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1. From War to Peace Jewelry
From War to Peace creates wares—jewelry, ornaments, key chains—for the giftee who cares about causes. To craft its trademarked alloy Peace Bronze, the company dug up and recycled missile cabling that once connected the U.S. military command with nuclear weapons. Jewelry and other accessories made out of the material feature familiar symbols of peace, strength, and life. Twenty percent of profits go to organizations like Doctors Without Borders and United for Peace and Justice that promote a safe, healthy world without violence.
Website: Fromwartopeace.com/
Price: $15–$70
2. Wardrobe Wins
Keep that man in your life looking stylish with a sweater or shirt from one of the many companies that produces clothes with the environment in mind, like Oregon-based Of the Earth, which has offered organic, sustainable clothing since the early 1990s. There’s also Loomstate, started in 2004 on the notion of “creating demand for certified organic cotton using socially and environmentally responsible methods of production.” The list goes on.
Websites:
Price: Varies
3. TOMS Shoes
Ever wanted to look chic like an Argentinean? How about for a good cause? Try TOMS Shoes. For every pair of these light, comfortable canvasbacks you buy—which, by the way, are made without using animal byproducts—the company sends a pair to a needy child. TOMS takes the same approach with its new stylish eyewear, so you can, ahem, feel good while looking good. Go ahead, deck yourself—or your fashionable loved one—out from head to toe.
Website: Toms.com/one-for-one
Price: From $54
4. Clothing Swap
This year, instead of a department store, try a thrift shop or resale center associated with a nonprofit like the Salvation Army or Habitat for Humanity. You will simultaneously rescue a landfill-bound article and contribute to a legitimate cause. Sometimes new items (with the tags still on!) find their way to these stores, not to mention vintage goods (we all know someone who just can’t get enough of the ’80s). Not the thrift shop type? Summon the spirit of thrifting and host a gift exchange party with friends—requiring that all gifts must have been previously owned.
Websites:
Price: Varies
5. Andean Collection Jewelry
Rainforest seeds like these açai adorn plants in the diverse ecosystem, and now they can decorate your neck, too. The Andean Collection, a company started by a woman focused on bringing rural Ecuadorians out of poverty in a sustainable, environmentally friendly way, sells jewelry made by 40 women who handcraft the stylish pieces out of local materials like huayruro and pambil seeds.
Website: Theandeancollection.com
Price: $12–$138