It’s the season of giving and odds are you’ve started searching for the perfect present for everyone on your list. Instead of buying yet another gift card, consider purchasing from companies that donate a chunk of their sales to charitable organizations. Not only will you feel good about your purchase, but your friends and family members will love how much thought went into the gift.
Love Your Melon
We all know how brutal winters in the Midwest can be, so a beanie makes for a practical and stylish gift. Love Your Melon makes hats for men, women and children in a variety of colors, and if hats aren’t your thing, they also sell blankets, sweaters, backpacks, scarves, headbands and other cozy products. The company gives 50 percent of their profits to organizations that fight pediatric cancer, a cause that is often underfunded.
S’well Water Bottles
Unsure of what to buy your child’s teacher this holiday season? Keep them hydrated all day long with a high quality, reusable water bottle. S’well’s mission is to decrease single-use plastic consumption and they’ve also partnered with Unicef to help provide clean drinking water to the most at-risk areas of Madagascar. Plus, the bottles themselves couldn’t be any cooler, both in design and function. The water canisters are triple walled, meaning your drink stays cold for up to 24 hours (!) without getting condensation everywhere.
B. Toys
For those who have a young child to buy for, look no further than B. Toys’ colorful, whimsical and unique products. Kids will love their stuffed animals, pop-up tents and teethers, and you’ll feel good about buying toys that are helping needy children. The company uses recyclable materials to create each toy and even their packaging is reusable, making them ultra earth-friendly. Plus, each sale benefits Free The Children, an organization that builds schools in underprivileged areas across the world. Oh, and the line is available at Target, where you’ll undoubtedly already be shopping this holiday season.
The Home T
We all have a friend who’s a transplant from out of state. Help them feel a little less homesick by gifting them one of The Home T’s comfy shirts or cute mugs. The company has a huge selection of merch that features your choice of each of the 50 states and US territories (along with Canada and other countries) with the word “home” written on top. If that isn’t enough to win you over, 10 percent of The Home T’s proceeds (including non-state products) go towards research for multiple sclerosis.
Fire Dept. Coffee
Got a caffeine lover on your shopping list? Buy them a bag of coffee that helps a good cause. A portion of the Illinois-based company’s sales go towards military and firefighter organizations, and first responders and military members also receive special pricing and shipping on their orders. Fire Dept. has roast flavors for every taste bud, including rum, bourbon and tequila-infused varieties. Why choose between coffee and a cocktail when you can have both?
Cuddle + Kind Dolls
These sweet, handmade dolls are a toy you can truly feel good about giving the little ones in your life. The dolls are handknit by fair trade artisans in Peru and for each one sold, the company donates 10 meals to children in need. Any child would love to cuddle up with adorable animal characters like Zoe the unicorn, Sadie the fox, Noah the dog and Hudson the polar bear.
B.A.R.E. Soaps
B.A.R.E.’s bath and body products are free of nasty ingredients, like parabens and synthetics, plus they come with the added bonus of benefiting the less fortunate. The company gives 20 percent of each purchase to organizations providing antiseptic services (such as vitamins, vaccines and hygiene products) to those in need in India and Uganda. Their four-pack of bath bombs would make an ideal gift for that hard-to-shop mother-in-law, plus she’ll love the charitable aspect.
One World Play Project Soccer Ball
If your family’s soccer balls are currently sitting in the garage deflated, check out One World Play’s ethically sourced products. A portion of each purchase goes towards play equipment for those in need, plus One World is against child labor and fully committed to paying employees fair wages. Oh, and the ball is supposedly “unpoppable,” so your kids will be able to kick it around for years to come.
Follow Chicago Parent on Instagram.
