Holidays & Entertaining Gift Guide 2023: 101+ Best Gift Ideas 30 Gifts That Give Back, So You Can Gift Twice the Joy Bring deeper meaning to your next gift-giving occasion with presents that give back to charitable causes and efforts. By Real Simple Editors Real Simple Editors Facebook Instagram Twitter An article attributed to "Real Simple Editors" indicates a collaborative effort from our in-house team. Sometimes, several writers and editors have contributed to an article over the years. These collaborations allow us to provide you with the most accurate, up-to-date, and comprehensive information available.The REAL SIMPLE team strives to make life easier for you. They are experts in their fields who research, test and clearly explain the best recipes, strategies, trends and products. They have worked for some of the most prestigious brands in lifestyle journalism, including Apartment Therapy, Better Homes & Gardens, Food & Wine, the Food Network, Good Housekeeping, InStyle, Martha Stewart Living, O: The Oprah Magazine, Parents, POPSUGAR, Rachel Ray Every Day, and Vogue. Real Simple's Editorial Guidelines Updated on November 21, 2022 Share Tweet Pin Email We independently research, test, review, and recommend the best products—learn more about our process. If you buy something through our links, we may earn a commission. Olivela.com The latest tech gadget or beauty product will obviously be a beloved birthday or holiday gift. But if you're looking to give something that's a little bit more special, consider a gift that gives back. Gifts that give back support particular nonprofit groups or causes. Some provide employment at fair wages to people who need help getting their foot in the door, some trigger one-for-one donations, and others contribute funds to charities and charitable efforts. However they give back, you can give these presents with the knowledge that your purchase is making the world just the tiniest bit better. Take a look at these top gifts that give back and shop with a little extra purpose this year. 30 Eco-Friendly Gifts You'll Feel Good About Giving Food and Drink Gifts That Benefit Charities Black-Owned Spotlight Box Courtesy of Packed with Purpose Buy on Packedwithpurpose.gifts This Black-owned Spotlight Box from Packed with Purpose is a step-up from those holiday fruit baskets. The package includes chocolate chip cookies, medium roast coffee, sea salt heirloom popcorn, seasoned potato chips, granola clusters, and shortbread cookies. Not only is each item in the package from a Black-owned business, but those businesses also support important causes, like providing food access and education to families in need, preserving agricultural biodiversity, and donating meals to soup kitchens. To Buy: $45, shop.packedwithpurpose.gifts Spirit-Infused Coffee Fire Department Coffee Buy on Firedeptcoffee.com Help them enjoy a little (non-alcoholic) boost to their day with a trio of spirit-infused coffees (Irish whiskey, bourbon, and cinnamon whiskey) to help them start their day. Or opt for their spirit-infused club, which will send them a limited edition spirit-infused flavor each month for $15/month. Either way, this veteran- and firefighter-run coffee shop helps first responders in need through the Fire Dept. Coffee Foundation. To Buy: $60, firedepotcoffee.com Penzeys Baker's Assortment Gift Pack Penzeys.com Buy on Penzeys.com Freshen up their baking spices with this deluxe set, featuring the essentials for just about every wintry treat—including vanilla sugar, three types of cinnamon, cloves, cocoa, and minced lemon peel. Penzeys donates its pepper to food pantries and soup kitchens, and financial donations to hurricane relief organizations. To Buy: $80, penzeys.com Fashion Gifts that Give Back to Charities Zuri Dresses Courtesy of Zuri Buy on Shopzuri.com These fun and festive dresses will earn a place of honor in her closet—and her heart. Each dress is ethically made in Africa or India, using cotton from smallholder farms, African textile designers to dream up the patterns, and SOKO members to sew each dress. SOKO supports the local Kenyan community by offering sustainable livelihoods, free childcare, and making and giving away reusable menstrual pads to help to allow young women to remain in school. To Buy: $160, shopzuri.com Allbirds Women's Wool Loungers Allbirds Buy on Allbirds.com The slip-on-and-go design of Allbirds' classic Wool Loungers makes them great for everything from walking around the house to exploring a new city. They're made from renewable materials and can be thrown in the washer to extend their life, two features that fit in with the brand's dedication to sustainable practices. All pairs of Allbirds also come with a 30-day guarantee and the promise that lightly-used returned pairs will be donated to communities in need through Soles4Souls. To Buy: $74, allbirds.com Conscious Step Socks That Plant Trees Conscious Step Buy on Consciousstep.com Conscious Step's organic cotton socks come in pretty colors with little embroidered details that match the cause you choose, whether it's ocean conservation, dog rescue, LGBTQ support, or in this case, supporting Trees for the Future to help them plant more trees. To Buy: $40, consciousstep.com Bombas Gripper Slippers Bombas.com Buy on Bombas.com These cozy, sherpa-lined slippers have grippy bottoms to avoid slipping and sliding. And for every pair purchased, Bombas donates a pair to a homeless