Our Story
In talking with artists, I saw how the Internet could help connect them with customers they wouldn't meet face-to-face.
In 1999, our founder, Dave Bolotsky, visited a craft show and was inspired to build something that had never existed before: an online marketplace to connect makers and their creations with shoppers looking for truly unique goods.
Over the last 26 years, we’ve grown to approximately 150 year-round team members with thousands of packages heading from our home in Brooklyn to customers across the country each day.
My first stop for gift shopping. Thanks for scouring the planet to find these little gems for us, and for being the kind of company I can feel good about supporting.
Our collection has grown from Dave's craft show finds to thousands of designs handpicked by our buying team, who search all year for unique goods from around the world. We also discover unique pieces through online submissions from our community of artists and designers. Thanks to our in-house product development team, we create our own goods, too.
Every design we carry incorporates elements of creativity. We look for goods that:
- Serve a purpose
- Solve a problem
- Stun us with their beauty
- Are handmade with exceptional craft and skill
- Use unusual, reclaimed, or recycled materials
- Are made without leather, feathers, or fur
- Make us wonder, “Why hasn't anyone thought of this before?”
Force For Good
Environmentally Conscious
- We use, and encourage our artists to use, recycled or sustainable materials whenever possible.
- We choose environmentally friendlier packing materials.
- Our catalog is printed on Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified paper.
- Our products have always been leather, feather, and fur-free.
Giving Back
We partner with non-profit organizations through our Better to Give program. With every purchase you make, we're proud to donate $1 to a partner of your choice ($2 for Perks members).
Since launching Better to Give in 2001, we've donated more than three million dollars to causes we care about.
Through our Better to Give program, we've helped support worthy organizations including American Forests and International Rescue Committee. Learn more about them here.