Gift giving is something that should not be a chore. It must come from the heart. When you give gifts, you are giving something willingly without wanting something in return. Making someone feel special is more than enough reason to make you give more. It tells the receiver that you were thinking about them.
This article gives you detailed information on the top gift shops in Kenya.
Swahili African Modern
More than 22 years ago, Swahili African Modern founder walked Nairobi’s vibrant city markets and fell in love with East African crafts and the men and women who create them. Over the past two decades, their team has helped that love blossom into an extended family of creative artisans across Africa and appreciative individuals around the world.
Since our earliest days in Kenya, we have expanded our network to Tanzania, Ethiopia, Malawi, Mozambique, South Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Uganda, South Sudan, Mali, Nigeria, Ghana, Burkina Faso, and Senegal. Each of Africa’s 54 nations offers a unique array of beautiful crafting traditions, so we’re always excited to begin working in a new country!
At Swahili Modern, they believe that adaptation helps traditional African craft forms thrive. Artisans can earn a living from the comfort of home by doing creative work, so they have options beyond seeking work in cities. Through export, skills inherited through generations sometimes with deep rooted cultural significancecontinue to bring meaning, stability, and a sense of pride to entire communities.
1. House of Leather & Gifts
House of Leather & Gifts is well established company that has been in existence for over 20 years. We are located at Kenrail Towers Westlands, NHC Building Aga Khan walk, Elysee Plaza Kilimani Road , Panari sky Centre Mombasa Road and Hazina Towers in Nairobi.
2. Purpink Gifts & Florist
Purpink Gifts and Florist is Kenya’s leading online gift store. We love to make people happy and putting a smile on their faces each and every day.
Purpink Gifts was founded in late 2012 as a small business selling jewellery. Since then, the company has significantly grown to selling more than 1000 different products. It has also gained the trust of 10,000+ people in Kenya and all over the world.
They have a constant flow of new and exciting products that enter the market on a regular basis and believe in providing our clients with excellent service and personal touch.
3. Signature Kenya Gifts
Signature Kenya is a wholly owned legal entity based in Nairobi, Kenya providing quality gifts to all over the world with our well fully hand-made African inspired items for corporate entities and exotic gift baskets.
What sets Signature Kenya collection apart from the competition is that we develop Kenyan pieces, with a corporate touch and we take into consideration the corporate client’s brand messaging.
Quality and professional packaging is what we assure, each hamper is packed full of quality foods, drinks & produce. If you desire a customized /bespoke hamper, then you can build your own hamper by selecting the basket of your choice and filling it with any number of your favorite products, Everything is local, It’s all about Kenya, That’s why they are called Signature Kenya!
4. Rupa’s Gift Shop
Established in 1977 by the founder, Kirit Shah, Rupa’s Gift Center started off from very humble beginnings; a one man show concentrating on selling curios and African art. In 1985, with great vision and swashbuckling drive, he ventured into the world of engraving and sign making.
Rupa’s Gift Center has been a pioneer in engraving and trophy making since 1985. With five branches around Nairobi, our customers are guaranteed excellent service, creative design and immediate solutions. We strive to cater for all our clients’ needs by ensuring that all the goods and services are created in-house, maintaining our seal of quality and excellence.
Rupa’s supplies wholesale souvenirs and African artifacts, creating a signature range of exclusive products under the Blue Coral brand, supplying not only the Kenyan market, but various destinations including Uganda, Tanzania and Zanzibar.
Rupa’s is responsible for the creation of customized trophies and awards for a range of award ceremonies and sporting events. We are able to create and customize trophies, awards, corporate gifts, promotional items and much more to your specifications. The Blue Coral range of signature gift items is the brain child of our in-house team of designers
5. Blueline Gifts
Blueline Gifts was established in year 1995 in Nairobi Mama Ngina and Wabera Street. Initially Blueline opened as stationery and travel goods shop with 3 employees. In 2011 Blueline relocated from CBD to Westlands – with this relocation came an investment in technology, training and stock. Followed by a focused, strategized growth which resulted in us triplicating our client base.
We have a huge range of gifts and giveaways in ready stocks. We work very closely with prime stockist with widest distributor base across the globe. We also engage factories directly for production of garments, leather gifts and bags.
With over 1000 products available from UK, Middle East and Asia, we have the ability to respond at short notice to short lead times, especially in relation to plain stock orders. Our tried, tested and trusted relationship with manufacturers and suppliers allows us to meet your bespoke requirements.
Their valued customers include corporate gifts distributors, advertising agencies, corporates’ & retail distributors.
6. Inscribed Gifts Kenya
Inscribed Gifts Kenya was established in 2016 with one particular objective… to be the premium resource for distinctive gifting. Since its inception, it has simplified the gift giving experience, making it a pleasant and uncomplicated process through which its customers signify special moments and significant events with the finest in personalized gifts.
In order to facilitate this process, we invested its efforts into developing an in-house operation for providing top quality personalized gift items delivered within minimal time.
This innovative operation allows customers the option of personalization. Gifts that are personalized with a name, special message or even a unique logo or a picture.
7. The Banana Box Company
The Banana Box Company was founded in 1991, to empower people and effect positive and sustainable change in society, collaborating with communities, refugees and individual craftsmen and women to create and produce hand made crafts that have a deep story, products with a social mission and an environmental mission.
As an East African Company, we promise to foster partnerships that enhance local economies and encourage a deeper appreciation and understanding of African Art, Culture and History.
8. Spinners Web
Spinners Web was originally created to provide a showplace for Kenya’s many spinners and weavers. The shop has grown to encompass ‘the best of Kenya’ at every level of handcrafted products. Because over 200 groups provide their products for sale at Spinners Web, the shop is a must see experience for residents and tourists alike.
In addition, we have the best prices in town. With our wide range of furniture and home furnishing suppliers, we can custom design any interior — be it an office, hotel or a home.
Finally, we are the exclusive outlet of Kenya Weaver bird Ltd , which makes beautiful hand-woven, custom-dyed pure wool or cotton fabric for curtains, upholstery, bedspreads, carpets, cushions, wall hangings and clothing.
9. Utamaduni Craft Center
Utamaduni is the best African artisan market in Nairobi. Perfectly located in the leafy suburb of Langata the shop is easy to drop into on you way to some of the exciting venues in Nairobi such as the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust or the Giraffe Centre.
You can sit in the beautiful garden with refreshments and then wind your way through a treasure trove of shops, with friendly staff to assist and help pack or ship if needed. Make sure you make Utamaduni a part of your Kenya holiday itinerary.
10. Blue Rhino Africa
Blue Rhino is a “design-led” gift shop that evokes memories and dreams of Africa. Blue Rhino works with small local businesses, women’s groups, the handicapped and the many gifted but under privileged artisans in Kenya.
On top of its fancy gifts repertoire, Blue Rhino has developed an attractive range of cards using timeless Joy Adamson watercolors through the help of the National Museums of Kenyan and its Afromania Range. Blue Rhino’s collection of illustrated maps is a geographical delight that was created in the early 1900’s style of safari and wildlife, which Africa is famous for.
The Blue Rhino currently has four retail outlets – at the ABC Place in Westlands, at the Village Market, at the Hub in Karen and in Nanyuki. We also have a wholesale department and supply a large number of Hotel gift shops and lodges all over East Africa as well as export to Europe and the United States.
Crafting handmade products provides a particularly vital employment option for rural African women. The backbone of the family, rural women cook, clean, garden, care for the extended family and often shoulder the burden of paying school fees. Creating products from home around daily responsibilities empowers rural women as earners,
Content courtesy of Nairobi fashion hub Digital Team