Looking for a unique gift that will also give back to someone in need? There’s a huge range of companies that work to better the world through their social activism, whether employing fair trade artisans or donating to charity. And by giving a gift that supports a cause, you are also investing in the well-being of those less fortunate. In the end, isn’t this what the holiday spirit is about?

With such a wide range of products and charities, it’s not difficult to find something that is close to the heart of the gift recipient. For instance, Ivory Ella gives back to animals by donating to a charity that prevents elephant poaching, while STATE supports education by supplying an American child in need with a backpack full of supplies for every bag sold. The list continues full of chic, fun, and stylish items that won’t just make great gifts, but also a great impact.

Pura Vida Bracelets

Pura Vida Bracelets sells handcrafted bracelets made by artisans around the world. Founded in Costa Rica, they now have over 150 global artisans working. Not only does the company generate employment opportunities for these artisans, they also donate 1% of their annual revenue and have partnered with more than 190 charities and donated over $1 million. You can purchase single bracelets, packs, and even sign up for a monthly subscription service.

 

The Tote Project

Adorned with uplifting phrases, these totes and pouches are sewn in India by women who have left the sex trade. Aside from providing these women with employment opportunities, 20% of the The Tote Project’s profits are donated to the charity Two Wings to help survivors of human trafficking in the United States.

 

Box Lunch

Specializing in pop-culture themed products, for every $10 spent, Box Lunch donates a meal through the Feeding America program. Thus far they’ve donated 10 million meals through the program, which works with local food banks.

 

Skylar Yoo

Inspired by the Women’s March, My Modern Met co-founder Alice Yoo founded Skylar Yoo. By pairing artistic hand lettering with bold, inspirational phrases, the company sells apparel and accessories meant to empower women. Intended to spread a positive message, Yoo is also currently vetting the charities that will receive 10% of Skylar Yoo’s profits. The 10% will be divided between two organizations, one that supports women’s rights and another that supports mental health awareness.

 

Nina Bernice

Nina Bernice is an Australian designer who creates bags and clutches that are 100% vegan and cruelty-free. For every bag sold, a tree is planted in India in collaboration with partner WeForest.

 

Fernweh Jewelry

Featuring handcrafted elements from artisans around the world, Fernweh Jewelry’s pieces have global inspiration. Shop collections are themed around different countries of the world and 2.5% of every sale is reinvested into microloans for women in the communities that inspired the jewelry.

 

Ivory Ella

With poachers continuing to impact elephant populations, Ivory Ella is trying to make a difference. 10% of their net profits go to Save the Elephants, an organization in Kenya that helps protect these elegant giants. They’ve donated over $800,000 to Save the Elephants and continue to contribute to a range of other charities through special capsule collections.

 

Hiptipico

Hiptipico specializes in vibrantly colored handmade goods from Guatemala, primarily made by artisans from indigenous cultures. that let you read more about the artisans who make each piece. The ethical fashion brand sells everything from handbags and shoes to colorful camera straps, all 100% handcrafted and created using traditional techniques. Each product lets you read a little more about the artisan who crafted it and as the company is located full time in Guatemala, they are able to cultivate deep relationships with the artisans, who set their own prices and hours.

 

Conscious Step

Socks are a classic holiday go-to that can cause groans when opened, but what if those socks actually made a difference? Conscious Step sells organic and fair trade certified socks knit in India for both men and women—though most styles are for men. Collaborating with a wide range of charities, you can select your socks based on the cause, from treating HIV to providing clean water. For every pair purchased, a fixed fee goes directly to the partner charity, helping make tangible change around the world.

 

Yoobi

Stock up on fun, colorful school supplies for your kids—from lunch bags to notebooks and colored pencils and Yoobi will give back to a child in need. Yoobi—pronounced “you-be”—means “one for you, one for me.” And for every item purchased, a Yoobi item will be donated to an American classroom in need. Since 2014, they’ve donated enough to impact over 3 million kids. It’s a great place to load up on fun stocking stuffers that have a purpose.

 

The Brave Collection

Handmade in Cambodia by artisans who come from underprivileged backgrounds or suffer from disabilities, 10% of profits from The Brave Collection jewelry goes to help combat human trafficking in that country.

 

Cause Box

Featuring $150 worth of socially-conscious products for women, Cause Box is a quarterly subscription box that also features literature on the social causes aided by the products inside. There are different subscription options or you can buy a one-off box filled with goodies. Cause Box also partners with charities like Freedom Firm and Books for Africa to help them raise more funds.

 

FEED

Help children around the world get a good school meal when you purchase bags and accessories from FEED. All of their products—many of which are artisan made—list how many meals will be provided thanks to your purchase. FEED is partnered with the UN World Food Programme, UN Children’s Fund, and Feeding America to fulfill its promises to help end child hunger in 63 different countries.

 

STATE

For every backpack purchased, STATE delivers a backpack filled with tools for success to an American child in need. Their #WhatDoWeTellTheKids project aims to shed light on social injustices and marginalized populations around the US through sharing stories.

