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Have you reached that point in your holiday shopping yet when you’ve hit add to cart on yet another Amazon Prime order while simultaneously swearing this is your last one before you cancel your Prime account (again) and start talking yourself into things that are just so-so, so you can check someone off your list? It’s time to get off that consumerist carousel and put your money where it can do some good and get someone a great gift while you’re at it. Below are wonderful presents that all come from companies devoted to ethical and eco practices and giving to communities in need. Why shop any other way?

Toques Classic 2.0 hats, $30, toquesfromtheheart.ca SHOP HERE

Toques from the Heart will warm your heart as much as your head. The Hamilton, Ont. based initiative, started by three McMaster University students, donates one toque to a Canadian experiencing homelessness for every toque purchased, giving away 2,500 toques last winter. The cause is great, but so are the toques: The brand consulted “some of the best toque experts” in the country to perfect its hats, available in multiple colours, in merino wool and acrylic. The brand’s goal over the coming year is to give away 35,000 toques — equal to the number of Canadians that experience homelessness every night.

Our Place Full of Pride Mugs, $65, fromourplace.ca SHOP HERE

Twenty per cent of proceeds from these ’70s-vibe, hand-painted mugs designed by queer Japanese-Mexican ceramic artist Viviana Matsuda go to Toronto’s 519 Food Security Program helping to fight hunger in the local LGBTQ+ community. They also come with Brunch Banter conversation cards. The pairing was created to celebrate the concept of “chosen family, dating back to the 1980s when LGBTQ+ communities connected through shared identity to show up for each other as friends and caregivers.” Every purchase from Our Place also results in two meals donated to Food Banks Canada.

Tentree Highline Wool Cable Crew Sweater, $98, tentree.ca SHOP HERE

For every purchase, Canadian brand Tentree plants 10 trees, for a total of more than 67 million so far and a goal of 1 billion around the world by 2030. Tentree uses sustainable materials like Tencel, from wood-pulp fibre; recycled polyester; organic cotton and hemp, at ethical factories ensuring safe and fair working conditions. This cosy cable-knit is made from recycled polyester, organic cotton and Responsible Wool Standard wool.

Saucony Faith Hornet sneakers, $85, saucony.com SHOP HERE

These adorable sneaks are for kids, but don’t you wish you could fit into them? Designed in collaboration with a former patient of Sick Children’s Hospital in Toronto, 20 per cent of their proceeds are donated back to Sick Kids as part of Saucony’s Run for Good Children’s program, which benefits children’s hospitals across North America.

Obakki Hanging Tusk Earrings, $80, obakki.com SHOP HERE

Canadian Treana Peake’s Obakki works with artisans around the world to fill its online marketplace with the chicest, most unique homewares made using traditional craftsmanship. Obakki creates long-term partnerships with its artisans, ensuring sustainable livelihoods and the Obakki Foundation has provided clean water to 3 million people and education to 20,000 children among many other economic stability initiatives. These 18-karat-gold-plated earrings are handmade in Nairobi using upcycled brass (from things like discarded taps, padlocks and old coins.)

Skwálwen Botanicals Tewín’xw Cleansing Clay, $47, goodeeworld.com SHOP HERE

Skwálwen Botanicals is a Canadian Indigenous-founded beauty brand that gives back to local Indigenous communities in Vancouver and to seed-planting initiatives on Indigenous lands. Its 100 per cent natural Tewín’xw Cranberry Rose Cleansing Clay can be used as a gentle daily exfoliant or applied as a deep-cleansing mask and features extremely romantic ingredients like Moroccan and French pink clays, plus powdered rose petals, cranberry and rosehips.

Kobo Fresh Cut Grass Candle, $37, goodeeworld.com SHOP HERE

Bring back summer with this Fresh Cut Grass pure-soy candle (or lean into winter when the Rustic Pine version is back in stock) from Kobo. It comes in a zero-waste box infused with seeds and is made in a wind-powered facility. Kobo supports multiple global and local non-profit organizations.

BetterFelt Classic Slipper, $80, betterfelt.ca SHOP HERE

Danish company Betterfelt makes slippers and home products of 100 per cent pure wool felt, or rather, they design them and female artisans in Nepal make them, in a factory that Betterfelt co-owns with a Nepalese woman. Employment at Betterfelt for these women means a salary equivalent to skilled male workers, cash grants for their children toward their education, free English courses, paid holidays and fair maternity leave. The slippers are cosy, cute and feel great (we’ve tried them!) and the nicest touch is the small symbol embroidered on the slippers (see above), which is the signature of the artisan who made them. You can see the artisans’ portraits on the site.

Cheekbone Beauty lipstick in Oxblood Red, $32, Sephora.com SHOP HERE

Anishinaabe mom of two Jennifer Harper started Cheekbone Beauty with her savings after taking online courses in marketing and social media. Cheekbone supports First Nations Child & Family Caring Society and has donated more than $150,000 to organizations supporting Indigenous youth. For every tube of its Sustain lipstick line, another is donated to an Indigenous youth.

Indigo Arrows x Freed cushion, $95, simons.ca SHOP HERE

This pillow is a collaboration between Anishinaabe designer Destiny Seymour’s brand Indigo Arrows and the Freed workshop. A portion of all proceeds from the collaboration will be donated to The Butterfly Club, an after-school program for Indigenous girls and two-spirit youth.

Honest No Makeup Makeup Kit, $131, honest.com SHOP HERE

Jessica Alba’s Honest is just an all-around do-good company. It’s donated more than 25 million personal care products to non-profit orgs, millions of diapers to natural disaster survivors and families at the U.S./Mexico border, funds March of Dimes research and donates to Baby2Baby supporting children in need. Its packaging is 100 per cent post-consumer and its shipping (in the States) is carbon neutral. There’s more, but let’s talk about this no-makeup makeup kit: It includes a primer, a tinted moisturizer with SPF 30, glow powder, mascara, eyeliner, tinted lip balm and blush — and the best part is you can choose your colour for four of the items.

TPL T-shirt, $35, page-panel.myshopify.com SHOP HERE

Everyone knows libraries are an essential thread in the fabric of the community. Help keep the pages turning and people reading for free with one of the Toronto Public Library’s I’m Library People T-shirts. Each $35 tee purchase equals a $5 donation to TPL.

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