• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
GO TO EXPAT LIVING SINGAPORE
GET OUR NEWSLETTER

Expat Living Hong Kong HomepageExpat Living Hong Kong

Moving to Hong Kong and not sure where to start? Expat Living is the essential lifestyle guide to living in Hong Kong.

Menu
  • Living In Hong Kong
      • Living Here
      • Where To Live
      • Schools
      • For Guys
        • Sailing in Hong Kong - inclusive sailing courses by charity SailabilityMaking sailing accessible to everyone
        • We chat with two GSIS families
        • 6 super reasons to visit sky100
        • A New Home in The New Territories
      • View all
    Close
  • Things To Do
      • Things To Do
      • What’s On/Calendar
      • Competitions & Offers
        • Reclusive Means Exhibition at Pearl Lam Galleries Hong KongTop 35 Best Things To Do In Hong Kong This Weekend
        • 6 super reasons to visit sky100
        • Best playgrounds & parks for the kids
        • What to watch this month – Netflix & more!
      • View all
    Close
  • Kids
      • Activities & Things To Do
      • Education & Enrichment
      • Health & Wellness
      • Mums & Babies
      • Podcasts
        • We chat with two GSIS families
        • A boarding school with wildlife on the doorstep!
        • Children's teeth and bracesKids and braces – all you need to know
        • Child reading for web article on Books and Brains - helping children with reading and phonicsHelp for children struggling with reading
      • View all
    Close
  • Homes
      • Home Décor
      • Readers Homes
        • A New Home in The New Territories
        • Transforming an old Hong Kong junk
        • Image of Altfield home furnishings showroomWhere to get designer home furnishings
        • Hong Kong People: Meet Laura Pezza
      • View all
    Close
  • Travel
      • Short Breaks
      • Further Afield
      • Travel News & Offers
        • Mount KinabuluClimbing Mount Kinabalu in Sabah
        • Son Doong CaveJourney into the world’s largest cave
        • Famous movie locations in Asia - Hong Kong - Gage Street8 Famous Movie Locations in Asia
        • Gaining access to an EU passport
      • View all
    Close
  • Wine & Dine
      • Recipes & Groceries
      • Bars & Restaurants
        • 6 super reasons to visit sky100
        • Popcorn Shrimp with Spicy Honey Mayo
        • Indulgent chocolate cake - recipeRecipe: Indulgent Chocolate Cake
        • Spicy Asian Coleslaw - recipeRecipe: Spicy Asian Coleslaw
      • View all
    Close
  • Style & Beauty
      • Fashion
      • Hair & Beauty
        • where to get botox in hong kongBotox in Hong Kong – All you need to know
        • Where to buy (and sell!) watches
        • Face masks, spa products, body scrubsWe test body scrubs, creams, masks & more!
        • Hong Kong Spas - Spa at Four Seasons Hong Kong - facial and body treatmentTried and Tested: 2 Luxury Spa Treatments
      • View all
    Close
  • Health & Fitness
      • Medical & Dental
      • Fitness
      • Wellness
        • family dental clinics and dentists in Hong KongFamily Dental Clinics and Dentists in HK
        • Children's teeth and bracesKids and braces – all you need to know
        • Safe & healthy eating during pregnancy
        • Couples therapy for divorce and separation, MindNLife Hong KongDivorce: how to break up with dignity
      • View all
    Close
  • Shop
    • Magazine
    • Advertise With Us
    • Close

Need a gift for a guy?

15 July, 2018 by Expat Living 3 Min Read

https://expatliving.hk/gifts-for-men-hong-kong-the-great-diggers/

It’s not everyone who can claim that a friend’s birthday led them to start a new business, but that was the case for Eric Delplanque. Eric and his wife Charlene last year established The Great Diggers, an online marketplace with carefully curated, artisan products – from tech to food to accessories – aimed at discerning men. Eric has lived in Hong Kong for the past nine years, after moving from France to Shanghai in 2007 and working with electrical equipment and renewable solar energy. Here he tells us how the business came to be.

The great diggers

Where did you get the idea for The Great Diggers?

