Swinburne Holiday Gift Guide

This time of year can be busy, with work wrapping up and the holiday season approaching fast. To help ease the stress, we've put together a list of gifts for everyone and every budget, all from Swinburne affiliated small businesses.

Cristina Re

Swinburne alum Cristina Re’s new Christmas Collection is now available. This limited-edition ‘La Belle Noel’ range is glittering with gold and decorated with festive motifs, hand illustrated by Cristina Re. Cristina Re has a variety of products you can explore including tea ware, cutlery, mugs and glassware.  

Image provided by Cristina Re

The Little Book of Cosmic Catastrophes (That Could End the World)

Swinburne astronomy lecturer Sara Webb has recently published a book titled ‘The Little Book of Cosmic Catastrophes (That Could End the World)’. This book looks at astronomical conundrums, turning complex ideas into easy-to-digest segments. It explores the beginnings of earth, what could happen at any time, from asteroids attacks to alien invasions, and what the future of the Universe could bring.

Image provided by Sara Webb

Lood

Swinburne alum Lucy Norbury, Oscar Thomson and Lucy Callahan all collaborate together at Lood. Lood is a group of craftspeople who have a passion for creating objects. These include a luxurious bottle opener, an intuitive plant organiser, a tray made of wrapped metal and a flat-packed rocking chair.

Image provided by Lood

Samantha Curcio

Swinburne alum Samantha Curcio is an author and illustrator who has a range of products online and at a few retail stores in Victoria. Her illustrations have appeared on wall hooks, tampon boxes, children’s books, rugs and hats.  Shop her posters, prints, children’s height charts, greeting cards and more at her online store.

Image provided by Samantha Curcio

Bourke St The Label

Dog parents would love a gift from Bourke St The Label! Swinburne alum Sarah Macleod found that there was a gap in the pet accessory market when buying accessories for her pet Pomeranian, Chilli. She was looking for something contemporary that would complement her own wardrobe when they were out for a walk. On the Bourke St The Label website you can shop the look or buy individual products including dog leads, dog collars, waste bag holders, dog bandanas and even a wedding lead and collar set.

Image provided by Bourke St The Label

Quad Lock 

For the adventurer in your life look no further than Quad Lock. Quad Lock co-founder and Swinburne alum Chris Peters enjoyed the outdoors, from exploring mountains on foot to deserts in the car, with his friend and co-founder. However, they lacked confidence taking their phones on their adventures, so they created Quad Lock. There are a range of options to explore on their website including phone mounts for automative, off road, marine, aviation and more. They also have different kits for a variety of phones including iPhone, Galaxy, Pixel, Huawei and more.

Image provided by Quad Lock

Memobottle

Product design engineering graduate turned sessional lecturer Jesse Leeworthy is one of the minds behind iconic flat re-usable water bottle memobottle. Their environmentally conscious bottles and accessories help provide clean water and end throwaway culture while providing customers with sleek and modern designs that even the most stylish would be happy to tote around.

Image provided by Memobottle

Nique Clothing 

For your friends and family who love fashion, look no further than Nique. Nique's founding Creative Director, Nick Ennis, is a Swinburne alum. Nique's mission is to create modern and minimalist garments for creatives, with a commitment to sustainability. Nique designs are characterised by clean lines and impeccable details, using sustainable fabrics such as linen, bamboo and pure cotton.

Image provided by Nique Clothing