Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Culture
  3. News

The Manual may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site.

Grovemade Introduces Extra-Large Felt Desk Pad and We Are Here For It

Image used with permission by copyright holder

If you’re a regular reader of The Manual, you know Grovemade for its great design speakers made from wood, its phone cases and wooden watches, its streamlined and minimalist monitor shelves, and its cork-fronted wireless charging pad for smartphones. Now, the Portland-based company has added to its roster of felt desk pads the biggest yet: the XL Desk Pad.

Made from the same felt fans went crazy over before, this huge desk pad is large enough to cover all the workspace that is typically required of someone chained to his or her computer station all day.

Recommended Videos

“But, what are the benefits of using a desk pad? Because doesn’t it seem like a sort of superfluous thing to have on hand?”

To those questions, we answer: Many and no.

Buy at Grovemade

Buy at Grovemade

Think of the XL Desk Pad as a landing place for all your work gear. It not only provides you a soft surface for writing on (that is, if you’re still even writing by hand), but it also serves as an organizational tool, helping to keep your various chargers, battery packs, mice, styluses, folders, and charging pads all contained in one area.

Other benefits? No need to use a cupholder, since the felt will absorb any moisture from sweating cups or glasses; no need for a mouse pad, since the desk pad will do the work for your; your keyboard won’t go sliding around your desktop since the felt will keep it securely in place; and even if you’re a total slob, having a desk pad makes you look like you have a place for everything and have everything in its place. Remember, illusion is sometimes more powerful than reality.

For more from Grovemade, check out the latest rendition of the famous wooden watch or check back with our podcast The Manual podcast in June when they will be giving us the lowdown on what it’s like to bootstrap a lifestyle brand from the ground up. To get yourself your own XL Desk Pad or to see Grovemade’s other, smaller versions, head over to the Buy Now .

John Hall
Former Digital Trends Contributor
What was once old is new again: Bang & Olufsen Beosystem 3000c Dune Grey Edition reunites generations
A new limited edition turntable combining physical and streaming makes music as generational as family
Electronics, Cd Player, Hot Tub

I hail from the generation of the curated playlist. While most of the artists I grew up listening to had phenomenal albums (can we get a standing ovation for Michael Jackson's Thriller or Dr. Dre's The Chronic?), my dad was of the mind that singles were only as good for a couple of stand-alone minutes and worked better in the context of an entire album. He could sit and listen to Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon or The Beatles' Abbey Road with no breaks. I think the only album we could both do that with was Nirvana's Nevermind. In any case, by the time I was able to decide on the music in my own car, my generation was ripping music and making playlists on CDs. Even the greatest hits collections still had only one artist at a time. We wanted a collection of artists giving us the same feeling for 90 minutes without changing a CD. However, there is something to be said about my dad's way. A good album is a good album. And listening to them unbroken is a lost joy we're discovering again as a society. That is why Bang & Olufsen's new Beosystem drop is making a splash. The Beosystem 3000c Dune Grey Edition brings the two generations together, making music the connection we've always needed it to be.

Revisting the past with a modern twist

Read more
Six subscription services you can buy dad today and gift tomorrow
For the ultra procrastinator, here are gifts you can get today that you don't have to wait for delivery.
Adult, Male, Man

We all love Dad. But that doesn't mean we are not guilty of waiting until the last possible moment to buy him a gift. If you are like me, then you have definitely had those moments where you completely forgot what day it was. If you got a call from mom today and reminded you to call your dad tomorrow for Father's Day, then panicked because you forgot to get him something, you're not alone. The biggest issue with procrastinating on a gift is that you have to wait for delivery for most things. Getting a gift you can get your hands on right now is a lot harder to do. That is, unless you buy a subscription service. That's right, get him something that feels tailor-made for him without it needing to be done three months ago. Here are six subscription services for any kind of man in your life.

Old Money

Read more
With less than a week, here are some last minute Father’s Day gift ideas to keep you in his good graces
It snuck up on us, here is the solution for the last-minute shopper for dad
Toys For Dad This Father’s Day

I am looking at the calendar sitting on my desk. Mostly just trying to see what I have going on today. What tasks do I have in front of me? What meetings do I have to attend? Which ones can I pretend I am sick during so I can skip them? Do I have a happy hour to look forward to? Then I see it...Father's Day is Sunday. It snuck up on me. How did it sneak up on me? We have been dropping a ton of ideas. Somehow, I will always find a way to let something like that creep up. So, for any of you who are just like me and need some help, here is a last-minute gift guide for your dad.

For the dad who has everything: Bespoke Post

Read more