Shop With A Heart With 17 Brands that Give Back
Let’s be real: buying things feels good.
Even if you subscribe to a minimalist wardrobe, making a purchase triggers a release of dopamine—the runner’s high.
Now imagine that happy feeling while also knowing you’re helping a worthy cause.
The ethical shoppers’ high?
We’re not advocating a shopping spree here. The most sustainable products are those you already own.
However, if you do need something new, consider making your purchase matter by supporting one of these brands that give back.
Between Certified B Corps, members of 1% for the Planet, and triple bottom line businesses, this is now easier than ever.
Let’s take a look at how you can shop to support a better world.
*This post contains affiliate links
QUICK LINKS FOR BRANDS THAT GIVE BACK WHEN YOU BUY
1. ETHIQUE
About Ethique
If washing up is on the agenda, Ethique can help.
The brand creates all manner of personal care and household cleaning products. Think zero waste laundry detergent, eco friendly shampoo and conditioner, and even organic baby shampoo.
All in zero waste bar form.
Ethique’s Community & Charitable Initiatives
Ethique’s charitable contributions are huge.
They donate 2% of their sales to charities. These include environmental organizations working toward conservation and animal welfare.
Available: Ethique | Amazon | Holland & Barrett (UK) | Nourished Life (AU)
2. WHO GIVES A CRAP
About Who Gives A Crap
This eco-friendly toilet paper brand, that’s who.
Choose between 100% recycled paper or 100% tree-free bamboo. Does it work? Short answer, yes. Long answer, see our who gives a crap review.
Regardless of which paper you choose, you’re getting a soft wipe and cute plastic-free packaging (which you can totally upcycle into zero waste gift wrapping).
Who Gives A Crap’s Community & Charitable Initiatives
Who Gives A Crap’s business model is based on toilets, or rather building them.
50% of the profits from every single roll goes to one of their impact partners to build toilets and provide other sanitation and hygiene services in communities that need them.
If you want to hear more about this brand, check out The Sustainable Jungle Podcast episode, where we interviewed Simon Griffiths (one of the co-founders).
Available: Who Gives a Crap
3. ELVIS & KRESSE
About Elvis & Kresse
Elvis & Kresse expresses luxury and a love for our planet with their range of ethical and sustainable handbags.
In addition to handbags, they carry briefcases, duffel bags, sustainable backpacks, laptop sleeves, sustainable wallets, belts, and tablet cases.
All are made with discarded materials like upcycled Burberry leather, auction banners, military parachutes, and retired fire hoses.
Elvis & Kresse’s Community & Charitable Initiatives
As a Certified B Corp and Social Enterprise Business for Good, it’s no surprise that Elvis & Kresse made this list of brands that give back to the community.
They’ve supported organizations like WWF, Barefoot College (which empowers women in rural villages with solar engineering skills), and the UK’s Fire Fighters Charity.
2021 is their biggest year yet, having donated almost £100,000.00 to charity: £66,977.83 to The Fire Fighters Charity and £30,600.00 to Barefoot College.
Not only do they donate up to half of their profits to these charities, but they also give back to our planet by repurposing every.single.waste.fire.hose produced in London, using renewable energy exclusively for manufacturing, and offering lifetime repairs!
Available: Elvis & Kresse
4. SOLIOS
About Solios
Watch out for Certified B Corp Solios.
Why?
Because they’re simply one of the best companies that give back.
Their line of eco-friendly watches is made with durable materials including a silicone-based vegan leather, which is free of toxic chemicals, PU, and PVC.
The straps are interchangeable and the watches are solar-powered.
Solios’ Community & Charitable Initiatives
Solios buys time for the endangered places on our planet.
With a partnership with Rainforest Trust, every single watch purchase protects one acre of rainforest.
Listen to Sam Le Roux (one of the co-founders), who we interviewed on the Sustainable Jungle Podcast, discuss the role of Solios in disrupting the watch industry by creating elegant yet uniquely sustainable timepieces.
Available: Solios
5. TENTREE
About tentree
tentree speaks for the trees and hopes you will too.
The Certified B Corp has sustainable outdoor clothing essentials for all occasions, like shirts, organic hoodies, joggers, pants, shorts, cardigans, ethical winter coats, and button-ups for men, women, and kids.
Giving back is made accessible to all because of their affordable ethical clothing.
tentree’s Community & Charitable Initiatives
As one of our favorite slow fashion brands who happens to also be one of the best clothing brands that give back, tentree supports Mother Earth by planting ten trees with every purchase.
The trees are planted specifically in areas in need of reforestation. The trees also help developing communities by providing employment opportunities, ecosystem support, and food.
Did we mention they’re Climate Neutral, too?
