The Do One Thing Well List 2023.

Hiut Denim Co
17 min readNov 18, 2023

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Some products, some services, some experiences are just right. It’s hard to know how to make them simpler, more beautiful or more useful. They bring together innovation, tradition, and great design, to make something that is truly special.

This list was put together to celebrate those who decide to ‘Do One Thing Well’, which it turns out is a rare thing. For us, it takes 75 different processes to make a pair of our jeans. And we only have to be world class at 75 of them. Eek.

1. Geek Meets Luddite.

Teenage Engineering TP-7. A piece of hardware dedicated to ideas.

Birdie. A fresh take on the fresh air monitor.

Humane Ai Pin. An AI-powered assistant from two former Apple execs.

Loftie Clock. Phones are bad clocks. Avoid the urge to doomscroll.

Nex Playground. Getting gamers up and moving. No controllers needed.

Honda Motocompacto. Super-compact folding e-scooter. Brompton beater?

Petoi Robot Dog Bittle X. For all ages. A new-coders best friend.

Linn Sondek LP12–50. LoveFrom’s take on the most iconic hi-fi in history.

Gomi. Hand-crafted in Brighton from ‘non-recyclable’ waste plastics.

Ember Mug 2. Set an exact drinking temperature. Never too hot or too cold.

Opal C1. The first professional webcam.

2. Gifts under £99.

Yinka Ilori Orun Umbrella. A British staple infused with sun energy.

Reiko Kaneko Wave Plates. Made to order. Dynamic waves on bone china.

Make your own Hobby Horse. Colourful. Fun. And no mucking-out!

ManMower. Sustainable beard razors. Built to last a lifetime.

COBAGS. The shopping bag for cyclists.

Prixel. A printmaking playground. Let your creativity take shape.

Owantshoozi Birdhouse. Recycled materials. Made by artisan casquettiers.

Ass Savers. Protect yourself from that rainy ride home.

Picto. An indication of time. Set your own agenda.

FujiFilm Instax Pal. Making small moments feel big.

TrueDark Glasses. High-quality yellow lenses that block blue light.

Bond Heart Necklace. Keep and feel your loved ones’ heartbeats.

3. Write Club.

Write Useful Books. Never write alone.

The Art and Business of Online Writing. The secrets to writing online.

Modern Author Academy. Write a book that outgrows you.

Typeshare. The digital writing platform.

Apple Notes. Always at your fingertips.

Scribe Media. Turn your manuscript into a professionally published book.

Blockbuster Blueprint. How to write a blockbuster. Learn from the best.

Rian Doris. How to get into, and stay in, the flow.

4. Business of One.

Sony FX3 Cinema Line. The ideal tool to capture your cinematic vision.

Sony FE 50mm F1.2 GM Lens. With the above, a match made in heaven.

Camtasia. The best all-in-one screen recorder and video editor.

Alfred. Boost your efficiency and be more productive.

Kajabi. The best place for Creators to make money.

Blackmagic ATEM Mini Pro ISO. Multi camera live production.

Shure SM7B Vocal Microphone. Delivers smooth, warm vocals every time.

MOTU M4. Best in class. Enough said.

Aputure LS C300D II. More durable, more portable, more intelligent.

Kanto YU2 Desk Speakers. High-performance. Exceptional sound.

5. Inspiring Portugal.

Portugal: The Monocle Handbook. Pack this when you pack your bags.

Sublime Comporta. Sublime is the word. A magical, unspoiled place.

A Vida Portuguesa. Where traditional handicraft and new artisans coexist.

Íssimo Baga Bruto Rosé. Berries from Bairrada. Rosé sparkling wine.

Quinta do Saloio. Por amor ao sabor. For the love of flavour.

OliStori Angelica. Lots of character, sweet then fruity and intense.

Balagan Ericeira. Your not so typical beach date.

Casa das Historias Paula Rego. A shrine to the Portuguese-British artist.

Costa Nova. Fine stoneware collections. Ceramic craftsmanship at its best.

Areias do Seixo. Let yourself go.

6. Studio Sounds.

Taylor Swift: Midnights. Some Quill, some Fountain, some Glitter Gel Pen.

