It’s that time of year when consumers are beginning to think of holiday gifts for loved ones. You’ll see many gift guides popping up in the next couple of months promoting the hottest techie gadgets, designer bags, and blinging jewelry. Why not be different this year? It’s not the gift that counts, it’s the sentiment behind it. Why not put your money to good use and get your loved ones gifts that truly keep on giving?
There are tons of wonderful gifts in this world that help contribute to various charities and great causes. Without further adieu, here is Half Full Magazine’s 2014 Give Back Holiday Gift Guide!
JEWELRY & HOME DECOR
From bullet casings to telephone wire, artisans from around the world are using recycled goods to create home décor, accessories and jewelry, exclusively sold at Ten Thousand Villages –one of the world’s largest fair trade organizations with products that originate from over 35 countries.
A product sale directly helps to pay for food, education, healthcare and housing for artisans who would otherwise be unemployed or underemployed. As we enter the season of giving, give the gift that keeps on giving this holiday.
Earth News Journal – $18 (Made in Bangladesh from recycled woven newspaper wraps)
Sunspray Mirror – $49 (This mirror was made in Vietnam using recycled magazines and posters discarded from a printing company)
Recycled Soda Can Earrings – $16 (Enjoy innovative jewelry handcrafted in Cape Town, South Africa. These disk earrings are created by enterprising artisans who live in the informal settlements of Cape Town.)
Hoops of Hope Earrings – $24 (Made from recycled bullet casings from the Eritrea/Ethiopian war. Artisans recycle and silver-plate these beads in rural Gojam province. Beads are hand-strung at a workshop providing jobs to people with HIV/AIDS)
Acquarella by CureDiva has created a limited edition bottle to help benefit research and finding a cure for breast cancer. This limited edition “Brave” bottle will be available for purchase from September 15th 2014 – October 31st 2014 only at CureDiva.com. $1.00 of every purchase of “Brave” ($17.00) will be donated to breastcancer.org.
COSMETICS
CureDiva.com offers fashionable items for women with breast cancer as well as women in recovery. They often team up with breastcancer.org to raise awareness and funding. Check out some of their beautiful products as well as pick up a bottle of “Brave” nail polish, a $1 will be donated to breastcancer.org through October.
FUN FOR KIDS
SuperME makes back packs, lunch boxes, and luggage to give your little ones a fun, confidence boost and fight against bullying. Back Packs (pictured) come with a cape and eye mask. Price ranges from $39.90-$49.90.
Soon to be seen on NBC’s “Mysteries of Laura”, SuperME is a collection of personalized superhero-inspired products that combine functionality and fun and embrace the inner personality, unique skillset and boundless talent of kids all over the map! Every item in the SuperME collection comes with Velcro patches which can be PERSONALIZED with your child’s name or to reflect your child’s ever changing interest (baseball, ballet, snowboarding, cars, etc). The SuperME collection consists of hooded & cape backpacks, luggage, cape-n-nap travel blankets/pillows and lunchboxes. All SuperME items also come complete with a mask allowing your little one to truly embrace the hero within.
SuperME donates a portion of its proceeds to support PACER’s National Bullying Prevention Center and encourages children to be proud of who they are and accepting of others. You can view the entire SuperME collection at: www.supermehero.com
CUSTOM SHIRTS, HATS & TOTES
Paper Clouds Apparel was formed to showcase the creative minds and artistic abilities of individuals with special needs while raising funds to provide financial support for special needs schools and organizations.
Paper Clouds Apparel also hires individuals with special needs to package all of their sensory-friendly clothing. Fifty percent of the net proceeds from the sale of all merchandise is given to the cause they are promoting in each campaign. Design a gift today for your loved one at www.papercloudsapparel.com.
Customize your shirt with design, style and color. Shirt prices range from $29-$40. Paper Clouds Apparel runs different campaigns and spotlights different artists. This particular campaign is for St. Baldrick’s Day. This shirt was designed by Max, who was diagnosed with brain cancer when he was 4-years-old.
Paper Clouds Apparel logo.
Artist: David
Artist: McKenna
That’s our holiday gift guide for this year! If you know of any awesome products for sale that give back to a good cause, let us know in the comment section!
It’s always nice to receive, but it feels better to give. With these gifts, you can give and receive in one shot!
Paper Clouds Apparel is such an amazing company!!! Every two weeks the give 50% of their profits to organizations supporting people with special needs! All the art work used is done by children and adults with special needs, AND they hire adults with disabilities to pack and ship their items. My son is a 3 time artist with them, and having all the positive feedback supporting his drawings has given him a confidence and joy in his life that has changed who he is and how he feels about himself!!! To me that is priceless!