It used to be that if you combined the words ethical and gift, you had a very limited range of choices, and most of them smelled of patchouli oil. Not so today. You need not check your aesthetics at the door to find reasonably priced, interesting gifts that won’t compromise your beliefs.
Thank goodness. Because it seems like everyday the world is pulling our attention at a frantic pace and honestly, the time when we would spend money just to fill a stocking is long gone. Not that we don’t want to show others that we care, or celebrate the season; it’s just that isn’t enough anymore. Gifts have to not just be good, they need to do good.
Never fear: we’ve got you covered with great finds for everyone on your list (and for you, too!)
Mini embroidery hoop necklace from Bordahan Embroidery
Each one of these little dainty necklaces is one-of-a-kind and proceeds go to empower women to get out of poverty in the Philippines. Comes with a 24″ antique bronze chain.
$24.95 with free shipping code FreeShip
Soup for Syria Gift Box
There are so many elegant, classic designs at the Little Market, a nonprofit organization co-founded by Lauren Conrad which helps women artisans and cooperatives around the world to create and sell their products. Bonus: Their products are fair trade certified!
Tis the season for soup, and any great cook would enjoy this thoughtfully curated gift box. It includes:
-The beautiful cookbook Soup for Syria, which benefits the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) and which helps fund food relief programs
-A cotton hand towel, handmade by artisans at Creative Women in Ethiopia (choose from blush, gray, natural, or navy)
-An olive wood spoon, hand-carved in Tunisia
Check out the rest of Little Market’s curated gift boxes for just about anyone on your list.
Kindness is Everything
Sales from this iconic design have raised over $250k for nonprofits including the ACLU and the Wisconsin Alliance for Women’s Health. Get your classic yard sign or doormats, ornaments, dish towels, you name it.
We also love this new Kindness is Everything blanket, part of a new design of the popular phrases, created by Kenji Kimura.
$79.95 on Zazzle (there’s often a discount code)
I Read Banned Books Tote from the ACLU
Perfect for any bibliophile, or someone who always remembers to bring their reusable shopping bags to the grocery store. Some of the greatest books of our time– from Lord of the Flies to The Color Purple to Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire– are listed on the spines of the banned books in the design. Proceeds from the bag benefit the ACLU, which has been on the front lines of protecting rights– from fighting the ban which would have disallowed transgender individuals from serving in the armed forces– to the horrific detention of children at the border.
Great reading with Hold the Line Magazine
The 2019 Collection of Hold the Line magazine covers racism and cultural bias, feminism, LGBT family life, and more. That’s 4 issues of amazing reading for 2019.
An international collective of more than two dozen writers and artists, representing diverse backgrounds, contributed to the inaugural issue of Hold the Line. Bringing with them sensitive topics that are normally held within the confines of close social circles. Complicated subjects like the dangers of ignoring race and the unique challenges of raising children of color are brought out into the open in hopes of creating tangible change in the way families interact with each other.
Year Subscription: $35
Organic tees and cozy mugs from OUTSIDE VOICE
50% of the profits from the sale of OUTSIDE VOICE merchandise go directly to fund the campaigns of women of color for public office. The organization also funds writers and activists to write, educate, and advocate on the social issues of our times, urging a “longer table, not a higher wall.” 
Kids, Women’s, and Unisex tees Prices range from $15-$30.
From the makers of Punjammies, we love these tees with a message.
Freedom Tee (unisex) “This tee features many languages, one message: Freedom. All over the world, there are people struggling for freedom. We wear this tee with hope and determination that one-day slavery will no longer exist.” Every purchase of these tees helps Sudara invest in job-creation and skills-training programs for women in India who are at the highest risk or survivors of sex trafficking.
$19.99 plus 50% off with site-wide code: TGIBF50
World Changer tee (kids) This tee is a call to all the world-changers. Every person [young and old] has the power to make the world a better place — so let’s get to it! Proceeds from this tee help women in India build a new life for themselves and their children.
$29 plus 50% off with site-wide code: TGIBF50
Fair Indigo Baby Cardigan Sweater with Friend (various colors & styles)
Each hand knit cardigan comes with a tiny knitted friend to carry in the front pocket. Made from 100% organic (machine washable!) cotton and knit by Peruvian cooperatives, providing steady income and a better life for some of Peru’s poorest citizens. We love Jiffy the Giraffe, though there are lots of other non-gender-specific color combos to choose from. Sizes 0-6mo, 6-12mo, 12-18mo.
$59.95 with an additional 15% off at checkout (no code needed)
Women’s March 500 piece round puzzle
To commemorate one of the biggest single-day protests in American history, illustrator Jennifer Orkin Lewis created the artwork for this amazing eeBoo puzzle inspired by the 2017 Women’s March. A quote by Gloria Steinem frames the colorful collage depicting people of all races, backgrounds and genders. Made from recycled paper and vegetable-based inks.
$9.99 from World Market
A Goat. No kidding.
A goat can be a lifeline for a family beset by poverty. Oxfam, a well-established nonprofit that works in over 70 countries, helps fight inequality, discrimination, and unequal access to resources including food, water, and land. Your gift-ee will receive a card or an email, letting them know of the donation made in their honor. It’s a feel-good gift worth the equivalent of watching three hours of baby goat videos.
Literacy Training for Women In Rwanda
Women for Women International’s programs support the most marginalized women in countries affected by conflict and war. Your gift of Literacy Training helps women to better run their businesses and plan for the future. As the organization says, “When a woman learns how to read and write, she holds the key to knowledge and power in her hands.”
Whatever you choose, you can’t go wrong. Of course, since you’re here, we’d love for you to support our mission here at OUTSIDE VOICE. By reading our articles, by sharing our facebook posts, and by buying the “I’m using my OUTSIDE VOICE” merch, you’re helping us donate 50% of our profits to get women of color elected to public office. It’s beyond time we level the playing field. You will make it happen. Visit our store now.
