Given the countless options of products to give as gifts for the holidays, we shoppers easily get overwhelmed and sometimes even feel buyer’s remorse when we see a better deal than what we already bought!

Here’s a secret: I have a soft spot for local brands, and getting homegrown products for my family and friends for Christmas is a must! There’s something about local products that’s more personal and intimate knowing that they were designed, produced, and created by fellow Filipinos.

This Christmas, let’s spread cheer by supporting these Filipino brands! Trust me – there’ll be no buyer’s remorse ever!

As a full-time mom and corporate working girlie, I am continuously on the hunt for clothes that can be both dressy and fun, suitable for both day and night outfits. Candid clothing provides exactly that: versatile tops that are reversible, and are appropriate for office corporate meetings and dinner we should all make time for this season.

By getting your family and friends Candid clothing, you also get to support seamstresses in urban poor communities. Samantha Dizon, founder of Candid, shares that she grew up with her seamstress lola, who served as her inspiration to learn sewing for her to start her own clothing line and to support local seamstresses.

One of my favorite tandems for a small business is that of a mother and daughter. Mailen and Sofee Guanio made Goknotswithsofee, a local brand that offers knitted sweaters, tops, and accessories such as earrings! This is perfect for gifting as the cold weather comes with Christmas season. When asked how it all started, Mailen Guanio credits this to family:

“I learned to crochet and knit when I was in grade school. Every so often, in our house, my grandmas and grand-aunts would gather from different parts of the world. Being with them while they knit, crochet, and cross-stitch sort of influenced me a lot. Eventually, as I got older it became a hobby and stress reliever. It was only during the pandemic that I started to discover being able to make other stuff aside from glass coasters. And through social media I was able to see a while new world in crocheting and knitting.”

There really is a feeling of comfort in knitted products. It kind of feels dressing in warm hugs!

Take the holiday sparkle to a new level with a local jewelry line!

Filipina jeweler Shelly Mae Macatangay’s passion for fine jewelry was influenced by her mom, who gifted her an heirloom ring. According to Shelly, “receiving that ring was really sentimental knowing it had accompanied them through significant milestones in their lives and right at that moment, it marked my own transition into womanhood.” Now, she offers that same feeling through every piece of Hiraya Fine Jewelry.

Before recommending a product, I make sure to try it on myself first. I rarely have time for full make-up coverage, so I use a reliable lippie that can double as blush. What I like about Pili Ani is that it has a natural finish. It’s also gentle on my cheeks and leaves no blemishes.

This local skin care line was also put up by a mother-daughter tandem. It was born from the passion and vision of founder Rosalina Tan who spent over two decades in organic farming. Who knew that she could turn something frequently discarded – the pili fruit skin – into a transformative ingredient for skincare! Her daughter, Mary Jane Tan Ong, learned that Philippine Elemi is an ingredient in a high-end French skincare brand for its powerful anti-aging benefits. Together, they brought pili and elemi in the market to create a skincare line that’s proudly Filipino – Pili Ani PH.

As a mom of one active little girl, two of the things I consider for my daughter’s clothes are comfort and durability. Local brand Smocktini ticks both boxes! I like that these smocks are available for both girls and boys, and their charming designs remind me of endearing Disney movies.

Owned by a former banker turned full time mom of two littles Mara Bitanga, Smocktini is a brand that was born almost at the same time when Mara’s daughter was born. Together with her sister Mavi who co-owns the business, she tirelessly scouted locally for smocked clothing for children, “but mostly came across made to order designs with long wait times, mall pullouts, factory rejects or overruns of foreign smocked brands which sparked the idea of starting our own brand of smocked clothing.”

What other homegrown brands do you think deserves the spotlight this Christmas? Share them with us in the comments section below!