It all started with Charlene. She’s in the food and beverage industry and follows food entrepreneurs’ stories. She told me about the story of Marou Chocolate, two guys who were in Vietnam and found out about the unique cocoa beans growing in the south of the country. They decided to make their own chocolate, which is now very famous. The story behind it is fantastic – a perfect combination of an entrepreneur mindset, high-quality products, and a sustainable and mindful approach.

I was looking for a way to do something with this, so I started researching and discovered a lot of similar stories. But I needed a concept and a business model.

We were invited to a friend’s birthday. He was turning 30 and we were in charge of the gift. We had to spend a lot of time to find a gift in our budget. The offerings in Hong Kong are very limited for men. This is how I found my concept – offering curated, sustainable, mindful products with interesting stories behind them made with soul for charismatic men. From there, I launched the website on 1 April 2017.

The great diggers - gifts for men

Why do you think it is difficult for men in Hong Kong to find unique products?

Men’s products can be found but it’s just luxury brands in malls. I think the main reason is the high retail rent. Opening a shop in Hong Kong is very expensive and often only the big chain stores can afford it. Consequently, there are a limited number of independent shops.

Tell us about how you select your stock for The Great Diggers.

We’re lucky to travel a lot, so most of the products we stock have been discovered during our trips. For example, we went to Cape Town a few months ago and we met Alistair, one of our favourite makers. He manufactures sustainable wooden sunglasses. All the frames are handmade from recycled paper and off-cut timber from local furniture producers. We also visit specialist fairs in Paris, Tokyo and New York. We read a lot of blogs and search on Instagram.

We have six collections on our website, with a premium multi-brand concept that offers selected men’s items that are exclusive or limited. We stock 26 brands now, from more than 10 countries including Taiwan, Japan, Hong Kong, Portugal and New Zealand. We plan to double that by the end of the year. We focus on artisans because they care about quality instead of quantity. They are really passionate people and always have unique stories about what led them to become entrepreneurs.

The great diggers - gifts for men

Do you think a retail site aimed specifically and only at men is unusual?

Shopping hasn’t evolved for men as it has for women. Yet men’s products are seeing explosive global growth at the moment. Men are increasingly paying more care and attention to themselves. That, along with the advent of social media, has meant there is more demand than ever for something different in the men’s goods space and a significant consumer base to serve. Rather than trying to sell cheap and shift volume, and competing against a significant number of brands, we’re sure our quality design pedigree and partnerships make us stand out as an alternative option in Hong Kong.

The great diggers

MEET THE MAKERS

Eric is passionate about featuring products that have a story behind them. Here’s the background to just two of the brands available on The Great Diggers.

Le Colonel Moutarde

“Le Colonel Moutarde makes bow ties in Lille, France. This is an authentic family story. It all started because Remi, the founder, had a tough time finding a bow tie to his taste, so he decided to design and sew his own. His passion for sewing was passed on by his mother and grandmother.”

Entre 2 Retros

“One of our best sellers is a toiletry bag made in France by Entre 2 Retros. They offer durable, 100 percent eco-friendly items for men inspired by the car industry. Both the design and recycling fabrics (from luxury seat car fabric) are very important for them as that’s what gives their product value. The key of owning a Entre 2 Retros bag is the knowledge that every piece is completely unique and handmade.”

thegreatdiggers.com

See more in our Living in Hong Kong section!

What it’s like to live in Hong Kong

Are you looking for a job in Hong Kong?

This article first appeared in the June/July 2018 issue of Expat Living magazine. Subscribe now so you never miss an issue.

Categories: Fashion For Guys Living In Hong Kong Style & Beauty Tags: Christmas Gifts For Men Gifts Online Shopping Shopping The Great Diggers

Get the latest events, stories and special offers
sent to your inbox.

By signing up, you'll receive our bimonthly newsletters and offers, which you can unsubscribe to anytime.

You May Also Like

Sailing in Hong Kong - inclusive sailing courses by charity Sailability

Making sailing accessible to everyone

A New Home in The New Territories

International Women’s Day: Nominate Someone Special

Primary Sidebar

  • COMPETITIONS & OFFERS
  • About
  • Advertise
  • Contact
  • Privacy
  • Subscribe

© 2023 Expat Living Hong Kong, All Rights Reserved.