Created by New York City artist and inventor Allen Hirsch, HANDL New York makes fashion-minded phone grips and stands that help a device feel like an extension of the hand. Hirsch developed the patented HANDL after experimenting with homemade phone attachments while painting and texting, giving the company’s accessories an unusually personal origin in the studio. Its removable magHANDL O and elastic-loop designs combine a secure hold with hands-free landscape and portrait standing.
Velvet CaviarFounded in 2014 from Michelle Aran’s New York City bedroom, Velvet Caviar makes fashion-forward phone cases and matching tech accessories that pair distinctive designs with serious protection. The female-founded company coined the “Pretty Yet Protective” concept and now designs its collections with a creative team based in Brooklyn, including collaborations such as its Peanuts™ Snoopy cases. Its cases are 16-foot drop tested, and the company backs them with a one-year warranty and free returns.
SohnBrooklyn-based Sohn turns fashion-trained design into tactile home objects and accessories, including sculptural pillows shaped like hands and feet. Designed by John Sohn, a Cornell-trained fiber and apparel designer whose background includes The Row and Rosetta Getty, the studio treats its pieces as heirlooms meant to be lived with and passed on. Sohn’s name reflects that idea: the Korean word 손 means both “hand” and “craftsmanship,” while its Soft Contact Pillow earned third prize in the fantasy category of the 2020 Tom of Finland Emerging Artist Competition.BROOKLYN, NY
PodMontFounded in 2022 by attorney-turned-inventor Ben Moskovits, PodMont makes a slim adhesive holder that keeps AirPods attached to a phone or another convenient surface without the charging case. Its first product is designed around a specific everyday frustration: carrying AirPods securely while keeping pockets and bags free of bulky case clutter. PodMont holds AirPods snugly, removes without residue, and is protected by U.S. and EU patents.FLUSHING, NY
GRIPZGRIPZ grew from Sherwood’s effort to help Lynn continue painting despite hand osteoarthritis. The Silver Spring company now makes Sher-Hold grip attachments for people whose hand discomfort makes everyday activities or creative work difficult.SILVER SPRING, MD