Available: tentree
6. EARTHHERO
About EarthHero
EarthHero is one of the best alternatives to Amazon.
You can find many of the sustainable beauty, body, and homecare brands we love on their site. In fact, EarthHero only works with ethically-minded companies.
Their vast range includes zero waste kit essentials, clothing, footwear, baby and kids products, zero waste school and office supplies, beauty and body care products, audio and tech gear, and items for travel, pets, sports, and more.
EarthHero’s Community & Charitable Initiatives
This (mostly) zero waste online store won’t make you feel guilty when you click “Checkout”.
They’re a Certified B Corp, fully carbon-neutral through CarbonFund, and a contributing member of 1% for the Planet.
Available: EarthHero
7. OUTERKNOWN
About Outerknown
Outerknown may be one of our top sustainable mens’ clothing companies but they also cater to our feminine counterparts.
They make tops, pants, tees, sweatshirts, sweatpants, jeans, coats, and ethical swimwear.
The vast majority of their garments are made with recycled or natural materials, like organic cotton and hemp fabric, and are manufactured in Fair Trade factories.
Outerknown’s Community & Charitable Initiatives
Every year, Outerknown collaborates with charitable partners who donate proceeds from the sale of product lines. Past recipients include Ocean Conservancy, Skate to School, and more.
Available: Outerknown
8. DR. BRONNER’S
About Dr. Bronner’s
From dish soap to organic body wash, this brand literally does it all.
Or, should we say, each magical bottle does it all!
Not only does Dr. Bronner’s help you and I clean up, but they help the industry clean up their act by promoting the use of organic, fair trade ingredients and regenerative agriculture practices.
Dr. Bronner’s Community & Charitable Initiatives
What would a list about brands that give back be without Dr. Bronner’s?!
In fact, giving back is part of one of this Certified B Corp’s six Cosmic Principles.
To fight for what’s right, they contribute significantly (financial and otherwise) towards the raising of awareness for issues like fair trade and living wages, youth and community services, industrial hemp, animal advocacy, drug policy reform, and more.
Available: Amazon | Nourished Life (AU)
9. PATAGONIA
About Patagonia
Patagonia was one of the first to do capitalism with a conscience.
Between sustainable materials, responsible manufacturing, repair programs, and the option to buy/sell used Patagonia gear, this B-Corp (California’s very first, actually) gives back.
They make everything a one could need to enjoy the great outdoors (and protect it): ethical leggings, eco friendly t-shirts, sustainable hats, to name a handful.
Patagonia’s Community & Charitable Initiatives
“Nature is the salve for our souls. We owe it to everyone who comes after us and ourselves, to protect what little is left of wild nature on planet Earth.”
Patagonia has undoubtedly inspired other brands on this list—not least because they founded 1% for the Planet.
With an unfaltering commitment to the planet and belief that real change is possible with grassroots momentum, they fund environmental groups who fight for inclusivity, justice, action, and public involvement through their Patagonia Grants Program.
They also get everyday folks involved in environmental action groups through their Action Works program.
Available: Patagonia
10. ETEE
About etee
etee makes plastic-free practical.
Everything they make is 100% biodegradable.
You won’t find the p-word in their plastic free food storage, laundry detergent, eco-friendly cleaning products, or body care products like zero waste toothpaste and loofah alternatives.
etee’s Community & Charitable Initiatives
etee’s planet-friendly philanthropic effort is a plastic-free revolution. All their goodies come shipped and packaged sans plastic.
The company gives back to humans through a range of organizations like Hue Man Race, as well as local health organizations, food banks, clinics, and more.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, they donated tens of thousands of face masks.
Available: etee
11. INDOSOLE
About Indosole
Indosole is the product of two B’s: Bali and bikes.
Founder Kyle Parsons saw on his Balinese vacation that old motorbike tires were being used to make sandals. So he did the same.
The brand offers eco friendly sandals in the way of recycled flip-flops, slides, and platforms for men, women, and kids.
Indosole’s Community & Charitable Initiatives
Spotlighting Good Humans, the brand has a page of their website dedicated to people around the globe who are doing good things.
In addition to sharing their causes, Indosole supports them financially and through organizing events.
They’ve partnered with Soles4Souls to convert 40,000 tires into 400,000 pairs of shoes to be distributed to people in need.
Available: Amazon | REI
12. DARZAH
About Darzah
Buying sustainable home decor, shoes, bags, or accessories has never felt so good.
Beyond their uniquely beaded designs, Darzah is a Fair Trade certified brand that respects each and every one of their artisans.
As a project of Child’s Cup Full, a non-profit social enterprise, Darzah supports six full-time and 22 part-time artisans—numbers expected to grow with continued support.
