2023 Holiday Gift Guide: Gifts Made by and Benefiting People with Disabilities
Bath and Beauty
Da Bombs
- This bath bomb box contains five handcrafted bath bombs for $20.
Morgan Tibbens is a young entrepreneur with Down syndrome who makes bath bombs, soaps, bath salts, foot scrubs, and shower steamers in a variety of creative scents. Someday, she hopes to open her own brick-and-mortar shop to employ other people with disabilities. In the meantime, you can support her dream by buying a few products for your own at-home spa day.
Guide Beauty
When celebrity makeup artist Terri Bryant started to lose dexterity in her hands due to Parkinson’s, she set out to create inclusive makeup tools and products. With the help of their design team and ergonomic experts, Guide Beauty created adaptive beauty tools that are accommodating and guide the user’s hands.
Morning Mist Soap Company
- The Beautiful Skin Bundle includes a soap bar, serum, and toner for $65.
Rocio Francis, who has epilepsy and a learning disability, created Morning Mist Soap Company to “re-Indigenize skincare, break generational trauma, and continue teaching vital knowledge to future generations.” Her small-batch skincare products are handmade, use local and responsibly harvested ingredients, and are infused with her “love + overflowing energy.”
The Noble Brand
- The Heirloom Discovery Set, $35.
Sydney Noble, who has scleroderma, created The Noble Brand to provide “luxury home fragrance products to help elevate your self-care routine.” Through her shop, Sydney sells handmade candles, reed diffusers, room mist, wax melts, and incense. If you’re not sure what scent you’ll like best, Sydney and her team have a scent quiz to help you out!
Purple Rose Wellness
- Handcrafted soy wax candles help you cheer on your favorite team, $24 each.
Wendy, a Deaf maker who communicates in both ASL and spoken English, founded Purple Rose Wellness to make self-care accessible for ASL users. This Black-owned, family-owned, and disability-owned business sells candles, soap bars, scrubs, and more while also sharing wellness information in ASL through social media.
Queen Cosmetics
- The Enchanted Forest Lip Trio, $45.
Founder Ellie Depaula, born in Puerto Rico, has always had a passion for makeup. After receiving a spinal cord injury, Ellie turned to makeup as an outlet for her creativity and created a beauty brand that encourages others to “be free in their art.” Queen Cosmetics lip glosses and eyeshadow palettes feature bold, bright colors with a subtle shimmer.
Vampyre Cosmetics
- For the literary-obsessed, a Jane Eyre Book Palette, $59.99.
Vampyre Cosmetics is a women-owned, LGBT-owned, and disability-owned cosmetics company run by Rachel Clinesmith, who has autism and ADHD. The brand’s products are vegan, cruelty-free, and talc-free and feature fun licensed products including Silent Hill, Amy Brown Fairies, Living Dead Dolls, among other gothic and literary favorites. Fun upcoming product lines include Dungeons & Dragons and Buffy the Vampire Slayer-themed palettes.
Food
Bitty & Beau's Coffee
Give the coffee lover in your life a monthly subscription of varying blends with the Coffee Club, $50.
Bitty & Beau’s was founded by siblings with Down syndrome to create a space where people with disabilities are accepted in their local community through jobs and activism. Since 2016, Bitty, Beau, and their parents (Amy and Ben) have expanded their franchise to 23 locations and 400 employees. They sell coffee-related goodies, dog accessories, and “radically inclusive” clothing.
Collettey’s Cookies
- The Holiday Gift Box 2 includes a dozen cookies, decorative ornaments, and a story card from Collette, and the size is customizable, $25– $80.
Collettey’s Cookies is the brainchild of Collette Divitto, an entrepreneur and baker with Down syndrome. The company employs people with disabilities, and Colette was recently featured for her work on the docuseries Born For Business on Peacock. Her online shop offers cookies for humans (and dogs!) as well as other merchandise like books and apparel.
Gabi’s Grounds
- The Gabi’s Overload gift box comes with a delicious assortment of Gabi’s famous treats, from chocolates to coffee, $45.
