The pandas are back at the Smithsonian National Zoo and Washingtonians are ready to celebrate. There are panda-themed hotel packages, a panda-themed pop-up bar, and widely circulating footage of the pandas playing in the snow. There’s also, of course, plenty of panda-themed stuff. While the National Zoo added panda-themed products to their gift shop immediately after last spring’s announcement that the pandas would return, there’s even more to choose from now—at the gift shop, and elsewhere in town. Whether you’re looking for pajamas, cute stationery, or a Gucci purse, here are the best panda-themed products we’ve found.
1. Printed Pajamas at the National Zoo’s Panda Gift Shop
Among the latest panda merch from the Smithsonian are these matching black-and-white panda-printed pajamas that come in men’s, women’s and children’s styles and sizes. $52 for the kids set; $56 for the men’s jogger pants; and $118 for the women’s pajama set at the Smithsonian Store.
2. Panda Stickers
These cute little pandas-hugging-the-National-Monument stickers from Shop Made In DC are hand-drawn by an artist in Adams Morgan. $4 at the Georgetown location.
3. Gucci Pandas
Though it’s part of their $5,500 panda-themed hotel package, you don’t have to stay at the Conrad to get a Gucci Panda Bag Charm. Okay, sure, it’s unrelated to the National Zoo pandas, but the designer label has three panda-centric products among its collections: a card case with panda detail ($330); a panda-shaped bag charm ($430); and a mini bag with panda detail ($1,100)—all online.
4. A Cuddle + Kind Baby Panda Stuffed Animal
A popular brand of kids’ stuffed animals, Cuddle + Kind products are made using fair trade practices, and a portion of their proceeds go toward donating meals to children in need. The baby panda is hand knit and seven inches tall. $36 at Salt & Sundry.
5. Panda Thank-You Notes
In addition to a collection of panda-themed stickers, Penny Post, an Alexandria stationery shop, has panda-themed thank-you cards with letterpress-printed panda illustrations that read “Giant Thanks.” $6.50 at Penny Post.
6. A Panda Teether Ring and Rattle
This panda teething ring-slash-rattle for babies is probably not new to Red Mercantile in Alexandria, but it is cute and on theme for the littlest panda fans. $18 at RedMercantile.com.
7. A Panda Tee
This DC-area Etsy shop has been selling this panda tee for years, but the description has been updated to acknowledge that the pandas are back. $24 on Etsy.com.
8. Hugging Panda Notecards
These small cards are designed to be dropped into lunch boxes or pockets, used as gift toppers or place cards, or, honestly, can be handy anytime and anywhere you want to drop a quick little note. $18 for a box of 85 at Proper Topper.
Amy leads Washingtonian Weddings and writes Style Setters for Washingtonian. Prior to joining Washingtonian in March 2016, she was the editor of Capitol File magazine in DC and before that, editor of What’s Up? Weddings in Annapolis.
