Holiday gifts that give back

There are many companies here in Israel making a difference - from those using eco-friendly fabrics to those involved with waste management to those providing jobs to human and sex-trafficked survivors. Here are ways you can help their efforts while giving gifts with a purpose to those you love.

Eco-friendly clothes

Tooshaya is an awesome clothing brand that designs and creates eco-friendly clothes and accessories made of natural materials with a handmade touch. The company, consisting of mother and daughter uses natural fibers and materials. All of their designs are derived from the inspiration of sights, shapes, textures and the colors of nature. The unique character of each item is achieved through special knitting techniques that use fine and delicate threads, hand-dyed, embroidering, weaving, and felting. The clothes are characterized by softness, comfort, and flattering style. Check them out! 

On'nanoko, is a sustainable fashion brand based in Kibbutz Ma’agan Michael. The brand was established by designers: Ayala Assael and Noa Sadeh-Horowitz. For the designers, wearing clothes over and over again, year after year was a notion they wanted to implement. With the need for durability, the designers developed a high standard for quality tailoring, and a non-compromising preciseness both in choice of materials and the patterns made for the clothes. The garments are designed to last and made from durable fabrics. The designers pride themselves in top-notch tailoring, with an additional emphasis set on the small details in the design that make each garment a stand-alone piece, which can also be worn as an ensemble. The uniqueness of each pattern, is what they believe to be at the base of their brand. Check them out! 

Driven by her passion to make a positive impact on society by creating sustainable garments, fashion designer Dana Cohen founded Dana Cohen. Her clothes introduce an innovative environment-friendly approach to textile manufacturing. Dana developed a procedure in which discarded knits are shredded into fibers that are then felted into new recycled textiles. The results are truly spectacular! From the recycled textile, a wide variety of unique colors and patterns are made which are then integrated into the knits. Each garment is truly one of a kind! 

Vegan shoes

Where does one buy good quality vegan-friendly shoes? This awesome company, Shanili may just be the answer to your questions. Started by a mother of two, Liat realized there was a huge gap in the market for good quality, fashion-forward and affordable vegan-friendly shoes. Her company was born from her frustration and unsuccessful search for such shoes. The PETA approved shoes are made from an array of fibers and fabrics such as a microfiber leather substitute and a high-tech polyester fiber-based material made of polyurethane. All of the shoes are super comfortable and water repellent. Check her out!

Handcrafted jewelry

Michal Oren, a Tel-Aviv based designer handcrafts each jewelry piece with precision, love, and craftsmanship. With great care for detail, using traditional silversmith techniques, Michal makes all of her jewelry from solid uncoated metals and materials such as brass, silver, 14 karat gold and 18 karat gold. Based on modern art thinking and American post-minimalist sculpture, all of her designs are inspired by nature, architecture, and sculpture. Check her out!

Bags that provide trafficked survivors with a job

Here in Israel, there are 14,000 men, women and children caught up in human trafficking. These numbers are truly shocking. Located in South Tel Aviv, KitePride, a social business provides safe rehabilitation employment for women and men exiting human trafficking and prostitution. Through creating bags from upcycled fabrics such as kitesurfing kites, sails, wetsuits, and canvas, Through each bag bought, you can be sure to know that you are providing a job + saving fabric from landfill.

A platform for eco + social-friendly shopping 

Meet STORY. STORY stores represent brands that have added value and have a true positive agenda. They are known for their array of unique and diverse brands that have either a social or environmental impact. They are careful in their selection as to not stock commercial, mass-manufactured brands. Rather they support brands with purpose. STORY allows space for these brands to meet under one-story and one roof. Consumers can shop purpose-driven products in various categories such as vegan, give back, sustainably certified, organic and recycled materials. STORY allows consumers to shop knowing their dollar is going further by supporting brands with a cause. 

...So HAPPY shopping!