Foodie Gift Guide: Small Brands That Give Back Year-Round

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The holiday season finds people in the giving spirit, but what about the rest of the year? These 10 brands give back year-round. If you’ve got a foodie or travel lover on your list who also has a bit of do-gooder spirit, something on this gift list is sure to fit the bill.

Ocean Bottle

We don’t go far without a water bottle in hand. Whether hopping on a flight, hiking our favorite spot, or wandering a new city, we have our Ocean Bottle in hand. Unlike other bottles, this durable reusable bottle is easy to wash and makes a real difference in reducing plastic. Besides reducing your own use of plastic bottles, Ocean Bottle works with Plastic Bank to fund the removal or divergence of plastic from the worlds’ oceans. And the recycling programs help low-income communities make extra income.

BLK & Bold

This B Corp helps fuel our adventures and youth organizations across the nation. Any coffee lover will enjoy their varieties of roasts from light to dark, direct trade, and even fun east vs west conference NBA brews. We tend to bring our own coffee when we are road trippin’ and BLK & Bold is our suitcase favorite.

Cotopaxi

These colorful bags are a favorite among carry-on warriors. Besides eye-catching bags, this do-gooder brand has comfortable clothing designed for active travelers. Every item is made with a focus on ethical manufacturing and sustainability. Plus, 1% of revenue goes to the Cotopaxi Foundation to be distributed to humanitarian organizations throughout the Americas. The organization has also become Climate Neutral Certified and is working to support Afghan refugees through the International Rescue Committee. This is a company that truly believes in exploring the world and making it a better place at the same time.

Ethique

If you’ve ever done the TSA shuffle – you know, take out all of your liquids and food and etc, etc – you will love Ethique. These concentrated beauty bars make travel a breeze. You no longer have to worry about digging your shampoo and other bathroom essentials out of your bag. Plus, using bars reduces your use of plastics and saves water. And Ethique recently became a climate positive organization, offsetting 120% of their carbon emissions. They have a formula for every hair and skin type. And they’ve added products for pets and household cleaning.

Grounds & Hounds

Coffee makes a great gift for the morning brew lover in your life. And when it gives back to dogs in need, that’s just the foam on top. This organization lives by the motto “Great coffee should fuel a greater purpose” and each bag of beans makes you a part of that effort. Grounds & Hounds gives 20% of all profits to rescue organizations giving pups a second chance. So you get a small-batch roasted cup of joe and give support to the worthy cause of improving animal welfare.

Burlap & Barrel Spices

You don’t have to know a lot about the history of the spice trade to know that it isn’t known for being an equitable system. Burlap & Barrel is working to change that. These unique spices are sourced directly from smallholder farmers who are passionate about what they do. You get access to spice blends and varietals that have never been available before and you help give these farmers the ability to provide for their families and continue doing what they love. We pack a few of our favorites whenever we are headed out of town to hunker down somewhere. They make even the most basic dishes exciting and delicious.

LifeStraw

Clean, safe drinking water might not be something you think about too often, but for many people in the world, it is a top concern. LifeStraw is helping bring safe water to communities throughout the world using a portion of the profits from their straws, bottles, and other products. The original personal water filter straw is great for travelers and outdoor enthusiasts. The catalog of offerings has expanded over the years to include at-home water filter pitchers, bottles with built-in filters for those on the go, and even gravity filters for camping or emergency situations.

Savannah Bee Company

Give a little natural sweetness to your favorite foodie with something special from Savannah Bee Co. Their honey is nuanced and full of flavor. We highly recommend the sampler pack to experience just a small taste of the wide world of honey. Besides bringing delicious honey to your kitchen, Savannah Bee Company is dedicated to educating others on the importance of bees to our food system and a healthy world. Their Bee Cause Project installs observation honeybee hives in schools around the world to help others “understand, engage, and learn from honey bees.” They really are helping create the next generation of environmental stewards (and pleasing our tastebuds at the same time).

Gray Whale Gin

If you have a cocktail lover in your life, this is the gift you need. Reading the ingredient list of Gray Whale Gin is like following the journey of the gray whale along the California Coast. Starting with limes from Baja California (the birthplace of the gray whale) to sea kelp harvested from the Mendocino Coast, this gin is a taste of Cali. Give this beautiful blue bottle and then whip up a batch of French 75 or classic gin and tonics. And you can sip easy knowing your purchase helps support the efforts of ocean conservation through Gray Whale Gin’s partnership with Oceana and their pledge to give 1% of annual sales to environmental causes.

Women’s Bean Project

Fill a friend’s pantry with goodies this holiday season. From soup mixes to baking mixes, you will leave them well-fed and craving more from the Women’s Bean Project. Every purchase helps the organization’s efforts to equip chronically underemployed women with the skills, knowledge, and confidence to change their lives. One of our favorite things is opening up one of their products and seeing the handwritten name of the woman who packaged it. Each cookie, bowl of soup, or slice of cornbread brings you closer to the lives of the women you are helping.

Give the perfect gift this year with a side of extra giving when you support one of these brands. The foodie or travel lover in your life will thank you and I’m sure they’ll share their goodies.