The five best gifts with a conscience

last updated 27 November 2018

Deciding what to buy for the one who has it all is a perennial problem at this time of year. But thanks to this considerate selection, you can take your festive genorosity up a notch with a present that keeps on giving far beyond 25 December.

Leather off-cuts rug

Elvis & Kresse was established in 2005 to save London’s decommissioned fire hoses, repurposing those that had become too damaged to repair and were heading to landfill. It has also partnered with the Burberry Foundation to tackle leather waste, donating 50% of the profits to renewable energy projects. As this rug shows, the company specialises in creating lifestyle accessories by re-engineering seemingly useless by-products and off-cuts.

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Stand4 Socks produces cosy, comfortable socks that not only look good but do good. The brand uses an innovative “buy a pair, give a pair” model. For each purchase, it makes a donation to a good cause, from giving a pair of socks to a homeless person to planting ten trees or vaccinating three children against measles. After all, would it be Christmas without a pair of socks wrapped up under the tree?

Bulgari has supported Save the Children since 2009, and for the festive season has made the charity a key focus of its Christmas campaigns. One way the jeweller helps to fund its essential work is by raising proceeds through a dedicated collection, which takes its inspiration from the B.zero1 line. Comprising a ring, pendant and bracelet, each of the chic pieces feature the Save the Children logo, allowing the wearer to keep the cause close, wherever they may be.

Designed to meet all your travel needs, the Alem Weekender is promising to become your new favourite this Christmas. Handcrafted in Ethiopia, it features three pockets, with an all-leather exterior and a removable and adjustable cross-body strap with a pad for extra comfort. The lifestyle brand behind the bag, ABLE, is tackling generational poverty by providing economic opportunities for vulnerable women.

Montblanc is best known for its superlative writing instruments, so it's only fitting that it has a long-standing partnership with Unicef to improve literacy and education around the world. A proportion of proceeds from a dedicated collection, inspired by the first characters children learn in Latin, Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, Korean and Hindi scripts, is donated to the cause. With items going beyond pens to leather goods, watches and accessories, it's even easier to pick out the perfect philanthropic present.

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