2021 CTF GIFT GUIDE
It’s the holidays, bells are ringing, children are singing and people are blowing loads of cash on “stuff” like electronics, toys, decorations, clothes and accessories which will inevitably end up in a landfill. Although we don’t encourage consumption, we do recognize that most people will be gift-giving this holiday season, so we wanted to pass on our recommendations for supporting eco-conscious brands that are kind to the planet, support local artists and are working to give new life to items and textiles that were once landfill-bound.
Oh, and we can’t forget to mention, we have exclusive DISCOUNT CODES!!!! All discount codes expire on Christmas Eve, so don’t wait!
First up, we’re shamelessly self-promoting our 2022 Membership Gifting, namely our Tide Changer Membership Gift which is literally the gift that keeps on giving. 100% of your membership fee supports our programs so it’s a purchase with purpose! Plus its a win-win: you to support CTF while getting a tax deduction and your loved one gets to join our community and enjoy their perks year-round! Heck, while you’re here, you should splurge and just get yourself a membership too so you can shake that FOMO you know is coming and join the party already. We made it a point to keep our perks gender-neutral this year to be more inclusive and invite more of our male friends to join in on the fun. We’re still adding discounts and partners, but don’t worry, this year’s membership perks will be lit!
Purchase Tide Changer/Tide Shifter Gift
We send a digital gift card to print/fwd
Enjoy perks throughout 2022
Be a part of something meaningful
*2022 Membership perks are available digitally on 1/1/22 and physical perks ship mid-January.
Now that we got our Membership gift plug out of the way, we can move on and fan-girl out on some of our favorite social and eco-conscious brands, and next up is: EMPULSE.
Empulse is a salty & sustainable clothing line for laid back living, we came across a few years ago and have been in love with ever since. Made by Emily Karrer, right here in sunny San Diego, everything in her shop is hand-sewn by Em herself, using thrifted and up-cycled materials and natural plant-dyes. You can find Em a OB and Leucadia Farmers’ markets on most weekends but you can shop her styles online from anywhere, anytime! From start to finish, Em has kept the planet in mind, from donating a percentage of profits of certain styles to ocean conservation org like CTF, to naming one of her product lines ‘Save The Fishies’. All of Em’s styles are small-batch, slow fashion and genderless, making them a great gift of him, her and them!
Some of our favorites are Golden T and Save the Fishies Sweater! Head over to Empulse right now to enjoy 20% off your purchase on one of Em’s unique styles.
USE CODE: CTF20
Next up, we’ve got hats and bags to compliment your Empulse buy (see what we did there) and make you feel real good about supporting women artisans and woman-led business. Also run in San Diego and made in Imbabura, Ecuador, we have Made by Minga , who partners with highly skilled, multigenerational groups in Ecuador to create bags, hats and accessories that use all natural materials and are 100% hand made. Made by Minga is committed to supporting heirloom practices and arts and hope to inspire more conscious buying habits, which is just another reason we are big fans!
I mean, look a this hat/bag combo! And handmade by Ecuadorian women? Yes, please! Snag 15% off your purchase now!
USE CODE: CTF15
Well that is the perfect segue into our next super-powered brand, Thread Spun, a woman-owned and run brick and mortar and online store in Encinitas, California, carrying a curated selection of sustainably produced home goods, gifts and apparel from around the globe. Thread Spun’s cornerstone is paying fair wages and supporting fair trade and human rights. In essence, you take the guess work out of conscious consumerism when you shop here because you know if Heidi carries it in her shop, it’s legit. Aside from carrying some recognizable brands (like Made by Minga) Thread Spun also creates branded products in San Diego made by refugee women and utilizing naturally-dyed textiles from around the world. To add the cherry on top of this already very stacked cake, they give 10% of profits to charities. All of this makes Thread Spun exactly the kind of small business we aim to support.
Head to their website you’ll certainly find a great gift piece with an even better story behind it. Save 10% on your purchase of $100 or more online.
CODE: CTF HOLIDAY
Who’s next? Oh yes, since we’re on the theme of women-owned and sustainably made, let’s not forget about Sagebrush Bags, handmade by our seaster and professional surfer, Anna Ehrgott. Anna started making surfboard bags in 2014 and they are simply: TO DIE FOR! Since then she’s added surf ponchos, totes and more. We all love our boards, they are our babies, and what better way to make them last than by covering them up with a hand-crafted board bag made from coffee bean sacks from an organic, fair trade coffee roaster and remnant or vintage fabrics, making each bag one-of-a-kind. All while supporting a rad-surfer!
