NYLON’s Booster Gift Guide 2021: That Woke Friend

How do you tell a social justice warrior that they are one without telling them that they are? Here’s a list of fitting gifts. Whether you side with cancel culture or not, you can’t deny that these people have admirable guts, and the compassion, to live out their beliefs — if they truly stand by that #woke hashtag that is.

This one’s for the responsible friend who’s always researching every purchase to make sure their conscious choices amount to something good. But who’s to say they can’t enjoy some well-brewed coffee or homemade ‘boocha — in an eco-friendly cup — or buttery soft sheets, made from ethically-sourced, organic cotton? Let them live it up a little.

HUSKEECUP – 8OZ NATURAL WITH LID
— $20, available at various retailers including The Editor’s Market, forewordcoffee.com and ingoodcompany.asia.

Sleek and designer-looking, the reusable coffee cup uses coffee husk as a raw material, a zero-waste approach that repurposes a by-product of the coffee bean extraction process. It’s also durable and dishwasher-friendly, while providing enough insulation to keep coffee hotter for longer while still feeling cool to the touch.

SHARP CAR ION GENERATOR 
— $239 from Sharp’s Lazada, Shopee and Qoo10 official stores and authorised retailers.

When you have a friend that’s worried about the air quality in the car, enter Sharp’s Car Ion Generator! This removes odours, filters PM10 dust, captures 80% of pollen and fine dust particles, and deodorises fast (this includes the smell of smoke and food).

VEJA V-10 LEATHER SNEAKERS
— $209, available at net-a-porter.com.

For conscious buyers, know that French sneaker brand Veja has a philosophy of social and environmental responsibility, so they make sure to work closely with factories to produce sneakers made with the best work practices. No slave labour here. Just as well, the V-10 sneakers are further made from responsibly-sourced leather and natural rubber directly from Seringueiro communities in the Amazon rainforest. With their signature ‘V’ logo and a clean design, these can be effortlessly incorporated into a capsule wardrobe too.

LEICA SHOPPER HENRI TOTE BAG
$40 from leica-store.sg.

Do you have one of those annoying friends who’ve joined the cult of Leica? Get them this. 

CLEVER COFFEE DRIPPER WITH PAPER FILTERS
— $39, available at bettrcoffee.com.

Speaking of discerning friends, if you know someone who’d turn up their noses at Nespresso machine-style coffee, and is still saving up for their own coffee machine, this is the perfect functional in-between. The Clever Coffee Dripper gives them an ideal pour-over brew where they get to savour the full aroma of the coffee grounds, and has an ingenious valve on the bottom allows you to hold hot water in the brew cone, so one has full control of the steeping process. All this for a clean, flavourful cuppa.

WHAT’S LOVE CO. MORNING MANTRA BOXERS
$36 from whatsloveco.com.

Nothing better than clothes that remind you to be kind, honest and humble.

KĀI TAKE HEART DECAL STICKER SET
— $12.90, available at iamkai.co.

With phrases that remind us to focus on being better, be okay with change, accept our flaws, and wean ourselves off social media, these water-resistant stickers are great to encourage a friend who’s been consistent with their bullet journalling habits.

AVOCADO ORGANIC YOGA MEDITATION PILLOW
— USD79, available at avocadogreenmattress.com.

Greta Thurnberg will appreciate how Avocado is the world’s first Climate Neutral mattress and furniture company, a commitment that’s extended to this Meditation pillow. Crafted from natural and organic vegan materials, including a buckwheat fill and a GOTS organic certified cotton cover; it’s also finished in Los Angeles, so every part of the supply chain is accounted for. Now your friend can truly meditate in peace!

SOJAO CLASSIC BUNDLE SET
— from $198, available at the SOJAO store and sojao.shop.

Local brand SOJAO impresses with their organic cotton bedsheets, that look great and feel great thanks to a minimalist aesthetic, while we know they’re focused on ethically-made materials too. The raw material for their GOTS-certified organic cotton is grown without harmful chemicals, which then produce longer-staple cotton fibres for stronger yarn and more durable fabric. It’s also hypoallergenic, while environmentally-friendly dyes are picked so that might cause less skin irritation. Overall, whoever gets this gift will love the incredibly soft and buttery smooth sheets, along with the entirely conscious chain of processes it took to get there.

WILD BOOCHA KOMBUCHA BREWING KIT
— $54.98, available at littlefarms.com.

You can say Singaporeans got just a little bit obsessed with the fermented tea drinks this year. And why not? It’s sweet and yummy, lightly effervescent so it’s refreshing on the tongue, and is rich in probiotics that does wonders for gut health. You’ll need a starter of bacteria and yeast, commonly called a SCOBY, to set off the full fermentation process — and a whole lot of other things that can be found in this brewing kit.

LUMEN METABOLIC TRACKING DEVICE
— from US$269 at lumen.me.

This gadget is the first handheld, portable metabolism tracking device that measures your real-time metabolism with just one breath. It connects to and analyses the data through the Lumen app, and will change the way you approach weight loss, fitness and healthy nutrition. Watch this for more info.

MYË CALYPSO SPORTS BRA
— $70, available at myeactive.com.

Those on the hunt for reliable, yet sustainable, athletic wear can turn to MYË, which offers sports bras and leggings made from recycled plastic bottles. Good to know: the brand’s first collection has already recycled around 4,500 plastic bottles, which have been turned into sports bras, leggings, and shorts made from post-consumer recycled PET plastic.  The brand goes even further by partnering with One Tree Planted so that a tree is planted for every order placed, making it even more enticing to shop their range of styles.

LANE EIGHT WOMEN’S TRAINER AD 1
— $170, available at laneeight.hk.

More conscious products for that conscious friends, and this time it’s running sneakers. Here, we’ve got LANE EIGHT, whose sneakers are made from recycled plastic bottles and other sustainable materials, such as vegan microfibre instead of leather, and an algae-based BLOOM foam instead of EVA in their midsoles. The Trainer AD 1 shoes are meant for active lifestyles,  and support all kinds of workouts, whether that’s HIIT training, a run or hike, or just an active day out in one’s sweats.

THE RITUAL + NET SUSTAIN THE MANIFESTOR RITUAL KIT
— $146, available at net-a-porter.com.

Founder of The Ritual, Brook Skinner, curated each kit with a specific intention in mind. For ‘The Manifestor’ kit, it contains an anointing oil infused with myrrh, frankincense and chamomile; a clear quartz crystal, a palo santo and sage bundle, and votive candle, all made with considered materials and meant to “amplify prosperity and abundance in all areas of your life”. If anything, your friend will enjoy this calm meditative journey this brings — one they actually need. 

WOMANIZER – PREMIUM ECO BIOLENE RECHARGEABLE CLITORIAL STIMULATER PINK
— $280, available at horny.sg.

Awaken your friend’s senses with this bioplastic pleasure toy. It’s made of Biolene — a bioplastic that’s made from 70% natural materials (mainly corn starch), making it biodegradable and recyclable!