Darzah’s Community & Charitable Initiatives
Darzah aims to empower Palestinian women in the West Bank who have endured marginalization.
How?
By redistributing 100% of their profits back to these women. For that reason, Darzah is technically a non-profit.
With every purchase, this ethical shoe brand supports a talented artisan with a fair salary, employment program, and job training.
Available: Darzah
13. ANCHAL
About Anchal
You can doze off to dreams of a better world with fair trade blankets, sustainable pillows, and other vintage home decor from Anchal.
Anchal’s Community & Charitable Initiatives
A 501(c)3 non-profit, Anchal was designed to support women victimized by exploitative practices, commercial sex trafficking, and domestic abuse.
They partner with Vatsalya in Ajmer, India and The Center for Women & Families in Louisville, Kentucky to support more than 400 marginalized women with fair employment, health programs, training, workshops, and other life-changing opportunities.
100% of profits go towards supporting these projects.
Available: Made Trade
14. EILEEN FISHER
About Eileen Fisher
Eileen Fisher uses predominantly eco-friendly materials (including the organic linen that goes into their ethical plus size clothing) and sustainable practices that conserve resources.
They are constantly striving to improve the impact of their women’s clothing line which covers tops, cardigans, jackets, coats, pants, jumpsuits, denim, dresses, sleepwear, and more.
They also offer a take-back program where they offer to recycle clothes for money or store credit.
Eileen Fisher’s Community & Charitable Initiatives
For fashion brands that give back, you can look and feel good because of this Certified B Corp’s efforts.
They support an impressively long list of nonprofits and NGOs that fight for human rights and the environment, including 350.org, the Environmental Working Group, and Textile Exchange.
They also provide several grants each year to women working in the environmental justice field.
Available: Eileen Fisher
15. ELATE COSMETICS
About Elate Cosmetics
Sustainable makeup is Elate Cosmetics’ forte— we consider them one of the best sustainable beauty brands.
They create cover for eyes, lips, and face, as well as vegan makeup brushes and compostable bamboo palettes to add a little extra green to your glam.
Elate Cosmetics’ Community & Charitable Initiatives
We were elated (of course) to learn that this is a beauty brand that gives back to charity.
As per their social impact initiative, they donate 1% to social initiatives and another 1% to environmental initiatives (including planting one tree for every order).
They’ve previously donated to charities like United Way, Music Heals, and the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust.
They also offer team members paid time off to volunteer.
Available: EarthHero
16. COYUCHI
About Coyuchi
Counting sheep couldn’t be more dreamy than with Coyuchi.
And that’s not just because they use climate-neutral ethical wool in their fair trade scarves and sustainable gloves.
It’s also because they offer a takeback program and stick to sustainable fabrics in their range of organic cotton pajamas, organic bath towels, and affordable linen sheets.
Coyuchi’s Community & Charitable Initiatives
Knowing your eco friendly bedding is giving back also means a good night’s sleep.
Coyuchi donates money to organic cotton farmers in need and fabric to US based artisans to be used for masks.
Year-round, Coyuchi contributes to 1% for the Planet. The funds go to Fibershed and the White Buffalo Land Trust—two organizations dedicated to carbon-neutral farming and regenerative fiber systems.
Available: Coyuchi
17. THRIVE MARKET
About Thrive Market
Has getting through this list worked up an appetite?
Let Thrive Market help. One of the best ethical online shopping stores for grumbling bellies.
They have a variety of healthy food and body / homecare products that satisfy more than 70 different values and diets. You can custom tailor a box to suit yours.
Thrive Market’s Community & Charitable Initiatives
For every membership purchased, this Certified B Corp gives a free one to someone in need (think: single parents, college students, low-income families, veterans).
Beyond that, they collect donations at checkout to further support those in need. Since 2015, they’ve raised more than $3,600,000 for food equality.
Beyond that, they’ve obtained more than 300,000 signatures to urge the USDA to trial food stamps online—more access to healthy food for those who really need it.
Available: Thrive Market
FINAL THOUGHTS ON BRANDS THAT GIVE BACK To THE COMMUNITY & ENVIRONMENT
Between brands that give back with a purchase, those who donate a percentage of annual profits or sales, and companies who use their voice for positive social and environmental change, it’s not business as usual.
Instead of shopping at the mall, try one of these brands next time you need something.
While we may not always be able to support charitable brands, every time we do we’re saying we believe our purchases have the power to do more.
It puts a little extra meaning to the phrase “vote with your dollar”, doesn’t it?
If your “save for your later” purchase list is a little short (kudos to you if it is!), pass this article along to a shopping addict (we all know one) so their next purchase can come with a clean(er) conscience!