shelter. To Buy: $45, bombas.com Fight Evil, Read Books T-Shirt OutOfPrint.com Buy on Outofprint.com The voracious reader in your life will appreciate the charming message of this T-shirt—and the fact that each purchase helps fund literacy programs and book donations. There are other designs with the same sentiment—along with author-specific products—for your favorite reader. To Buy: $32, outofprint.com Jewelry and Accessories Gifts That Support Causes Jing Fong Tote Bag Courtesy of Pearl River Mart Buy on Pearlriver.com New York City's Chinatown was hard-hit by the pandemic and the spike in hate crimes toward Asian American communities. So, Pearl River Mart, a family-owned, Chinatown-originated emporium, created a Chinatown collection to support the neighborhood, with 100-percent of the profits from each item going back to Chinatown businesses, and a portion of every sale going to a nonprofit working hard for the community. Whether someone on your list lives in NYC or just loves spending time in this historic neighborhood whenever they visit, gift them a charitable souvenir, like this tote bag from the restaurant Jin Fong, a Vanessa's Dumpling House Hat, or another Chinatown-proud item. To Buy: $25, pearlriver.com Pura Vida Bracelets Pura Vida Bracelets Buy on Puravidabracelets.com Pura Vida creates charming, colorful bracelet sets that support various causes, including mental health awareness, environmental causes, and racial justice. When you purchase the Save the Sloths pack (shown here) they'll donate 5 percent of the purchase price to Rainforest Trust, an organization dedicated to preserving and protecting the tropical forests that sloths and thousands of other endangered species call home. To Buy: $32, puravidabracelets.com Bali Hoops Purpose Jewelry Buy on Purposejewelry.org These chic 14K gold or sterling silver earrings are handcrafted by female artisans who have escaped human trafficking. Proceeds support the International Sanctuary that provides refuge to thousands of trafficking survivors. To Buy: $55, purposejewelry.org Project Honeybees Adopt a Bee Necklace Project Honeybees Buy on Projecthoneybees.com This sweet sterling silver- and 18k gold-plated buzzy bee necklace comes with photos and information about the plight of bees worldwide. And the proceeds from each purchase help fund bee-friendly habitats and pollinator research through the University of California Davis. To Buy: $20, projecthoneybees.com Bird + Stone Black Lives Matter Cuff Set birdandstone.com Buy on Birdandstone.com With every purchase of this cuff set, 100 percent of profits are donated to organizations fighting for racial justice, including the NAACP Legal Defense Fund and the Equal Justice Initiative. Beyond its give-back bend, this set is a good reminder of the challenge at hand and serves as a pretty statement of what you believe in. To Buy: $70, birdandstone.com Triple Zipper Weekender cuyana Buy on Cuyana.com Help a globetrotter on your list get back to traveling in style with Cuyana's new roomy canvas and leather weekender. It can be carried in-hand, over-the-shoulder, or crossbody, and its separate zippered compartments max out its organization capabilities. When it comes to giving back, Cuyana's Lean Closet program is designed to keep clothes out of landfills by giving shoppers an easy way to donate. In return, Cuyana donates a percentage of profits to the H.E.A.R.T. Program, an organization that helps adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities achieve their potential. To Buy: $348, cuyana.com Home Gifts That Donate to Charities Juliska Forest Walk Gratitude Platter Courtesy of Olivela Buy on Olivela.com The ongoing theme of gratitude is one of the best parts of the holiday season—and this forest-inspired serving platter communicates that in the most adorable way. Plus, 20 percent of this purchase (and any purchase on Olivela.com) goes toward one of the company's cause partners, which support gender equality, climate action, and health and wellness initiatives. In your cart, you can choose which cause partner you'd like your purchase to support. To Buy: $98 on olivela.com Flower Vase Pottery Kit Courtesy of Pottery with a Purpose Buy on Potterywithapurpose.com If you have a crafty loved one on your list, this DIY pottery kit is a guaranteed winner. The kit comes with all the tools and supplies needed to sculpt a flower vase, along with a colorful dried flower bouquet to top it off. Plus, purchasing the kit supports Pottery with a Purpose's efforts to advance mental health initiatives around the world—every quarter, the company donates a portion of its profits to organizations working to support mental wellness. To Buy: $85, potterywithapurpose.com Alta Towel Courtesy of Oura Buy on Ouragami.org A bath towel may not seem like a super-exciting gift, but this one is special. The Alta towel is made with 100-percent cotton that is sonically infused with copper, making it hypoallergenic and great for skin health and elasticity. Plus, with every 1,000 products sold, OURA grants a wish to a child in need through Make-a-Wish. To Buy: $83 , ouragami.org Core 400S Red Courtesy of Levoit Buy on Levoit.com The gift of clean air is a pretty sweet gesture, and this air purifier comes with an extra dose of kindness. From now through September 2024, three percent of the purchase price of every (Levoit)RED product (like this air purifier) will go toward the Global Fund to