Saying goodbye to people at work or friends who have become like our family in Singapore is never easy but giving them a lovely memento or unique gifts from Singapore can soften the blow – for them, at least! Here are some gorgeous farewell gift ideas for colleagues or friends to help you bid them adieu.
Glam goodbye presents
Local brand Forbidden Hill creates stunning jewellery and home accessories that make stylish farewell gifts. Known for its customisable jewellery inspired by Southeast Asia, the brand pairs precious metals with interchangeable elements like silk and gemstones in their one-of-a-kind designs.
The brand’s bangles, like the Peranakan Grace (pictured) and Nanyang Dream, can be styled with your friend’s favourite hues – there are over 40 silk colours to choose from! The brand also offers a range of gemstone earrings inspired by landmarks such as the National Orchid Garden, which can be customised with dazzling stones like rubies and emeralds.
What’s more, the vibrant Ban Zu earrings (pictured) and cufflinks, inspired by Chinese wares traded in pre-colonial Singapore, are also popular gifts with a meaningful local connection.
All Forbidden Hill collections are designed in Singapore and then brought to life by the brand’s production partners in Southeast Asia. Each piece comes gift-ready in a beautiful green box.
23 Bukit Pasoh Road, Level 2 (open for walk-in on weekday afternoons, by appointment at other times)
WhatsApp 6909 5160 | forbiddenhill.com
Farewell gifts for a good cause
Looking for a farewell gift that’s both meaningful and memorable? A Raft of Otters has one of Singapore’s biggest collections of Elephant Parade’s hand-painted elephants, made by artisans in Thailand. Proceeds from Elephant Parade sales support vital elephant conservation efforts, aligning perfectly with founder Diane Hall’s passion for animal welfare.
You’ll find gorgeous designs inspired by Singapore and Asia, plus limited-edition larger elephants with certificates of authenticity. There are also clever kits with everything you need to paint your own designs!
A Raft of Otters is at #03-102 Tanglin Mall.
8125 5725 | araftofotters.com
More unique gifts from Singapore
You’ll find a trove of unique farewell gift ideas at Joo Chiat boutique The Wyld Shop all designed with love right here in Singapore! Take its one-of-a-kind Wyld Tea Towels – adorned with playful prints of everything from the iconic Koon Seng Road shophouses to colourful rainbow HDB blocks and gorgeous Peranakan tiles, they’re the perfect farewell gifts for colleagues and friends who want to bring a touch of the little red dot with them into their new kitchen and home.
The Wyld Shop is at 412 Joo Chiat Road.
8380 8393 | thewyldshop.com | shop@thewyldshop.com
Limited-edition wall art from Singapore
Lou Lauwerys makes limited-edition linocuts of flowers, palms and foliage. The design is cut into a traditional linoleum or rubber block, before rolling ink across the surface, all are individually is original and printed by hand on to cotton rag paper.
These are perfect as farewell gifts for colleagues and friends and a lovely reminder of Singapore.
A Raft of Otters is at #03-102 Tanglin Mall.
8125 5725 | araftofotters.com
Fun farewell gifts for colleagues
Get the party started with this Singapore bottle stopper designed by Lemongrass & Aubergine at Cluny Court. It’s a great farewell gift and conversation starter for any gathering! Available in four unique designs, each inspired by the Lion City, they’re crafted from durable materials to keep the fun and memories flowing long after the farewell party ends.
Cluny Court, 501 Bukit Timah Road
clunycourt.com
Papercut unique gifts from Singapore
Looking for unique gifts in Singapore with that personal touch? The artist behind Dami, Beatrice Ng, crafts bespoke papercut artworks. Customers commission Beatrice to create an outline of a memorable Singapore sight and she can then papercut names or a meaningful quote into the scene.
Beatrice has always been fascinated with the older buildings of Singapore, and she felt that papercut was an unusual and uncommon technique here. She’s happy to work from photographs for these goodbye presents, and prices are according to size. (Prices also include the frame and delivery within Singapore.) An A5 piece is $45, A4 $75 and A3 $135.
damibybeatriceng@gmail.com | Dami Papercut
Cushion the blow!
Farewell gifts don’t have to cost a fortune! This plush velvet Lah cushion is just one of a larger collection of cushion covers from quirky Singapore-based design studio wheniwasfour. Other fun farewell gift ideas include Lor, Sia and Meh Meh covers. There’s also plenty of other pieces that combine functionality with a unique Singapore memorabilia-style that also make great leaving gifts.
hi@wheniwasfour.com | When I was Four
Eco-friendly farewell gifts for colleagues
These eco-friendly lunch boxes with a dash of local Singapore flavour make great kids’ leaving gifts. Not only do they look great but they’re reasonably priced. They’re also small and light (not much packing space needed!), dishwasher-safe and BPA-free.
This is just one of many Singapore-inspired pieces available at The Art Faculty, a social enterprise started by the Autism Resource Centre as a platform to celebrate the abilities of people with autism and related challenges. It’s the perfect spot to go shopping for farewell gift ideas. The range of products includes artwork and merchandise by talented students and alumni of Pathlight School, the first autism-focused school in Singapore. For every sale of artwork and products, the artists earn royalties and learn the value of work and financial independence.
Liked this article about farewell gift ideas? For more helpful tips, head to our Living in Singapore section.
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