Sonos Era 300. Next-level audio that hits from every direction.

Janelle Monáe: The Age of Pleasure. A love letter to a Pan-African diaspora.

Little Simz: No Thank You. Confirming the rapper’s generational abilities.

Fatoumata Diawara: London Ko. Undeniable music royalty.

We are Rewind. The Cassette Player Reinvented.

Tetragrammaton with Rick Rubin. Interviews that may blow your mind.

Power Down Playlist with Sian Eleri. Blissed out warm sounds to relax to.

Captains with Sam Warburton. How teams come together and win.

Speechify. If you email us, Snoop Dogg will probably read it out loud.

Radio Garden. Explore live radio by rotating the globe.

The DO Lectures 2023. Relisten. These lectures will be your mentor.

7. Image-Makers of Influence.

Urth. Professional Results. Trusted by Pro Photographers.

Euphoria Fashion: Heidi Bivens. The clothes are the storytelling conduit.

Ode: Melissa Schriek. Paying homage to sisterhood and female friendship.

Polaroid I-2. The first analog instant camera with built-in manual controls.

Roll: Théo Gosselin. 10 years of travel. 10 years of photographs.

Teddy’s Place. Your new favourite place to create.

Archive: Sofia Coppola. An unprecedented insight into a working process.

Capture One Pro. Work Less. Create More. Go Pro.

Stroppa Camera Straps. Hand-made using centuries old techniques.

8. Brave Wales.

Fall Bay Swim. Handmade sustainable active swimwear. Made to order.

cWFL. Poise in the Hood. Independent fashion and self-care.

Boys and Girls. Burgers. Fries. Natural Wine.

Valé. Smooth graphics. Tidy quality. From a crew of skaters and artists.

Ynyshir. Ingredient led. Flavour driven. Fat fuelled. Protein obsessed.

Atherton Bikes. World-beating technology. Handmade to order.

Y Bwyty Bach. The Small Restaurant. Commited to quality.

Touring Club. A Taste of Patagonia in Penarth.

Glebelands Market Garden. Seasonal produce on our doorstep.

Rémy Green. Modern Celtic Apothecary.

The Dreaming. Experience the magic of nature.

9. Brain Food.

Yayoi Kusama x Louis Vuitton. The culmination of an epic collaboration.

The Creative Act by Rick Rubin. Creativity as a way of being.

Carbon, Pressure & Time by Pharrell. A precious book of jewels.

Pentagram: Living by Design. 50 years of Pentagram. 5 years in the making.

An Atlas of Es Devlin. The first monograph on the genre-defying artist.

WorkOut by Hikaru Ichijo. Capturing dynamic compositions in book form.

The Closet by Teo van den Broeke. Self-knowledge through clothes.

Faster Than A Cannonball by Dylan Jones. A cultural swipe of the 90s.

the *book by Little Simz. A journal re-designed into a personal coffee book.

Gaetano Pesce: The Complete Incoherence. In a category all of his own.

Hiut Denim Co. Yearbook Six. Yup, we’re biased. But we are proud of it.

10. Switch Off.

66°North. Iceland’s finest finally opened their first UK store. Takk fyrir!

Allbirds M0.0NSHOT. The World’s First Net Zero Carbon Shoe.

Kids Ride Shotgun. Little ones ride up front.

Rainkiss. Amsterdam’s specialists in sustainable designer rain ponchos.

The Den Kit Company. Inspiring outdoor play, and getting ever-so muddy.

Little Chonk. Explore the world with four paws up.

Packbags. Modular bags. Handmade in Amsterdam. Build your own.

Ignik Flipside. Keeping you warm in an outside bed.

Café du Cycliste. Forever Outsiders. Premium apparel designed in France.

11. Subscriptions You’ll Never Cancel.

Or Collective. Baby and toddler clothing rental subscription.

Petalon. Year-round flowers. Grown in Cornwall. Delivered to your home.

Butter & Crust. The best bread and pastries. Delivered by bicycle.

Shop Cuvée. Natural Wine Subscription. Happiness guaranteed.

