Father’s Day is June 21st which sounds like plenty of time…until you (me?) realizes that the order-by date is something like June 14. Oof. And if you’ve ever stared blankly at a “Gifts for Him” search results page, spiraling…me too. Which is why we built this.

Our Grads & Dads Gift Shop is a hand-picked collection of gifts we’re genuinely excited to give – all from independent makers, small-batch brands, and designers who care about alllllll the details (like how something feels in your hand, for example). Instead of the usual ties, mugs, or gift cards, we’ve got a round-up of really cool, unique Father’s Day gift ideas from small businesses that, well, deserve our business, ya know?

And if a grad party invitation has recently landed in your inbox, scroll down. There’s a whole section for you.

Free shipping on orders over $100. Order by June 14 for guaranteed Father’s Day delivery.

Cool & Unique Father’s Day Gifts He’ll Actually Use (Tested On Our Guys)

These are the picks we’d give our own dads and husbands (and in many cases, we already have!).

1. For The Dad Who Loves To Cook: Calicutts Backyard Spice Set + Street Food Towel

Calicutts Summer Backyard Spice Set | Street Food Kitchen Towel

We spent the better part of an hour debating which *exact* spices should be put in our custom Father’s Day Backyard BBQ kit…and we regret nothing, haha. Calicutts is a small-batch, woman-owned spice company out of Mechanicsburg, PA (local!) that sources, grinds, and hand-mixes every blend with real ingredients only. No fillers or anti-caking agents (bleh), just spices (they happen to be dairy-free, too, even the Ranch).

This spice set makes a really good pairing with our Street Food kitchen towel. If your guy is serious in the kitchen, he’ll definitely appreciate a French Jacquard kitchen towel from Garnier Thiebaut – I’ve been using them for decades, there’s literally nothing better. Garnier Thiebaut has been making kitchen linens since 1833(!!), and even had their factory bombed in WWII (fun fact for the WWII buffs). While most french jacquard kitchen towels have, like, idk lavendar on them, this one says STREET FOOD and has a picture of a hamburger, fries, and a shake – very manly. 🙂

Street Food Kitchen Towel | Calicutts Summer Backyard Spice Set

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2. For The Sometimes-Rebellious Dad (With A Few Vices): Hand-Made Pewter Matchbox

Spark a Revolution Matchbox

This beauty is hand-wrought in pewter in Beehive Handmade’s Rhode Island studio. It’s inspired by Revolutionary War-era designs – etched with “Spark a REVOLUTION” on the front, and when you open it, there’s a reminder that feels surprisingly, perfectly timely: No More Kings. It comes loaded with 100 matches and a striker plate on the side, so it’s as practical as it is stunning. A keepsake for the dad who’s always been a little bit rebellious, enjoys a few vices from time-to-time, or anyone who could use a reminder that the revolution starts small.

Light the match.

Spark a Revolution Matchbox

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3. For The Conference-Call-Stress-Scroller: ONO Fidget Roller

ONO Fidget Roller + Keychain Set

I handed MikeD this acupressure fidget roller and he…never gave it back. It’s become the way he takes his high-pressure phone calls (or, frankly, almost all phone calls for that matter) – the fidget is always in play. Happily, these fidgets come with their own, cool case with an attachment to easily pop onto a keyring or backpack. And if you’re guy doesn’t want the textured acupressure, they’re also available in a soft-touch roller that’s really satisfying, too.

ONO Fidget Roller + Keychain Set

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4. For The Guy Who Wouldn’t Buy It For Himself: Man Oil Shave Oil

Mayron’s Goods White Ale Man Oil

I LOVE the scent on this one: Citrus forward, but with a hint of sexy spice. Man Oil can be used as a pre-shave (to get a closer shave), but – my favorite – it’s made from all natural, clean ingredients, too, so it can be used as a subtle aftershave. And if your guy has a beard, it’s a fantastic beard conditioner. Best of all, this product is made by Mayron’s Goods; a father-daughter duo focused on clean, small-batch skincare!

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5. For The Dad Whose Towels Are Older Than His Kids: Typical Stretch Towel

Typical Stretch Bath Towel In Stripes

We got these towels in glamorous polka-dot first (again, for Mother’s Day), and then found that our husbands were stealing them at such an annoying rate that we ended up bringing in this seriously cool ‘offset stripe‘ just for them. Typical Towels are made from a heavyweight, OEKO-TEX® certified cotton, with the tiiiniest bit of stretch. The stretch means that however you choose to wrap your towel (your hair, your body or – for the guys – around their waist to shave) these towels actually stay put.

