Support a non-profit while you grab new gear for yourself
The increase in both social activism and social entrepreneurship has brought about a surprising industry at its intersection: cause-inspired goods companies run by young entrepreneurs. These companies create everything from t-shirts to totes, flip-flops to jewelry, all in the name of promoting awareness of social injustices and donating money to their causes. Their business models are different, but their impact is the same: redefining the way people view donating money and buying goods at the same time.
Read on for some of our favorite cause-inspired shopping sites, and let us know who we missed in the comments!
Toms
The godfather of the one-for-one movement has expanded from its initial one-style shoe line to include different shoe styles for men and women, from booties to wedges, and eyewear. toms.com
Sevenly
A new design and new charity donation every 7 days. $7 per sale (tees range from $22-$40) is donated to the charity; there are several men’s and women’s styles but just one design every week—so limited edition! sevenly.org
Article 22
Article 22 has three collections: ARTICLE 22 textile accessories, PeaceBOMB, and A22 Trading Co. All three lines use unique and recycled materials, encourage conversation, and use traditional design and artisans in modern ways. We particularly love PeaceBOMB’s “Buying Back the Bombs”, where bombs are turned into bracelets and more that really spark conversation. shoparticle22.com
United By Blue
For every product sold, United by Blue removes 1 pound of trash from our world’s oceans and waterways. We love the aesthetic on their rugged bags, graphic tees, and fresh jewelry. unitedbyblue.com
Shop With Meaning
A site that aggregates a ton of cause-inspired companies, including big names like Warby Parker, 147 Million Orphans, Threads 4 Thought, Blanket America, and more. shopwithmeaning.org
The Giving Keys
When you buy ($35) or are given this one-of-a-kind necklace (pictured above), you must give it away at some point, to a person who you feel needs the message that’s on your key. Employing the homeless in NYC. thegivingkeys.com
FEED
If Toms is the godfather of giving + getting, FEED is the godmother. Originally a burlap bag that raised enough money to feed 1 child for 1 year, the line has expanded over the past five years to encompass different styles and donation levels—each bag says how many kids it feeds on it. feedprojects.com
MuseWear
Besides spreading inspiration through flip-flops printed with inspirational quotes, Musewear donates 15% of profits to three different organizations. musewearflipflops.com
Hook-Links
Friendship bracelets are back in a big way, and we love Hook-Links’ silicon-and-magnet versions that connect to any other Hook-Links bracelet. The bracelets both build awareness around non-profits devoted to kids and donate a portion of profits to the charities. hook-links.com
Pencils of Promise
What they offer for shopping at any given time varies, but right now there’s a sweet limited-edition shoe and stainless steel water bottle. Past offerings included tees and backpacks. 100% of all funds donated or raised online goes directly towards education programs in Laos, Nicaragua, and Guatemala. pencilsofpromise.org
Barnabas Clothing
Barnabas means Son of Encouragement, and the t-shirt company started to increase awareness of living “a life worth imitating.” They donate 10% of all sales to Living Room International. barnabasclothing.com
Check out our Pinterest board Shopping + Cause-Powered for some of the super-cool cause-inspired goodies!