 

Delicacies

Working with charitable organizations such as Food Bank for New York City, Share Our Strength, No Kid Hungry, and New York’s City Harvest, Delicacies designs whimsical foodie jewelry—including necklaces inspired by pasta. Every purchase provides 20 meals to help feed the hungry. And each season they pair with a celebrity chef, donating at least 10% of profits to that chef’s favorite hunger-relief charity.

 

AmazonSmile

Like the convenience of Amazon, but still want to give back? AmazonSmile is an easy way to support your favorite charity while browsing the same products and paying the same price as you would normally. Just simply navigate through the AmazonSmile website, using your normal Amazon login, and select the charity you’d like to receive a donation based on your purchases. 0.5% of the purchase price on eligible products will automatically go to the charity of your choice.

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Philippe Halsman’s 1948 portrait of surrealist painter Salvador Dalí—entitled Dalí Atomicus—is one of the art world’s most famous images. Guernsey-based photographer Karl Taylor was so inspired by the iconic photo, he decided to create his own modern version. He explains, “It has been a favorite of mine for as long as I remember and it is probably the root of my own interest and specialization in photographing fast moving liquids and smashing objects.”

The surreal composition and precise timing of Dalí Atomicus perfectly captures the essence of the world famous artist. Inspired by Dalí’s own Leda Atomica painting, the image explores idea of suspension. Out-of-the-ordinary props—including the original painting, a floating chair, a splash of water in motion, a footstool, an easel, three flying cats, and last but not least, Dalí himself—are all suspended in mid-air, completing the dreamlike scene. Taking the assembled production cast 28 takes to get it right, the final result was published in LIFE magazine in 1948.

For Karl Taylor’s modern recreation, he chose to replace the flying cats with a toaster and a “melting” clock inspired by Dalí’s The Persistence of Memory painting. First, Taylor’s team got to work building the background walls, using the original image as reference. After setting up the props, the next task was the figure out how to recreate the lighting and shadows. The objects were illuminated from all directions with industrial Flooter lights and beams.

The next challenge was to capture the Dalí look-alike in midair, as well as the water in motion, which artist Adebanji had the task of throwing from a bucket, over and over again. Taylor achieved his uncanny replicate in 29 takes—one shot more than the original—while the BBC documented the entire process.

Photographer Karl Taylor recreated the iconic 1948 Dalí Atomicus by Philippe Halsman.

Although he chose to replace the flying cats with different props, his modern version is impressively close to the original.

Watch the behind-the-scenes footage to find out how he achieved the final image.

Karl Taylor: Website | Instagram | Facebook
h/t: [Fstoppers]

All images via Karl Taylor.

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Outer space has captured our imagination for as long as we can remember, from the first man to land on the moon to NASA’s latest images from Jupiter and discovery of new planets, it’s incredible how much we continue to learn about our own solar system and beyond. And with record numbers of people flocking to watch the recent solar eclipse, it’s clear that our love for science is at an all-time high.

And whether you love astronomy yourself—or know someone who does—it’s incredible how many ways you can bring a touch of outer space into your own home. Whether it’s a well-crafted planetary model, a LEGO set that pays homage to the women of NASA, or the collector’s edition of Carl Sagan’s Cosmos, there’s no shortage of great astronomy finds on Amazon. We scoured the site to find the best astronomy related products and put together this Amazon shopping guide to help bring a bit more science into your life.

These 20+ creative products are the perfect way to bring the solar system closer to home.

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Cats never cease to delight us with their dashing good looks and penchant for striking just the right pose. From felines who inadvertently position themselves just like pin-up models to naturally two-faced chimera beauties, there’s no doubt that these furry friends are our creative muses. Their influence knows no bounds, and you don’t have to be an artist to express how they inspire you. The subreddit Minimal Cat Art is a place where people can share their own drawings of these fierce furballs with just a few simple lines.

The subreddit is “intended to be silly, under-detailed representations of cats, which are made funnier or more cute due to their crudeness of technique and/or lack of detail.” This idea of minimalism can be interpreted in a myriad of ways. Some Redditors draw the outline of the body and not much more, which transforms the animal from a feline into a strange, alien-like creature. Others take a more realistic approach and choose to highlight facial features or other defining characteristics. But regardless of the style, they all have the one idea in common: to represent cats that mean something to them and have fun doing it. “Our vision,” the subreddit states, “is to enjoy the art and be excellent to each other.”

Minimal Cat Art is a newly-launched subreddit (inspired by this Reddit post) that anyone can do. Just add your cat drawings to join!

Redditors are getting inspired by their felines and creating cat drawings.

The subreddit is called Minimal Cat Art, and it challenges you to distill your furry friend into a few lines.

Some interpretations make the cats look like aliens…

…while some are more realistic.

They invite anyone to join, so submit your own cat drawing!

Minimal Cat Art: Reddit

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