Holiday Gifts That Give Back

In 2013, Canadian lifestyle retailer Holt Renfrew launched an in-store department called the H Project. Spearheaded by Alexandra Weston, the now-VP of brand and creative strategy at the company, the space aimed to promote products and brands “helping to drive positive change within the industry.”

“H Project’s purpose is to connect customers with causes and communities to inspire a new generation of purposeful luxury that is helping to drive positive change within the industry,” Weston summarizes. “The department provides a platform for these brands and their makers to support their products and tell the story behind them.”

The initial selection, she recalls, was driven by a single question: “If the fashion industry was so influential that it could cause such negative social and environmental impacts, then was it not possible to push that pendulum in the other direction and use that same influence to be a catalyst for good?” A decade later, the assemblage of artisan offerings and sustainable brands has positioned the retailer as a leader in the eco-conscious luxury space with company-wide programs and commitments within the Holts Sustainable Edit, “science-based targets” within its corporate community investment strategy, a charity partner program with WWF-Canada and more. 

The H Project product offering has expanded to include 292 independent artisans and brands from more than 40 countries, representing more than 150 artisan communities, according to Weston. Artisan partners are chosen for both the aesthetic appeal of their products and the positive impact that they carry. “With a decade of experience under our belt, we are pretty good and knowing where to look and what questions to ask,” she says of the selection process. “The other way we find products is through partnerships with incredible organizations and people, like Obakki and Treana Peake, who dedicate their lives to creative positive impact by supporting artisan communities.”  

Vancouver-based Peake is the founder of the “purpose-led lifestyle brand” and foundation Obakki, which works with a global network of thousands of artisan partners in countries such as Uganda, Kenya and Mexico. The artisans earn fair compensation for their products as well as additional support offered with the goal of ensuring a sustainable working environment in the individual communities. Peake travels to each community in order to establish long-term connections with the makers, thus ensuring “sustainability, traceability and ethical production,” according to the brand. “Where all our product comes from, it’s not made in factories. It’s small batch, made by humans,” Peake has said of the curated artisan selection.

The idea of conscious consumerism—the practice of buying and using products with a mindful and intentional perspective—has increased in recent years. In fact, a March 2021 survey from Statista showed that 46 per cent of Canadian shoppers said they purchased more “biodegradable and eco-friendly products,” with 49 per cent saying they supported and were eager to support companies and retailers offering more eco-friendly options and perspectives. 

“More and more, customers are making purchasing decisions based on a brand’s values,” Weston says of the increased demand for sustainable options. “This is amazing. And a lot of brands are making changes to their production and sourcing to align with those demands.”

With the effort of supporting makers closer to home, Quebec-headquartered retailer Simons launched an initiative called Fabrique 1840 in 2018. The digital platform offers access to an ever-growing list of goods by Canadian designers and artisans. What started as 50 handpicked makers has grown to include more than 400 artisans from “all four corners of the country” with goods spanning homewares and furniture, ceramics, accessories and even modern art. 

“The motivation behind Fabrique 1840 is to create a mutually beneficial ecosystem,” says Cecile Branco, director of vision, sustainable development and circular economy at Simons. “The level of design and craftsmanship in this country is truly remarkable. We wanted to support these gifted creators to ensure they can make living from their craft and contribute to the local economy.”

Chosen for their “creativity and authenticity,” the retailer’s ambition with offering the products from the small artisan creators online is to build a “successful ecosystem” for their wares with their customers and others. The growth, Bronco stresses, is essential to supporting Canadian makers. 

“Canadians must establish a destination that supports and celebrates our creativity and values,” Branco says. “The road to Canadian economic success is rooted in cooperation and community. With the goal of supporting gifted creators, we wish to ensure they can make living from their craft and contribute to the local economy.”

It’s an effort that Branco says Canadian shoppers are stepping up to support. “The success of Fabrique 1840 relates to our customers’ interest in high-quality design and materials. This is the main reason we keep growing our Fabrique 1840 portfolio with creativity, quality, beauty and authenticity,”

As the interest in sustainable options grows, shoppers can expect to see a further evolution of the eco-conscious offering in stores. And, according to Weston, that evolution includes innovation. “There is an incredible merging between fashion and science happening that is resulting in an explosion of innovative materials, ways of production, and circular concepts all aimed at minimizing the impacts of fashion and consumerism in general,” she says. “This is an exciting space we are hoping to support as we evolve.” —Aleesha Harris

6 Conscious Gifts

Searching for a gift that pays it forward? Look no further than these five products with ethical sourcing, fair-trade practices and philanthropic initiatives:

• Cute, cosy and crafted in Canada, these adorable crocheted socks from the Quebec-based small artisan brand Les Petits Tousi (from $43 at Simons.ca) offer handmade footwear options for newborns up to age 24 months. 
• Not your everyday advent calendar, this charity-linked creation from 24 Good Deeds (From $24 at Donate.24gooddeeds.ca) sees a charitable project behind each “door” of the calendar that shows exactly where your donations are going to work. 
• Give the gift of selfcare with this Lúlum Bath and Body Oil ($54 at Holtrenfrew.com) from the Indigenous-owned brand Skwalwen Botanicals, which features calendula and plantain to nourish and soften skin. Handcrafted in Canada, the brand’s small-batch offering ranges from bar soaps to soothing bath salts. 
•  Handmade in Oaxaca, Mexico by an artisan named Julio, this clay Liso Corazon Vase ($101 USD at Obakki.com) is elegant and earthy—as well as eye-catching. 
• This Women’s Asilah Cropped Sweater ($225) from Canadian brand Kotn is even sweeter thanks to its organic cotton-responsibly sourced wool blend and ethical creation in Portugal. 
• For the kids, meet this year’s Holiday Bear, hand-crafted by Nepalese artisans for Hazel Village and Holt Renfrew ($65). Every bear—each donning its own colourful striped tee—provides hours of meaningful work for underserved communities. Plus, $5 from each full-priced purchase will be donated to WWF-Canada’s Regenerate Canada plan to recover at-risk species, restore habitat across the country and fight climate change. Collect all three for a complete set.