Adore Danish Design? Don’t Miss These Souvenirs from Copenhagen

Denmark is renowned for its exceptional design scene. Think of the legendary Egg chair by Arne Jacobsen, Royal Copenhagen porcelain, and Bang & Olufsen audio equipment: It’s effortless to fill a cargo ship with souvenirs from Danish brands after a visit to Copenhagen. Trust me, I made quite the haul during my recent trip to the Danish capital.

As the senior commerce editor at Dinogo, my mission is to guide mindful travelers toward essential travel gear crafted by sustainable brands we genuinely support. I love to adorn my New York apartment and wardrobe with mementos from my journeys and products from local businesses that aren’t available back home.

This article would become a novel if I recounted every single item I picked up in Denmark. Naturally, my luggage was packed with black licorice, LEGO kits for my nephew (after all, LEGO is a Danish brand established in Billund in 1932), and the full-size hand and foot creams from the Danish organic skincare line Meraki, which were part of the turndown service at Nimb Hotel.

Here, I’m sharing my top seven favorite items from Danish brands that I managed to squeeze into my suitcase (sorry, dream Egg chair). I’ve also included details on where to purchase them in Copenhagen, how to claim your Value Added Tax (VAT) refund, and the savings I made by buying these items abroad compared to their availability in the United States (if they can even be found!).

All currency conversions from DKK to USD reflect the rates during my visit in January 2023.

Hay Candle Holders

• Purchase online: $38 (discounted from $45) for a set of six long candles, us.hay.com
• Visit in person: Hay House flagship store, Østergade 61
• Price in Denmark: $19 (130 DKK) for a set of three candles in different sizes

The Danish home goods brand Hay has a U.S. website and offers products at MoMa’s design store, but a trip to the flagship Hay House in Copenhagen is essential for any fan of Danish design. With Instagram-worthy views several stories above the Amagertorv public square and its iconic stork fountain, you’ll find vibrant porcelain vases, striped towels, and tinted glassware lining the shelves. The minimalist dining tables and playful pendant lamps throughout this two-story shop are hard to resist. However, Hay’s stylish spiral candlesticks, available in a spectrum of colors and sizes, are the easiest to fit into your carry-on. While you can only purchase them in preselected sets of six online, the Copenhagen store allows you to mix and match to create your own unique look for home.

Rains Gym Bag

• Available online: $95, us.rains.com
• Purchase here: Rains flagship store, Amagertorv 14
• Price in Denmark: $62 (499 DKK/US$73 including a tax refund of 77.34 DKK/US$11)

Renowned for its contemporary unisex designs of the classic rubber raincoat, Rains also offers a range of waterproof bags, hats, and more. Having already owned a rain jacket and a waterproof fanny bag from this Danish rainwear brand, I decided to add a vibrant blue coated rubber gym bag to my collection during this trip. With a capacity of 27 liters, this lightweight duffel was ideal for storing my dirty laundry for the journey home. (My other purchases took up too much room in my suitcase, whoops.) However, this isn't just a stylish laundry bag: Now that I’m back home, I’ll use it as intended—for gym sessions—and also as a spacious weekend bag.

Menu Clip Wall 13-Inch Candle Holder

• Available online: $80, menudesignshop.com
• Purchase here: Illums Bolighus flagship store, Amagertorv 10
• Price in Denmark: $58 (450 DKK/US$66 including a tax refund of 61 DKK/US$8)

Established in Copenhagen in the ‘70s, Menu is a Scandinavian design brand known for its timeless furniture and lighting that emphasizes sustainability. I noticed Menu’s bottle-shaped salt and pepper grinders and portable LED lamps in trendy restaurants around the city, but it was the wall-mounted brass candle holders that captured my attention while exploring the three-story Illums Bolighus department store. Living in a New York City apartment means I have limited table space, so I find wall-mounted items particularly appealing. (You can also discover Menu products at its showroom at the Audo, a concept store in Copenhagen’s Østerbro neighborhood that combines retail, dining, coworking, and hotel experiences.)

