Thanks to a growing number of brands with philanthropic missions, it’s getting easier and easier to give back. This holiday season, you can do good while checking off your holiday shopping lists when you shop giftable goods from several Minnesota brands.
Since 2013, North Loop retailer Askov Finlayson has been donating 10 percent of proceeds from its North line of apparel and accessories to Climate Generation, a nonprofit founded by Arctic explorer Will Steiger that helps support the fight against climate change. In that time, it’s empowered more than 1,500 young leaders to help solve the climate change crisis. The brand has just debuted several new North products in time for the holiday season, including its new merino wool knit hat featuring a Keep The North Cold leather patch, the new North knit hockey hat, a ball cap in collaboration with Ebbets Field Flannels, and a quilt featuring a map of the Arctic in partnership with Haptic Lab:
Askov Finlayson Merino Wool North Hat in Juniper, $64 @ Askov Finlayson, 204 N. 1st St., Minneapolis, and askovfinlayson.com (images courtesy Askov Finlayson)
Askov Finlayson North Hockey Hat, $40 @ Askov Finlayson and askovfinlayson.com
Askov Finlayson x Ebbets Field Flannels Keep the North Cold Cap, $62 @ Askov Finlayson and askovfinlayson.com
Askov Finlayson x Haptic Lab Arctic Quilt, $300 @ Askov Finlayson and askovfinlayson.com
Here are some other local brands and retailers that do good when you shop:
Humble Apparel Co. is a Minneapolis-based apparel company focused on Boundary Waters–themed apparel that benefits the Boundary Waters Canoe Area (BWCA) by donating 7 percent of sales of its outdoor-geared tees and hats all year-round to conservation efforts. For the holiday season, it’s additionally donating 25 percent of proceeds from all hat sales to to the BWCA, now through the end of 2017. The campaign’s goal is to create a national movement to protect the water, air, and landscape of the Boundary Waters from pollution caused by the mining of copper, nickel, and other metals from sulfide-bearing ore. Shop online at humbleapparelco.com.
Still Kickin, a Minneapolis-based nonprofit founded by author Nora McInerny that sells a line of activewear, donates a portion of proceeds from events and sales of the Still Kickin–branded tees, sweatshirts, leggings, and coffee mugs to help support families going through hardship. The brand will be popping up for the holiday season through Super Bowl week at Mall of America’s RAAS Local Market, opening this Thursday, where it will be selling shirts, sweatshirts, hats, and other apparel. Available beginning Nov. 16 @ RAAS Local Market at Mall of America, 262 West Market, Bloomington, and now at stillkickin.co
Andrew Zimmern with an All of Us backpack
All of Us, a new Minneapolis-based travel goods and apparel brand with a mission to promote greater global citizenship, and boasts Andrew Zimmern as the official face of the brand. Its standing partnership with the International Rescue Committee (IRC) ensures that up to 10 percent of each purchase supports the more than 60 million refugees fleeing conflict and persecution as they settle into new homes around the world. All of Us has committed to making a minimum donation of $25,000 in its first year. Shop online at allofustravel.com
Northern Glasses, which donates a gallon of water with every purchase of its Minnesota-themed pint glasses. They’re hoping to hit the $5k mark of donations they’ve made to bringing clean water to developing nations by the end of the year. All gifts at Northern Glasses give back since 7% is donated to charity:water. Northern Glasses will also be popping up at the RAAS Local Market at Mall of America this holiday season. Available beginning Nov. 16 @ RAAS Local Market at Mall of America, 262 West Market, Bloomington; at additional retailers; and at northernglasses.com
Minneapolis-based online marketplace, The Voice, sells goods by a collective of top Minnesota makers, including Woodchuck, Hagen & Oats, Northern Glasses, Minnesota Awesome, Mill City Fineries, Fair Anita, and many more. Each brand commits to donate 7 percent of all proceeds to one of the causes that the collective is investing in, from the Animal Humane Society to Urban Ventures, which fights poverty. Shop @ thevoicecommunity.com