Well, hello ladies! What a beautifully dressed quiver, safe and sound from the elements. Mozy on over to Sagebrush to save 10%!
CODE: CTF10
In keeping with our woman and surf-powered theme meet our next featured brand, Hakuna Wear, a small swimwear brand with a big mission: to empower people to let go of their worries in the ocean, no matter what color, gender, religion you identify with. When Jessica Boynton started Hakuna Wear, she made it a point to make it functional. Their suits are responsibly made with the most sustainable fabrics on the market for swim and surf wear, using recycled water bottles and Yulex, a plant-based neoprene alternative, designed in Oceanside, California.
Made for all shapes, sizes & genders, and so cute and functional. Save 10% off your purchase online.
CODE: CHANGINGTIDES
Here’s a thought: why not help to spread messages of empowerment and positivity through art? That is exactly what our girl Hannah Eddy is doing! We are biased, because, well, Hannah is not only our friend, but we legit have the biggest collective girl-crush on her. Hannah is an illustrator and muralist based in Reno, NV, but this year she came down to the CTF space and painted a friggin’ mural (she also RIPS at skateboarding & snowboarding)! Next year, we’re releasing a limited edition print and button (for members only) and a T-shirt with some beautiful new artwork that Hannah made for us centered around finding unity in community! Her art is colorful and funky, playful and typically carries a clever message with a bigger meaning. We just LOVE HER!!! Consider supporting Hannah’s art by hiring her for graphics, a mural, or really just any excuse to hang out with her because she is the best!!
We didn’t get a coupon code for Hannah, we just really wanted to show her some love and she’s got some rad prints, T’s, hats, etc.. on her website so check her out!
Up next, we are switching it up to highlight men that are working hard for mama Earth! Let’s hear it for the boys!! We’re hitting you with Ponto Footwear! You may have heard us talk about Ponto in the last few weeks because as our 1% for the Planet partners, they stepped up for us in a big way, matching $10,000 in donations on Changing Tides Day! Needless to say, we are big fans, let us tell you why: Ponto is a sustainable “work-leisure” brand pioneering the dress sneaker. It looks like a dress shoe and feels like a squishy trainer, they are so comfortable while keeping you looking fly, so you can step right off the sand and into a meeting without skipping a beat. We haven’t even gotten to the good part yet: these shoes are made from recycled leather, eucalyptus tree pulp, and sugarcane foam, making them as friendly to the earth as they are to your feet! Their motto is: ‘Love the Planet You Walk On’ to which we respond, ‘We do, especially in our Ponto’s’!
These shoes are our jam! The color selections are awesome and the mens and women’s styles are nearly identical, making them gender-neutral and made for everyone.
Check out their new styles and save 15%
CODE: CTF15
And last, but certainly not least, Opolis, our newest friends in the sustainability space. Opolis is making sunglasses out of plant-based and recycled plastics. Their founder James traveled the world as a USAID contractor where he saw first-hand how single-use plastic led to degradation of natural resources, and impacted low-income communities. Opolis’ Bio Collection are sunglasses built the way mother nature intended. Each frame is made from plant-based and natural materials like cotton seeds, red pulp and hemp, making this product biodegradable. Opolis is intentional about the sourcing of the plastic to be reused through creating jobs in Kenya, Indonesia, and the Philippines. Not only are these frames great for your face, but they’re made with the planet in mind, which is why they’re donating 1% of their profits to organizations like ours working to help keep our oceans clean.
These sunnies are made sustainably, they will also disintegrate eventually, but not before you’re done with them. This form of bio-acetate biodegrades in 115 days in landfills. Save 20% on Opolis online.
CODE: CHANGINGTIDES20
It’s inspiring to see so many purpose-driven brands keeping the environment in mind and it’s so fun to learn more about them and share their stories.
Again, our goal in sharing a holiday guide each year is to highlight small ethical & eco-conscious “slow” brands that we admire & support. That being said, we hope you decide not to buy more “stuff” but if you do, these are a great place to start.
What we do wish for you all this holiday season is rest & self-care & focusing on being present & creating memories with your loved ones. Presence over Presents! We love you dearly.