2017 Holiday Guide to Do-Good Gifts

Sometimes what you really want is a gift that shows that you care about your friends, but you also care about making the world a little better. We’re here to help with this little selection of discerning do-good gifts to spread the love and holiday cheer and good vibes. Go on, give them a try – we’re in high gift-giving season, after all!

1 Fenty Beauty – Stunna Lip Paint

Fenty took the beauty world like a storm of many colors when it launched foundations for all skin tones, and Rihanna knows all there is to know about red, red lips. So when she launched red lip paint for every shade of skin, we believe she’s ready for the rainbow.

Why good? Diversity in the beauty industry. Finally!

2 Toms shoes

You’ve heard of Toms, right? They’re the brand that pioneered the “buy one, give one” sales model with their unforgettable shoes. Now they’re moving beyond shoes, providing vision correction, drinking water, safe maternity care, and fighting against bullying. At the same time their shoes keep on being unbelievably comfy.

Seriously. So comfy.

Why good? Giving one for one. A shopper’s dream

3 Purpose Jewelry – Shakti Necklace

Shakti’s delicate gold-plated necklaces are beautiful and elegant, great at the office or the after party, but they’re more than just a pretty ornament. They’re crafted by women rescued from human trafficking in Mumbai, India and Orange County, California, and 100% of proceeds go to International Sanctuary, benefiting other girls and women escaping the horror of slavery.

Why good? Helping human trafficking survivors to stand on their own

4 Akhal – Organic prickly pear seed oil

Prickly pears have pretty flowers and tasty (if thorn-covered!) fruits, sure, but its the seeds inside those cactus pears that really do the magic trick. Akhal’s oil concentrate nourishes the skin and is especially great for under eye treatments and night serums for the face and neck. To top it off, this famous Moroccan organic oil is harvested and extracted by a female workforce and $1 per bottle is donated to educating girls in the country’s rural south.

Why good? Moroccan oil that saves your skin and sends girls to school.

5 “Wisdom of Sundays: Life-Changing Insights from Super Soul Conversations” by Oprah Winfrey

Of course we follow Oprah, and not just for her annual favorites lists. Super Soul Sunday has filled the void left when her signature show ended. It brings together the inspiration, soulful insight, and wisdom of visionaries that only Oprah can gather. And here the best parts of many of those Super Soul Sundays are collected in a single book for you to give as a gift (erm, right after reading it first, very carefully, so you don’t crease the pages or the spine).

Why good? Peace on Earth starts with peace in our hearts.

6 Lush – Charity Pots

Do you want a reliable body lotion? Yes, you do want a reliable body lotion, especially in the chilling winter. But Lush goes beyond reliable with the Charity Pot. With every one you buy, Lush donates 100% of the price (minus the taxes) to small, grassroots organizations that align with their ethics and promote environmental conservation, animal welfare, and human rights.

Why good? Beyond fair trade, supporting the community, and an excuse to visit those pretty (and pretty smelling) shops.

7 National Geographic – Sloth Plush toy

Both science and the environment are under threat, so let’s help the National Geographic fight the good fight. Not only is this sloth plushie ridiculously fluffy and cute, it also captures our determined holiday spirit perfectly—What’s the best part of the holiday season? Not working. Each plush features a small booklet with informational and fun facts about each animal. Sure, but don’t forget: sloths hang in there, and they’re really fluffy.

Have we said fluffy and cute enough?

Why good? For the environment and for science.

8 Oxfam – A Goat

Not a plushie, but a real goat. A really real goat, with the regular creepy goat eyes. Sure, it’s not as cute as a plush sloth, and Oxfam goes for a punny crime with “no kid-ding”, but the goat is an invaluable resource for rural communities. Its milk provides food and income, its manure makes good fertilizers, and it’s relatively easy to grow. Donate a goat by the name of your loved one (it can be ‘you’), and double the joy of giving gifts.

Why good? It’s a goat! And it helps to fight poverty by providing a livelihood.

9 Lego – Women of Nasa Kit

Lots of us already love Lego. The little minifigures and building blocks had us at the Disney Castle and bought our souls with the Lego Movie. When a multinational brand does something good, why not recognize it and give credit where its due? Also, it’s a great gift for children from 5 to 95 who never stopped dreaming of space.

Why good? Celebrate women in STEM.

10 WWF – Adopt a Lioness

This time it’s symbolic. Prove you are a badass lioness by adopting a real lioness. You also get a soft plushie of your adopted lioness, as well as a more formal adoption certificate. But the plushie is sort of a certificate, too, right? And, of course, you know you’re supporting the WWF’s efforts to protect wild animals and their habitats around the world.

If lionesses are not your thing, you can also adopt other endangered animals, from African elephants to emperor penguin chicks.

Why good? To protect the animals and our future with them.

11 Conscious Step – Holiday Socks That Plant Trees

From animals back to feet in glorious red, green and white. When you walk around in these socks, forests will sprout in your tracks. For each pair you buy, Conscious Pair’s partner Trees for the Future will plant 20 trees. And this time the angel is in the details: even if you’re not having a fab party, you get to feel the holiday mood with festive socks.

Why good? Wear the cause.

12 Sukkha Citta – Kayu Silk-Cotton Scarf

Maybe you want something a bit more elegant than holiday-themed socks? In that case, the Kayu scarf, dyed with mahony tree bark and with handroll stitched edges, might be the accessory for you.

Not just a fashion brand, Sukkha Citta works with rural villages in Indonesia, supporting their women artisans and improving their lives, while keeping their heritage craft techniques alive. Buy the Kayu and you’re helping Jlamprang village in Central Java.

Why good? #MadeRight

Bonus: brac – Refugee Family Care package

Maybe you have all the gifts you need? Or you found this article a bit too late for the holiday season? Consider doing good directly and donating to provide humanitarian aid to the refugees from Myanmar who have fled to Bangladesh. There are over half a million people there now, and your contribution will directly help someone in need.

Why good? Helping forcibly displaced families in need.