Hoos for the Holidays: A Gift Guide from UVA Founders
By Gosia Glinska
Stuck on holiday shopping? Skip the stress and discover great gifts from companies founded or led by UVA students and alumni and hatched in the i.Lab Incubator at Darden’s Batten Institute for Entrepreneurship, Innovation and Technology. These ventures offer meaningful, unique products that make gift-giving easy and enjoyable, and you can support Hoos while you’re at it!
Brandefy: Affordable Beauty
Founded by Meg Pryde (MBA ’18)
For beauty lovers on your list, consider Brandefy—a customer-focused brand delivering high-performance skincare without the luxury markup. Founded by Meg Pryde, Brandefy is built on clinically proven formulations and transparent pricing.
While working in the consumer-packaged goods industry, Pryde discovered that many companies sold identical formulations under different labels at vastly different prices. This realization inspired her to create Brandefy, an app and online platform that helped consumers compare premium beauty products with affordable alternatives. Building on that success, Brandefy introduced its own skincare line designed to deliver visible, luxury-level results at accessible prices.
From retinol creams and serums to advanced replenishing treatments, Brandefy’s products are developed in collaboration with top chemists and dermatologists.
Shop holiday sales and exclusive bundles now at www.brandefyskin.com.
Cabell Jones: University-Inspired Jewelry
Founded by Cabell Zakas (MBA ’25)
Cabell Jones jewelry is a meaningful holiday gift that celebrates the spirit and heritage of the University of Virginia.
As founder Cabell Zakas put it, “My jewelry is rooted in storytelling. Each necklace is thoughtfully designed by me to capture individuality, memory, and place—blending elevated craftsmanship with personal meaning.”
Her venture grew out of her decade-long passion for jewelry design and her deep connection to UVA. As a double Hoo named after William Cabell, one of Thomas Jefferson’s right-hand men, Zakas created her first UVA-inspired necklace in 2024 while she was a student at Darden. After months of iterating, she launched Cabell Jones.
Goose and Willow transforms original hand-painted art into beautiful, American-made home goods.
Goose & Willow Home Decor
Founded by Gretchen Pace (MBA ’22)
Goose & Willow will bring joy, story and heart to every home this holiday season. Founded by U.S. Army veteran and watercolor artist Gretchen Pace, this brand transforms original hand-painted art into beautiful, American-made home goods.
From festive flour-sack dish towels and cozy throw pillows to coasters, baby blankets, and greeting cards, each piece is designed to spark warmth and wonder. Crafted through U.S. manufacturing partners, Goose & Willow products celebrate artistry, quality, and the spirit of giving.
Perfect for gift-giving, the Holiday Collection shines with cheerful flamingoes, nostalgic motifs and timeless designs that make every kitchen and living room feel merry and bright. The University Collection features Gretchen’s original paintings of the University of Virginia Rotunda on tea towels, coasters, and baby blankets. Every item reflects Goose & Willow’s promise: art that feels like home—crafted with care, made in America, and meant to bring joy for years to come.
Haiama Beauty: Clean Haircare for Curls
Founded by Allison Shimamoto (MBA ’19)
Finding truly toxin-free, all-natural products for Type 4 hair can feel impossible. Haiama Beauty, the eco-luxury brand redefining clean haircare and skincare, makes it easy.
Allison Shimamoto founded Haiama Beauty in 2019 out of necessity. “Most natural hair products left my hair dry, flat or rigid,” said Shimamoto. “The products that did work claimed to be natural, but their ingredients fell short. So I started making my own natural products.”
Haiama crafts its hair and skincare creams and serums with ethically sourced, high-quality ingredients such as sage leaf, fenugreek, açaí and guava. This year, the company earned recognition as a Best of Philly® winner by Philadelphia Magazine in the Shopping & Beauty category for “Best Clean Beauty Products.” The magazine praised Haiama’s Everything Cream as being so pure “you can use it on a baby.”
Check out Haiama’s limited edition Holiday Winter Washday Bundle or its award-winning Everything Cream.
PAKA® | Sustainable Alpaca Wool Outdoor Apparel from Peru
Founded by Kris Cody (i.Lab ’17)
Ten years ago, while traveling in Peru, Kris Cody bought an alpaca wool sweater. It was light, warm, softer than cashmere, and naturally hypoallergenic and moisture-wicking.
Unlike synthetic fibers that release microplastics when washed, alpaca wool offers a natural, eco-friendly alternative. Motivated to reduce pollution, the UVA neuroscience major partnered with Peruvian artisans to craft early prototypes of the sweater, which he sold from his college dorm room.