Gabi is an entrepreneur with Down syndrome based in Raleigh, North Carolina. Gabi's Grounds “promotes equal access to people with disabilities” in their workplace and sells bags, K-cups, teas, tea strainers, mugs, and much more. She has created her own special blend of organic Guatemalan and Sumatran coffee, and your order will include a handwritten thank-you note from Gabi!
Popcorn for the People
- Enjoy this French Toast Popcorn for $8.
Popcorn for the People, co-founded by Sam Bier, is a nonprofit organization that was established to create career opportunities for the disability community. The organization states that their “success is really the individual accomplishments and growth of our neurodiverse team,” and their popcorn-making team focuses on opportunity and inclusivity.
Books
Different, Not Less by Chloé Hayden
- Paperback, $14.95.
Australian actress and advocate Chloé Hayden’s Different, Not Less describes her experience as an AuDHDer (individual with autism and ADHD) as feeling like ”she’d crash-landed on an alien planet.” In this guide, she compiles her lived experience and wisdom to encourage, celebrate, and support the neurodivergent community.
Disability Visibility edited by Alice Wong
- Paperback, $10.79.
Collected and edited by disability advocate Alice Wong, Disability Visibility provides a new, insightful look into the lives of individuals with disabilities. These essays, each a first-person account, describe the daily lives and inner worlds of people with various disabilities.
Disfigured: On Fairy Tales, Disability, and Making Space by Amanda Leduc
- Paperback, $13.99.
Amanda, an author with cerebral palsy, adds a new topic to the conversation around the influence of fairy tales. In Disfigured, she discusses how these stories, from brothers Grimm to Disney, “influence our expectations and behavior” and how characters with disabilities are impacted by the stories they inhabit.
Get a Life, Chloe Brown by Talia Hibbert
- Paperback, $15.49.
Talia Hibbert is a Black British author who is passionate about writing “honest and positive representation” for people of marginalized identities. Get a Life, Chloe Brown features a main character with fibromyalgia, like the author who created her. The book follows Chloe as she works “with a goal, a plan, and a list” to get a life and falls in love along the way.
Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo
- Paperback, $11.49.
Leigh Bardugo’s fictional Grishaverse encompasses the Shadow and Bone trilogy, Six of Crows duology, and King of Scars duology. Six of Crows follows “six dangerous outcasts” through a series of heists and conflict to prevent destruction of their world. Leigh, who has osteonecrosis, and main character Kaz both use a cane as a mobility aid.
Art and Handmade
Allie Art
- Framed artwork, like these Red Flowers, range $18-$45.
Allie Art is the realization of Allie’s dream. A young woman with Down syndrome from Cincinnati, Allie sells her framed artwork and jewelry, which are characterized by bright colors and sparkles. Each piece is uniquely Allie and is sure to make a statement in your home.
Awful Sloth
- Handmade sloths representing a wide variety of disabilities, $65.
Awful Sloth is a neurodivergent-owned, LGBTQIA-owned, and woman-owned business that sells handmade sloths, each with their own diagnosis and story. These weighted sloths encourage self-love, acceptance, and self-care for the disability community and combat stigmas around neurodiversity. Check out their shop and Instagram for examples of their sloths and accompanying personal stories.
Charlize Crochet Closet
- Several crochet creations from a previous sale.
Charlize’s Crochet Closet sells crocheted animals on Etsy to raise money for a service dog and to help her pay for medical treatment. Charlize is diagnosed with median arcuate ligament syndrome (MALS), occipital neuralgia, tethered cord syndrome, gastroparesis, Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, craniocervical instability, and postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS). After her conditions started to limit her physically, Charlize sought out a new passion to dive into: crochet.
Kayla Snover Studio
- Winter White Trees, Tyvek dusted tree on a wooden mount, $20.
Kayla Snover is an artist with Down syndrome who loves experimenting in her work. She exhibits her creations at Gateway Arts, a studio art center in Brookline, Massachusetts, that features artists with disabilities. You can buy her artwork through the Gateway Arts website or through her Etsy shop. The tree sculptures Kayla crafts out of watercolor, wood, and Tyvek would make lovely centerpieces for any holiday table.
Momentum Creative
- Douglas Garner’s Wave, acrylic on paper, $150.
