As people check off their holiday shopping lists, a lot of them are considering sustainability and ethical production — a cause we wholeheartedly support. If you need a bit of inspiration, read on for 2025 picks from some of our favorite sustainable, fair trade and cause-driven brands.
Editor’s Note: None of these links are affiliate links, and we didn’t get paid to recommend any of these products to you. We just thought you might like them.
Before you start, consider shopping secondhand or buying local
We love learning more about socially conscious brands and the impact they have around the world, but at the end of the day, the most sustainable holiday gifts you can find are items that already exist. More people than ever are gifting secondhand: U.S. shoppers plan to dedicate nearly 40 percent of their holiday budgets to secondhand gifts this year, and two-thirds say they’re happy to receive secondhand gifts from others, according to the resale platform ThredUp’s annual holiday report.
Along with local thrift shops, a growing suite of online resources make it easier than ever to buy secondhand. Check out Back Market for refurbished tech that works like new, or platforms like ThredUp, Depop and Poshmark for clothing and accessories. A growing number of mainstream brands now host their own secondhand marketplaces, including REI, Patagonia, The North Face and Eileen Fisher. To make things even easier, the resale search engine Beni can help you find secondhand versions of anything you’re shopping for online.
For those who enjoy the experience of strolling through stores, listening to holiday music and finding just the right thing for everyone on your list this time of year, skip the mall and head to your local main street instead. Holiday shopping in November and December accounts for nearly half of all annual sales for small businesses, many of which are being squeezed hard by inflation and economic uncertainty. Standby apps like Google Maps and Yelp can help you find small businesses in your community that could use your support.
Give the gift of experiences with Tinggly
If you’d rather not give away more stuff this year, you’re not alone. New polling shows that most Americans would prefer to receive experience gifts rather than a wrapped item. But it can be hard to know just the right activity for everyone on your list or find something local.
Tinggly can help. Each Tinggly gift voucher can be redeemed for one of thousands of experiences available around the world — from cooking classes to outdoor adventures to spa retreats. Tinggly also donates a percentage of revenue to environmental nonprofits through 1% for the Planet, plants trees for every gift sold, and offsets double the carbon emissions created by each experience. Choose a physical gift box or downloadable e-voucher.
Price: $118 for one person and $203 for two people
Donation gifts that give back
In a similar spirit of giving less stuff, think about the causes and interests close to your loved ones’ hearts and how a donation in their name can be put to good use. Adopt an animal through WWF or an acre of rainforest with Rainforest Concern. Sponsor livestock for a rural family through Heifer International, fund a scholarship for a child through UNICEF, or help a U.S. military veteran facing poverty with Family-to-Family. No matter the cause, there are countless worthy organizations that could use your help.
A unique camp stove from BioLite
BioLite launched in 2009 with a mission to expand access to renewable energy and clean cooking stoves. The certified B Corp now works with more than 700 organizations around the world to make its renewably-powered lanterns, chargers and cooking stoves available to over 15 million people.
BioLite also channels its expertise in off-grid power to create some seriously cool outdoor products that help to fund its work. This compact wood-burning camp stove is a case in point: It efficiently runs on small sticks, creates no smoke, and even produces electricity from the fire’s waste heat that can power devices like smartphones while cooking. Your favorite outdoor enthusiast will love the cook stove alone, or opt for the complete cook kit that includes a portable grill, kettle pot and coffee press.
Price: $140 (usually $200)
A taste of something new from Brooklyn Delhi
Chitra, a first-generation Indian American living in Brooklyn, started a blog back in 2009 to share her family’s favorite recipes. She ended up reconnecting with her roots and her cultural heritage, and she came away with a mission: expand the notion of Indian cuisine in the U.S. to include achaar, a South Asian pickled condiment that her family and many others love to slather on almost anything.
Along with her artist husband, she launched Brooklyn Delhi in 2013, and the line has since expanded to include tasty chutneys, savory achaar and ready-made curries that are perfect for the curious home cook. Choose three condiments in a gift box illustrated by Delhi-based artist Anjali Mehta.
A cozy throw from Yogi Bear x Parks Project
Federal funding cuts have hit U.S. National Parks hard, but your holiday shopping can help. The social enterprise Parks Project works directly with U.S. National Parks to support projects like habitat restoration, volunteer clean-ups and educational youth experiences, donating more than $2.7 million since 2014.
