It’s three days to go before Christmas, and I’m not complete with my Christmas shopping yet. Part of me hates going through the Christmas rush that has come to define the increasingly commercialized Christmas of today’s age, and part of me is still unsure about what to give. After all, being a budding yet struggling entrepreneur (with emphasis on “struggling”), I do have to impose austerity measures on myself as much as I want to be a generous person – measures of which I often fail to follow.

Thanks to Habi Footwear’s SE Wall, however, that level of unsureness has been reduced. In fact, I think I’ll take home a bunch of some of their things tonight after work to serve as gifts.

(Read more: Going Christmas shopping? Buy local or sustainable)

If we’re going to buy local or sustainable here in the Philippines, we may as well buy local and sustainable. Often we come across just local, or just sustainable. The former may be supporting your country’s own talent, but if it lacks roots in awareness, then you’re better off buying imported but responsible (carbon footprint of shipping notwithstanding). The latter may exclude altogether homegrown talent, talent that has been wasted for over 400 years.

Habi Footwear’s SE Wall shows that you can get the best of both worlds in one, and at affordable gifts-for-many-friendly prices too. You can of course walk Habi and walk happy by buying Habi products themselves, but if you or your recipient would like something other than shoes, we’ve still got you covered.

1. First Harvest

Coming from the Gawad Kalinga Enchanted Farm in Angat, Bulacan, the flagship brand of 7107 Recipes promises authentic and back-to-the-old-days traditional homemade recipes of spreads that you can use in your breads, biscuits, and even in cooking.

Habi currently carries the Peanut Spread (Php 150.00 for 250g) and the Peanut Crunch (Php 160.00 for 250g).

2. Kayumanggi Organics

Ensure you eat and drink healthy with only the finest gifts of the earth with, as the brand name expresses, responsibly-grown health supplements, also part of the GK Enchanted Farmily (see what I did there).

We’ve got a wide variety of choices for you – the Raw Virgin Coconut Oil (Php 235.00 for 250mL), the Raw Coconut Sugar (Php 210.00 for 200g), the Raw Coconut Nectar (Php 295.00 for 250mL), the Rustique Cacao (Php 300.00 for 200g), and the Wild Ginger Tea (Php 270.00 for 200g).

3. Tsa’a Laya

The Philippines is not a tea-growing (C. sinensis) country, at least not yet. But in the meantime, we have our own forest of herbs found right here at home, and Tsa’a Laya has managed to turn them into herbal teas or tisanes for your calming pleasure.

Get Ziplock pouches of 5 silk teabags at Php 120.00, or cans of 10 at Php 270.00. Habi currently carries five blends: Tanglad (lemongrass), Pandan, Lemon Ginger, Arvensis Mint, and Java Banaba.

4. Apicuria

This Christmas is surely a time to eat, drink, and be merry through song. But don’t worry if you catch a sore throat or canker sores – The BeEmpire Inc., one of the Farm’s newest babies, has got a perfect cure for you: Apicuria, the all-natural throat spray (Php 280.00 for a 12mL spray bottle). It contains just honey, propolis, and herbs – and it heals overnight. I’ve experienced this TWICE!

5. The 175 Apparel

Those who know me well know language holds a very special place in my heart. The 175 Apparel has managed to put language and enterprise, two of my favorite things, together, and I am accordingly one of their biggest fans. The brand name refers to the estimated number of languages in the Philippines (yes, we have over a hundred languages, which are not simply dialects of the so-called Filipino language, or of Tagalog). Their T-shirts are simple but impactful in their design: so-called “walking dictionaries” (at least when worn) that depict artfully a Filipino word and its corresponding definition.

Although we’re expecting to get more designs soon, we currently have Indak (to dance in time with the music), Paraluman (muse), and Tadhana (destiny) in black or white.

6. Karaw Craftventures

The grand winner of the first-ever BPI Sinag is known for supporting artisan sewing and designing talents of inmates in Naga City, Bicol’s prisons, and it is this spirit of homespun creativity and freedom-despite-circumstances that Karaw Craftventures wishes to convey.

Currently, Habi Footwear carries Ragpets (Php50.00) and the new Muñequeta line (Php250.00), which are voodoo dolls for good fortune that you can play with and/or stick needles into the same way malicious voodoo does for curses.

7. Gugu Bags

And of course, where else to store all of your purchases in than your very own Gugu Bag! Also hailing from the Bicol region, Gugu makes bags out of handwoven jute (which, though imported per se, is processed locally) textile, incorporating some leather into it for a classy finish.

Although the company is expanding its product types, currently Habi offers three differently-sized backpacks – the Junyor (Junior) at Php 1,450.00, the Klasik (Classic) at Php 1,750.00, and the Teki (Techie) at Php 2,350.00.

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You may visit Habi Footwear and its SE Wall at Unit 206, FBR Arcade, 317 Katipunan Avenue, Barangay Loyola Heights, Quezon City District 3, National Capital Region (Metro Manila), 1108 Philippines. For inquiries, you may reach me, Aloy Chua, through this site or by emailing us at habi.footwear@gmail.com.

Have a merry and purposeful Christmas!