10 gift exchange ideas from Kansas City startups

November 27, 2019  |  Startland News Staff

N-Gage Grips by N-Gage

Editor’s note: Below you’ll find a list of 10 ideas for your next office or family holiday gift exchange — each from a Kansas City startup or maker. Click here to check out the rest of Startland News’ 2019 Gift Guide.

wlle drink sweater

Made by Sandlot Goods, the WLLE drink sweater uses the insulating power of wool to keep drinks cool. Click here to read more about Sandlot Goods and WLLE.

Price: $13

Where to buy: Made in KC or online

Maker: Chad Hickman, wlle, Sandlot Goods

Follow: wlleusa, sandlotgoods

Craft Beer Jerky

Craft Beer Jerky is made using local, craft beers including Boulevard’s Tank 7.

Price: $10

Where to buy: Made in KC or online

Maker: Danny Kueser, Chase Schaffter, Craft Beer Jerky

Follow: craftbeerjerky_

Positive People Posse mug

Handcrafted by local Kansas City Maker Mckenzie Grabish Stanley of Driftwood Ceramics, each mug is imperfect — just like people. Fun Fact: This product features the iconic logo of Kansas City’s Positive People Posse.

Price: $20

Where to buy: Made in KC or online

Maker: Mckenzie Grabish Stanley, Driftwood Ceramics, Postive People Posse

Follow: positivepeopleposse

Green Bee Tea Towels

With 100 designs in multiple colors and styles, Green Bee Tea Towels are hand-printed on 100 percent cotton flour sack material.

Price: $5-$10

Where to buy: Midcoast Modern, Amy’s Hallmarks, online

Maker: Rena Krouse, Green Bee Tea Towels

Follow: greenbeeteatowels

Monarch wallet

Monarch wallet, Sandlot Goods

A newly redesigned, slim, three-pocket, hand-sewn wallet with dual-sided push card slots produced by Sandlot Goods. Click here to learn more about Sandlot Goods and the redesign of the monarch wallet.

Price: $45

Where to buy: Made in KC or online

Maker: Chad Hickman, Sandlot Goods

Follow: sandlotgoods

‘Find Your Toddler Ambition’ book

Touting a different approach to entrepreneurship, Kansas City startup founder Jy’Juan Maze offers guidance on how leaders can find their “toddler ambition” and apply it to building a business. Click here to read a Startland News Q&A with Jy Maze.

Price: $13

Where to buy: Online

Maker: Jy’Juan Maze, Maze Freight Solutions, Maze Publications

Follow: jyjuan_n_chrg

Power Frother + Creamer

A durable, electric milk frother, pair the Power Frother with any of Omega Power Creamer’s keto coffee creamers or the Omega Power Creamer bundle. Click here to read more about Omega Power Creamer’s relocation to Kansas City from St. Louis.

Price: $18-$20

Where to buy: Online, Walmart

Maker: Omega Power Creamer

Follow: powercreamer

Megh Makes Art yoga mat

Megh Makes Art — and yoga mats. Bold colors and the signature, Megh Knappenberger Art, palette style add personality to the traditional yoga mat. Click here to read more about Knappenberger.

Price: N/A

Where to buy: Made in KC Marketplace on the Country Club Plaza

Maker: Megh Knappenberger, Megh Makes Art

Follow: meghmakesart

Made in KC Boozy Box

Each Boozy Box contains two pieces of glassware and your choice of J. Rieger and Co. whiskey, KC Wineworks wine, Amigoni Winery wine or Boulevard beer.

Price: $35-$65

Where to buy: Made in KC Marketplace on the Country Club Plaza, Made in KC Cafe downtown

Maker: J Rieger & Co., KC Wineworks, Amigoni Urban Winery, Boulevard Brewing Company, Made in KC

Follow: madeinkc_

N-Gage Grips

A Kansas City crafted solution to pain and discomfort in weight lifting. From the maker: Humans didn’t evolve to lift heavy, perfectly-straight barbells. N-Gage Grips make barbell movements more natural by putting your hands in a slightly more neutral position.

Price: $40

Where to buy: Online

Maker: Matt Leadbetter,  N-Gage

Follow: ngagegrips

The Startland News 2019 Gift Guide is possible thanks to support from the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, a private, nonpartisan foundation that works together with communities in education and entrepreneurship to create uncommon solutions and empower people to shape their futures and be successful.

For more information, visit www.kauffman.org and connect at www.twitter.com/kauffmanfdn and www.facebook.com/kauffmanfdn

Startland News 2019 Gift Guide

• 10 ways to wear (or gift) KC’s maker scene

• 5 Kansas City-crafted gifts for kids

• 5 gifts for yourself (courtesy of KC makers)

• 7 ways to deck the halls in Kansas City style

startland-tip-jar

TIP JAR

Did you enjoy this post? Show your support by becoming a member or buying us a coffee.

2019 Startups to Watch

    stats here

    Related Posts on Startland News

    Topeka recruited dozens of Filipino teachers for local classrooms; at year’s end, the district hopes they’ll stay

    By Tommy Felts | May 29, 2025

    Startland News’ Startup Road Trip series explores innovative and uncommon ideas finding success in rural America and Midwestern startup hubs outside the Kansas City metro.  TOPEKA — Although international educators are not new to the state’s capital city, Topeka welcomed about 50 teachers from the Philippines this past school year to address shortages within the…

    Startup ideas are here, but does Kansas have the risk capital to get them to the next level?

    By Tommy Felts | May 29, 2025

    Eight early-stage Kansas entrepreneurs sat across from Midwest-based investors this week at Aspiria NOW in Overland Park, engaging in rapid-fire, “speed dating” style meetings aimed at moving their ventures closer to real investment. “We’re seeing just a great inflow of companies, especially at the early stage, come in just high levels of sophistication and awareness…

    ‘Buy, buy, buy while we can’: This KC toy store is stockpiling Christmas gifts now as tariff reality unwraps 

    By Tommy Felts | May 29, 2025

    Brett Goodwin and Alan Tipton are feeling even more thankful right now for the large, dry basement at The Learning Tree — the independent toy store they own in Prairie Village — amid worries over tariffs on Chinese imports and how they’ll impact prices from toy manufacturers. The best they can do to prepare: stockpile…

    KC’s pro pickleball team getting new $6.5M home near Arrowhead, Kauffman Stadium

    By Tommy Felts | May 29, 2025

    A long-awaited redevelopment project in Kansas City’s stadium corridor is transforming the former CoCo Key Water resort into a vibrant destination pickleball facility with eight indoor courts, a full-service bar and restaurant, a coffee shop, and event spaces. It also will be home to the Kansas City Stingers, a professional team in the National Pickleball…