What is Made in Ukraine

A hardy country, of good people, which should not be defined just by the war.

With its rich heritage Ukraine has many unique and exciting things on offer.

Ukraine has a very strong identity and unique culture that comes out in the things they make and use in every day life.

I embarked on a journey across the country to discover the country, its culture and makers first hand. It is a country at war, so not everything works - many workshops are closed or disrupted. But at the same time, keeping Ukrainian economy ticking and providing people with livelihoods is very important during this extended conflict.

This is not a final list - I will keep updating it as I travel around - but I trust you will find many of things fascinating and interesting.

Wooden Products

Ukrainians have special relationship with their forests. Foraging forest fruits, birch sap and collecting mushrooms is still very common pass time in the country. So is just relaxing and spending free time outdoors.

Although majority of the forests server recreational and ecological purpose, there is a strongly developed woodcraft trade too. Here are some of the hidden gems that I thought to share.

Wooden plates from Woodstuff are gorgeous, and I especially like the playful bunny children plates. You can buy them in our shop here.

Wall mountable map of the world, or custom country, made by PlywoodStory - a very small team company, who happy to do custom orders.

It is a shame that I can't link to all discovered artists, like the carved jewellery box (in picture 3), they can only be found in markets and small local shops.

Wood is also a great source for making kids toys, cute ones, like from Konstantin.

Hand Made Jewellery

Ukrainian coat of arms - a trident (tryzub) - has a very powerful meaning to everyone due to the war. Jewellers are doing a great job in crafting various neclases for men and women. And let me tell you - they are worn with pride.

Vyshivanka (embroidery) historically was decorating Ukrainian clothing, but now you can find this decoration on other things - like earrings, from prikrasyMary.

Ellur places her embroidery in Victorian style necklaces and earrings which gives it a very special vibe. Such handmade jewellery supports livelihood of Ukrainian artisans, but also helps to preserve Ukrainian heritage and identity.

You would not think that wood can also be used for jewellery, until you see these unique wooden necklaces from Petrykivka village. Hand painted in unique patterns, it is a very light and colourful jewellery for a playful touch to your style.

You can also wear part of the beautiful Ukrainian countryside - Mariaela places dried flowers in a jewellery terrarium necklace.

Cool T-Shirts

There are hundreds of unique designs featuring Ukraine, its war and international solidarity. Some of them are cute and artistic, while others are more agresive and patriotic. Many of designs I have seen are very creative and would work very well as a present to him or her.

Picture 2 features traditional Cossack, a warrior people from South and East Ukraine. The writing quotes their leader - "slaves are not allowed in heaven".

Picture 3 shows a t-shirt made and designed by Ukrainian M-Tac. It makes a wide range of outdoor and military clothing. Many soldiers in Ukraine confirmed that their clothing is of exceptional quality and you have to agree that design is pretty cool too. This brand has grown and adapted to help with the war effort and hence proudly states on the t-shirt itself "Ukrainian Brand - Hardened by War".

Interestingly, Ukrainian president Zelensky is turning out to be a good promoter of such t-shirts and hoodies - as he often wears them on his trips and speaches.

Leather Products

Leather craft has always been practised here, but in the last 10 - 20 years it has experienced a big revival with a new generation of young people starting their own workshops. We feature a few of those, like Mastak, on the site. But here are some more interesting leather products that you might consider as a gift to your loved one or yourself.

I am a big fan of slim wallets made by Lion Leather, from Zhotomyr. They are wider than usual, so you can store your notes folded in just half. Here is a quick review I did on it.

Some of them are quite big internationally now - check Kachorovska atelier, with dedicated shop and distribution centre for the US.

For wide range of men or women shoes visit this shop, which was set up specifically help Ukrainian shoe makers to sell worldwide.

Christmas Tree Decorations

A lot of hand painted Christmas decorations come in a unique Petrykivka style, which originated in a UNESCO heritage site - Petrykivka village, Dnipropetrovsk region. Till this day artists decorate homes, furniture, musical instruments and wide range of every day items.

Most often Christmas decorations are made from wood in various shapes of animals, bells or simple balls. Then it is painstakingly hand painted by an artist.

These unique decorations have one great advantage too - they don't break. No matter how many kids, cats or dogs knock that tree down during the next festive season.

