A Guide to Alternative Holiday Shopping

Holiday Shopping with a Social Conscience

Environmental Action Desk
Purchase certificates for a share of renewable energy, greenhouse gas emissions, or other environmental causes to offset your holiday travel and activities.

Fair Trade Federation
Most Fair Trade wholesalers, retailers, catalogs and companies are part of this network. Their listings on their website are a great clearinghouse/place to start!

Global Exchange
This awesome social justice NGO has an online store that sources from many of the same groups as SERRV, but some unique ones as well.

Greater Good
Shop at over 100 leading online merchants, and up to 15% of your purchase will go to support a non-profit charity organization of your choice.

Green Glass
Purchase beautiful vases, glassware and stemware newly crafted from recycled bottles.

Heifer International
Donate an animal to a family in a developing country in honor of the holidays. Heifer International works to end hunger and poverty, and care for the earth by providing appropriate livestock, training and related services to small-scale farmers and communities worldwide.

Mercy Corps
Donate a mercy kit in honor of a loved one, and help provide food, clean water, shelter, or healthcare to children and families in need all around the globe.

NOVICA
Shop securely online for a wide range of hand-made crafts from all around the world. Artisans are not charged to list their products on the NOVICA website.

SERRV International
SERRV International, the oldest name in Fair Trade Crafts and true model for artisan support and relationships, helps build communities while providing cooperatives with direct market access.

Tibet Collection
Tibet Collection offers a variety of handmade crafts created by refugee artisans. A portion of every purchase is used for artisan training programs, to improve production facilities, and to support a wide variety of humanitarian programs administered by the Tibetan Government-in-Exile.

UNICEF USA
Help UNICEF work for the survival, protection and development of all children worldwide. Shop at the online gift store and find out about issues and emergencies facing the world's children today.

Wild Boar Creek
This couple is local in DC and they work with aristans in a few specific Cambodian villages. Most of the items are handmade silk: scarves, bags, other accessories.

Charity Navigator
A useful resource if you or your family plan on
donating to any charity for the holidays.