10 Unique Companies that Generosity to Your Holiday Gift List by Doing Good  

This year, possibly even more than in previous years, people may be feeling a sense of negativity looming over the holiday season. The election outcome, uncertainty about the economy, and news of ongoing conflict in other parts of the world can affect people in ways that have serious emotional impacts.

To combat the negativity, people turn to a variety of outlets, from finding a supportive social media group to writing letters to local representatives or spending more time volunteering. Even how one approaches holiday shopping can create a renewed sense of purpose and well-being when the purchase is making a positive difference in the world.

Despite the ongoing commercialization of the holidays, many companies not only offer stylish products, but they also focus on giving back. While many people are familiar with TOMS, a fashion brand that uses a one-for-one model, giving back for every product purchased, a number of other companies were founded on the idea of giving back. Here are ten unique companies that are doing good in the world by providing employment, financial support, or goods and services to those in need.

Food and Drink

• ONEHOPE Wine – For gifts that offer a little indulgence while also making a positive impact, ONEHOPE offers unique wine, coffee, and gift products that benefit a range of causes. ONEHOPE was founded by eight friends whose goal was to create exceptional products that inspire people to indulge while doing good. Produced in collaboration with consultant winemaker Rob Mondavi, Jr., ONEHOPE offers a wine portfolio of custom blends sourced from select vineyards across California. Each product in ONEHOPE’s portfolio helps a specific cause with a portion of the profits donated to a wide array of charities. 
• Project 7 – If you want to put together unique gift baskets this season, Project 7 is a specialty gum, candy, and snacks brand dedicated to bringing “great flavor back into your day.” Even small-item purchases, when added up, can make a large impact in the lives of those who need help. With unique flavors, stylish packaging and healthy snack options, you can find the ingredients to a building a fun gift that gives back to seven specific areas of need. Project 7 focuses its giving around seven key areas of need: Heal the Sick, Save the Earth, House the Homeless, Feed the Hungry, Quench the Thirsty, Teach Them Well, and Hope for Peace. All of the products offered are made in America, and the company partners with non-profits making impacts both in America and abroad.

Home Décor

• Aquaterra Living –Aquaterra Living was born out of the founder’s love of sailing and passion for the ocean. Wanting to avoid materials considered unsafe or containing chemicals that can harm the environment, she started with a line of eco-friendly dining plates made from organic bamboo. The plates have simple, stylish designs and are durable enough to withstand rocky seas. For every purchase, 10% of the profits are donated to nonprofit organizations that conserve and preserve the ocean.
• glassybaby – Glassybaby began when a candle in hand-blown glass brought hope to a woman stricken with cancer, and that hope helped her recover and heal. This inspired a business that is devoted to the creation of colorful, sustainable, artisan beauty. Each one-of-a-kind, hand-blown, glass votive candle holder and drinking glass glows with vibrant color that comes from rods of concentrated color glass used in the glassblowing process. Giving proceeds of almost $2 million per year, the glassbaby white light fund donates 10% from the sale of every glassybaby to help people, animals, and the planet heal. The result is that each glassbaby is a unique, solid glass vessel, offered in hundreds of uniquely named colors. At studios in Seattle, WA and Berkeley, CA, guests can even experience the art of glassblowing to see how “live glassblowing brings [the] craft to life.”

Fashion

• Bombas – The founders of Bombas were inspired when they learned that the number-one clothing item requested at homeless shelters is socks. They started their company to solve this problem in an innovative way: by redesigning and redefining socks. For each pair of Bombas athletic socks purchased, a pair is donated to someone in need. In just two-and-a-half years, Bombas donated one million pairs of socks. In honor of World Aids Day on December 1, Bombas created (Product)RED^TM. For every pair of Red/White Champs socks purchased, (RED) can provide more than 20 days of life-saving HIV medication to a person living with AIDS.
• Panda – Bamboo is not only beautiful, it offers an eco-friendly option for creating products that are both fashionable and durable. For each pair of Panda sunglasses purchased, the company provides an eye exam and donates a pair of prescription glasses to someone in need through its nonprofit partner Optometry Giving Sight. Each pair of sunglasses is handcrafted by a design team that uses eco-friendly bamboo in a way to create minimal waste. In addition to beautiful sunglasses, Panda offers a bamboo watch that allows purchasers to give the gift of education for developing communities. With the purchase of a Panda watch, the company makes a donation to Pencils of Promise which brings education and change to small villages around the world. 
• PURPOSE Jewelry – For beautifully handcrafted fashion jewelry supporting a beautiful cause, PURPOSE Jewelry is a social enterprise that provides professional opportunities to young women rescued from sex trafficking. PURPOSE Jewelry donates 100% of the proceeds of product sales to the non-profit International Sanctuary (iSanctuary), where survivors are provided with holistic care including education, health care, and counseling. Each unique piece found on purposejewelry.org includes a jewelry tag that is hand-signed by the girl who created it.

Children

• Cuddle + Kind – Why shouldn’t a cuddle change the world? The family that founded Cuddle + Kind believes that nourishing children is a critical responsibility. Every ethically produced, adorable hand-knit doll is lovingly made by women in Peru. This ensures that the artisans are given a sustainable, fair-trade income. As an Oppenheim Platinum Award winner for Best Toy 2016, each doll is a high quality product. Plus, the purchase of each stylish and cuddly doll helps to fight childhood hunger. For every doll purchased, Cuddle + Kind gives ten meals to children in need. Along the top of the company’s web page runs a counter that shows that to date they’ve given over 625,000 meals.

Active Lifestyle

• Hydros – Hydros is on a mission to solve the global water crisis, one stylish water bottle at a time. For your athletic, on-the-go, socially-conscious friends, the Hydros filtering water bottle is not only a way to help eliminate tons of earth-damaging plastic bottles but also brings the gift of clean drinking water to areas in need across the world. Hydros works through Engineers Without Borders donating a portion of the proceeds from each Hydros bottle purchase to help fund sustainable water infrastructure projects. The Hydros website notes that through the supported water projects, the impact of the proceeds from one water bottle purchase will provide clean drinking water for someone in need for an entire year.

Pets

• BOGO Bowl – If you’re shopping for your furry friends this season, consider giving them a special treat with BOGO Bowl pet food. With every purchase of BOGO Bowl pet food, a matching bag of food will be given to a pet in need at no additional cost. The company works with pet foster programs, shelters, and pet food pantries, providing food made from all natural ingredients with no byproducts or artificial flavors. BOGO Bowl wants to be sure that no family is forced to give up a pet because the family can’t afford food and that no shelter animal is euthanized if the shelter is low on food.

This holiday take the time to look for companies that have established a way to donate to organizations that are important to you, so you can know that your thoughtful gift-giving efforts are contributing to good in the world.