Momentum Creative “supports a vigorous community of working artists with a variety of developmental challenges such as autism, cerebral palsy, and Down syndrome, whose perspective is vital within the contemporary art world.” Their online gallery showcases the work of a vibrant group of artists who use varying mediums. Buying from their collection helps fund their ongoing work.
Sleepy Unicorn Studio
- The Unused Sticker Book, $20, is perfect for anyone who loves to collect stickers!
Sleepy Unicorn Studio is an LGBT-owned, disability-owned, and woman-owned small business run by Kimi Kinsey, who has narcolepsy, ADHD, and autism. With digital art being her passion, she creates fun and colorful designs that are printed on stickers, notebooks, Kindle case inserts, planners, reading log bookmarks, and more. Her relatable designs feature affirmations for the neurodivergent community.
StudioUndine
- Tufted Daisy Mirror, $111.
Run by a Latina artist with dyslexia and dysgraphia, StudioUndine sells tufted decor, stickers, and art prints. From wall hangings to rugs and mirrors, Sophia’s designs are inspired by her “passion for folklore” and nature, making them the perfect gift for those who love whimsical art. Each piece is a reflection of Sophia’s “artistic soul.”
The Blind Woodsman and Honey Bee
- A salt cellar from a previous sale, $155.
The husband and wife duo at The Blind Woodsman and Honey Bee was brought together by their passion for spreading “awareness about blindness, mental health, and art.” John, who is Deaf, is a woodworker creating beautiful products like amplifiers, bowls, and trays. Anni’s art, primarily painting, is inspired by her experiences with mental health and chronic illness. While they do sell their pieces individually, the pair also collaborates to create painted wood pieces.
Performing Arts and Entertainment
Deaf West Theatre - Artist Pins
- Buying a Full Hand Set of Pins supports Deaf West’s mission, $100.
Deaf West Theatre was founded to act as an “artistic bridge between Deaf and hearing worlds” by bringing ASL and spoken English together in experiences inspired by Deaf culture. In partnership with artists Christine Sun Kim and Ravi Vasavan from Deaf Power, these limited-edition enamel pins contribute to their campaign focused on increasing training and employment opportunities for the Deaf community.
How to Dance in Ohio (Broadway)
- Tickets range from $39 to $195.
Based on an HBO documentary film of the same name, the new Broadway musical How to Dance in Ohio is known for its catchy music, cast, and creative team, which features both autistic and neurotypical artists. The autistic characters in the show are played by autistic individuals. The show’s accessibility efforts, such as advanced information, sensory toolkits, cool-down spaces, audio descriptions, personal captioning, and performance sensitivity lists, create a supportive and inclusive experience.
Rollettes Experience
- Women of all ages and disabilities are welcome at The Rollettes Experience. Tickets are $175 for the four-day event held July 11-14, 2024.
The Rollettes Experience is the yearly convention for women and girls with all disabilities hosted by the legendary dance troupe Rollettes Dance. Founder and dancer Chelsie Hill created this event combining dance, art, entertainment, and community-building workshops. Check out their online shop for a collection of merchandise including this Christmas Nutcracker Disability Rights Crewneck.
AbleGamers
- Two examples of the creative solutions made for gamers.
AbleGamers is a charity that helps gamers with disabilities create community through gaming by creating innovative solutions or finding the technology needed, all tailored to the gamer. AbleGamers was founded by Mark, a service-disabled veteran, when his friend Stephanie began to encounter barriers to gaming due to the progression of her multiple sclerosis. Seeing firsthand how disability can cause social isolation and exclusion, Mark and Stephanie set out to create “opportunities that enable play in order to combat social isolation, inclusive communities, and improve the quality of life for people with disabilities.” In addition to developing customized solutions and connecting gamers with technology that meets their needs, AbleGamers offers peer counseling and works with gaming industry professionals and developers to make games accessible. Check out their website and Instagram for adaptive products.
Pet Treats
Doggie Delights by Allison
- Combination Delights containing Peanut Butter, Pumpkin, Chicken & Rice, and Sweet Potato freeze-dried dog treats, $9.35 for a large bag.
