It’s back! My annual Gifts that Give Back for the Holidays Guide. For the past seven years, I have curated an ever-growing list of amazing Gifts that Give Back. My guide has become so popular that I have devoted an entire page on my blog that is updated frequently and features these wonderful organizations and the causes they support. Whether it be fighting hunger, gender inequality or providing educational or income opportunities, there are a ton of ways you can use your buying power as a consumer to do good and make a difference in someone’s life.
As the pandemic continues to drag on, the giving season consumers continue to have a unique opportunity to make a lasting impact on the world at a time when it’s most needed. Let’s come together to support one another in the fight against COVID-19, and make this holiday season, a giving season. Wishing you and your family health, strength, and hope during this challenging time.
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Anchal Project
Anchal [on-chal] believes design can change lives: The edge of a sari used to provide comfort to loved ones. Anchal Project is a nonprofit that uses design and collaboration to provide economic opportunities for marginalized women to empower themselves through the creation of sustainable products, holistic programs, and global market access.
Some of my favorites include: The Graph Table Runner ($64) for your holiday table, the Kantha Straight Scarf ($60) and the Kantha Bandana ($32) both made out of recycled saris.
Awe Inspired
Awe’s mission is to bring to market meaningful, inspirational pieces to elevate your everyday. From reimagined classics to delicate essentials, they’ve got you covered. Awe gifts are as thoughtful as they are beautiful: every time you buy a piece of Awe, we donate 20% of the proceeds to a charity of your choosing. To learn more about their incredible charities and the work they do to save lives, visit their charities page.
Some of this year’s top gift’s include: Medium Pointed hoop earrings (Sterling Silver) $95, Mini Pachamama (Mother Earth) + Tree of Life Necklace Set ($315), and Moonstone Studs ($35).
Bird + Stone
Bird + Stone is a jewelry company that is building a more equal world. Their jewelry is ethically made in the USA, and every piece donates 10% to support causes that you care about – including women’s health, girls’ education, poverty alleviation, and more. Check out these amazing gift ideas: The VAXXED Bracelet ($25) supports the Gavi Alliance, which works to provide vaccinations to low-income countries, the Nevertheless, She Persisted – Sterling Silver Cuff ($95) donates 10% to She Should Run, an organization closing the gender gap in politics, and the Animal Advocate Set – ($62) donates 10% to North Shore Animal League America, the world’s largest no-kill animal rescue and adoption organization, to help ensure all pets find loving homes.
dignify
dignify helps women shop for excellent quality, meaningful gifts and goods: items that promote dignity, empower humanity, and champion good. dignify’s online boutique sells premium quality, ethically made “kantha” quilts — blankets stitched by hand from layers of sari cloth using a centuries-old tradition in Bangladesh. The women who sew dignify’s blankets are the most vulnerable in society: recovering from sexual exploitation or in a high-risk environment. Now, they are employed with dignity in safe, loving, and sustainable work, producing beautiful blankets that customers love.
Classic Throws: Their best-selling gift — versatile, meaningful, and utterly unique. Price $98 ($62-$320 for other sizes). Since each product is unique and one of a kind, you can pick you throw here.
Gifts for Good
Give Back Goods carries eco-friendly, fair trade and cause-based gifts, home goods, and accessories for the whole family. Some of our products give back directly to important causes like providing clean water & solar power to those without, or creating jobs & educating human trafficking victims, at-risk girls and young moms. Other products help save our planet’s resources or feed & protect animals & wildlife. We also support fair trade artisans from around the world, with fair wages & healthy work environments, reversing the cycle of poverty. Give Back Goods has everything from fairtrade & handmade storage baskets, baby & kids gifts, serving dishes and linens to cause-based gifts like headphones, speakers & jewelry as well as eco-friendly blankets, repurposed bags and more!
Here are some of the top picks for the holidays(click on each image for product description and price):
Hammered Copper Bowl ($40 – Each purchase creates employment for indigenous artisans), Warm & Cozy Sock Gift Set ($65 – For each gift set purchased, 20 trees will be planted), and BIPOC-Owned Small Business Gift Set ($98- Every gift box supports four different BIPOC-owned small businesses).
Give Back Goods
Give Back Goods carries eco-friendly, fair trade and cause-based gifts, home goods, and accessories for the whole family. Some of our products give back directly to important causes like providing clean water & solar power to those without, or creating jobs & educating human trafficking victims, at-risk girls and young moms. Other products help save our planet’s resources or feed & protect animals & wildlife. We also support fair trade artisans from around the world, with fair wages & healthy work environments, reversing the cycle of poverty. Give Back Goods has everything from fairtrade & handmade storage baskets, baby & kids gifts, serving dishes and linens to cause-based gifts like headphones, speakers & jewelry as well as eco-friendly blankets, repurposed bags and more!
Here are some of the top picks for the holiday:
Fair Trade, Hand Made Bamboo Bowls from Vietnam in Assorted Colors & Sizes- Pictured is Large Salad/Fruit Bowl – $89.00, Handmade & Fair-trade Baskets from Senegal, Kenya, Uganda & Hanoi. Pictured is medium Basket – $44, andFair Trade, Eco-Friendly & Hand Woven Table Linens from India- Set of 4 Napkins- $74.
