With a history dating back to 1870, Iris Hantverk is a company that has immersed itself in community betterment ever since its beginnings. In Stockholm, Dr. Axel Beskov founded the Manilla School, which was a workhouse for visually impaired craftsmen, most of whom lived at the workhouse, and this group slowly evolved into what would become Iris Hantverk. Around 20 years later, a congregation of visually impaired craftsmen founded their own organization with the incentive to further integrate the blind…
Category: Brands and Products
The Allure of Artisanal Shaving Accessories
When it comes to shaving, aesthetics and workmanship are often the most important factors for buyers of men’s grooming supplies. Much like with old architecture, great satisfaction can be found in shaving accessories that are creatively original and built with the utmost structural integrity. While the dawn of plastic disposable razors marked a significant plummet in product quality and artistic design, the past few years have seen a renewed interest in artisanal shaving implements. The term, “Artisan,” designates a single…
Finding the Perfect Pocket Knife
With all the variety we see in pocket knives, deciding which is the right one for you can be a sure headache. Depending on your needs, you may need a multi-purpose knife or a single, trade-specific one. Distinguishing between a cheap and well-made blade can also warrant confusion. Below, we’ve outlined all the specifics to consider when shopping for your perfect blade. Fixed Blade vs. Folding Blade While knives with fixed blades are by and far the strongest, they’re not…
Marco Finardi Crafts Artisan Brushes for Marfin
In a mechanized, modern world, where commodities are rarely made by hand, let alone by the hands of one person, it can be refreshing to see someone step forward and make his livelihood by his craft. There’s a unique charm to something roughly hewn from raw materials, none of which can be mass replicated; each one bears a personal touch that lends special value to the fruit of one’s hard labour. Marco Finardi, an artist from Cremona, Italy, worked…
The Road Tripping Grooming Secrets You Need
Spring has sprung, and that means it’s prime road tripping season. There’s no better freedom than a joy ride across the countryside, with good friends, merry tunes, and maybe even your family dog. With happy company, striking scenery, and all-round good cheer, there’s not much more you can ask for. But while it’s romantic from afar, the adventure of a road trip can easily be derailed by the ever-more-fearsome odour of your companions. Is it possible to stay hygienic on…
What’s the Difference Between Colognes, Parfums, and Eau de Toilettes?
In the world of fragrances, things can get pretty confusing with all the brand names we see while scanning store shelves: eau de parfum, eau de toilette, cologne, even eau de cologne. But are these just fancy French variations of the same thing or are they distinct products? For once and for all, we want to set the record straight, and clarify what each one of these terms means. In fact, the different names correspond to fragrance concentration levels. In each…
Speick Grooming Products: A Force of Nature
Every year during the autumn months, high up in the Austrian Alps, you’ll see local farmers. They are gathering delicate, yet discreet little plants in an annual harvest known as the Speick Sting. These mountain farmers are workers from Speick Natural Cosmetics Company, gathering the Alpine valerian plant in the Nock Mountain region of Carinthia, Austria. This is the only place in the world where the Speick plant grows, and Speick is the only company that has the rights to…
Fendrihan’s 2015 Top Ten Gifts for Men
It’s 2015 and we’re all shopping this holiday season. Here are our Top Ten suggestions for what to buy that man in your life. Or go ahead, pamper yourself. You deserve it! 1. Cervo Vittorio Leather Messenger Bag, Cognac This handsome Italian designer bag is the ideal gift for the office working man. Even with all of its old world charm, it fits seamlessly into a modern context. Witness the communion of luxury and practicality by owning this charming…
6 Steps for Business-Ready Hands
Don’t Man-Handle Your Man Hands You’re at the checkout in the grocery store, and the clerk at the cash glances down, her face suddenly in horror: she has seen your hands, and their image is burned on to her retinas. You thought no one would notice such a small detail, such an insignificant sign of your neglected hygiene. I’m afraid it’s time to re-evaluate, my friend: Small details are wherein lies the truth. Here are some steps you can take…
5 Essential Accessories for the Guy in Your MFA
He’s only two re-writes away from finishing the great American novel. You’ve probably heard of him, he’s a 20-something in Brooklyn? Wears a funny hat? He was in your MFA. And sure, he’s got a great taste in literature and has become something of a fashion icon for those of us in the hipster camp. But a lot of us are left wondering: how does he do what he does? It can’t be easy, working on his writing day-in-and-day-out. What…
Junichi Tanaka Artisanal Shaving Scuttles Bring Class and Originality
One of our most-requested out-of-stock items in the last few months have been the Junichi Tanaka shaving scuttles. And every time a customer calls in asking when we’ll have more of these wonderful scuttles, we have to give the same reply: we don’t know! The reason for this frustrating response is simple: every single one of these gorgeous mugs are handmade by one man. And when you’re working out of Whonnock, British Columbia it can be hard to ignore nature…
10 great Christmas gifts for the man in your life
It’s that time of year again, Christmas is just around the corner and you need to start thinking about gifts for the men in your life. Instead of fighting your way through shopping mall crowds, trying to find a bargain for your husband/brother/uncle/son, etc., we thought we’d do the legwork for you. After throwing ideas at each other here at Fendrihan HQ, we came up with a list of 10 gifts we think any man would love.