Spring 2020 Texas Land & Lifestyle Trends

Zilker Belts was inspired by the passion, pride and craftsmanship found in Argentina. Co-Founders Wade Green and Hill Shands knew the vibrant colors, hand-stitched patterns and world-class leather belonged back home in Texas. Their belts and dog collars are wearable works of art that draw inspiration from the traditional gaucho style and some of their favorite local icons like Deep Eddy, Antone’s, Willie and Austin City Limits. Community is woven into everything they do. They believe in thinking globally and acting locally; from the ethical, hand-crafted manufacturing process and close relationships they’ve developed with their Argentine partners, to the local causes they support. ZilkerBelts.com

Show your support for protecting the nature of Texas with this unisex T-shirt that pays homage to TLC’s mascot, the Texas Horned Lizard. Texas Land Conservancy (TLC) is a non-governmental, 501(c)3 non-profit organization dedicated to protecting land all over the state of Texas. TLC helps landowners find an economical, realistic alternative to selling their land to a developer that allows ownership to remain in their hands but puts the responsibility of conserving the land in TLC’s. TLC’s work ensures that economic viability and growth is balanced with what makes us Texan: our rural heritage, our open-spaces, our farms and ranches, our scenic vistas and our natural resources. TexasLandConservancy.org

Stepin Stik has been providing some of the finest, most comfortable, custom-built walking stiks and accessories internationally for 16 years, each one designed by the customer and built by them. This is something you can hand down for generations to come. StepinStik.com

Hunting can be very demanding on the human body with a high amount of energy output and very little vital nutrients going back into the body. This may lead to fatigue, exhaustion and dehydration. Hunt Smart is designed for hunters to improve nutrient uptake, performance, hydration, endurance and recovery. Hunt Smart can help you maintain stamina, recover faster and rehydrate quicker. PeakPerformanceHunting.com

Bees love us. They pollinate our fields, orchards and gardens. But bees are threatened and need our help. Beesponsible is a way we can love them back. For Beesponsible’s Bee Harmony American Raw Wildflower honey, they cover the country’s wildflower fields, meadows and forage lands, carefully tasting and testing only the highest-quality American sources. All that hard work creates a classic, medium-colored honey with a subtly robust, full-bodied sweetness. Beesponsible.com

The Twisted X Brewing Company, located in beautiful Dripping Springs, offers up an array of small-batch craft beers. These beers are excellent and worth experiencing and are only available in their tasting room. Drop by the brewery to see the latest creations from their “brew crew.”  TwistedXBrewing.com

All of San Saba River Pecan Company’s award-winning gourmet products are produced and shipped from facilities housed within an orchard of 10,000± pecan trees in a park-like setting by the San Saba River. Their preserves are a delicious blend of fresh fruit and pecans. GreatPecans.com

Bendecidos luxurious and sophisticated pens are the modern classics that marry the true style of finer days with the craftsmanship of modern times. Handmade and carefully checked for flawless quality, they present high precision and exceptional writing comfort for every occasion, coupled with a beautiful and unique design. Bendecidos pens are made in Little Elm, Texas, by a small and passionate family business using locally sourced mesquite wood. Neatly packed in an elegant cigar-style wooden pen case, Bendecidos pens make a thoughtful gift set for anyone who appreciates finer things in life. BendecidosHandmade.com

After lamenting the loss of great and hard-to-replace polo shirts of years past, Criquet Shirts set out on a quest to find the perfect shirt. Guided by memories of their very first collared shirts and well-worn hand-me-downs, they spared no effort to find it. In the end, unable to track down this elusive prize, they did what any two enterprising young men would do—They set out to design it and make it on their own. In a world of Southern Prep and East Coast Classic, Criquet has an easygoing, fun-loving Austin spirit all its own. CriquetShirts.com

Mark Kohler has ventured into vast, desolate country, dusty branding pens, ranch rodeo arenas and the traditional Mexican Charreada to get the images that he wanted to paint, telling a story with a sable brush and tinted water. Over the years, his interests have expanded to commissions and portraits; still telling the stories of people and their lives. He is committed to perfecting the skill God has given him, and he is grateful for every opportunity to portray the narrative of this interesting journey called Life. MarkKohlerStudio.com

What is it about Marfa, Texas? More and more visitors are arriving, and the amount of press for such a small, remote town is astonishing. Its allure is elusive. John Slaughter’s goal as a photographer is to reveal a bit of that mystique. Some of the subjects included in his book are: high desert landscapes, art installations, performers, local residents, indigenous flora and iconic local landmarks. Amazon.com

Upon opening the tin, you can almost imagine yourself axe in hand, breathing in crisp, clean mountain air and greeting the day as if you owned it. Expertly crafting and hand mixing their products, The Bearded Bastard is passionate about doing things the right way and uses natural ingredients from sustainable and responsible sources whenever possible. All of their products are made by hand in Austin, Texas. TheBeardedBastard.com

Pre-shave, precision-shave and post-shave lotion all in one, 18.21 Man Made’s shave lotion is perfect for males wanting a clean, precise shave sans foam. 18.21 Man Made is a Texas-based business owned and operated by three hardworking gents who share a passion for making premium, uncommon goods that gentlemen take pride in owning. 1821manmade.com

When a team of five explorers embarked on a 1,200-mile journey down the Rio Grande, the river that marks the southern boundary of Texas and the U.S./Mexico border, their goal was to experience and capture on film the rugged landscapes of this vast frontier before the controversial construction of a border wall changed this part of the river forever. The River and the Wall is both a wild adventure on a spectacular river and a sobering commentary on the realities of walling it off. Amazon.com