What followed was a stint at the i.Lab Incubator and a successful Kickstarter campaign that raised nearly $350,000, exceeding its goal by 1,700 percent.
Today PAKA Apparel, is a B-Corp certified sustainable apparel brand that crafts all-season clothing from alpaca wool. It has it all: from hats, socks, and handwoven Quechua bracelets that make perfect stocking stuffers, to cozy sweaters, hoodies, and high-performance parkas. This year, the company introduced its Heritage Collection, co-created with Quechua artisans in Peru. Five percent of all sales go directly to support their NGO that preserves the Inca traditions.
Rhoback: Performance Activewear Designed for Those Who Crave Activity
Founded by Matt Loftus (MBA ’16) and Kristina Loftus (MBA ’17)
Ever since Matt and Kristina Loftus co-founded Rhoback in 2016, the high-end sportswear brand has been attracting attention from celebrities, athletes, and media outlets such as Golf Digest, CNN and Town & Country, often through organic outreach rather than paid advertising.
Inspired by the Rhodesian Ridgeback, a dog breed that always craves activity, Rhoback embodies energy, movement and adventure. The brand’s collection of high-performance polos, q-zips, tees and pullovers is crafted from buttery-soft, moisture-wicking fabrics designed to transition seamlessly from a round of golf or a morning workout to an evening out.
Rhoback’s rapid success can be traced to its innovative marketing efforts. From the beginning, the founders used social media as a storytelling platform, sharing adventurous, lifestyle-driven content that helped Rhoback build a loyal following. The founders traveled thousands of miles in Rhoback’s signature wooden teardrop camper to meet customers face-to-face and let them experience the products firsthand. This year, they opened their first brick-and-mortar location in the town the business was born: Charlottesville, Virginia.
This season, give the gift of comfort, performance and style with Rhoback.
Shenandoah Joe Coffee Roasters
Owned by Darrell Pacheco (MBA ’23)
Have a coffee connoisseur on your holiday list? Treat them to something special from Shenandoah Joe Coffee Roasters.
Since it was established as a small-batch coffee roaster in 1993, Shenandoah Joe has been a mainstay of the Charlottesville coffee scene. Darden alum Darrell Pacheco recently acquired it from its previous owner, Dave Fafara.
The company sources the finest Arabica beans from around the globe and offers more than 25 varieties of gourmet coffee. Order Jitterbug Blend, Kaldi’s Euphoria or choose from several single-origin coffees from Kenya to Costa Rica online. For an expertly brewed cup of Joe pop into one of Shenandoah Joe’s Virginia-based coffee shops.
Pacheco’s recommendation? “Our signature holiday blend Humbug Brew, which is a unique combination of velvety smooth arabica El Salvadorian and subtly robust Brazilian coffees.”
two x two: Classic Children’s Clothing
Founded by Courtenay Lyons (MBA ’12)
Discover two x two, founded by Courtenay Lyons, for timeless, playful children’s clothing.
As a new mom of twins, Lyons struggled to find beautifully made children’s clothes that fit well and were comfortable to play in. After sourcing pieces from Spain, she decided to build a brand centered on classic designs that she and her daughters loved. Following a year of relationship-building in Spain, Lyons launched two x two in 2025.
The clothes are handmade in Spain from soft, durable fabrics. From gingham dresses and cozy sweaters to tailored shirts and cheerful rompers, each piece is designed to be both wearable and beautiful. Explore the full collection at shoptwoxtwo.com.
Discover more great gifts from UVA founders and business owners by exploring their company websites.
Archer Roose Wines | Luxury wine in cans
The Clearly Collective | Narrative Design Studio
Crunchy Hydration – Sparkling Wellness Water
Drink JAS® | Latin-Inspired Alcohol-Free Functional Cocktails
Munchbird: Best Dog Treats & Dog Chews
Old Line Spirits American Single Malt Whiskey and Case 1 Aged Rum
The University of Virginia Darden School of Business prepares responsible global leaders through unparalleled transformational learning experiences. Darden’s graduate degree programs (Full-Time MBA, Part-Time MBA, Executive MBA, MSBA and Ph.D.) and Executive Education & Lifelong Learning programs offered by the Darden School Foundation set the stage for a lifetime of career advancement and impact. Darden’s top-ranked faculty, renowned for teaching excellence, inspires and shapes modern business leadership worldwide through research, thought leadership and business publishing. Darden has Grounds in Charlottesville, Virginia, and the Washington, D.C., area and a global community that includes 20,000 alumni in 90 countries. Darden was established in 1955 at the University of Virginia, a top public university founded by Thomas Jefferson in 1819 in Charlottesville, Virginia.
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Darden School of Business
University of Virginia
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