The Power of Ethical Shopping This Festive Season

We curate a collection of unique, one-of-a-kind gifts; suited for all budgets. And best of all, you get to do good along the way. Subscribe to our newsletter to receive this gift guide in your inbox!

GIFTS TO LOOK AND FEEL GOOD IN

Earth Heir

By combining luxury craftsmanship and a platform for craftspeople to showcase their skills and traditions, Malaysian social enterprise Earth Heir wants to create a sustainable model for these artisans whilst preserving their heritage. 

What they sell: Apparel, accessories and homeware made by Malaysian craftspeople using traditional techniques to create modern designs.

The difference they make: Seeking to preserve traditional skills, Earth Heir works with a network of over 100 artisans across Malaysia. It also focused on design-led products, training artisans on design & quality, pricing and production process, to empower them with the skills of valuing their artisanal, heritage items. The team has been involved in more than 393 hours of collaboration and training, and over 197,000RM of income has been generated for the artisans.  

Where they ship: International. 

Impulse

Birthed from an anti-human trafficking non-profit, Impulse’s social enterprise aims to address the root causes of trafficking by creating financial opportunities through setting up weaving clusters within rural communities in Northeastern India. 

What they sell: A wide range of apparel, accessories, home décor and stationary created using textiles weaved by tribes across north-eastern India.

The difference they make: These weavers are paid fair prices for their textiles, and Impulse collaborates with designers to create products from these textiles. Over 30,000 weavers have benefitted from this programme, whilst keeping the art of traditional textiles alive. Weavers over 40 years old are also given a stake in the social enterprise.

Where they ship: International. Free shipping globally for orders USD100 or more.

Freedom cups

Founded by three Singaporean sisters, Freedom Cups is championing for a change in the way women face menstruation issues through these bell-shaped silicone cups. They can be fitted under the cervix, where they collect menstrual blood for up to 12 hours. They can be washed and cleaned for reuse, reducing waste. 

What they sell: Feminine hygiene products, mainly reusable menstrual cups and accessories like wipes, pantyliners and cleansers.

The difference they make: Freedom Cups operate on a ‘buy1 give 1’ model where for every purchase of a cup on their website, a cup is given to a woman in an underprivileged community. Since 2015, the founding sisters have distributed more than 3,000 cups to women in seven countries – Singapore, Malaysia, Cambodia, Philippines, India, Nepal and Nigeria, and also to spread awareness about menstrual health.

Where they ship: International. 

Batik Boutique 

The foundation of Batik Boutique stemmed from an unassuming friendship - Amy Blair, an expat from the United States and her Bahasa Melayu teacher, Kak Ana. They have a clear mission - to disrupt the cycle of poverty in Malaysia, through providing a form of sustainable income for women living in poverty in Kuala Lumpur.

What they sell: Hand crafted apparel, accessories and homeware made by Malaysian artisans using the art of batik.

The difference they make: Batik Boutique partners with batik artisans from rural and urban areas who create batik textiles using natural fibres. Once these fabrics are completed, they are shipped to seamstresses to bring the designs to life. They have worked with over 200 artisans and profits have impacted more than 1,400 beneficiaries.

Where they ship: International. Free shipping globally for orders USD100 or more. 

Dharavi Market

Dhavari is Asia’s biggest slum in Mumbai, India, and also where the finest leather goods come from. Enter Dhavari Market, a social enterprise that provides urban squatters who are also skilled craftsmen an online marketplace to sell their wares at competitive prices, creating a sustainable livelihood for them. 

What they sell: A wide variety of leather bags, accessories and apparel. They have a corporate gifting section as well. 

The difference they make: Through the online platform, the artisans get access to the global market, bypassing middlemen and reaching customers directly.

Where they ship: International. 

Artisan & Fox

A social enterprise dedicated to empowering skilled artisans in developing regions, Artisan & Fox seeks to put the power in artisans’ hands in the entire design process. Artisans design based on their personal inspirations of their cultural landscapes and get access to a platform as they lack access to the global market. 

What they sell: Jewellery, accessories and home décor made by artisans from developing countries around the world.

The difference they make: The artisans are guaranteed 50% of all gross profits from each item, and the company also provides support such as zero-interest micro-loans, pay for raw materials in advance and assist with opening bank accounts if needed.

Where they ship: International. 

