Welcome to the 2012 Well Spent Holiday Gift Guide. Like the 40 Under $40 guide from last year, and the 25 Under $25 guide from the year before that, the following is a collection of goods that are not only affordable and US / first-world made, but also offer some utility, and will last. I’ll be posting 10 products a day for the next five days, so keep checking back. Here’s to a healthy and sane holiday season. Read More »

Okay, seriously, the strap set-up on these Tembea School Bags is genius. Pull it one way and you’ve got a tote, pull it the other and, boom, a backpack. So, basically, you’re getting two bags in one. Which actually takes a bit of the sting out of the price, if you think about it. That they look fantastic, are handcrafted in Japan and will last forever helps too. Read More »

And now, the most affordable pair of Japanese-made jeans I’ve ever seen. The brand’s called Senio. The jeans are made in Okayama Prefecture out of 13 oz., unsanforized red-line selvedge denim. The details include a button fly, copper rivets, contrast bartacks and stitched logo. The fit is slim-straight. And the price is a mind-bogglingly reasonable $150.00 per. Read More »

What’s on sale RIGHT NOW.

Yes, I realize these Sunny Sports slip-ons aren’t for everyone, but, if you are one of the ones they’re for, take note: Brooklyn’s Smith + Butler has ‘em and they’re 40% off. The details: canvas upper, rubber sole, made in Japan, and fan-freaking-tastic looking (IMO, of course). Rumor has it they run big, so order accordingly. Read More »

Turns out Southern Field Industries founder Manabu Okada doesn’t just make great bags, he makes great wallets too. His newly-released Stud and Flap wallets are handsewn – by the man himself – out of Japanese vegetable-tanned leather and artificial sinew. Unique, attractive, and built to last, the heirloom quality keepers are sure to be a favorite part of your EDC for years to come. Read More »

In crazy well-made chinos news (’cause that’s totally a thing): the Chino Trousers from Studio D’Artisan are expertly crafted in Japan, from raw (ie, unwashed) 100% cotton twill. Slim but not skinny, and understated as can be, the pants are a high-quality, no frills go-to, that you can keep on going to for years to come. Three colors are available, and you can get ‘em all at Blue in Green. Read More »

The Denim Work Shirt from Spellbound is meticulously handcrafted in Japan out of artisan-made, 100% cotton denim from the country’s famed Okayama Prefecture. An updated version of a work wear classic, the shirt features double chest pockets, point collar, Corozo buttons, triple needle stitching, a soft washed feel, and a contemporary slim fit. You can get it from Rakuten for about $100 less than everywhere else. Just make sure to check the measurements, as it does run small. Read More »