Buy it Forward: 8 gifts that give back this holiday season

With the holiday season just around the corner, the pressure to find that perfect present can be overwhelming to say the least. So instead of fighting mall crowds and fellow last minute shoppers, how about switching things up this year and taking a socially conscious approach?

Thanks to these Canadian companies, you can give the gift that keeps on giving and make this season what it’s all about: helping others. Another plus? They’re just a click away.

Bootlegger and Kids Help Phone’s Holiday Slipper Socks

Perfect for stocking stuffers, Bootlegger’s limited edition Plush Slipper Socks are available in three festive styles. Retailing for $10, $1 of each pair sold directly benefits the Kids Help Phone, Canada’s only 24/7 counselling service for youth. Find them at every Bootlegger location across Canada as well as online.

Blue Ruby’s We Care Bracelet

Ranging from $20 to $150, 100% of the proceeds from the Cause We Care bracelets go directly to the Cause We Care Foundation, which benefits single mothers and children in need. To date, the company has donated more than $260,000 to this organization. Get one at any Blue Ruby store locations or online.

Cherry T Co. and One x One

For every pair of Classic Cable Mittens sold over the holiday season, Cherry T Co. will donate one pair of mittens to a North American child in need through the One x One program. Available in Finnley Mist or Vintage Créme, the mittens retail for $59 and are available for purchase through their website.

Tradeworks Christmas Ornaments

By using carpentry as a vehicle to assist some of Vancouver’s most deserving residents, Tradeworks provides services and support to women living in the Downtown Eastside. Available online, each ornament was designed by the Women in the Trades Workshop, and start at $7.99 per ornament to $159.99 for the complete set.

DavidsTea and Me to WE

Have a tea drinker on your list? DavidsTea has extended their partnership with ME to WE, a social enterprise that donates half of its net profits to their non-profit partner, WE Charity (formerly known as Free the Children). The collection includes travel mugs, hand-made rafiki bracelets, and loose leaf tea, with prices ranging from $9 to $35, and are available online or at any DavidsTea location.

C4 Eyewear’s ‘Grace’ Sunglasses

As seen on Sophie Gregoire Trudeau, these C4 sunglasses hit all the right notes when it comes to socially conscious gift giving. With proceeds going to the Cause We Care Foundation, ‘Grace‘ was designed in collaboration with local fashionista Susie Wall and retails for $145.

Seva’s Peace Paperblanks Journal

On a mission to restore sight and prevent blindness in the developing world, Seva donates 100% of the sales to establishing eye care programs to those in need. The Peace Paperblanks Journal retails for $15 and even includes the shipping fee.

Holly & Ivy for Breast Cancer Support

Holly & Ivy is an eco-beauty boutique that offers a curated line of natural and organic skincare, cosmetics, and personal care products. This social purpose company donates 50% of their net profits to their sister organization, the Canadian Breast Cancer Support Fund, a charity providing financial assistance to breast cancer patients.