Last year, Rachel Silberman was shocked when she couldn’t find any asexuality-themed gift boxes on Etsy. Thinking this must not be right, she kept searching but only found gay, lesbian, and rainbow-themed gift boxes. Reflecting on that moment, she says she was thinking, “I’m going to be that person that fills a void because there was no intersex, there was no genderqueer—there were just no gift boxes.”
Silberman has been running her own business out of Edina for four years, creating custom luxury gift boxes for customers, businesses, and corporations. LuxJoy and Comfort has a variety of niche themes available: novel-themed boxes for those who enjoy cozy nights in with their tea, a zodiac-themed box that’s perfect to give to your favorite sign, and a “thank you” box for that decade-long friendship that has gone through its ups and downs. LuxJoy and Comfort’s most popular gift box is an “Alice in Wonderland” one, which is perfect for every occasion, even Father’s Day, according to one customer of Silberman’s.
Her Pride collection, added last year in response to that moment on Etsy, fits right in with her other gift boxes that cover a wide range of concepts and messages.
“I took it upon myself to find items that included people,” says Silberman, who identifies as part of the LGBTQIA+ community as biromantic. Currently, there are 17 sexual orientations and gender identities represented at her store, but she won’t stop there. Her goal is have a gift box that represents every single flag in the LGBTQIA+ community, although it will take time, as there are now more than 50 flags. With every Pride gift box, Silberman includes a sticker that says, “You are loved.”
With her broad range of boxes, she hopes all feel that way. “There needs to be more than LGBT; it doesn’t stop at the T,” she says.
About LuxJoy and Comfort
At LuxJoy and Comfort, Silberman offers to custom-make any item for her customers. The name of her business indicates how “joy is something I want to bring to everyone,” she says.
Whether it’s a name on a tumbler or a picture on a pillowcase, Silberman can do just about anything for those interested in her products, with the necessary machinery to take on projects solo. Her favorite part of this business is the creativity, as she makes all customizations herself. When you have the means to do it yourself, she says, “Why not?”
Silberman’s goal for her business is to do more corporate orders. She sources gifts to companies and brands that want to provide customized items for clients and colleagues. In the past, LuxJoy and Comfort has worked with companies like Children’s Minnesota and the California Academy of Sciences and has received acclaim for attention to detail. During Pride month, Silberman is proud of her business for setting an example for others. “The 1% aren’t represented,” she says. “I don’t want that.”
If there is something you are looking for that is not on LuxJoy and Comfort’s website, she says customers can call or email to ask for that item.