Why a handmade gift, and why from here
Most gifts in Dubai come from the same few malls and the same few brands. A handmade piece is different in a way the person can feel: it was made in small numbers, often to order, by someone with a studio in Al Quoz, a kiln in Khalifa City or a workbench in a Sharjah flat. It carries a story you can tell when you hand it over.
The UAE has far more makers than most people realise. Ceramicists, candle makers, woodworkers, textile artists, printmakers and jewellers sell at weekend markets, through Instagram and, increasingly, through curated shops like Trove that bring them together in one place.
What handmade gifts cost in the UAE
Prices are set by the maker and reflect materials and hours, not a brand mark-up. As a rough guide for pieces made here:
- Small pieces such as a mug, a candle, a print or a keyring: roughly AED 60 to AED 180.
- Mid-size pieces such as a bowl set, a cushion, a serving board or a small framed work: roughly AED 180 to AED 500.
- Statement pieces such as a large vase, a lamp, a rug or a commissioned work: AED 500 upwards, often made to order.
On Trove, delivery across Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah is AED 30 on orders of AED 200 and below, and free above that. Every piece shows its own delivery time on the page, because a made-to-order bowl takes longer than a print that is already on the shelf.
How long a handmade gift takes
This is where handmade differs from a mall. Many pieces are made or finished after you order them. Most pieces on Trove arrive within 3–6 days; made-to-order work can take a few weeks. If the gift is for a date, order early and read the delivery line on the piece.
A tip from our makers: if you are late, ask for a gift note and a photo of the finished piece to show on the day. The real thing follows.
Gifts by occasion
- Housewarming: ceramics for the table, a wooden serving board, a scented candle poured locally, a cushion in a fabric you will not find in a chain store.
- Weddings and engagements: a pair of hand-thrown cups, a commissioned portrait of the couple, a calligraphy piece.
- New baby: a hand-stitched blanket, a wooden name sign, a small illustrated print for the nursery.
- Eid and the festive season: a dates platter, a set of glazed bowls, a hand-painted ornament.
- Corporate gifts: makers often take batch orders of 20 to 100 pieces with a longer lead time. Write to the maker through Trove before you order.
Where to look
- Weekend markets in Dubai and Abu Dhabi are good for meeting makers in person, but the stock is whatever is on the table that day.
- Instagram is where most UAE makers started. It is wonderful for discovery and tedious for buying: messages, bank transfers, and delivery arranged by hand.
- Trove is a curated shop of pieces by independent makers in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah, with one checkout, card payment, delivery to your door and a 15-day returns policy. Every maker is reviewed by a real person before their pieces go live. See the shop and how curation works.
Make it personal
Many makers take personalisation: a name on a mug, initials on a board, a colour you choose. On Trove, pieces that offer it show the options on the page. If you want something that does not exist yet, the Services Marketplace lists makers who work to order, from custom portraits to pieces made for a particular room.
Returns on handmade pieces
A handmade piece is not a lesser product because it is handmade. On Trove you have 15 days from delivery to ask for a return, and the Delivery & Returns page explains what happens with personalised pieces, which are made for you and cannot usually be resold.
Are you a maker?
If you make things in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah and people keep asking where to buy them, Trove is built for you. There is nothing to pay up front, you set the price, and you keep 60% of it. Read how selling on Trove works or apply.