November is known as the month of giving and with Christmas right around the corner, I thought there is no better time to share with you my top 5 brands that give back. These aren’t just limited to the holidays either, these brands work hard to give back year-round to ensure they can make a greater difference. It’s been a tricky year for everyone, so if our purchases can help not only the brand we’re buying from, but a charity too, then that’s a double winner in my eyes!
Ocean Soul Bali Surf & Swimwear
Born from a love of the Ocean and a love of their home island, Bali, Ocean Soul Bali create gorgeously flattering surf suits from sustainable and eco-friendly materials. The suits are lovingly made in Bali which offers much-needed jobs and income to local families. In addition, 10% of every purchase is donated to SOS, who distribute meals on a daily basis to Balinese families in need. This 10% donation will provide 40 meals which makes a huge difference, especially to a community who heavily rely on tourism which as we know has ground to a halt. If you would like to learn more or get involved, you can head on over to their Giving Back page.
Aside from the huge amount of support they offer the community, the suits themselves are INCREDIBLE. I have put them through the paces and can honestly say this is the first surf suit I have ever surfed in that doesn’t rub my underarms from paddling for hours. They are extremely flattering, comfortable and lightweight so you can surf without feeling restricted. They also hug the body in all the right places keeping them in place even in larger and heavier waves. I wear an XS in the Sulawesi Surf & Freediving Suit in Grey Onyx and the Mentawai One-Piece Suit in Nautical.
Not long after the devastating earthquake that shook Haiti, Simbi Haiti was founded by dream team Lori and Birgit. Both live in Haiti and wanted to support those affected whilst pursuing their passion for art and fashion. Their accessories are handcrafted in Haiti by local artisans to provide them with sustainable jobs. That also means that each accessory is unique as the clay beads are hand-rolled and painted, the coconut charms hand-carved and scrunchies hand-dyed. Simbi Haiti also works with Aqua Haiti to provide clean drinking water throughout the country by donating a portion of each sale.
I have the inspiration charm bracelets which are beautiful and look great with anything! Along with being hand-painted, the beads are hand-rolled with clay harvested from the mountains within Haiti which definitely adds a story to each individual piece. They have a selection of engraved charms so you can pick whichever ones suit you best, or the lucky giftee!
Wise Fool originated in CA and have grown into a sustainable fashion label who I actually collaborated with back in 2015. Even then they had sustainability at the forefront but it’s been really cool to see them grow. Every single one of their products is made from sustainable materials wrapped in bio-degradable packaging and have now just added a revived section hand collection to their site. Along with all of the above, Wise Fool work with Eden Projects to plant a tree every time a product is sold. This allows them to replant in areas that have been devastated by deforestation and also empowers locals to earn a living wage by replanting trees. Pretty darn cool!
It’s no secret that yoga is incredible for our bodies and minds by helping us to become in tune, aware, mindful and relaxed within our skin. What often gets forgotten is the snowball effect that happens once we become more mindful and aware of not only ourselves, but that around us and 2nd Wind Health are a prime example of that! Based in Rhode Island, 2nd Wind makes high performance eco-friendly, sustainable and non-toxic yoga mats for all levels and styles of yogis. (Pre-warning, once you try one, you will never go back to your old mat)!
With a pretty difficult year of lockdowns worldwide, 2nd Wind Health decided to bring the yoga community back together, wherever you were in the world, with their Soul Mat. The idea is that each black and white mat is paired, so when you buy one, you are linked to your soul mat counterpart through a code so wherever you may be practising, you will never be alone as someone will be practising on your soul mat counterpart. It’s a pretty beautiful concept right?! Along with that, a portion of each sale of the Soul Mat goes to Little Angel Service Dogs. Something which I knew very little about, but service dogs are seriously expensive as they take a whole lot of training, care and time. However, this cost really is nothing when you see the difference having that support and assistance can make to someone’s life. These dogs are trained to literally save lives from detecting seizures ahead of time so the owner can get into a safe place, to helping guide those with hearing impairments, to assisting the disabled with day to day tasks that we take for granted. It really is a beautiful collaboration and if you want to learn more about Little Angels Service Dogs then CLICK HERE.
Röhnisch Sportswear are a Swedish brand made by women for women, so it’s to no surprise that their activewear is functional, flattering and unbelievably comfortable. If that doesn’t tick all of the boxes, they also use recycled materials and organic cotton in their sustainable choice collection. P.S – They also make some killer swimwear too!
In addition to providing us women with exceptional activewear, Röhnisch is also partnered with Hand in Hand International non-profit. By donating a percentage of their proceeds, Hand in Hand helps to empower poverty-stricken women in rural India through education, micro-finance business training and entrepreneurship. Women empowering women to empower women!
Do you have a favourite brand or company that gives back to a great cause? I want to know! Let me know in the comments below!
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