Chef Allison Fogarty’s love of food and cooking started during a two-year span when she could not eat or drink by mouth due to health issues from tracheoesophageal fistula and Down syndrome. She watched cooking shows and taught herself to cook for both people and pets, creating Doggie Delights by Allison. Her preservative-free dog treats are freeze dried and come in a variety of flavors, shipped from her hometown of Clermont, Florida.
ECHO Barkery
- Does your dog prefer chicken, bacon, or peanut butter? Find out by purchasing the variety pack, $24.99.
ECHO Barkery’s dog treats are handmade by people with disabilities in Ashburn, Virginia. Everything from mixing the all-natural ingredients to rolling the dough, cutting it into shapes, and packaging the treats is done with care. The biscuits come in different flavors: bacon, chicken, and peanut butter.
Clothing and Accessories
ArtisXan
Xan is a digital artist diagnosed with autism, POTS, and hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (hEDS). Through their Etsy shop, Xan sells keychain fidgets, fidget jewelry, stickers, water bottle bags, and more. Their designs and products feature an autumnal color palette and motifs, perfect for those who love rich, neutral colors and cozy vibes.
Candidly Kind
- Grace’s Eat More Burgers design on a short sleeve shirt, $30.
Grace is the proud founder of Candidly Kind, which she created to “spread light, love, and acceptance.” Her many designs, including her signature “Be the Light” design, are printed on shirts, enamel pins, notebooks, planner tape, stickers, and more. Grace hopes that her art encourages people to live authentically, “act with love,” and have an open heart. Each order is accompanied by a handwritten letter from Grace.
Girls Chronically Rock
- T-shirts are available in men’s, women’s, and kids’ sizes, $17-$42.
Since middle school, Girls Chronically Rock founder Keisha Greaves knew she wanted to be a fashion designer. After being diagnosed with muscular dystrophy at the age of 24, she got a bachelor’s degree in fashion design and merchandising, then later a master’s degree in business management. Now, she makes clothing for men, women, and children celebrating muscular dystrophy and other chronic illnesses. Some clothing items raise money for disability rights organizations, including a unisex T-shirt line benefitting Partners for Youth with Disabilities.
I DREAM, I GO
- O.A Bear Tee from the Overcome Adversity collection, $35.
Gailina founded I DREAM, I GO after a car accident left her paralyzed in 2020. She tells the story of her journey with positivity and passion, sharing that she hopes “to motivate many people across the world to step into their purpose, become the best version of themselves that they can be, and thrive in society.” To accomplish this, Galiana sells uplifting designs on shirts, shorts, sweatpants, hoodies, and more.
IInside My Head
- The Dinosaur Communication Hoodie featuring “yes” and “no” sleeves alongside mood dinos, $55.23.
May, the neurodivergent owner of IINSIDE MY HEAD, created their store for people with visible and invisible disabilities alike with products including toolkits, sensory-friendly clothing, communication hoodies and patches, notepads, and daily check-in notepads. Their goal is to “provide a safe space for all queer people, people fighting (in)visible disabilities, or generally struggling with their mental health. A place where they can find products that remind them of themselves without feeling alienated, something that says this is who you are (and that's okay!).”
Jack and Bec
- One of their signature designs on the Deafies Tote Bag, $18.
Jack and Bec create products that represent marginalized and disabled bodies. The San Antonio natives’ original art is inspired by ‘60s and 70’s art and fashion, organic shapes, and color theory. Their designs come in a range of styles from pins to hoodies, art prints, shirts, tote bags, stickers, and stationery.
Killah Closets
- Heart Glass Stud Earrings, $5.99.
Bridget Lemus (aka Queen Beeezy) is a Deaf, Afro-Latina creator of affordable and trendy accessories like jewelry and purses at Killah Closets. Her line of Inspired By Queen products includes mugs, pillows, and T-shirts in ASL that inspire advocacy and awareness for the Deaf community.
MarDeLunaArts
- The Snurse purse, $35.
Mar Talavera is an independent artist in the disability community creating adorable products with a decidedly cottagecore vibe, from notepads and tote bags to bags and keychains. All of her work is infused with a whimsical nod to forest life; her signature character, Marshall, is a cute mushroom creature featured on many of her products.
Paradise Shells & Fine Jewelry
- The Ocean Charms bracelet, $116.10 - $559.20.
