Finding socially conscious gifts, birthday presents or ethical Christmas gifts for your loved ones is one of the biggest challenges of being a conscientious shopper.
Pinpointing meaningful and unique gift boxes for employees or loved ones with a positive impact on the world requires research. It also takes significantly longer than shopping for traditional gifts.
But shopping for sustainable gift baskets has just gotten a whole lot easier.
Ethical Gifting Made Easy
Packed with Purpose curates responsibly manufactured items across many categories to simplify ethical buying.
We’re your single online destination for ethically sourced goods. You’ll locate artisanal and fair-trade items for everyone on your shopping list.
We’ve created this list for you with self-care, longevity and zero waste in mind. This ensures your recipients can enjoy conscientious gifts for years to come.
Explore our Packed with Purpose Collection to find all the ethical gifts you’re looking for.
[Related: 11 Eco-Friendly Gifts: Sustainable and Environmental Gift Ideas]
13 Ethical Gifts for Sustainable Giving
Giving ethical gifts isn’t just about giving someone a present. You give your loved ones an introduction to fair trade and environmentally responsible artisans.
Perhaps you share the narrative of how local businesses produced presents from recycled materials and kept garbage out of landfills. Maybe you explain how your gift provided opportunities for youth in underresourced communities.
Whatever you choose, these well-crafted and beautifully designed fair-trade gift ideas get the conversation going.
1. American Roots*
Send them a one-of-a-kind present created in the U.S. that’ll live on in their memory.
Brighten their mornings with a warm cup of American-grown green tea and a few nibbles of buttery toffee biscuits. And with a bit of tender loving care, the living sequoia tree seedling will return the favor by providing shade and delight for a lifetime.
This ethical gift is a long-term contribution that benefits important causes:
- Indigenous communities
- Reforestation initiatives
- Job generation within sustainable agriculture
*Minimum order required. Contact us to get started!
2. Brighten Their Day At Home
This is one of our favorite socially responsible gifts. It helps your special someone unwind with the ideal blend of fun and flavor.
An all-ages National Parks coloring book and colored pencils pique their creative senses. Meanwhile, an eco-friendly deck of cards is perfect for any of their favorite games.
For savory snacks at home, this gift comes with salted caramel popcorn, white cheddar popcorn and chocolate-dipped pretzel twists.
They’ll enjoy relaxing at home with snacks while knowing their gift promotes environmental preservation and employment for those with developmental disabilities. This is a perfect gift for cheering up staff working from home, family abroad or long-distance friends.
3. Elevated Evening at Home
Make them feel special with a gift for an elegant night in. You enhance their evenings with delectable food and cozy home accents.
A beautiful wood appetizer dish with teak spreader serves the pizzetta biscuits, olive oil flatbreads and artichoke caper bread dip.
The rich dark chocolate bar is the perfect sweet send-off alongside a hand-poured soy candle’s soothing rose-and-vanilla scent.
While helping forestry initiatives, young moms in underresourced regions and more, this elegant package is ideal for a housewarming event, VIP client or home entertainer!
4. For the Virtual Conference
Virtual meetings replaced many in-person conferences as the COVID-19 pandemic swept the world. Now, virtual and hybrid events are part of your everyday life.
With this excellent selection, you’ll amaze your virtual colleagues and attendees.
They’ll stay energetic thanks to the vintage-inspired mug, coffee and tea combination. A chocolate chunk granola bar and other treats keep the momentum up. An artistic notebook gives way to creative inspiration.
No matter what your conference is about, these ethical gifts evoke smiles while benefiting cancer health initiatives and schools in underserved areas.
5. For the Worldly Cook
Inspire your favorite foodie to try something new! This gift is ideal for the chef who enjoys entertaining and experimenting with new flavors and culinary delights at home.
An amuse-bouche of generously seasoned flatbread, garlic herb dipping sauce and artichoke and caper bread dip sates their hunger as they prepare.
This set is a thoughtful gift that benefits the ACLU Immigrants’ Rights Project and family-owned businesses.
A luxe charcuterie board is another meaningful option for the dedicated foodie.
6. Fun in the Sun
Make sure they have everything they need in the sunshine. A gift delights whether they spend a day at the ocean, lounge poolside or grill in the backyard.
Encourage them to unplug by playing a relaxing game of travel-friendly checkers (or tic-tac-toe) on a plush Turkish cotton towel. A reusable, decorative travel mug completes this summer set, keeping refreshing beverages safe.
It’s a fantastic present for bridesmaids, birthdays or anybody who likes having fun in the sun.
They’ll feel even more loved knowing that their day contributes to marine restoration, single-use plastic reduction and other environmental causes.
7. Holiday Cheer
With this festive package of fair-trade holiday gifts and delectable sweets, you send seasonal joy in a box.
