This holiday season, in the spirit of giving, go the extra mile to find a gift that will benefit more than just your loved one. Pay it forward with a gift that gives back. There are tons of companies with this mission in mind, and we’ve compiled a short list of our favorites.
STATE LORIMER BACKPACK
The Lorimer is a sleek, back-to-basics backpack that’s great for school or even a work-to-gym bag.
In addition to looking great and being versatile, this bag also does a lot of good. For each bag purchased, State donates a backpack to a child in need filled with all the tools they’ll need for success.
Vibes earplugs
For the conscious concert or festival-goer on your list this year, these earplugs are a necessity they never knew they needed.
Vibes are designed for listening to live music while allowing the consumer to protect their hearing without sacrificing the sound quality or clarity like traditional earplugs tend to do.
Vibes earplugs have a partnership with the Hear the World Foundation, and proceeds from each purchase will help fund hearing aids, surgeries and hearing programs.
The giving keys
As a hipster essential, you’ve probably seen these around. The Giving Keys is a Los Angeles-based jewelry company founded by singer-songwriter Caitlin Crosby. Working to repurpose old & new keys into modern jewelry and accessories, TGK gives jobs to those transitioning out of homelessness.
Each key is stamped with an inspirational or meaningful word. The wearer is encouraged to embrace their word and then give it to someone who could use the message. Since 2012, TGK has provided job opportunities to more than 60 people transitioning out of homelessness with the support of their nonprofit partners.
Charity: water bracelet
This sleek, black leather bracelet is a good way to show support for clean water access around the globe, with all profits going back to charity: water.
Bombas socks
Fact: Socks are the No. 1 most requested item at homeless shelters. This fact is the driving force behind Bombas. Everyone needs socks. For each pair purchased, one pair is donated.
Falling Whistles necklace
When Sean Carasso, founder of Falling Whistles, reached the Congo, he made a grim discovery: Young boys were being captured by the rebel army and forced to become child soldiers. Boys are given whistles and put on the front lines acting as nothing more than temporary barricades.
Carasso shares the stories of these children through the use of these whistles, partnering with local leaders to rehabilitate women and children affected by the war with each purchase.
Warby Parker gift card
Not only is Warby Parker a great eyewear company with a plethora of stylish frames to choose from, but for every pair of glasses purchased, one is given to those in need. Buy a pair, give a pair.
Fire Dept. Coffee
For the coffee enthusiast on your list! Fire Dept. Coffee was founded by firefighters on a mission to make an easy-to-drink coffee for hard working men and women.
Every batch is roasted to order, so it is always fresh. Portions of every sale go back to military and firefighter charities.
Love your melon beanie
These beanies are more than just cozy. Love Your Melon was founded in an entrepreneurship class at the University of St. Thomas in Minnesota by two friends, Zachary and Brian. On a mission to improve the lives of children battling cancer, LYM began with the simple idea of putting a hat on every child battling cancer in America.
After quickly achieving this goal of giving a little over 45,000 hats, they set a new goal of giving one million dollars to pediatric cancer research and providing immediate support to children and their families. Fifty percent of each LYM purchase is given to nonprofit partners supporting the fight against pediatric cancer. To date, they have given over $3.8 million and over 120,000 hats.
LottoLove scratch-and-win card
Everyone loves getting scratch-offs in their stocking, even though there’s a very slim chance of ever scoring big. With these scratch-offs however, you have a 100 percent chance of winning—something charitable.
The winning prize of each card is one of four basic needs gifts: literacy tools, clean water, nutritious meals or solar energy.
United by Blue products
What started as a company with a handful of organic cotton tees that recently branched into a full line of responsible, durable goods, United by Blue thoughtfully makes all of their products with sustainable materials.
For every product sold, United by Blue removes one pound of trash from our world’s oceans and waterways.
Bureo cruiser
Another company preventing ocean pollution, Bureo skateboards are made by collecting fishing nets and turning them into premium boards.
The founders adopted a recycling program in Chile called “Net Positiva,” which provides net fishing collection points to keep plastic fishing nets out of our oceans, protecting wildlife and supporting local fishing communities in the long run.
