Here at Hunker, we live for discovering the latest and greatest home, design, and lifestyle products. In the spirit of celebrating the most of-the-moment direct-to-consumer brands, we recently hosted a pop-up — at our beloved Hunker House in Los Angeles, California — celebrating the people behind some of the hottest emerging companies.
This event aligned in timing with the West Coast Foundermade Discovery Show, a massive conference of direct-to-consumer industry leaders. Many of the conference's attendees are members of the Consumer Packaged Goods Directory (CPGD), a 5,000-person community of brand founders, builders, and investors. Andrea Popova, CEO of CPGD, describes it as an "online destination to discover the best emerging consumer brands and resources to build them." The event at Hunker House was a gathering of these CPGD members, where our team was lucky enough to explore some of the coolest, most current DTC brands.
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Here are 10 of our favorite discoveries that are at the pinnacle of innovation.
1. Wooj
About the brand: Wooj crafts high-design, 3D-printed lighting and home goods made sustainably and ethically.
Bestselling product: Wooj The Wavy Lamp, $129
A word from Wooj's marketing lead, Henya Rosen: "Although our catalog has expanded to other table-top offerings and a pendant, our most popular product is still definitely the original — the Wavy Lamp. It's versatile (it comes in two sizes and a variety of colors) and really unique looking while being accessible to people, both in price and in style. The shape is playful while still elegant, and is a timeless addition to any home."
2. Great Wrap
About the brand: Great Wrap has created compostable cling wrap in irresistibly cool reusable storage dispensers.
Bestselling product: Great Wrap Great Mate Starter Kit in Pea Green, $49
A word from Great Wrap co-founder and co-CEO, Julia Kay: "We think [shoppers] will love our latest innovation because of its architecturally designed shape, seasonal colors great for every kitchen, and that it's filled with our home compostable cling wrap made from food waste."
3. Homecourt
About the brand: The brand is perfectly summed up by its founder Courteney Cox as "beauty products for the home."
Bestselling product: Homecourt Kitchen Trio, $70
A word from Homecourt's CEO and co-founder, Sarah Jahnke: "The trio is the perfect way to discover the beauty of homecare. Boring chores are now pleasurable experiences with our Surface Spray, Dish Soap, and Hand Wash which are available in four fine fragrances (my personal favorite is Cipres Mint). Not only does the Trio smell amazing, but also the non-toxic formulas actually work and our 100% post-consumer recycled packaging is a sleek, uniform addition to showcase on your countertop."
4. Tend
About the brand: Tend makes delicious prenatal nutrition bars (that you don't need to be pregnant to enjoy).
Bestselling product: Tend Complete Prenatal Nutrition Bars in Lemon Berry, starting at $39
A word from Tend's co-founder, Hannah Varamini: "Our Lemon Berry bar is hands down our fan favorite — its surprising citrus zing is the perfect pick-me-up! It also helps fight nausea for pregnant ladies (or anyone who gets nauseated by large pills), and packs the real food nutritional power of 8+ servings of fruits and veggies."
5. Tulip
About the brand: Tulip stores your weed stash with the perfect blend of organization and beauty.
Bestselling product: Tulip Set, $195
A word from Tulip's co-founder, Stephanie Kimel: "The Tulip Set is the most coveted item from Tulip. It offers storage for the full spectrum — flower, edibles, pre rolls, and pen cartridges, so it works for everyone regardless of your routine. It is discrete and secure, yet beautiful enough to put on display."
6. Staff
About the brand: Staff reimagines traditionally plain household essentials and turns them into a practical works of art.
Bestselling product: Staff The Plunger, $32
A word from Staff's founder, Charlie Weisman: "We've had great interest across our entire portfolio of reimagined household essentials, but the (slightly) most popular has been our first product, The Plunger. It's designed for both function and joy, so an easy way to upgrade any bathroom and a quirky gift for any occasion."
7. Hapny
About the brand: Hapny crafts thoughtful, beautiful, and durable hardware for your home.
Bestselling products: Hapny Clarity Acrylic Collection, starting at $21
A word from Hapny's founder, Priya Vij: "My Clarity acrylic and solid brass series is one of my top sellers. There's something timeless and chic about acrylic. The curved stems give the design an elevated touch, and I offer a smoke acrylic in addition to the classic clear for a little twist."
8. Spicewell
About the brand: Spicewell seeks to reinvent how we think about our pantry staples by infusing Ayurvedic formulations along with vitamins and minerals into our spice drawers.
Bestselling product: Spicewell New Salt Shaker, $18
A word from Spicewell's founder, Raina Kumra: "Our most popular product is our New Salt Shaker: a low sodium, ashwagandha blended, fine pink Himalayan salt with 21 vitamins and minerals all sourced from organic vegetables like kale, maitake mushroom, sweet potato and more. A half teaspoon serving gets you 10% of your daily vitamins."
9. Herb & Olive
About the brand: Herb & Olive prides itself on crafting the most delicious olive oil with health and wellness at the forefront.
Our pick: Herb & Olive Mini Set, $39
A word from Herb & Olive's founder and president, David Zimmerman: "High-quality organic EVOO has a long list of health benefits, one being that it reduces inflammation in the body (which is the main culprit of Crohn's Disease and other gut conditions like colitis and IBS). That is the reason I started this brand. To first heal myself, and now to teach other people about the positive healing benefits of high-quality organic EVOO. Now I've been off medication for the last five years thanks to these products and a number of other lifestyle changes."
10. De La Calle
About the brand: De La Calle crafts a variety of flavors of Tepache, a fermented probiotic beverage that's been made in Mexico for centuries.
Our pick: De La Calle Mango Chili (12-pack), $42.29-$46.99