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6. For The Dad Who Appreciates The Finer Things: Sobremesa Candle

Hara Home Sobremesa Candle

While I’m not usually into candles-as-gifts, for Mother’s Day this year Hara Home Sobremesa Candle was the one thing I wanted. I’ve been keeping it in the living room – it smells like sunlight and a summer garden – and, oddly enough, it’s my husband who has been lighting it nonstop. In fact, one of the boys tried to squirrel it away into their room and Mike was all, “HEY. WHERE DID THAT ONE CANDLE GO?”

Made by the woman-owned brand Hara Home from a natural coconut, soy, and beeswax blend with a botanical fragrance composition – phthalate-free, lead-free wick, the real deal. It’s great.

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Beyond Cash: Unique & Thoughtful Grad Gifts They Can Use

While graduation ceremonies may be wrapping up, parties often run all the way through June and presents can reasonably be given all summer. (Thank goodness – per usual, I’m behind.) While most grads I know just want cash…here are a few small (and medium) gifts that a recent grad will use and LOVE.

1. For The Grad Setting Up A Happy New Space: Verloop Throw Blanket

Verloop Color Patch Throw Blanket

So this one elicited a gasp from the group when we first saw it – it’s that cheery. Made from a mix of new and repurposed deadstock yarn, it has a little stretch to it and is impossibly soft without being heavy – the kind of blanket one could use in both July and December. This happy thing will do more for a dorm room’s vibe than any string light ever could. (Full disclosure: a bunch of us have it in our living rooms now, too. It just changes the feel of a space.) For the grad setting up somewhere new – this is the one.

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2. For The Grad Who Will Roll Out Of Bed And Rush To Class: Cute Scrunchie

Rosette Scrunchie

If the apple didn’t fall far from the tree (haha)…gift the grad one of our locally-made scrunchies from Room Shop. These are saving many a messy bun or ponytail and make getting ready for class soooo much faster. Available in Rosette Scrunchie (pictured above), Cloud Ruffle (pictured below), as well as a Giant Cloud and Giant Satin version, too.

Cloud Ruffle

My personal favorite is the Rosette Scrunchie, the Cloud Ruffle is great for ponytails or simply messy buns (as pictured), and I’ve found that the Giant Cloud and Giant Satin scrunchies are epic if she loves to wear a big, messy bun on the top of her head. (But you really can’t go wrong with any of them!)

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3. For Their First Real Apartment (or Heck – Dorm): Typical Stretch Towels

Typical Stretch Bath Towel In Stripes

I’m getting my grad a set of these Typical Stretch Towels. There’s actually two different stripe colorways – ‘two tone multicolor’ and ‘indecisive stripe’ – which is pretty aptly named: we couldn’t decide between the two, so now we’re carrying both. I actually think they make a really cool set together. Not only do these towels stay put, but we have them on good authority (oh hi, Kat) that they’re plus-size approved, too.

Typical Stretch Bath Towel In Stripes

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4. For The Grad Who Can’t Sit Still: ONO Fidget Magnets

ONO Signet Fidget Magnets

We LOVE these fidget magnets – and so do you, because we can barely keep them in stock. These are incredibly well made, feel soooo good in your hand, and are completely addicting. Both of my boys (and my husband) absolutely love theirs. They come in a bunch of different colors and come in a really nice case. The whole thing feels like a very fancy present.

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5. for the Grad Who’s About to Go Everywhere: Our Travel Kit

TME flight kit

Whether your grad is flying home for the first time solo, backpacking through Europe this summer, or just navigating their first work trip without texting you from the security line (sob!) – this travel kit will make their adventures much more comfortable. Developed after years of testing, this kit contains the *exact* products we swear by when flying.

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6. For The New Chapter: Gry Mattr Poete Notebooks

Notebook

I love the cheeky sayings on these notebooks. “Do More Things That Make You Forget To Check Your Phone!” is Pax’s pick, and Raines likes the snarkier, “I want a coffee, a tattoo, and a vacation”. These are really well-made notebooks (they feel so good in your hands), and I especially love that they’re designed to lay completely flat – great for artists and left-handers, alike.

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Why shop small for Father’s Day and Graduation?

Because mass-market gifts are easy to forget! Every brand in our Grads & Dads shop – Beehive Handmade, Calicutts, Mayron’s Goods, ONO, Typical, Gry Mattr, Pomegranate, Room Shop, and Verloop – is run by makers who care deeply about how something feels in your hand. You’re giving a thoughtful gift and supporting a small business in one go.

Happy gifting, everyone!

Shop the full Grads & Dads collection, here!

xo,

S