Donating to charity is such a good thing to do, but on a college budget, spending extra money can be less than tempting. Luckily, there are brands that combine the immense happiness of shopping with almost as wonderful charitable efforts, so you can officially claim that shopping is a social responsibility! Here are 14 brands to keep in mind the next shopping spree:
1. Pura Vida Bracelets
Pura Vida Bracelets helps to provide jobs to local artisans in Costa Rica. They have a large selection of charity bracelets and partners with almost 200 charities. Their bracelets are super affordable and a great way to represent and donate to important causes!
2. Man-Cans
Man-Cans uses soup cans to make candles, and the soup in the cans is donated to provide meals for those in need. The candles are made in a developmentally disabled factory and use all natural wax, making them environmentally friendly!
3. Warby Parker
Warby Parker not only sells trendy glasses, but they also partner with nonprofits to help train men and women in developing countries to give eye exams and sell glasses at affordable prices. This helps give people easy access to eye care and allows the sellers to earn a living!
4. Love Your Melon
Love Your Melon focuses on child cancer and aims to give hats to every child as well as raise awareness through donation events. They also partner with nonprofits that work in pediatric oncology and help to research cures and provide support for families.
5. The Elephant Pants
The Elephant Pants has a wide variety of cute elephant-themed merchandise, and a portion of each sale goes to save the elephants. They sponsor the International Elephant Foundation, which aims to protect habitats, reduce conflict, and cure diseases.
6. TOMS
TOMS is well-known for their shoe donations, but they’ve expanded to offer glasses, coffee, bags, and backpacks—each with their own respective charitable efforts, such as water support, safe births, bullying prevention, and more!
7. Sevenly
Sevenly uses cute t-shirts in seven day campaigns to raise money and awareness for different causes. Throughout the year, 7% of all purchases are donated to the Sevenly Foundation, which then shares the money with other non-profit partners.
8. The Vintage Twin
The Vintage Twin combats fast fashion by searching for vintage clothing. They take used clothing items and upcycle them into completely new and unique pieces. They also donate 10% of the proceed from each sale to charity!
9. FEED
FEED aims to fight back against global hunger, and buying their products supports their mission to provide school meals, mother-child nutrition, food aid in America, emergency relief, and much more to those in need. FEED donates to their partners, which include the United Nations World Food Programme, UNICEF, and Feeding America to make change happen.
10. Ivory Ella
Ivory Ella aims to help save the elephants, and they have a wide range of products available. 10% of the company’s net profits are donated to Save the Elephants, along with other charitable organizations.
11. Out of Print
Out of Print offers lots of book-themed merchandise of all genres for any lover of literature. Out of Print aims to promote literacy and purchases help to support literacy programs and donate books communities in need.
12. Elegantees
Elegantees aims to help survivors of sex trafficking by creating new lives and opportunities. Elegantees sewing centers employ survivors and help to combat poverty in Nepal in hopes of reducing sex trafficking.
13. Half United
Half United helps to fight hunger through partners, and for every purchase, seven meals are given to a child in the U.S., Fiji, Haiti, or Cambodia.
14. Too Apparel
Too Apparel not only sells super comfy and cute undies but also donates a pair of underwear to women in need through non-profit organizations for every pair of underwear sold.
Although some of these products may be on the pricier side, shopping while making the world a better place is priceless. Fashion never felt so good!