Parks Project’s product collabs always win it some extra attention around the holiday season, with past favorites including iconic children’s book author Dr. Seuss and beloved Peanuts characters like Snoopy and Woodstock. This year, the brand is at it again, collaborating with the creators of everyone’s favorite picnic-lover Yogi Bear. The Yogi Bear x Parks Project collection includes apparel like hats and jackets, along with this cozy throw featuring Yogi and Boo Boo that’s perfect for the couch or the campsite.
If cartoons aren’t your thing, you’ll also find a bunch of other cool sustainable holiday gifts like outdoor gear, housewares, apparel and a seasonal calendar featuring the work of up-and-coming artists in Parks Project’s shop.
Price: $102 (usually $120)
A cookbook that supports humanitarian relief from World Central Kitchen
Michelin-starred chef José Andrés founded World Central Kitchen after the 2010 earthquake in Haiti, aiming to bring chefs and volunteers together to provide meals immediately following natural disasters and other crises.
Ever since, the nonprofit has rushed to the front lines of crises around the world, offering people a reassuring smile and something warm to eat during the darkest moments of their lives. Most recently, it served over 100 million meals to people impacted by Israel’s war in Gaza — where it continues to feed displaced people — and earlier this month mobilized in the Pacific Northwest after devastating floods and landslides struck Washington and Oregon. The nonprofit is also still among the largest food relief organizations in war-torn Ukraine.
The World Central Kitchen Cookbook includes stories and recipes that reflect the many places the nonprofit has cooked around the world. Famous chefs and local cooks discuss their experiences with humanitarian relief through food, while sharing some of the recipes they served to bring warmth to people in crisis. All profits from sale of the cookbook will go to support World Central Kitchen.
Educational toys from family-owned companies
A number of family-owned companies across the United States are keeping up the tradition of toymaking that supports local jobs and uses safe and sustainable materials.
Check out Luke’s Toy Factory for preschool-aged toys, Uncle Goose for handcrafted blocks, Maple Landmark for wooden toys and train sets for all ages, and Carrom for tabletop games the whole family can enjoy. Prices start at around $25 and go up to $150 across these brands, with options to suit all styles of play.
“Forever” eye masks from Dieux
The skincare craze shows no signs of slowing. For the obsessee on your list, resist the urge to pick up a random gift set full of products that may or may not meet their needs, and help them cut their routine’s waste footprint down to size instead.
These reusable eye patches from the sustainability-focused skincare brand Dieux are made from medical-grade silicone and can be used with any serum or eye cream for a burst of brightening and hydration without the waste.
A foot-friendly running shoe from Icebug
The Swedish brand Icebug makes durable footwear ranging from winter boots to running, hiking and walking shoes, all with sustainability in mind. For years, the B Corp brand has been working to create a running shoe with less than 50 percent virgin oil as raw material. The Järv RB9X running shoe is the first to meet the mark, a first for the footwear industry, according to the company.
About 36 percent of the Järv RB9X is made of bio-based and recycled materials, and 66 percent of the midsole is made from corn. Icebug sent a pair to 3p assistant editor Taylor Haelterman to try out, and as an amateur runner, she said it checks all the boxes. “I’ve particularly enjoyed running in it through the wetter, colder fall and winter months,” she said. “It has great grip, it’s durable, it keeps my feet warm enough in the cold and it’s comfortable.”
Price: $190 — available for both men and women
A coffee gift that gives from &Back
B Corp coffee brand &Back sources coffee from Fair Trade cooperatives around the world that are certified as deforestation-free by the Rainforest Alliance. Beyond responsible sourcing, the woman-owned social enterprise reinvests revenue into women coffee farmers through financial literacy and agricultural training that helps them build their incomes. Choose from custom-made gift boxes featuring coffee sourced from Latin America, East Africa and more.
Sunglasses made of hard-to-recycle plastics from Without
You’d likely never guess these versatile shades are made from recycled plastic packaging — and they’re out to make a big point. The India-based material science company Without combines technology and social impact to create new uses for plastic that’s otherwise considered difficult or impossible to recycle. It also happens to be founded by Anish Malpani, brother of 3p contributor Abha Malpani Naismith. Without’s first demonstration plant has successfully created usable products like signage, apparel buttons, and beauty packaging from hard-to-recycle items like snack bags and mixed textile waste, and it employs former waste-pickers at double their previous salaries.