We include a variety of holiday treats like these:
- Sweet and savory popcorn
- Oreo cookie-studded chocolate bark
- Peppermint crunch bar
These socially conscious Christmas gifts help women-owned companies, food insecurity efforts and employment for people with developmental disabilities.
It’s ideal for conveying heartfelt holiday wishes to a friend, colleague or customer.
8. Indulgent Impact
Send them a lavish and bountiful gift to express your gratitude and support.
Salted rosemary shortbread cookies, small-batch honey, sea salt-toffee chocolate and U.S.-grown yaupon holly tea comprise a stunning present.
Long after they’ve consumed the sweets, a one-of-a-kind hand-blown glass wine cork and fragrant hand-poured candle spark conversation.
From top clients to loved ones, anyone can appreciate this gift. They know their box assists children affected by gun violence and formerly imprisoned candidates reentering the workforce.
9. Positive Vibes
Give the gift of positivity for a house full of happiness with this cheerful collection.
Your loved one will have the perfect excuse to rest and revitalize:
- Organic raw honey sticks
- Best-selling organic herbal tea
- Tasty lemon butter biscuits
- Beautiful multipurpose tumbler
With a dogwood starting kit, you sow the seeds of friendship. It’ll remind them of your thoughtfulness as it grows.
This gift is perfect for expressing gratitude or sending positive thoughts. Meanwhile, it supports women’s empowerment, promotes sustainability and benefits women-owned companies.
10. A Token of Appreciation
Kindness never goes out of style. This gift basket embodies it.
There are certain times of year or special occasions when you may feel more grateful for the people you care about. It’s just as essential to spread that love throughout the year.
You may have cause to thank someone who’s aided you. But you don’t have to wait for a special occasion!
We always encourage expressing gratitude for someone simply being in your life. This considerate present is perfect for saying “thank you” simply and elegantly, from teachers to friends to conference participants.
Lightly salted dark chocolate, rooibos peach tea and an artful notebook brighten their day. This gift also contributes to the construction of schools in underdeveloped nations and environmental protection.
And your gesture is meaningful at small and large scales.
11. Hello, World!
The birth of a new baby is a joyous occasion! You can never have too many of the basics, from practical presents to lasting souvenirs.
Cozy blankets, bibs, bottles and diapers make excellent gifts that new parents use regularly.
Celebrate the arrival of new life with a present that the entire family appreciates.
For baby, give a lovely organic cotton “I Love Mom” onesie and whimsical, hand-painted clever art cards that help with brain development.
The new parents can enjoy relaxing lemon butter biscuits and warm herbal tea throughout the day.
It’s ideal for celebrating a new mommy or daddy, a baby shower or Mother’s Day.
We donate profits to cancer survivors and community wellness initiatives. Your purchase also supports sustainable toy production by giving to manufacturers who fairly pay employees.
12. Home Office Collection
Working from home isn’t going away anytime soon, and the Zoom fatigue is real.
You’re not alone. Many people are in the same situation and don’t have a specific home work area.
Maybe you’ve had to chisel out a tiny space in your bedroom or unused living room corner. If you haven’t, now’s the time to make it a comfy home office with useful and conscious gifts.
Provide work-from-home office supplies to welcome new team members or show appreciation to remote workers.
Quick-dry screen wipes keep views fresh. A repurposed vinyl-record notebook is a natural conversation starter during meetings.
A stylish and sturdy tumbler keeps morning coffee hot and happy-hour wine cool. Buttery, chocolate mini biscuits keep the post-lunch slump at bay.
Most significantly, this present supports food-insecure communities, environmentally responsible production and single-use plastic reduction.
13. Fun & Functional
A one-size-fits-all gluten-free, nut-free and vegan assortment says hello and greets event guests.
You send a loving message with every taste of organic potato chips, delectable chocolate chip cookies and sweet dried fruit. A recycled vinyl-record notepad keeps the memories of your thoughtful gesture alive long after they’ve taken the last bite.
Perhaps it’s the idea that counts. They’ll appreciate that these ethical items help others:
- Provide resources to food-insecure communities
- Reduce trash from landfills through recycling
- Promote sustainable agricultural methods
[Related: How Much Should You Spend on a Client Gift?]
Give with Ethical Gifts that Leave an Impact
Packed with Purpose gifts are distinctive and impactful because of the selectively curated goods we acquire from our Impact Partners.
Our Impact Partners represent diverse-owned, women-owned and B-Corp businesses that craft small-batch environmentally friendly items.
You can choose from unique gift boxes for employees as well as the best gifts for clients and customers.
Our gifts not only reflect your company’s values but also make a meaningful social and environmental impact. You’ll find custom ethical gifts that leave an impression on your loved ones and the world!
Contact us today or speak with a Packed with Purpose Gift Concierge.
