Looking Great

Sustainably Chic

These three trendy brands focus on giving back to their communities

If you’re a trendsetter who likes to shop socially conscious brands, you’re in luck. A growing number of companies make it part of their business plans to give back to their communities. Here are three brands with a focus on great products and helping others in need.

A Clear Vision

DIFF Eyewear has a pretty cool mission: It’s built on the principle that eyewear should be both fashionable and socially aware. To fulfill that mission, it has a “Buy a Pair, Give a Pair” program that ensures that for every pair of DIFF sunglasses purchased, a pair of reading glasses is donated to a person in need. One recent example: DIFF partnered with Eyes On Africa, a nonprofit organization founded in 2005, that provides eyeglasses to people in communities throughout Africa that don’t have access to regular vision care. For more information, visit www.diffeyewear.com

Helping Charities THRIVE

Le-Vel, a billion-dollar nutritional innovation company, has a large list of charitable initiatives and donated more than $700,000 to organizations in need last year alone. Some of its ongoing partners include The National Breast Cancer Foundation (NBCF), Toys for Tots, the Hoyt Foundation and Americares. One recent example: In August, Le-Vel partnered with global relief organization Rise Against Hunger to launch THRIVE Nourish, a humanitarian aid mix that provides protein and nutritional benefits to those in critical need. Any Le-Vel Brand Promoter or customer can donate an order of THRIVE Nourish either on a one-time basis or on monthly auto-ship.

Last year, Le-Vel also partnered with Americacares to raise $430,000 in donations for Hurricane Harvey relief efforts while preparing for its annual breast-cancer awareness initiative during the month of October and Toys for Tots plans for December. Through the sale of the breast-cancer awareness, limited release, DFT nutritional patch, Le-Vel has raised over $730,000 for NBCF during the past three Octobers. For more information on Le-Vel and its products, visit www.le-vel.com.

Prioritizing making an impact on the world we all share.

Pairing Up for Good

In 2006, American entrepreneur Blake Mycoskie traveled to a poor village in Argentina and befriended children there who had no shoes to protect their feet. Soon after, he created TOMS, a company that matches every pair of shoes purchased with a pair of new shoes given to a needy child. Through the One for One program, TOMS has given more than 86 million pairs of new shoes to children in need. Gradually, TOMS has increased its product line and partnerships to serve other groups.

Through its TOMS Eyewear program, TOMS gives free eye exams and eyewear to those who need them. Since launching, TOMS has helped save or restore the vision of more than 175,000 people throughout the world. For a complete list of TOMS’ charitable partners and activities www.toms.com