Henrik Vibskov Floss Scarf

• Available online: $179 (originally $256), henrikvibskovboutique.com
• Purchase here: Designmuseum Denmark museum shop, Bredgade 68
• Price in Denmark: $220 (1,510 DKK)

Before my journey, I had my heart set on purchasing one of those massive rainbow scarves from Acne Studios that went viral on TikTok last year. Although Acne is a Swedish brand, I noticed online that the exchange rate favored me if I bought it in Europe (€260 or around US$280; it retails for US$310 in the United States). Unfortunately, when I arrived at the Copenhagen store, it was completely sold out. While exploring the museum shop at the newly reopened Designmuseum Denmark, I was captivated by the vibrant yellow, purple, and orange jewel tones of the Floss Scarf by Danish designer Henrik Vibskov.

Priced at 1,510 DKK (US$220), it was still a splurge, but about $60 less than the scarf I had initially intended to buy. However, I realized I made two rookie mistakes after leaving: I forgot to ask if they offered tax refund forms and discovered later that it was on sale for 1,050 DKK (US$153) at their main boutique on Gammel Mønt 14. If I had done my homework, I estimate I could’ve saved around $90.

Mads Nørgaard Long Sleeve T-Shirt

When I mention that about half of my T-shirts are striped, I'm completely serious. Naturally, I’m a fan of Mads Nørgaard, a third-generation family-owned brand celebrated for its classic striped shirts. The Nørgaard paa Strøget #101 T-shirt, designed in 1967, is crafted in Denmark from 100% cotton, including knitting, dyeing, and sewing. These women's shirts are form-fitting and available in both regular and long lengths, with enough stretch to accommodate a variety of body types. At 5’4”, I find the regular size fits perfectly for my shorter torso. The styles I’ve purchased on past trips are incredibly durable and adapt well whether my size fluctuates between small, medium, or large in other brands. On this trip, I was particularly attracted to the ’90s-inspired space dye pattern layered over the stripes.

MJM Leather Gloves and Magasin du Nord Cashmere Balaclava

Scandinavian brands excel at creating beautiful—and warm—gloves. Sweden’s Hestra produces durable winter sports gloves, while Denmark’s Rhanders crafts stylish leather gloves favored by the Danish royal family and the Queen’s Guard. While browsing the winter sale at Copenhagen’s magnificent Magasin du Nord department store, I discovered a pair of soft yellow leather gloves from MJM—another Danish accessory brand established in 1829—marked down to about $38 from $50 (350 DKK as indicated on the tag).

The yellow leather gloves weren’t the only bargain I scored at Magasin du Nord’s winter sale. After noticing all the fashionable Danish women sporting cozy balaclavas around town, I couldn’t resist a 50% discount on the store brand’s ultra-soft version made from Oeko-Tex Standard 100 cashmere—certified as free from 350 harmful chemicals, making it a safe choice for your health. The price dropped to just over $36 from the original $73.

How to Obtain VAT Refunds in Denmark

Visitors from non-EU and Scandinavian countries are eligible for Value Added Tax (VAT) refunds on their Danish purchases when returning home. With a standard VAT rate of 25%, it’s definitely worthwhile to claim your refund. (While you won’t receive the full 25%, refunds typically range from 12% to 19% of the total amount, depending on your purchases.) To qualify, your minimum purchase per store must be at least 300 DKK, which is why I couldn't claim tax back on my smaller buys. If you spend over 300 DKK at a single store, inquire with the sales clerk about VAT refund forms. Larger shops will direct you to customer service, while smaller ones might have the forms at the register. They may ask for your passport details, but I usually filled it out later at the hotel without needing to carry my passport while shopping.

Once you’ve completed the forms—but before departing Denmark—make sure to take them to the tax refund kiosks at Copenhagen airport (failing to do so could result in a penalty fee). There are three types—Tax-Free Worldwide, Global Blue Denmark, and the general customs desk for forms not associated with those brands—all located on the ground floor between the check-in desks of Terminals 2 and 3. I spent an extra 30 minutes submitting my forms at the airport, so make sure to allow plenty of time. They’ll want to see the items, but if they’re packed away in your luggage, they probably won’t require you to unpack everything.

I received one refund immediately back on my credit card; the other two took about a week to show up on my statement.