Charity by Design

Charity by Design is a beautiful jewelry collection from Alex and Ani. They work closely with different charities and organizations to create unique pieces of jewelry that represent the message that each wants to get across. Each piece has a different meaning, purpose, and a slightly different look from the rest. I love that their designs are simple, classy, and can be paired with almost any outfit. These bracelets are a perfect addition to my arm candy obsession! :)

PLUS Alex and Ani is an eco-friendly business that uses recycled materials to create their products.

Learn more about these priceless pieces and shop at AlexandAni.com.

Pure Life

How cute are these bracelets that my friend Tarole has??

They're Pura Vida bracelets. Pura Vida means "pure life" in Spanish.

Simple and cute. These bracelets are entirely handmade in Costa Rica, helping employ local artisans there. Additionally, Pura Vida is part of "One Percent for the Planet" and donates 1% of proceeds to the Surfrider Foundation.

Shop for bracelets and find out how you can get involved at puravidabracelets.com.

Annie O's Peruvian Designs

Annie O. Boutique collaborates with women in remote communities in Peru who have been victims of domestic violence to create vibrant one-of-a-kind accessories. Each design captures the lively culture of Peru. The boutique uses local materials and artisans which truly keeps their products unique.

Check out these colors!

Margarita Embroidered Clutch: $105

Embroidered Floral Peruvian Belts: $68 each

Horn Cuffs: $30 - $36

Designer and founder, Annie O. Waterman, believes in empowering women. With the start of her business, she has been able to provide an income, financial stability, and safe environment for women in Peru.

I'm all for women helping women!

Check out more of these bright designs at annieoboutique.com.

Kayu

Founded in 2008, Kayu is based on 3 concepts: using eco-friendly materials to create their products, engaging designers of various countries to promote international and cultural business, and giving back to the community.

For every pair of sunglasses purchased, a 2% donation is made towards funding vision-repairing surgeries in India. (Donations made through Unite For Sight)

Cebu Wood Sunglasses: $184

For every handbag sold, a 2% donation is made towards the funding of school supplies in Cambodia. (Donations made through Awareness Cambodia)

Wren Shell Clutch: $569

Rachel Straw Clutch: $155

Find out more at: www.kayudesign.com and visit their blog at kayudesign.blogspot.com

Changing Lives With Prints

"Just as one values the beauty of a print, Give Prints values the beauty of lives changed."

Professional photographers and charities from around the globe have come together to form Give Prints.

The process is simple. Buy a photograph, select a charity, done! 50% of the cost of your purchase goes to one of their partner charities.

Here are some of my favorite photographs from their online shop:

"Thread" by Samantha May: Starting at $25

"US Open Wall" by Ryan Longnecker: Starting at $25

"Red Door" by Kara Marnell: Starting at $25

"Peace" by Jenn Gibello: Starting at $25

Each photo is available in a variety of sizes. View their selections and learn more at www.giveprints.com.

Out of Print

People wear clothes that show off their favorite sports team or a cool musician, so why not show off your favorite book or author too?  Out of Print is a company whose products (mostly t-shirts) feature books that are often out of print.

Pride and Prejudice T-Shirt: $28

The Great Gatsby Tote Bag: $18

With our current state of digital-everything, hard copies of books may be nearing their death. Well not death, but you know what I mean. Now more than ever may be the best time to acknowledge that plain ol' "reading" has been forever changed. To top off this unique idea, with each product sold, Out of Print donates one book to a community in need through their partner Books for Africa.

The people at Out of Print say that their products are "treated to feel soft and worn like a well-read book". So grab a tee, a tote, and a book (while you still can).

Find out more about Out of Print's products and mission on their website: www.outofprintclothing.com

Free Amir

Amir Hekmati is an Iranian-American who has been sentenced to death for allegedly spying in Iran. He is also a former-marine, dear friend to many, a son, and was born and raised in America.
He was arrested on August 29, 2011 while visiting his grandmother in Iran.

The Hekmati family stands by their son and his innocence. They have hired a legal team that is diligently working towards Amir's immediate release. To help fund this cause and spread the word about this terrible injustice, purchase FREE AMIR items at the Free Amir online store.

FREE AMIR Awareness T-Shirt: $20

While many of you are hesitant about donating or purchasing items from smaller organizations, I can assure you that this is a worthy cause. Amir Hekmati is a close friend of my brother in-law who is very active in this fight to regain Amir's freedom.

Learn more at www.freeamir.org and join the community that has come together to show their support for the freedom of Amir at www.facebook.com/FreeAmirHekmati

Shoes for TOMorrow

TOMS. If you haven't heard of these babies, you must be living on another planet. With designs based off of Argentina's alpargata style, these shoes have become a hot trend with people of all ages and of all nationalities.

The name TOMS derived from the word "tomorrow" which came from the founder's original project, "Shoes for Tomorrow". TOMS is widely known for their slogan "One for One", signifying the most powerful part (in my opinion) of the organization, giving shoes to children in need. With every pair of shoes purchased, TOMS vows to donate a new pair of shoes to a child who needs them. How cool is that? Want to know something even cooler? Since the company launched in 2006, over 1 million shoes have been given to children who need them.

I've recently become a bit TOMS-crazed.. And by crazed I mean I purchased 4 pairs within 1 week..oops! When my shoes arrived, I opened the box and the first thing I saw was a TOMS receipt that said, "Thank you. You made 4 people smile with your purchase.". Well this made me smile too of course! Also included in each box of shoes is a TOMS decal sticker and a small TOMS bag which has just enough room to store my new kicks.

So, regardless of what my husband says about my spending habits, each time I look down at my happy feet, I'll know that a child somewhere has happy feet too. :)

Purchase your TOMS and learn more on their website: www.toms.com

Don't see the style you're looking for? Check out Nordstrom, Neiman Marcus, and other retail stores that carry them too!

Bits of Uganda

31 Bits is a company that really makes me smile. Having spent time in Uganda myself, I'm especially drawn to their product and their purpose.

With every 31 Bits purchase, you are empowering women in Uganda to rise above poverty. I love this! You're not donating money or materials (not that those aren't great too!), you're helping these ladies learn about business, values, confidence, and more tools to succeed in life. Learn more about the 31 Bits mission HERE and watch this video:

And check out some of their many designs completely handmade in Uganda:

They even have a BRIDAL line!

Cute right?! If you haven't already fallen in love, read this:

Listed as values of 31 Bits: "Love, because love stems from Christ and is a catalyst for positive change. Equality, because equality promotes dignity, respect, and self-worth for all people. Hope, because hope is the belief that something good can and will happen. Honesty, because honesty demonstrates integrity and ensures trust and transparency with all participants. Quality, because a quality product is created with the utmost excellence. Growth, because growth allows us to dream of what the future could look like; and as a result, continuously be implementing new and innovative ways to improve the quality of the organization and of the lives of participants." 

I am so grateful that I came across this business (thanks to Amy Cornwell!) and I can't wait to get my bits in the mail! :)

Priceless Threads

Specializing in PR & Marketing, I've come to appreciate the efforts involved in maintaining a small business. Additionally, I've gained a great admiration of businesses who give back to their community by hosting events, donating proceeds of their sales to charities, or even businesses that are entirely based off of charitable concepts.

That being said, I thought it would be fitting to blog about these businesses that I've become so passionate about. To me, these threads I purchase are priceless.

So shop on, my friends. And do it with a purpose.