Protecting animals, supporting schools and the environment: 10 ideas for spending wisely
Hemp clothing, vegan bags, gardening kits, water bottles, pearl bracelets containing water from Everest: a guide to socially conscious choices, whether as gifts for others or for yourself.
1) Espero is the German brand that combines minimalist style with environmental awareness and a commitment to wildlife conservation. It offers basic garments featuring evocative graphics, and every piece is sustainable and vegan (shown here: Oversized Shirt Wild WMN, €35). Since 2020, it has been championing the protection of endangered animals and, for every purchase made, donates two euros to eight partner charities (espero-clothing.de).
2) Miomojo, an Italian cruelty-free brand, was founded in Bergamo and offers vegan handbags (pictured below: Iris XS Black – Apple, €200), shoulder bags, totes and holdalls made from innovative and sustainable materials, featuring minimalist details and clean lines. As well as reducing waste by donating unsold items to Oxfam and Humana People to People, the brand donates 1 per cent of its proceeds to 1% for the Planet (miomojo.com).
3) Lokai was founded in 2013 in New York by entrepreneur Steven Izen: 10 per cent of the profits from every bracelet sold are donated to a social cause (below, Freshwater Pearl, €61). Each piece features a white pearl containing water from Mount Everest and a black pearl containing mud from the Dead Sea: the highest and lowest points on Earth (lokai.com).
4) Opera Campi is a small fashion company founded in Parma in 2017 by Alberto and Beatrice with the aim of creating a local, sustainable district specialising in the weaving and sewing of hemp. The result is clothing with a minimalist aesthetic (shown here, T-shirt, €99) and functional. For every order placed, the brand donates the equivalent of two trees to be planted by certified environmental partners (operacampi.com).
5) Goods that Matter offers eco-sustainable design products for everyday use: from home textiles to kitchenware and personal care items. The brand, Louisiana’s first Benefit Corporation, donates 10 per cent of its proceeds to causes that have an impact on health and sustainability. To date, it has already donated over 81,000 dollars to its partners’ social programmes (on the right, the Blue Sunflowers tea towel, €6.95, goodsthatmatter.com).