HandcraftsMill have amazing bells, and UkrGifts seem to have a the best range of decorations in one place. All made in Ukraine, of course.

Natural and Handmade Toys for Kids

Some toys can come with a tongue and cheek story. This huggable goose is the Ukrainian toy maker's response to the Russian propaganda claim about Ukrainians developing bio weaponised goose to spread diseases in Russia. Meet 'Goose Drone' - a big hit with local kids and adults.

A traditional Ukrainian folk toy is 'motanka'. Still popular today and ever more relevant I feel - it represents a feminine wisdom, and can be considered as an amulet for the whole family. You can buy them at StefaniasToys; where they also sell these cute and children-safe hand knitted toys, like this tiger.

Many local toymakers also focus on ecological and plastic free toys. MoonlitMill has a great range of untraditional, and more mind-calming wooden toy options.

3D Cardboard Sculpture Puzzles

It is not just about heritage and sticking to the old ways of doing things. New generation artisans also exist.

Cartonic is a Ukrainian firm that specialises in making 3D puzzles of famous people, as well as other interesting shapes. It works not only as an entertainment, when trying to assemble one, but is also a great decoration to have in one's home.

It can be a great funny gift to someone who is admiring famous people, or who supports Ukraine in its current fight for survival.

Many online and high street retailers have them in stock - see if your google product search will lead you to a local retailer closest to you.

Saunas (Bania)

As Sauna is very a very big part of European culture. Ukrainians are not exception - 'bania' is a social experience to be had with a group of friends or a family. Many Ukrainians (as well as Scandinavians) swear by its health benefits too.

Hence, it is not surprising that you can find sauna building experts in Ukraine. There are quite a few small, family run companies that come and build custom sized saunas to newly built homes. But there is a bigger manufacturer, SavaDrev, from Zhytomir, who has been making saunas since 2015.

To make truly authentic 'bania' experience don't be afraid to try birch 'venik' (for natural exfoliation procedure) and fancy felt hats (bellow).

If you are looking for sauna, check our Sauna Shop - our team can help you choose the best one for you and arrange delivery anywhere in the EU.

Sauna Accessories

Every sauna pro will have at least one of these - a sauna hat. It protects the scalp from potential burns, and hair from extreme heat damage. Since it is made from natural felt it also nicely absorbs moisture and sweat. These days they come in playful shapes - as a Napoleon hat, a pirate or a crown with writing 'king' or 'queen'.

From the same wool felt, Ukrainians also make slippers. They are useful when leaving the sauna or socialising in the common spaces between the sessions. And just like hats, they come in traditional or more playful motifs, with 'king' or 'queen' written in Ukrainian.

You can buy these products from PetriStore.

Engraved Ukrainian War Trophies

With more than 3,000 destroyed Russian tanks in Ukraine, there is a unique opportunity to own an actual piece of this brutal conflict, while supporting the rebuilding of the Ukrainian economy.

MemorySteelUA has numbered keychains produced from a Russian T72 tank. It comes in various engraved messages and a link to digital library showing the actual state of the tank.

BestGiftEverUkr makes keychain/bottle opener from T80 tank, and has a more rustic feel.

There are, albeit in limited numbers, keychains made from Russian fighter jet too. DezPeras makes them from SU34 plane cladding, with engraved coordinates of where it was shot down.

These are numbered pieces, hence once sold their links will stop working. Hopefully you can find other sellers too. Also, just like with anything, do your own due diligence - we are not in the position to verify authenticity of such products.

Planes - An 225 Mriya

I usually try to focus on the things that us, ordinary people, would enjoy owning or gifting, but I could not create this page without talking about Ukrainian pride and joy - the largest aircraft in the world.

225 Mriya is the cargo plane made by the Ukrainian plane manufacturer Antonov Company, which specialises in making very aircrafts. The company has made around 22,000 aircrafts, with the one-off Mriya being the most famous.

Unfortunately the plane was destroyed during the first week of Russian invasion to Ukraine, in the suburbs of Kiev.

There seem to be little doubt that Antonov Company will build a new An-225, since they have all the blue prints, know how and the capacity to do so. This plane was serving many countries and there will be a continuous need for extra large cargo aircraft in the future.

Feeling inspired? Looking for more stories about original things made in Europe? Discover other European countries too.