The best holiday gifts that give back

All products featured on this page were selected by Toronto Life’s editors. However, when you purchase an item through our retail links, we may earn an affiliate commission.

See our full holiday gift guide.

Slouchy socks

Pulled up or scrunched all the way down, Province of Canada’s slouchy socks are perfect for both Gen Zers and millennials, who can at least agree on socks (if nothing else). Plus, for every pair purchased, Province of Canada donates a pair to a Canadian homeless shelter, including Nellie’s, an emergency shelter for women and children in downtown Toronto, and Good Shepherd Ministries on Queen East. $16

Plumpy’Nut^® Survival Gift^®

Malnourished children need to gain weight fast. Plumpy’Nut^® is a tasty, life-saving peanut-based and micronutrient-enhanced therapeutic food that can help a child gain up to two pounds per week. Create a lasting impact with the purchase of a Survival Gift and help UNICEF reach more children in urgent need in the world’s most marginalized places. You’ll receive a free card with every donation. $16 to $55

Sasquatch beanie

On top of producing apparel made with eco-conscious fabrics—like tencel made from wood pulp that recovers 99 per cent of the water used in the production process and biodegradable buttons made from coconuts—Canadian (and totally carbon-neutral) company Tentree plants 10 trees for every item purchased, with a goal of hitting one billion by 2030. They’re currently at 105 million and counting. $35

Stocking Surprise

Bring comfort, joy and distraction to patients at SickKids with a Get Better Gift. Each donation comes with a free electronic or printable card, and you can direct it to the area of SickKids that’s most meaningful to you. Gifts like Stocking Surprise help ensure there’s something special for every child spending their holiday at the hospital. This gift supports the Child Life Events Fund, making sure that holiday magic reaches all patients. $35

Blush

Chantecaille is a clean beauty company with a line of luxury products including lipstick, foundation and eye shadow that’s dedicated to supporting wildlife and nature conservation efforts. Proceeds from sales of their Cheek Shades go to the Xerces Society, an initiative that protects bees—everyone’s favourite pollinators—and their habitats. $62

Bracelet stack

Kenyan brand Ubuntu employs Maasai craftswomen to create a range of products such as suede espadrilles, graphic totes and pouches in vibrant prints, and these stackable beaded bracelets. A portion of the profits flow back into the community through the Ubuntu Life Foundation, which provides health care and education for children with special needs throughout Kenya. $126

Wine glasses

Each piece in Obakki’s exquisitely curated lifestyle collection is meticulously crafted by one of their global partners. These vintage-inspired fluted wine glasses are made by Italian creative studio R+D Lab. The Obakki Foundation supports causes that matter to their worldwide network of artisans, including earthquake relief in Turkey, funding a new jewellery workshop in Kenya’s Kibera slum and improving water cleanliness in Tlamacazapa, Mexico. $195

Send a kid to camp

Summer camp is a wonderful place for children and youth in care to meet other kids and have new experiences. Send a child to a week-long summer day camp and your gift will be matched by our generous donors Joe and Laurissa Canavan—that’s twice the impact for children and youth. $500

Point blanket

The Bay’s Point Blanket has a long, thorny history. It’s been a trade item, an emblem of Canada and a symbol of colonialism—but always a bestseller. Since 2022, the company has been donating 100 per cent of the net proceeds from Point Blanket sales to Oshki Wupoowane (the Blanket Fund), which provides support for Indigenous cultural, artistic and educational activities. Starting at $350

Foldable glasses

Crafted from stainless steel with six smooth-as-butter hinges, the Weller frames fold down for pocket-sized portability. For every pair purchased, Warby Parker donates glasses (or the monetary equivalent) to folks in need and funds initiatives that provide affordable glasses in countries like Zimbabwe, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. Starting at $195

Livestock bundle

Shop gifts that bring joy to your loved ones while providing practical help and life-saving aid to children around the world who need it most. Gifts of Joy provide critical support for kids and families, like the Livestock Bundle, which offers food and marketable items year after year. This extra income can help girls stay in school, empowering them to prioritize education over household tasks and early marriage. $520

Long fleece jacket

In 2022, nearly 50 years after Patagonia was launched, founder Yvon Chouinard gave his three-billion-dollar outdoor apparel company to a trust and a non-profit organization. Now, the profits from every item sold, including the impossibly cozy Lonesome Mesa Coat made in a Fair Trade Certified factory, are used to fight the climate crisis and protect undeveloped land around the world. $375