TORAJAMELO

TORAJAMELO bridges the gap between beautiful hand-woven textiles and the market for them. Weavers in the region of Toraja, on the Indonesian island of Sulawesi, were unable to sell their textiles. Dinny Jusuf, founder of this social enterprise, found a way to preserve their skills and to provide them with a steady income. 

What they sell: An extensive collection of apparel, accessories and home décor made by skilled weavers of  Toraja, Mamasa, Maumere, Oesena, Soe, featuring traditional techniques infused with modern designs.

The difference they make: TORAJAMELO has formed the largest collective of weavers in Toraja to date, providing up to 1,200 weavers with sustainable income whilst preserving traditional artisanal skills. The company buys textiles from the weavers, runs workshops to teach weavers about modern fashion trends and textile designs, and gives access to micro-finance and welfare programs to support the community. 

Where they ship: International. For orders outside of Indonesia, WhatsApp this number to arrange for shipping. 

GIFTS FOR HOME

Phool

Phool started out with a fundamental mission - to clean up the Ganges river from the tonnes of waste flowers that come from offerings at temples. In tackling that, the social enterprise has found a way to tackle that whilst also empowering marginalised communities. Women from Dalit, deemed “untouchable” by the caste system and other marginalised communities have found a place at Phool. They are hired to handcraft eco-friendly products using waste flowers as a raw material. 

What they sell: Charcoal-free, organic incense sticks and cones, eco-friendly packaging 

The difference they make: By using these flowers as raw materials, Phool has come up with an innovative solution to empower women and reduce wastage. Phool has also created a working environment where they are treated as equals. The women earn more than USD100 a month, slightly above minimum wage for skilled workers in India, and have benefits like health insurance, clean drinking water and a toilet. 

Where they ship: Within India only. Incense cones and sticks range from $2.50 to $6.00. 

Bring The Elephant home

Bring the elephants home - a tongue in cheek expression to what this international non-profit organisation in Thailand is advocating for. Human-elephant conflicts have been on the rise with both humans and elephants living within such close proximity. This organisation is advocating for innovative and community-based solutions that allows for the coexistence between humans and elephants.  

What they sell: Unique products made from crops harvested by beneficiaries, and even the elephants themselves. Think elephant poo dyed t-shirts, candles, and soaps made from lemongrass, lime and citronella.

The difference they make: All the proceeds from their shop is channelled to efforts to restore the habitat for elephants, including their projects involving the community – Tom Yum project and Bee the Change project. Tom Yum project supports farmers to grow alternative crops that elephants don’t like, to reduce crop-raiding and clashes between elephants and humans. Bee the Change sees the unique use of Beehive fences to deter elephants from venturing into farms, whilst also generating supplemental income for the farmers through the honey they harvest. 

Where they ship: International. 

GIFTS THAT ARE DELICIOUS

Maria’s kitchen

Maria’s Kitchen is a bakery in the Philippines that was born in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic as a way to earn alternative sources of income. The founders found a way to support weavers in rural communities by using their materials as packaging. These are woven from pandan leaves and are used for their popular home-made breads, to reduce their plastic waste footprint while giving pandan weavers a new stream of income amid tough times. 

What they sell: A variety of baked goods. Well-known for their Pandesals, which are like soft buns flavoured with ube or cheese. They also have loaves, muffins and cheesecakes.  

The difference they make: Maria’s Kitchen does not keep any profits from purchase of the baskets, any markup of prices are used to cover transportation costs.  The weavers get 100% of their asking price for their baskets. Through sales of their baked goods, they hope to grow support and interest in the craft of these weavers.

Where they ship: Specific regions in the Philippines only - Laguna, Metro Manila, Cavite and Bulacan. 

Boxgreen

Boxgreen started as a mission to find snacks that were delicious and healthy. By combining that with the founders’ desire to empower communities and to reduce unnecessary waste, the snack boxes are packed in prison by beneficiaries of the Yellow Ribbon Project and all packaging used is 100% recyclable.

What they sell: Subscriptions for healthy and delicious snacks

The difference they make: The company has earned B Corp certification this year, meaning it meets rigorous standards in areas like social and environmental performance, and transparency. Till today, they have trained and worked with more than 80 ex-offenders.  

Where they ship: Singapore. Gift boxes range from $10.00 for subscription plans to $50.00 for more comprehensive boxes. 

Visit our donation and volunteer guide for ideas on how else you can spread some joy!