Gifts that Give Back
A few of my favorite items and/or brands that support great causes through great products; there’s SOMETHING here for everyone on your gifting list…yes, even your furry friends!
*first published in December 2019, updated December 9th 2021
PARKER CLAY // A company that is empowering Ethiopian women through education and sustainable jobs and helping them create a life free from sexual exploitation and slavery. Each of their beautifully crafted products sold goes to supporting their mission and I truly can’t recommend them enough. You can read more about my favorite PC items for gifting here as well as all my favorite PC items here. PS You can use my code “PC-Alyssa20” to get 20% off sitewide!
THE RODE LA // This brand works with women living on Skid Row in Downtown LA, giving them creative opportunities of employment. The have beautiful, sustainably made soaps, candles, jewelry and t-shirts, which are all available for purchase on their site.
DUEBEST // A women-owned company that is creating reusable + portable cutlery sets to help eliminate single use plastics. The wood is sustainably sourced and each piece of cutlery is hand-carved by Fair Trade artisans in Bali. These sets would make a great gift for someone who likes to travel, someone who is concerned with sustainability (or maybe as a way to help someone be more sustainable), a co-worker who likes to bring their lunch to the office or even as a stocking stuffer.
WELLY BOTTLES // These reusable bottles are insulated making them great for cold and hot beverages alike. Even better, the company donates 3% of sales to clean water projects around the world.
AURATE // One of my favorite jewelry brands; I wrote about the good they do here, but in short, for every product sold, they give a book to a child in need. {Pssst- they’re currently doubling their book donations through their holiday sale!}
BEEK SHOES // For every pair of shoes sold, 5 meals are donated to a child in need in their local community. I wear their mules all the time, but I also love their sandals. Truthfully, you can’t go wrong with any of their shoes!
HAND IN HAND // Environmentally friendly and sustainably produced soap products that also give back; for every product sold, a bar of soap and a month of clean water is donated to a child in need.
VENTURE IMPORTS // Fair-trade home goods products and jewelry that are made by artisans in Africa; I love this beautiful soapstone vase I have from them, which would make a lovely gift (especially for someone who loves home goods, neutral colors and natural materials), but they have a variety of other products, too.
SUDARA // This company provides jobs, housing and education for women and children at risk for exploitation or freed from sex slavery in India. I especially love their robes and leggings!
SOMA WATER // I love this brand’s water pitcher as well as their water bottles (Love that they’re glass instead of the usual plastic!) and their ceramic mugs (again, love that they aren’t plastic), any of which would make great gifts for someone who is on-the-go, active and/or trying to live a sustainable, healthy life. But what I love even more is that this brand is B-Corp Certified, uses sustainable materials to make their products, and every time you purchase one of their products, they make a donation to charity:water.
BELOVED JEWELRY // The sale of these beautiful pieces of jewelry go to support the mission of Beloved in their work to help sex trafficking survivors with healing and securing them jobs within the beauty industry.
LARQ WATER BOTTLE // Not only are these a sustainable gift, but the company also gives 1% of their sales back to 1% for the Planet.
ETHIIQUE // Plastic-free and sustainable products produced by a conscious company; 20% of their profits get donated to several charities every year and they also have “adopted” several animals. Additionally they support fair trade practices and pricing with the ingredients they source for their products.
KITNIP BOX // A portion of each box sold goes to helping shelters, rescues and other organizations that support our feline friends in need.
THE SPARROW STUDIO // A marketplace for handmade, ethically sourced, fair-trade jewelry, accessories, and home decor from a cooperative of women in Africa who are working to overcome difficult pasts. I have and love these earrings, but they have a large assortment of other pieces, many of which would make wonderful gifts.
ELIJAH RISING // I was checking out some products in a coffee shop while we were in Texas earlier this year and really liked them, so I looked up their website. Come to find out it’s an organization that is helping women, who have survived sex trafficking, rebuild their lives, and one of the ways in which they do that is through employment opportunities and creating products. They have some amazing things, including candles, bath soaks, soaps, perfume, all available on their shop page.
MELA ARTISANS // A variety of products (from home goods to jewelry) that are ethically sourced and sustainably made by artisans in India; the goods in turn create a positive social impact within the artisan’s communities
A few last notes: It’s great to see more and more brands highlighting products that are ethical, sustainable and that give back. So, if you’re looking for additional gift ideas that give back, be sure to check out Nordstrom’s curated paged here, Bloomingdale’s here and Williams-Sonoma’s here. And, if you happen to be gift shopping on Amazon, be sure to check for items that are AmazonSmile eligible so you can donate a portion of the price to a charity.