A portion of proceeds from sales of My Sister products help combat human and sex trafficking. Since launching in May 2015, My Sister has raised more than $104,000 for their nonprofit partners, funded more than 2,671 hours of survivor employment, and raised awareness among tens of thousands of people about human trafficking. New products include the “Badass Feminist” and “People over Power” women’s hoodies. Available @ My Sister store, 1616 W Lake St, Minneapolis, and at mysister.org
Badass Feminist Sweatshirt, $58 @ mysister.org (image: nylonsaddle photography)
For every pair of socks sold from Minneapolis-based brand, Hippy Feet, another will be donated to a homeless shelter. As of September, Hippy Feet has donated more than 5,000 pairs of socks through street outreach and partner organizations. Plus, Hippy Feet provides employment to those affected by homelessness. Available @ hippyfeet.co
Minnesota skincare brand, Dirty Knees Soap Co., donates one 2-ounce bottle of soap for every 16-ounce bottle of body wash sold to My Stuff Bags, an organization that donates supplies to abused and neglected children. Available @ dirtykneessoap.com
For every Woodchuck product sold, the Minnesota wood-oriented brand plants a tree. Available @ woodchuckusa.com
Minnesota brand Love Your Melon donates half of its net proceeds from sales of its knit hats to nonprofits fighting pediatric cancer. donates hats to children battling cancer with every purchase of its knit beanies. Available @ loveyourmelon.com
PAB’s Packs, a nonprofit founded by Minneapolis teens, donates one of its backpacks filled with goodies to a chronically ill child with every purchase of its colorful packs. Available @ pabspacks.org
Through its partnership with RECLAIM, a Minneapolis-based organization specializing in mental and integrative health support for LGBTQ youth, HARDT Jewelry donates a portion of the proceeds from the Equal Hardt Necklace to benefit youth and their families, training for practitioners, and community partnerships for social change at the intersection of gender and racial justice. Available @ hardt-jewelry.com
National eco-conscious accessories brand, Alex and Ani—which recently opened its first Minnesota store at the Mall of America—has donated $45 million to nonprofits around the globe through its Charity by Design division in partnership with 48 nonprofits. Shop at Alex and Ani at Mall of America, 158 South Avenue, Bloomington, and at alexandani.com
For every pair of glasses purchased, Warby Parker distributes a pair of glasses and helps fund training for eye exams in developing countries. Shop at Warby Parker’s showroom at Askov Finlayson, 204 N. 1st St., Minneapolis, and at warbyparker.com
TOMS matches every pair of shoes sold by donating a pair to a child in need, plus every TOMS Eyewear purchase helps restore sight to an individual through sight-saving surgery, prescription glasses, or medical treatment. Additionally, TOMS Roasting Co. purchases support water systems in the same seven countries where it sources its coffee beans, TOMS Bags purchases provided training for birth attendants and vital materials needed to help curtail infection among mothers and newborns, and purchases of the TOMS High Road Backpack Collection helps provided anti-bullying training in U.S. schools. Shop at TOMS Mall of America, 106 Central Pkwy., Bloomington, and toms.com
For each pair of rain boots sold, Roma Boots gives a pair to a child in need, and 10 percent of all proceeds funds educational initiatives globally. Available locally @ Spoils of Wear, 1566 Selby Ave, St Paul, and at romaboots.com
Bonus: Be sure to check out Kokoon’s Give to the Max Holiday Event this Thursday, November 16, benefiting nonprofit Youth Frontiers in partnership with Give to the Max Day. A group of Minneapolis clothing and accessories brands are coming together for an evening of fashion, sips and snacks, informal modeling, and raffle prizes to benefit a good cause. Hosted by local fashion label, Kokoon, the event will feature pop-up shopping from Local Motion, Belle Isle Design Co., and Strey Designs, with 15 percent of all event sales and raffle proceeds benefiting Youth Frontiers. Raffle prizes include a $500 Kokoon shopping spree. Thursday, Nov. 16 from 5–9 p.m. @ Kokoon headquarters, 2508 S. 24th Ave., Minneapolis. Entry is free; RSVP for a free ticket at eventbrite.com.