Kazi Goods
KAZI’s intricately woven works of art that are sustainably chic and ethically sourced. Its designers craft innovative, unique pieces that its artisans in Uganda, Rwanda, and Ghana hand-make — and the artisans in return receive a life-changing livable wage. KAZI just launched its stylish Amazon Prime exclusives: Tomorrowland, Coastal Minimalism, and Holiday collections. TheKaziShop also offers many home decor and gift items on its own e-commerce website.
- Gifts for a friend or party host: With expected shipping delays, these multifunctional KAZI holiday containers ($65), small lidded baskets ($40), and mini lidded basket ornaments ($25) (Amazon link) deliver a beautiful way to package and share simple gifts such as plants, oranges, wine, chocolates and much more.
- Gifts for her: This Pastel Vessel Gourd ($180, more gourd items available here) is intricately crafted with timeless tradition, and one or more of these vases will make a globally conscious and stylistic addition to any home. The carefully dyed sisal fiber and sweet grass vase would be gorgeous on a shelf or kitchen table.
- Gifts for anyone…The Coastal Minimalism 4-Piece Fringed Coaster Set ($30, Amazon link, more coaster sets available here) adds texture and color to a table, as well as infuses personality into a room while protecting sensitive surfaces.
Prosperity Catalyst
Prosperity Catalyst develops and strengthens women-led businesses in distressed regions, providing business and technical training, creating opportunities for women to achieve economic and social empowerment. Through Through their Enterprise Hubs located in Port-au-Prince and Baghdad, they support artisans to sell locally and internationally through retailers, distributors, and customers like you. Here are some wonderful gifts that give back for the holidays:
Riverstone Tealight ($25.00 – made in The riverstones come in a variety of colors and sizes and are hand-selected from a river in Leogane, Haiti), Limited Edition Siparaya Copper Candles ($35 made in Iraq), and Blue Tessera Handpainted Votive ($40).
Purpose Jewelry
PURPOSE Jewelry is handcrafted by young women escaping human trafficking in California, India, Uganda and Mexico. The art of jewelry making through their social enterprise PURPOSE, paired with holistic care through their program, International Sanctuary, ensures every artisan gains dignity and hope for the future. 100% of the proceeds go to our nonprofit, International Sanctuary, to ensure that each artisan receives living wages, education and holistic care. Through their wide range of services, young women can begin to heal and grow in mind, body and soul. It is PURPOSE and International Sanctuary’s mission to not just sustain victims of modern-day slavery, but to provide the tools and life skills they need to embrace their true identity and worth and transform into survivors with true freedom.
Here are some favorites for the holidays: The Vivid Necklace ($32), the Kindle Bracelet ($28), and Aswan Earrings ($32)
Society Socks
Thistle Farms
Thistle Farms is dedicated to helping women survivors of addiction, trafficking, and prostitution find healing, hope, and freedom. Thistle Farms lives into this mission through three integrated paths: In residential communities where women experience healing, restoration, and love without judgment; Through social enterprises where women gain skins, financial independence, and the opportunity to connect with customers and partners globally; and across a coordinated movement of survivors, customers, advocates, and communities collaborating, on innovative ways to deliver justice and challenge the systems that commodify women. Thistle Farms’ signature body and home collections are handmade in Nashville, TN with high-quality ingredients, and they also offer products from around the world that help various causes.
“Each morning for more than 20 years, we have lit a candle at our Nashville headquarters as a symbol of sanctuary and hope for the next woman coming off the streets. Join the vigil.” -Thistle Farms
Here are some of the beautiful gifts for the holidays. Three Trees Candle $32, Reflection & Meditation Set $65, and the Health & Honey Gift Set $45.
UNICEF
UNICEF USA has hand-selected gifts that give back 3x over – to the local artisans that create these gifts, to vulnerable children in need and serving as thoughtful presents for loved ones.
UNICEF Market is an online collection of handcrafted items made by artisans from around the world. This year’s roundup of gifts includes handcrafted artisan handbags, jewelry, houseware, men and women’s clothing, winter accessories and more. Here are a few favorites: Check out there collection of gorgeous bracelets (Glass beaded wrap bracelet pictured below $40), holiday ornaments (such as the Green and Black Leaf Pattern ($25) or this lovely Talavera-Style Cups and Saucers (Pair), ‘Colors of Mexico’ ($40).
For those who have everything but would like to give a lifesaving gift or supplies to children and communities around the world, check out this list of UNICEF Inspired Gifts which can be purchased in honor of a loved one. The UNICEF Inspired Gift Collection offers everything from school supplies to soap, therapeutic food, emergency supplies, PPE, warm clothing, soccer balls, vaccines and more!
Want more ideas? Check out my Gifts that Give Back Page and view updated products for each organization listed there by clicking on the organization’s link.
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Really great ideas, Nicole. Thanks. Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours!🍁
Thanks Jane! I always love these gift ideas. I wish you a wonderful Thanksgiving as well! 🙂