packet – $10
“Vicia Faba” is a seed packet containing a single fava seed and five plant stakes. The fava bean (Vicia faba) is a world unto itself; it contains the promise of many seeds which each carry with them the possible proliferation of seed gifting and exchange! Read Companion-Platform’s interview with Meg Miller and Laurel Schwulst about the idea of gift alchemy here. – Companion-Platform
Higurashi Scissors – $48
Beautifully designed carbon steel gardening scissors for cut flowers, herbs, dead-heading, bonsai, and light pruning. Almost irresistible to use. –Michael Cafiero
For The Body
MEALS Chef Pants – $170
Coming in colors from liquorice to blue cheese to kale with pockets optimized for home and professional cooking. I often will forgo an apron for a pair of these. –Adriana Gallo
In my opinion, the only photorealistic scent encapsulating the walk to the tomato patch, trimming suckers, picking tomatoes from the vine or gleaning fallen ones, and the hot hot sun on wet earth and tomato vines. Formulated by designers Nina Mross, Becca Rosen, and Sofia Londoño, with Saskia Wilson-Brown at the Institute for Art and Olfaction. –Adriana Gallo
Nablus Soap by Palestinian Soap Cooperative – $3.50–$6
These olive oil soaps are rich and silky, lightly fragrant, and made with simple, gentle ingredients. They can be used on your face, hair, and body. They are all produced by family-owned businesses in Nablus: you can choose one from a variety or opt for a mixed box of six bars to find your favorites! –Orla Keating-Beer
Nam Stool – $90
The plastic stool, or ghế đẩu, is a ubiquitous object sprinkled all over the streets of Vietnam and many other parts of Southeast Asia. Not only is it affordable and stackable, it’s also become an integral part of gathering, feasting, and drinking with friends or by oneself on a quick lunch break. Designed and made in Vietnam by Soulvenir and Jellyfish, the Nam Stool is solid-frame sterling silver 925 and can be worn around your neck, on an earring, or displayed on your desk. Visit Soulvenir’s flagship store if you ever find yourself in Saigon and read more about the anthropology of chair design here. –Kristi Huynh
A scarf is more than an accessory: it is a versatile piece of cloth used to shroud, swaddle, wrap, and adorn. The Crossroads Scarf design interweaves the colors and symbols of the African diaspora including the motif of the humble black-eyed pea. The scarf is made from super soft cotton perfect for all seasons and is sustainably produced in India. Designed in Brooklyn by Studio Senjeh. –Rachael Louise Elliot
There’s a lot of streetwear brands that try to 1) replicate and pander to high fashion inaccessibility and 2) are simply not that interesting. Most Wanted Worldwide redefines the streetwear model with radical politics at the helm and not to mention; everything they make has an utterly sharp humor. –Jaylen Strong
These hand painted beads and other assorted stones provide a wearable modern art look for your wrist. Edas, founded by creative director Sade Mims, is a small brand currently based in New York City. I love how Sade’s style and confidence is reflected in this brand! –Indigo Goodson-Fields
Kiacor – Bantu Print Athleisure – $42 (top) $45 (bottom)
Athleisure doesn’t have to be boring! Kiacor is a BIPOC woman-owned brand dedicated to making athleisure apparel that moves all body types. Created and run by a talented executive producer, Nakia Williams-Richardson. –Stephen Reid
A hidden gem from Thailand. The incense is made from 100% pure & natural coconuts blended with a very calming scent. –Mellow Yue Li
Encase Seed Necklaces – $60
Glass necklaces filled with heirloom seeds to break in case of an emergency. Created in response to disrupted ecosystems and dwindling seed biodiversity. While they are small, they are some of the most precious materials on earth. They are our anchors to the future. They deserve reverence, intimacy, and care. –Lily Consuelo Saporta Tagiuri
In Service of Community
Storm Books & Candy – Prices range
Storm Books & Candy, is a SWANA-inspired bookstore in Brooklyn with a focus on art, design, poetry, and ecology titles. Storm spotlights a wide array of books, events, and workshops written and hosted by SWANA artists at a time when many voices in the community are encountering censorship around sharing their lived experiences. Storm, owned and operated by Nour Sabbagh, is giving these artists, past and present, a platform while educating a larger community looking to learn about a rich and beautiful culture. –Sam Sundos
Rewilding with World Land Trust – Sliding scale
’Tis the season to be jolly, and ’tis also the season to be confronted with the realization that there’s no ethical consumption under capitalism and no gift that isn’t overtly extractive. Rewilding is an impactful way to address the harm caused by deforestation, urbanization, and overconsumption. Give someone the gift of truly giving back to the planet by rewilding in their name. For a sliding scale, you can plant a single tree or sponsor a plot of land, helping restore ecosystems and biodiversity –Ludwig Hurtado
