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Here are some of the amazing Texas brands you can shop now on GiftingMap

It's time: GiftingMap, the new go-to site for gifts with Texas ties that's curated by CultureMap, has officially launched. It's a carefully created collection of apparel, accessories, home and lifestyle items, and wedding presents, all in one place.

Before you head off on a shopping spree, get to know some of the amazing brands you can now find at GiftingMap.

Bendecidos Pens
Like a fine automobile, these handcrafted ballpoint pens are built to be used, not just to sit on the desk. Dallas-based owners Rick and Emily Hart use real wood and personally inspect each unique pen for quality before packaging them in a mahogany cigar-style box. "Bendecidos" means "blessed" in Spanish, and the Harts convey this by including scripture on the inner tube of each pen.

Gray Malin
Your Instagram feed has probably been vastly improved by dreamy travel pics from this popular photographer (who's originally from Dallas). Malin uses inventive aerial techniques to capture scenes of the world's most iconic destinations, including colorful beach shots and stunning park pictures. The prints on GiftingMap are even signed by the artist himself.

Hari Mari
Flip-flop fans have found a new favorite with Hari Mari, a Dallas-based company that refused to let footwear be boring and uncomfortable. Making flops that have clean aesthetics, a design-forward approach, vibrant colors, and an "ahhh"-inducing feel is just as important to the company as sustainable practices and giving back — Flops Fighting Cancer donates a portion of Hari Mari's proceeds to kids and families who are battling cancer.

Highway Robery
Wasted materials are a no-no for this Austin-based brand that makes its playful robes in small batches from pre-existing fabrics. That means each funky pattern is limited-edition, but all are designed to (probably, most likely) fit all shapes and sizes. And let's be real, who doesn't love sitting around in a robe?

Holly Hall Supply Co.
Dermatologists developed — not just tested — all the products for Holly Hall Supply Co., a Houston-based premium shaving and skincare brand. Other good things you can expect from the brand include paraben-free products and the vow that they never test on animals.

Object Make and Model
This Houston brand's jewelry is soft-edged modern, with uncomplicated, material-centric geometric compositions. Natural stones are paired with glass and metal for casually elegant and modestly decorative statements.

Sertodo Copper
A cooperative of master copper artisans handcrafts each Sertodo Copper piece from workshops in Austin and Santa Clara del Cobre, Michoacan, Mexico, a village located high in the Sierra Madres Occidental of southwestern Mexico. The tradition of copper work originated mysteriously over 1,000 years ago, but Sertodo founder Jonathan Beall has been turning out hammered copper goods — think barware, platters, and belt buckles — since 1997.

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Photographer Gray Malin signs each of his prints.

Photo courtesy of Gray Malin

Photographer Gray Malin signs each of his prints.

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Thrifty shopping

Massive Goodwill store in Garland reopens as 2nd largest in the U.S.

Photo courtesy of Goodwill

The Goodwill in Garland is the largest in Texas.

A major expansion has made a Garland Goodwill store nearly the largest of its kind in the country. Goodwill Industries of Dallas officially reopened its "Broadway store," at 451 W. Interstate 30 #100, on April 30 after a major renovation. The new-and-improved store is twice its previous size.

According to a release, at 31,000 square feet, the Broadway Store and Donation Center is now the largest Goodwill in Texas and the second largest in the U.S.

The expansion will significantly boost inventory turnover. According to the organization, the store will introduce about 10,000 new items daily, including clothing, home goods, and accessories. At that pace, inventory cycles through the store roughly every four weeks, they say.

“Our newly expanded Garland store sets the gold standard for Goodwill in Texas — not only as our largest location, but as our most operationally complex,” says Tim Heis, president and CEO of Goodwill Industries of Dallas, in the release. “Turning out 10,000 fresh items every single day requires a tremendous, coordinated effort behind the scenes to make sure our shelves are always stocked with new finds."

The reopening comes amid "explosive growth" in the resale sector, Goodwill says. A 2024 report from ThredUp found that the U.S. secondhand market grew 11 percent in 2023 (growing seven times faster than the broader retail clothing sector) and is projected to reach $73 billion by 2028.

“As consumers are increasingly turning to resale for its affordability, unique product variety, and positive environmental impact, the new Garland store redefines what’s possible — every visit promises one of the widest, most frequently refreshed selections anywhere in North Texas,” says Joel Ibanez, vice president, Donated Goods Retail.

To support its larger retail footprint and meet demand, Goodwill Dallas has also expanded its donation network, they say, opening new Donation Express locations in Frisco, Plano, and Lantana in recent months and bringing the total number of donation drop off locations in North Texas to 52.

The Garland store includes a drive-up donation center, and additional sites are in development across North Texas, they say.

"Over the past two years, Goodwill Dallas has experienced record-breaking performance, earning recognition as the top performing Goodwill in the country for two consecutive years," they say in the release.

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