With less than 4 weeks until Christmas, the pre-holiday panic is starting to set in. Juggling the diary has become like Tetris with post-lockdown holiday parties. We’ve channeled our inner Bronwyn Taylor just to pull together a covid-safe Christman lunch. And struggling to remember who all our relatives and friends are - let alone getting them a present - is prompting a mass wine and candle order from Amazon.
And while UNSW Founders can’t help you avoid another monologue by Uncle Leo about why Apollo 13 should have won Best Picture in 1995 as you pour yourself another eggnog, we can help guide you to some fantastic local gift options, all sold by startups from the UNSW Founders community!
Forcite MK1 Smart Helmet - $1299 AUD
For the rev-heads in your life, look no further that the Forcite MK1 Smart Helmet. After a bad fall going through an oil slick on his motorbike, Forcite co-founder Alfred Boyadgis turned this “lucky accident” into a world-first, tech enabled smart helmet that has the power to significantly reduce the number of motorcycle accidents and save lives. The MK1 looks slick to boot, so keep your loved-ones stylish and safe while on their holiday joy-rides.
Shop here.
Mobilization Magic Tool - $69 AUD
After the last two years of WFH, many of us are feeling aches and pains in areas we never realised where there. That is where Mobilization Magic comes to the rescue! Developed by award winning Physiotherapist Peter Gregory, this patient-pending manual massage tool uses body-weigh pressure to unlock the blockages that injuries or over-use have caused. Spring into the New Year feeling like a new you!
Shop here.
Blisstil SleepMuffs - $149 AUD
SleepMuffs by Blisstil are the world's first and only pain free, sound-blocking neck pillow. With super comfy neck support and high-quality foam that reduces outside noise by 33 dB, this is the perfect gift for the person in your life who just cannot wait to get back on a plane... or for those who want to take a peaceful post-lunch nap while the kids play with their new Christmas toys!
Shop here.
Watch Tash conduct an official unboxing of Blisstil Sleep Muffs here.
Parking by Share with Oscar – from $2 AUD
We all have that someone who is constantly in a rush, driving from meetings to the gym, out for lunch and then back to the office while stopping at the dry-cleaners on the way. So why not help them out by shouting them some credit on Share with Oscars easy-to-use parking app. With car spaces across Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane, it might even come in handy on a holiday road trip!
Shop here.
TimeChi - $158 AUD
Why not give the greatest, most precious gift of all? Your time! A groundbreaking focus and productivity tool, TimeChi was created by founder Sean Greenhalg after he found himself, once again, without time on his side and on the cusp of burning out. With a beautiful one-click interface, TimeChi is ideal for helping at home and office workers alike get into deep focus work quickly and more often.
Shop here.
Striking Cell by Yenesthae - $1990 AUD
With a recent Good Design Award under their belt, Yenesthae have created the most luxurious boxing experience by for the at-home gym-lover. Yenesthae’s ‘Striking Cell’ is more a piece of designer furniture to be displayed in your loungeroom than gyn equipment to hide in the garage. Best of all, the Striking Cell reduces your risk of injury and can be used without gloves, so a perfect gift for someone just starting their martial arts journey.
Shop here.
Sustainable Starter Bundle by Little Pepino - $99 AUD
Created with a selection of Little Pepino’s best sellers, this kitchen bundle is perfect for those looking to make a start at reducing their waste. Thanks to this set you'll never throw out veggie scraps, baking paper or plastic dish brushes again. That is right, even the dish brushes are compostable!
Shop here.
Kua Coffee Starter Kit - $80 AUD
Nothing is nicer than waking up late on Boxing Day, heating up a piece of left-over pie and sipping on some good coffee. Make sure that coffee experience is not only good for the drinker, but good for the world by gifting a Kua Coffee Starter Kit. Coming with 500g of Kua Classic coffee, the Starter Kit is sent with the option of an AeroPress or Bialetti Moka stovetop pot.
Shop here.
Botanic Hub
Get your new year’s resolutions sorted by Christmas with Botanic Hub, which delivers chef-curated, plant-based bowls, bites and beverages ready to go. Delivered fresh and to your door to selected postcodes throughout Sydney, this is a meal plan guaranteed to get your healthy in 2022.
Shop here.
RePlated lunchbox
Win the war on waste with a RePlated lunchbox, the meal-time answer to keep cups! A Certified B Corp (Benefit Corporation), RePlated recently won the Circle Award, in recognition of their efforts to power the circular economy. The concept is simple: buy a RePlated lunch box, bring it to your local takeaway, eat, clean, and repeat.
It’s a clever and inexpensive way to end single use plastics in the food industry, and is available to individuals, food vendors, and workplaces.
Shop here.
Socks for a Good Cause: Conscious Step & Overdue Studio
Ah, socks. Long the standby gift of last-minute Christmas shoppers at a loss for what to buy dad, a brother, or simply a sock-loving friend or family member. This Christmas, make your sock purchases with purpose, with Conscious Step and Overdue Studio, both sock startups founded by UNSW graduates – profits go towards charitable causes and climate action respectively.
Conscious Step: https://consciousstep.com/
Overdue Studio: https://www.etsy.com/au/shop/overduestudio
Lactamo
Finally, a Christmas gift for a very specific market – the new mums in your life! The award-winning and world-first Lactamo Ball helps breastfeeding mothers unblock milk ducts, stimulate milk production and flow, relieves swelling and fights off infection.
Shop here.