Shop by craft
Best of Christchurch; search or filter for all 7
Ōtautahi Christchurch
Backyard Ceramics is a small-batch pottery studio in Ōtautahi Christchurch turning out hand-thrown mugs, bowls, vases, and trinket dishes made for everyday use. The maker also takes custom orders for personalised pieces.
Best for Handmade functional pottery
The Arts Centre, Worcester Boulevard
Opened in 2017 by Tessa Peach at the Arts Centre on Worcester Boulevard, the shop curates well-made New Zealand goods from hand-thrown ceramics and wool blankets to pantry staples, skincare, and spirits. An adjoining café shares the ground floor of the historic Boys' High building.
Best for New Zealand-made homeware and provisions
The Colombo, Sydenham
Industria sells homeware and gifts at The Colombo in Christchurch's Sydenham district. Its selection combines work by New Zealand artists with international design across art and jewellery as well as household objects. The Colombo shop at 363 Colombo Street is separate from Industria's Rolleston location.
Best for New Zealand art, homeware and multi-brand gifts
Industria first opened in 2012 and has developed as a Christchurch gift and homewares retailer. The business operates at The Colombo in Sydenham and at Rolleston Square, combining local artists with international design. The copy is signed by Janine and the Industria Team, and the store describes its selection as design-led and budget friendly. The catalogue supports that breadth with named makers and concrete categories. Robert Gordon Pottery appears alongside furniture and lighting. Jewellery is presented with art and giftware elsewhere in the range. Tony Cribb and Tin Man are listed within the art section, while vintage maps and tourist prints sit beside contemporary wall pieces. Home sections cover coffee tables and cabinets, followed by bookcases and planters. Vases appear with plates and serving pieces. Smaller objects include journals and enamelware. Candles and diffusers form a separate category. The current range also identifies materials and makers on individual products, including weather-resistant polyresin garden figures and Schylling NeeDoh sensory toys. Those examples show how Industria mixes New Zealand work with imported design rather than presenting every object as locally made. The 2012 opening and two locations near Christchurch give the entry a clearer identity than a generic gift shop description.
Christchurch
Marc Bendall designs and handcrafts fine jewellery from his Christchurch workshop, taking bespoke commissions and remodelling heirloom pieces. Work spans engagement rings, diamond settings, and contemporary designs.
Best for Bespoke and handcrafted jewellery
Christchurch
Rowena Watson Jewellers designs and handcrafts jewellery on site in Christchurch, working with clients from concept through to the finished ring or pendant. The studio specialises in bespoke commissions and reworking older pieces.
Best for Custom-designed jewellery
Christchurch
Smith's Bookshop was established by A. D. Smith in 1894 and remains a fully independent Christchurch bookseller. It now trades from the Tannery Emporium at 3 Garlands Road in Woolston with more than 40,000 new and secondhand titles listed by category. The stock leans to rare and out-of-print books on New Zealand, from regional history and te ao Māori to farming and the arts, with international titles and children's books alongside.
Best for Secondhand and rare books
Smith's Bookshop anchors its identity in Christchurch rather than treating New Zealand books as a small regional shelf. A. D. Smith established the business in 1894, and the shop states that it remains fully independent. Its current home is the Tannery Emporium at 3 Garlands Road in Woolston. The catalogue contains more than 40,000 new and second-hand books arranged by subject, with rare and out-of-print material given particular weight. New Zealand regional history appears beside te ao Maori, natural history and the arts. Farming, fishing and hunting sit alongside literature, children's books and international titles. That structure explains the shop's practical value: it can support a narrowly local search without becoming only an antiquarian specialist. The bookseller also says it helps source hard-to-find titles, which connects the depth of the catalogue to an active service. Smith's is therefore a strong address for readers building a New Zealand collection, researching Christchurch or looking for a title that ordinary general bookshops no longer carry.
Christchurch
Grown from Peri Drysdale's Christchurch knitwear company Snowy Peak, Untouched World makes merino and possum-blend clothing manufactured in New Zealand. The brand runs its flagship store and café in Christchurch.
Best for New Zealand-made merino knitwear
Neighbourhood walks
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