The natural finish seashell designs of Paradise Shells & Fine Jewelry are inspired by owner Samantha Siedlecki’s love of the beach and the healing forces of nature. Samantha is an advocate for herself and others like her with cerebral palsy. Her jewelry is customizable in 14-karat gold or sterling silver, and each piece is unique.
Gifts for Kids
A Day With No Words by Tiffany Hammond
- A Day With No Words, Hardcover $17.99.
Activist and autistic mother Tiffany Hammond tells the story of her non-speaking autistic son Aiden in this 2023 New York Times bestseller, with beautiful illustrations by Kate Cosgrove. The book is intended to serve as a bridge between autistic and neurotypical audiences and is worded in rhyme in honor of Aiden, who accesses his world through music.
Board & Measure
- Children can learn their name in two languages with this personalized Bilingual Trace Board, $25.
Board & Measure is a Deaf-owned shop based in Michigan featuring handmade wooden products with ASL themes, including the Welcome Sign in varying colors and ASL Hands in the letters of your choice to adorn your wall. Their store also includes ornaments, keychains, decor, and much more.
The Butterfly Pig
- Dolls start at $30, and accessories range $3.50-$35.
As a nurse in the pediatric oncology ward, The Butterfly Pig founder Mary Jenner used to make kids stuffies with IVs and medical accessories so that her young patients could see themselves in their toys. Since then, she’s launched a toy company that sells diverse, anatomically correct dolls as well as clothing and medical accessories. Choose from canes, crutches, braces, cochlear implants, hearing implants, and more to customize your gift and help a child you love feel seen.
Lil Penguin Studios
- The Autism Coloring Book is filled with 20 pages of art with themes like acceptance, mood, stimming, and more, $24.
Réka, an autistic artist, designs cute penguins on a variety of products with themes of acceptance, encouragement, self-love and understanding, affirmations, and mindfulness. Réka shares that her pieces are like “little self-care tools,” inspired by her personal experience with the hope that her art will help “neurodivergent people, their loved ones, and therapists.” She sells calendars, communication cards, zines, coloring books, prints, tumbler wraps, mindfulness cards, journals, mood trackers, stickers, and more.
Little For Now
- For the train-obsessed child in your life, Train and Storybook Gift Set by Green Toys, $39.99.
Little For Now, an online retailer that donates yearly to Down syndrome and autism charities, is owned by the parent of three kids with disabilities. Not only do they offer a wide range of eco-friendly products to get parents started in cloth diapering, but they also offer guides on how to do it. The company also has products uniquely suited for families of kids with disabilities, including this cool Nook Lilypad Playmat that is a great surface for tummy time and the Beco Toddler Carrier for carrying kids up to 60 pounds.
No Such Thing Co.
- Get the hardcover book, a coloring book, and a custom rainbow crayon set in a bundle for $55.
Author and public speaker Megan DeJarnett was diagnosed with spinal muscular atrophy, a genetic neuromuscular disorder, when she was 2 years old. She founded No Such Thing Co. to help educate others about disability rights and advocate for people with disabilities. Both her inclusive coloring book and her children’s book No Such Thing As Normal were made to empower kids by celebrating our differences.
Two Blind Brothers
- Buddy the German Shepherd is named in honor of the first American guide dog and has tactile braille on the inside of her ear with her name, $32.
Two Blind Brothers is the work of brothers Bryan and Bradford Manning from New York City. They are both legally blind and donate 100% of their profits to charitable foundations like the Foundation Fighting Blindness. They also work closely with other organizations supporting the blind community, including Industries of the Blind, which helps to make some of their products. Along with their adorable line of plush guide dogs, they offer soft and comfortable clothing and accessories that can be found in their online store.
Imperfect Inspiration
- Brainfetti is a subscription box with lifestyle tools + tips to manage life as a neurodivergent teen or adult. It arrives bimonthly with seven or more products in each box, $49.
Imperfect Inspiration founder and mom of five Brit Brown wasn’t diagnosed with ADHD until she was 34. Now, she designs products — including planners, workbooks, and goal charts — with neurodivergent kids and creatives in mind. Her bimonthly ADHD-themed box, Brainfetti, is filled with items perfect for individuals with ADHD. Her site also includes her discbound ADHD planner starter kit, or readers can join her Blind Date With A Book Club.
