Most souvenir shops sell the same things: a plastic camel, a skyline magnet, a mug that says “Saudi Arabia”. If you want something that still means something a year after your trip, look for pieces that come from how people here actually live — the majlis, Saudi coffee, incense, the regions and the cities.
We’re Thrr (ذر), a Saudi design brand founded in Riyadh in 2015. Below are eight souvenirs we design, each with an honest note, plus tips for getting them home in one piece.
1. An incense burner — the smell of every Saudi home
Incense is part of hospitality here: it’s lit when guests arrive and passed around before they leave. The burner is what stays on the shelf long after the incense runs out.
The Manara burner, from our collaboration with Saudi artist Raghad AlAhmad, is shaped like a minaret: 27 cm tall, with a pierced dome and space to store incense sticks, made in Saudi Arabia from red clay. For something simpler, the wooden Oudiyah burner holds incense sticks and sits on a desk or side table.
Honestly: the Manara is clay and needs careful packing. The Oudiyah is wood and travels more easily.
See the Manara burner · See the Oudiyah burner
2. Saudi coffee cups — the first thing a guest is offered
Saudi coffee is served in a small cup without a handle, the finjan, a few sips at a time and refilled until the guest gently shakes the cup. A set of cups is a souvenir you’ll use the first time you host friends back home.
The Teeb cup is a 65 ml ceramic cup with a saucer, in black or brown, sized for serving Saudi coffee. For a full hosting set, the Sada set by Raghad AlAhmad pairs cups with a crescent-topped jar in red clay, shaped like a minaret and made in Saudi Arabia.
Honestly: ceramic and clay don’t like being thrown around. Wrap each cup on its own.
See the Teeb cup · See the Sada set
3. The Gharsha — a clay water bottle you’ll use every day
A 400 ml water bottle, natural clay inside and glazed outside, handmade in Saudi Arabia. The water touches clay, not plastic, so it tastes clean, like water from a traditional clay pot. It sits on a desk and gets used daily, which is what a good souvenir should do.
Honestly: it does not cool water, and it’s real clay, so it breaks if dropped. We wrote a separate piece on the Gharsha versus a clay jar.
4. A regional scarf — the lightest thing on this list
The Desert Rose collection is a collaboration between Thrr, artist Salma Wael and designer Ghadi Alsharif. Its square scarves draw on the Kingdom’s nature, history and regions, with one scarf each for Najd, the North, the South, the Eastern Province and the Western Region.
It folds into a pocket, is worn at the neck or tied to a bag, and suits men and women. Choose 100% modal at 70 × 70 cm for everyday wear, or 100% silk at 55 × 55 cm for occasions.
Honestly: the silk is best dry-cleaned. If you want easy washing, take the modal.
5. A shemagh-pattern scarf — the pattern everyone recognises
The checked shemagh is one of the most recognisable sights in Saudi Arabia. Our Shemagh Pattern Scarf carries that pattern on a 70 × 70 cm square of 100% modal, to wear at the neck or tie to a bag.
Honestly: it’s a scarf, not a headdress. If you want the real shemagh to wear on your head, buy it from a menswear shop.
6. A city map — for the city you stayed in
An art map of a Saudi city with its streets and districts, framed and ready to hang. We make Riyadh, Jeddah, Madinah, Dhahran, Taif, Hail, Buraidah, Najran, Jazan and Diriyah, as well as a map of the whole Kingdom.
Honestly: with the frame it weighs about a kilo. If you travel with hand luggage only, pick something else on this list.
7. The Camel Mug — the symbol of Arabia, for your morning coffee
A ceramic mug with a camel design, made for daily use. Simple, recognisable, and the kind of souvenir that ends up on your desk instead of in a cupboard.
8. Traditional dish magnets — for everyone back at the office
If you need small gifts for a group, our fridge magnets each show a traditional Saudi dish: kabsa, sambosa, kleija and more. They weigh almost nothing and start a conversation about the food you tried on your trip.
How to pack them
- Clay and ceramic (Gharsha, coffee cups, Manara burner): wrap each piece in clothing and keep it in your hand luggage.
- Scarves and magnets: anywhere. They’re the lightest options.
- Framed maps: about a kilo each. Lay them flat between clothes in your suitcase.
Where to buy them
You can order everything above from our English store. Delivery takes up to 36 hours within Riyadh and 1–5 business days elsewhere in Saudi Arabia, so order a few days before your flight and have it delivered to where you’re staying.
If you’re in Riyadh, you can also see the pieces in person at our showroom in Al Izdihar district, on Tureif Street. Open it on Google Maps for directions and opening hours.
Quick answers
Are these made in Saudi Arabia? Every piece is designed by Thrr in Riyadh, some of them with Saudi artists we collaborate with. The Gharsha, the Sada set and the Manara burner are also made in Saudi Arabia.
What’s the lightest souvenir to carry? A scarf or a set of magnets.
What’s a good souvenir for someone who loves coffee? The Teeb cups for Saudi coffee, or the Camel Mug for everyday coffee.