Last week, we shared some of our favorite socially conscious indulgences. After all, everyone should know about environmentally friendly beer and socially responsible lingerie.
But what about our everyday needs?
When we purchase something habitually, we can easily forget to think about where it comes from, how it’s made, or who’s involved. That said, if we make conscious decisions about these everyday items, our purchase frequency alone transforms a small brand change into a big world impact.
And luckily, the rising number of social enterprises makes it possible to find everyday products across all sectors that have a positive impact on our world - here are a few of them:
via http://consciousstep.com/
Socks
- Conscious Step: Every pair of Conscious Step socks is ethically manufactured, and each of their styles is associated with a different nonprofit that is focused on funding impact addressing the UN’s Millennium Development Goals.
- Cole & Parker: This social enterprise uses a “1 for Many” business model, in which they use Kiva to loan sock sale proceeds to entrepreneurs in developing countries.
- Miscoots: After working with homeless populations in Austin, this team discovered that socks were the most requested item after food and water. Now, for every purchase made, they provide a product of equal quality to someone in need. Meanwhile, they employ those transitioning out of homelessness in their packaging facilities. They don’t just sell socks, either – check out their beanies, scarves, gloves and t-shirts when you visit their site.
via https://dopper.com/usa/
Water Bottles
- Hydros Water Bottle: Not only do these BPA and Phthalate free bottles filter your water for you on the go, but proceeds from each purchase fund sustainable water infrastructure projects through Engineers Without Borders.
- H2Om: At this point, we probably all know about the bottled water industry’s negative social, environmental and economic impacts. But the problem is – even those of us who are painfully aware of those impacts sometimes grab a bottle in a pinch. When that happens, do your best to opt for H2Om, a social enterprise that is focused on providing the purest water possible, in 100% recycled bottles. As a bonus, their labels are designed with positive affirmations printed on them in various languages!
- Dopper: Dopper’s primary mission is to reduce the impact of single-use plastic waste, and they want to make that as easy as possible by encouraging consumers to return broken Dopper parts to them, which they then recycle and reuse. In addition, they donate a portion of their proceeds to developing educational resources on the importance of reducing plastic waste, and a portion to clean water projects in Nepal.
via https://unsplash.com/
Soap
- Hand in Hand Sustainable Suds: Many of us have the luxury of using soap every day, multiple times a day – but so many do not. In fact, each year, over 5 million people die of diseases caused by poor water quality and lack of proper hygiene, diseases that could be prevented by handwashing and clean water. To mitigate that, for each bar of soap purchased, Hand in Hand donates a bar and a month of clean water to those in need. Plus, their products are sustainably and ethically sourced.
- Dr. Bronner’s: Dr. Bronner’s soap is known for it’s multi-purpose and eco-friendly qualities, but the company’s commitment to social responsibility is what really makes it stand out. They’re incredibly fair to their employees, in terms of ethical sourcing, compensation and benefits, encouragement of personal development, and focus on a healthy work environment. Beyond that, they have a track record of fighting for and funding causes they believe in, both in the U.S. and globally.
- EO Products: According to public health laws, so many different types of chemicals are allowed as ingredients in personal care products. EO Products set out to change that, developing products that are simple and chemical-free. In addition, a portion of their proceeds goes to organizations that are helping the homeless, and they donate their product in bulk to shelters and transitional housing centers.
via https://unsplash.com/
Tech
- Adobe: With over 7 million paid users, Adobe is another socially and environmentally conscious mega-tech company. They believe that creativity is a catalyst for positive change, and as a result, their CSR strategies are focused on investing in our communities and supporting our youth. Beyond these programs, they focus on ethical sourcing, sustainability and philanthropy as well.
- Brenthaven: If you’re carry around several tech devices, and are looking for a sleek, protective case, Brenthaven has you covered. They provide a 100% lifetime guarantee for all products, and their ultimate mission is to achieve Zero Impact on the environment, without compromising product quality or integrity.
- Revivn: Are you done with an old computer, but don’t know what to do with it? While recycling responsibly is a good option, you can take it a step further by sending it to Revivn, a social enterprise that fixes up outdated computers that still have life in them and repurposes them to give away to those in need.
Also, when we need to make a purchase of any kind, we often look to our community of fellow Certified B Corps first – check them out here.
What are some products that you purchase regularly from socially and environmentally conscious companies? Let’s get the word out about them! Share with us, and we’ll tell our community – here’s how: