Jonathan Paul aka Desire Obtain Cherish is an LA-based artist and graduate of Parson’s School of Design who explores contemporary obsessions with sex, desire, drugs, gender, celebrity, media, commerce and fame. Case in point, his cast resin sculptures of “designer drugs.” Getting your fix never looked better.

Leis have produced a line of kitchen utensils that honor the Slovenian trade of woodcraft, or suha roba, which dates back to the 14th century. Carved from a single piece of locally sourced beech and painted in white, this combination of contemporary design with the traditions of handcrafts make for a perfect addition for the modern kitchen. This spoon, fork, and spatula set cleverly curve away from your kitchen counter to prevent mess and contain a magnet in the handle for storage. Both the utensils and packaging were designed by Gigodesign.

Christophe Pillet, Design Director at Lacoste, is at the helm of the Lacoste Lab, a project which revives the brand’s tradition of innovation. The 2013 Collection is the result of collaborations between Lacoste and key partners with whom the lab develops ideas and skills—including goggles with Dragon, football, rugby and volleyball with Duarig, a Petanque game with Obut, helmets with Design GPA, skateboards with Artprint and snowboards with Salomon. Design know-how and technological innovation meet in order to create the most refined products. Available at colette.

I’m always mesmerized by the combination of craftsmanship and nostalgia that is Best Made. Case in point, these nautical flags. Based on the International Code of Signals, drafted by the British Board of Trade in 1855, each flag represents a letter in the alphabet and is used to communicate seafaring messages. Manufactured by the oldest and most esteemed flag maker in the U.S., Annin & Co., the full set of flags consists of 26 letters, 10 numbers, 3 substitutes, and 1 answering pennant and ships in an navy blue waxed canvas ditty bag. These flags are equally cool whether used at sea or displayed on the walls of your home.

These Animal Boxes by Brooklyn-based designer Karl Zahn are small figural containers that represent power animals. But unlike typical totems, these animals are also functional sculptures—each with the ability to guard important small objects. On the shelf, it is sculpture. On the side table, it’s a totem. On the counter, it offers a hiding spot. A perfect stocking stuffer.

No.1 is the first product by TID Watches (tid is Swedish for time), a new brand by Stockholm-based studio, Form Us With Love. Designed to be both timeless and durable, the No.1 is black ion-plated milled stainless steel and available in either black or white. I like pretty much everything about it. But I especially like the second hand which has a circular ring on the end that counts seconds by ticking through the dotted markings on the watch face. Nice touch. Order the No.1 at the Dezeen Watch Store.

Stiff is a Swedish product design company specializing in plastics. The brainchild of Jukka Viitasara and Karl Berglund, their inaugural product launch is the Stiff Pipe—the world’s first plastic pipe. Cast in one piece using thermoplastic that surrounds a briar wood tobacco chamber, the Stiff Pipe reflects a considered merger of industrial design and production processes. Launched in three subtle color combinations in Tokyo earlier this month, the numbered limited edition wooden boxes are as nice as the pipe itself.

To celebrate the 2012 Olympic Games, Stamp’d LA has released a limited edition American flag in an all-white colorway. Handmade in the United States and limited to 50 pieces worldwide, this cut and sewn nylon flag is a beautifully austere interpretation of the iconic red, white, and blue we all know and love. Each flag is custom packaged, signed, and numbered. Get yours here.

These lustworthy kitchen knives, created by Israeli designer Tomer Botner, are a wonderful marriage of design, craft, and social good. Handmade in the Florentine neighborhood located in Southwestern Tel Aviv, these knives have been created with the help of 17 local suppliers and craftsmen. A single blade and handle are joined together with a steel plate to form a cross-shaped hilt that is then stacked with colored disks. Both beautiful and useful, these disks are weighted and serve to achieve an ideal balance for every blade. Each handle is then sealed and given an individual number.

Tomer is currently seeking funding for production, but in the meantime you can follow the production process on his blog.

Via Cool Hunting.