These wayfarer-inspired sunglasses were the first proof-of-concept product Without brought to market, and their simple yet timeless style shows what’s possible. The company is now partnering with established brands to help them create their own eyewear using recycled materials.
A belt that holds up from Arcade
Arcade sent 3p assistant editor Taylor Haelterman its fan-favorite Atlas belt to try out, and though she was skeptical at first, she ultimately loved it. “I was the type of person who would rather deal with pants that stretch out a little too much as the hike goes on than wear an uncomfortable belt that restricts my movement,” she said. “Of course, that always led to me wishing I had a belt halfway through the hike and tying my pant loops together with a bandanna or something. This belt solved that problem for me when I tried it out, and I’ve used it on hikes ever since. It’s held up great and is the most comfortable belt I’ve ever worn for the outdoors.”
Powered by the motto “give a damn,” Arcade is focused on sustainability, using recycled materials, and creating products that are both practical and built to last with a lifetime guarantee. The unisex Atlas belt is available in adult and youth sizes and a variety of colors to suit all the jocks, outdoor-lovers and busy commuters on your list, and the brand’s Give Back collection supports environmental nonprofits.
Dog toys that support returning veterans
The Hero line of dog toys from Caitec is manufactured at a solar-powered plant in New Jersey and proceeds go to support K9 For Warriors, a nonprofit that provides service dogs to military veterans. Choose from balls, chews, stuffies and tug toys that are built to last while supporting a good cause.
Handmade storage basket from Expedition Subsahara
When Sofi Seck moved to the United States from Senegal to pursue higher education, she was struck by the narrative surrounding Africa being “so interwoven with poverty and lacking.”
“This was such a stark contrast to the place where I grew up,” Seck wrote on Expedition Subsahara’s website. “Senegal is full of color, joy, laughter and life that’s evident in everything from our clothes to our craftsmanship and even the faces of Senegalese people. Senegal is brimming with abundance.”
She founded Expedition Subsahara to share the beauty of Senegalese culture and craftsmanship with new audiences. The line includes colorful baskets, kitchen accessories and decor handmade by a network of 120 Senegalese weavers who are paid fair wages, and the company donates 20 percent of all sale proceeds to support girls’ education in Senegal.
Biodegradable phone case from Pela
More than 1 billion plastic phone cases are sold every year, according to Pela, and many are ultimately discarded by retailers because they can’t fit the next phone release. To stem the tide of plastic phone cases entering the waste stream, Pela developed what it calls the first 100 percent biodegradable case — and it’s been a favorite among the 3p team for years.
Made from a patented biopolymer, the cases are designed to biodegrade even in a home compost pile. They’re drop-tested up to six feet and come in every stye and color imaginable, or you could even design your own.
Olive oil gift set from Handmade Palestine
Olive trees are a cultural symbol of Palestine and an economic lifeline for farmers amid conflict and worsening impacts from climate change. Palestinian olive oils are some of the best in the world, prized by chefs and home cooks alike. This set includes 1 liter of extra virgin olive oil and a fair trade serving vase made by ceramicists from Hebron in the southern West Bank for a seriously fancy upgrade for your favorite curious cook.
Handmade Palestine sources solely from fair trade farmers and artisans and donates a portion of all sale proceeds to support tree-planting and environmental conservation in Palestine.
Bags of all sizes from Adventurist Backpack Co.
This Denver-based brand was founded by backpackers who wanted to create affordable, long-lasting bags while doing what they could to fight food insecurity.
Adventurist Backpack Co. buys surplus produce from farmers across the United States, which grocers and food companies didn’t purchase and could have otherwise gone to waste, and distributes it to food banks in each U.S. state in a longstanding parntership with Feeding America. It has provided over half a million meals this way since it launched in 2017.
Each Adventurist backpack sold provides 25 meals to families across the U.S. experiencing food insecurity. The collection is 100 percent vegan, designed with weather-resistant fabrics, and comes with a lifetime guarantee. 3p assistant editor Taylor Haelterman totes the smaller Sidekick Crossbody on the regular, but the line includes sizes from day packs and weekenders to a 45-liter duffel.