fight AIDS and COVID-19. The donation works toward strengthening healthcare systems, supporting equitable access to HIV testing and treatment, and saving lives. To Buy: $219.99, levoit.com Charcuterie Board Would Works Buy on Wouldworks.com This handcrafted oak charcuterie board is a perfect gift for your favorite snack fan. Each board is hand crafted by artisans who have experienced homelessness or extreme poverty in Los Angeles, and received training in the craft of woodworking—and fair wages for their work—from Would Works. To Buy: $60, wouldworks.com Rainbow Stripe Towels Williams-Sonoma Buy on Williams-Sonoma Brighten up their kitchen with Williams-Sonoma's rainbow striped Turkish cotton kitchen towels—50 percent of the purchase price goes to the Trevor Project, which provides help to LGBTQ young people. To Buy: $25, williams-sonoma.com More Color More Pride Rainbow Water Bottle shop.hrc.org Buy on Hrc.org Support the Human Rights Campaign's work for LGBTQ equality with this rainbow-hued thermal bottle. The double-walled stainless steel insulates the bottle, to keep your drinks hot or cold for up to 24 hours. To Buy: $29, shop.hrc.org Parks Project National Parks ECOCOOL™ Playmate Elite 16 Qt Cooler Courtesy of Igloo Buy on Igloocoolers.com The Parks Project aims to conserve and maintain the beauty of our treasured parks and forests, one trendy product at a time. This cooler features a graphic depicting the variety of trees and plants found in the national parks around the country to make your happy camper or picnicker even happier. It helps support the National Parks Conservation Association, an independent, nonpartisan organization dedicated to protecting and preserving national parks. To Buy: $60, igloocoolers.com Yoobi Confetti-Filled Notebook Amazon.com Buy on Yoobi.com Any tween or teen would love this confetti-filled journal, which has 120 college-ruled pages for months and months of thoughts and notes. For every product purchased, Yoobi donates a school supply item to a U.S. child. To Buy: $10, yoobi.com Piecework Power Lunch Puzzle pieceworkpuzzles.com Buy on Pieceworkpuzzles.com This high-quality 1,000-piece puzzle celebrates high-powered women who lunch—but it also gives back to them by supporting the National Women's Law Center, which fights for gender justice, with some of the proceeds from every purchase. The process of putting together this puzzle is a great challenge (and good fun), and the final product will be a true work of chaotic, charitable, glamorous art. To Buy: $27, pieceworkpuzzles.com Found My Animal Henri Ombre Cotton Rope Dog Leash foundmyanimal.com Buy on Foundmyanimal.com Hand-dyed, adjustable, and colorful, this leash is beautiful—but the best part might be its solid brass tag, which is individually numbered with the number of animals Found My Animal has helped so far through its support of animal welfare and rescue. To Buy: $62, foundmyanimal.com Beauty and Skincare Products That Benefit Charities Lunar Gardens Perfume Oil Set Courtesy of Pink Moon Buy on Pinkmoon.co With three floral aromas packaged in glass bottles containing crystals, this dreamy perfume oil set is a great gift to pamper a special person on your list—especially if they're a new mom in need of some self-care. With every set purchased, Pink Moon donates $2 to Every Mother Counts, an organization supporting global maternal health and working to make pregnancy and childbirth safer around the world. To Buy: $120, pinkmoon.co Hope Bar Soap Amazon Buy on Amazon For smaller gifts with big meaning, add some of these bar soaps by Right to Shower to your cart. The brand is committed to providing Americans experiencing homelessness with access to showers. With every purchase from the brand, which sells liquid body wash and multi-purpose bar soaps, you’re helping to turn ordinary trucks and buses into mobile showers for people living on the streets. To Buy: $8, amazon.com The Starter Ritual Skincare Kit Courtesy of Tatcha Buy on Tatcha.com This cult-favorite skincare line offers starter sets that are perfect for gifting—and they come in three different options for various skin types. If the person on your list is already a fan of the brand, you can also create a custom gift set with a few of their favorite products. Each purchase helps fund the Girl’s Education Program in Asia and Africa and brings diverse books to underserved communities in the United States through Room to Read’s literacy initiative. To Buy: $74, tatcha.com Eyeliner + Mascara + Brilliant Eye Brightener™ Set Courtesy of Thrive Causemetics Buy on Thrivecausemetics.com For the beauty lover in your life, gift a makeup set that pays it forward. With every purchase of a Thrive Causemetics product, the brand donates another product or monetary donation to one of its partner organizations, which help communities fighting cancer, emerging from homelessness, surviving domestic abuse, fighting for racial and social justice, pursuing education, supporting LGBTQ+ causes, uplifting underserved, marginalized youth, and assisting veterans. To Buy: $63, thrivecausemetics.com Charity Pot Lotion Lush Buy on Lushusa.com Lush's Charity Pot lotion is a perfect way to do good—100 percent of the purchase price of each tub goes to grassroots organizations that support environmental justice, human rights, and animal welfare. (And it smells wonderful too!) To Buy: $30, lush.com Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit