The vibrant but chaotic energy of the holiday season makes it easy to forget that gifts are more than material objects—they can be a thoughtful way to show your appreciation for those around you. On Giving Tuesday, this gift guide, brought to you by WeWork member companies, offers you an opportunity to get started on your holiday shopping while giving back to charitable organizations and communities in need.
For a cozy night in
Whether for a faraway best friend or a coworker whose name you picked for Secret Santa, comfy socks are an essential holiday gift. When you buy a pair of Conscious Step socks, a portion of the proceeds is donated to a nonprofit. “We believe that what you wear can be a form of self-expression and activism, and can say something meaningful about you and the causes you care about,” says Prashant Mehta, founder and CEO of Conscious Step, a member at WeWork 109 S 5th St in Brooklyn for over three years. On the brand’s website, you can choose from 16 different social causes, like LGBTQIA+ rights, disaster relief, fighting hunger, and rainforest conservation, so you know exactly where your money is going. They also partner with fellow WeWork members Room to Read and Conservation International. $14.95.
Photograph courtesy of Conscious Step
For the beauty guru
Lush’s commitment to making an impact is a key part of its business and helps the body and beauty company’s hand lotion smell even better. One hundred percent of the proceeds from Lush’s Charity Pot body lotion go toward supporting environmental and humanitarian rights, and since 2007, when the product was launched, Lush has donated more than $33 million to charity. The company—a member at WeWork Marine Gateway in Vancouver—also started the Sustainable Lush Fund, which supports local ecosystems through sustainable ingredients that are used in many Lush products today, including the Charity Pot body lotion. $7.95.
For hydrating on the go
S’well, a member company at WeWork Medius House in London, was founded nearly 10 years ago with the goal of reducing the number of single-use plastics that end up in landfills. Not only are S’well bottles stylish, convenient, and eco-friendly, but the company partners with charitable organizations such as UNICEF and Lonely Whale. Since 2017, S’well has committed $1.4 million to supply clean and safe drinking water to communities in need. $25–$45.
For a glamorous touch
Bird + Stone, a member company at WeWork Dumbo Heights in Brooklyn, creates ethically- and locally-made, sustainably-sourced jewelry and donates a percentage of its profits to organizations that support women in politics, women’s health and education, climate change activism, and empowering those in poverty. Its website enables you to shop by cause, so you can support the organization and social causes closest to your heart. “On Giving Tuesday, we are doubling the donations to the cause partners,” says Caitlin Kawaguchi, the company’s director of marketing and partnerships. Prices vary.
Photograph courtesy of Bird + Stone
For a new point of view
Since the company was founded in 2010, Warby Parker has believed that quality, stylish glasses should be affordable and accessible. Its signature program is Buy a Pair, Give a Pair, in which it partners with organizations like VisionSpring to ensure that for every pair of glasses purchased, a pair is given to someone in need. The member company has also started Pupils Project, which helps train teachers and nurses in schools to give free eye exams and glasses to schoolchildren in need. If you’re buying a gift for someone else, be sure to take advantage of their at-home try-on feature, which will allow your loved one to try on four pairs at home before deciding which pair they want. Starting at $95.
For a new wardrobe staple
Even if you missed Everlane’s Black Friday deal, during which the company donated $10 to nonprofit Oceana for every order placed through its Black Friday Fund, your gift will still give back when you order from the company’s 100% Human collection. The line’s sleek design is meant to remind us that we are all human, and $5 of every item purchased is donated to the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU). Everlane, a member company at WeWork 428 Broadway, offers soft and cozy T-shirts, sweatshirts, tank tops, and more, and prioritizes ethical conditions in its factories. $22–$50.
Jenna Wilson is a senior associate on the social media team at WeWork and a writer for Ideas by We. She writes about impact, sustainability, and WeWork’s employees around the world.