Gifts under $20
All Things Sensory Shop
- The Weighted Pop Tab Fidget, $4, and the Bumpy Silicone Twisting Fidget, $7.
All Things Sensory Shop sells fidgets handmade by Alissa, who has sensory processing difficulties, anxiety, autism, and ADHD. When designing her products, Alissa makes it a priority that the fidgets be unique, functional, and affordable. Products such as weighted pop tabs and bumpy silicone twisting fidgets are not only sold in a variety of colors to suit individual tastes, but they also provide an effective tool for grounding, skin picking, and stimming. She also sells chewelry, spinners, marble mazes, shakers, grounding necklaces, and more.
BoosBeesAndBuddies
- Jessalyn’s bee pattern on her Bottle Earrings, $5.95.
Jessalynn Marie, who has Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, POTS, and mast cell activation syndrome, started BoosBeesAndBuddies “as a way to bring awareness to disorders, disabilities, and chronic illnesses.” She has found “joy and fulfillment” in entrepreneurship and being able to “connect with others and bring awareness to all aspects of living with a disability.” She sells her handmade products and designs, such as keychains, bookmarks, plushies, and jewelry, as well as DIY kits and crochet patterns.
Gen Z Alternative
- The Dinosaur Necklace is one of several of Hannah’s fun and playful creations, $20.
Gen Z Alternative sells pop culture-inspired jewelry. Founder and creator Hannah has chronic Lyme disease, myalgic encephalomyelitis, EDS, POTS, chronic deep venous insufficiency, PGAD, fibromyalgia, MCAS, EOE, GERD, OCD, and other diagnoses. Her shop is organized by styles like Space Core, Sword Core, Pop Culture, and Dark Cottage Core collections, where you’ll find pieces like medusa earrings, dinosaur necklaces, mushroom necklaces, and butterfly sword earrings.
Girl and Creativity
- Their designs on sticky notes, $5.
Founded by friends Kasmira Patel and Isabel Laínez, who are both Deaf, Girl and Creativity is a celebration of “amazing Deaf culture.” Through their colorful designs, the pair creates a welcoming and empowering space where everyone can learn about ASL and Deaf culture. Their original designs are printed on a variety of products, including tumblers, mouse pads, shirts, coasters, onesies, mugs, keychains, and more.
Hooks-n-spoons
- Disability Pride Bee, $15.
Hooks-n-spoons was founded by Ally, who is diagnosed with POTS, GP, and EDS. She knew she wanted to work in and create a space that was both accessible and safe for disabled and chronically ill individuals. Blending her passion for chronic illness, advocacy, and crochet, she opened Hooks-n-spoons. Ally sells stickers, plushies with medical equipment, keychains, disability-inclusive products, and her original “chronic cuddlers.”
InclusiveDinos
- Check out the T-Rex with Eye Gaze AAC Device sticker, $1.88.
InclusiveDinos was founded after Trevor was diagnosed with a rare genetic condition that causes movement disorders. Trevor’s artwork is sold on stickers and magnets, representing varying disabilities. Whether it’s an axolotl with a prosthetic arm or an ankylosaurus using a communication switch, Trevor’s art is designed to “create an inclusive environment for all kids (and adults) so that everyone can see themselves represented within society.”
This Thing They Call Recovery
While on her disability and chronic illness journey, Jenny decided to sell her art on This Thing They Call Recovery to help create a “safe digital space for disabled and/or chronically sick people to find their truth” and spread awareness about “what life is really like.” Diagnosed with autism, myalgic encephalomyelitis, gastroschisis, and short bowel syndrome, Jenny is all too aware of the stigma around disability. Her original designs are available to purchase on shirts, stickers, and prints, featuring encouraging and honest phrases such as “Bloom at your own pace.”
Ur.W0rthy
Hayley is an artist and chronic illness advocate with functional neurological disorder. Her art is printed on products and sold through her Etsy and Redbubble stores, which include stickers, zines, hoodies, and phone cases. Her art is characterized by an illustrative, watercolor style and features both advocacy and pop culture designs.
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