Leaf Envy. Hand-picked, unusual plant species delivered each month.

On Cyclon. Fully recyclable. The shoe you’ll never own. Subscription only.

Extract Coffee. Extract have one simple mission; Make Coffee Better.

Spruce. Ultra-eco cleaning products for the home. Just mix with water.

Ffern. Quarterly fragrances that help you settle deeper into the seasons.

12. Relaxez-vous.

Aesop Murasaki Aromatique Incense. Delicate ribbons of aroma.

Baileys Home Store. Timeless homeware. Housed in old farm buildings.

Tekla. Bringing modernity and freedom of expression to homeware design.

Feldspar. Everyday items. Made properly by master craftspeople.

Completed Works. Gently rolling against the tides of convention.

Hilary Grant Blankets & Bedthrows. Luxury spun and dyed in Scotland.

Stagg EKG Pro. The self-confessed best kettle ever made.

Gardenheir. Long Live the Garden. Goods for the discerning gardener.

Diptyque Candles. Exquisitely scented pieces with an artisanal flair.

Desmond & Dempsey. Sleepware that is a celebration of life at home.

13. Unwind.

Unyoked. Giving you access to high quality nature experiences.

Opal. Find Your Focus. The world’s greatest Screen Time software.

Trip. Share a bit of calm in the everyday chaos.

Eight Sleep. A smarter way to sleep.

Dirtea. The purest and most potent functional mushroom extract powders.

Oddbird. Liberated from alcohol.

Whoop. For the fitness, sleep and health obsessed.

Wild Nutrition. Good nutrition, good life. Made easy.

You + I. Whether artisanal or remedial; they’re definitely exceptional.

Sensate. Designed to work naturally with the body’s nervous system.

14. Creator Apps.

Notion. An all-in-one workspace for you and your team.

Chat GPT. Wait! Could AI have written this list?!

The Breakfast. Meet new people over breakfast.

The A24 App. Everything A24, all in one place.

Walkie Talkie. Find your frequency and chat with people from anywhere.

Seatfrog. Train travel fit for the 21st century.

Cal.com. The event-juggling scheduler for everyone.

Grammarly Pro. Aim high and level up your communication.

Zapier. Build automated workflows customised for your role and business.

Wylder. A wellbeing app that connects you to nature.

Testimonial. Get testimonials from your customers with ease.

Rev.com. Fast and accurate transcription services.

Lumy. The Beautiful Sun Tracking App.

15. Small Magical Events.

Trænafestivalen. Paradise doesn’t have to be tropical.

Signal Festival. Unique world-class visual experiences. Set in Prague.

OFFF Barcelona. A festival of creativity, art and digital design.

Space Safari. Where art, technology and nature collide.

Hello Tomorrow. Unlocking the power of deep tech.

Vinterjazz. Held each February with hundreds of concerts across Denmark.

Meadows in the Mountains. Like no other festival on earth.

Arles Festival of Photography. Every summer since 1970.

Sidetracked LIVE: The Creators Tour. Fascinating speakers. Fantastic films.

The DO Lectures. Inspiration to help you take the next step forward.

16. Drinks.

NOAM. Savor the moment. Changing the perception of beer.

Richard Brendon The Cocktail Collection. Distinctive yet functional.

Parés Baltà Pink Cava. The taste of Spring.

Tsuki No Katsura Mild Sake. A smooth and exquisite balance.

Renais Gin. Inspired by terroir and tradition.

Ruinart Brut Champagne. All thanks to the skill of the cellar master.

Wiper and True. That’s Beautiful Beer.

Sybille Kuntz Kabinett. Grown along a valley formed some 35,000 years ago.

Château Pichon Baron. An authentic Pauillac grown on their oldest vines.

Kamoizumi Umeshu. Umelicious!

El Destilado Jabali. A small-batch artisanal mezcal.

Seasn. We season our food. It’s time to season our drinks.

That’s it.
You made it to the bottom. Phew!
Same time, next year?

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Hiut Denim Co

Our town is making jeans again. Founders: @DavidHieatt & @ClareHieatt Do one thing well.