Running Gear That Gives Back

Written by
Amanda Casanova
The New Year usually comes with an intense focus on making yourself better, but this year, why not broaden your perspective and try to make the world better too?

It's always fun to get new running gear, but buying from these do-good organizations will make you feel great. These brands make it their mission to donate to poverty-stricken countries, research organizations and other charities, while still providing great products.

From head to toe, here are a few items to add to your collection that will make a positive impact on the world.
BIC Bands
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BIC (Because I Can) Bands started when owner Sandy Pearson was trying to raise funds for her first half marathon. She decided to create non-slip headbands and later donated more than $1,000 of her proceeds to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.

Today, the colorful bands are still handmade in California and each month, the company donates to a different charity. More than $30,000 has been donated to charities in the past two years.
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Krochet Kids
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Krochet Kids launched when snow sport enthusiast Kohl Crecelius started crocheting his own unique headwear. Years later, while still in college, Crecelius and his friends applied to become a non-profit organization and went on to employ more than 150 women in Uganda and Peru to help make their products. The company provides education and mentoring to the women as part of their employment.

According to Krochet Kids statistics, their employees' families are now five times more likely to have access to healthcare, and their personal income has increased ten-fold since the non-profit started.
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SOLO Eyewear
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SOLO Eyewear was created during a class project at San Diego State University after Jenny Amaraneni learned that 1 billion people in the world do not have access to eye care.

Proceeds from every pair of SOLOs goes to funding eye care for people in need across the world. To date, SOLO Eyewear has restored eyesight to some 10,000 people in 32 countries. The name SOLO is tied to their mission statement, which states, "One person. One idea. One action can change the world."
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Chase Infinite
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Family-owned Chase Infinite sells fitness tanks, donating $1 from each sale to a charitable cause. Each tank is connected to a different charity, so you can pick which one you would like to support.

Past causes have included the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence and the Breast Cancer Research Foundation.
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Janji
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Janji, which means "promise" in the Malay language, sells running attire and donates proceeds to helping people across the globe access clean water. The company donates to a number of countries, including Peru, where 35 percent of rural Peruvians lack access to clean water; 3.4 million people in Rwanda; and Tanzania, where more than 420,000 benefit from access to clean water.

You can also make an impact right in your backyard. Each piece of U.S. apparel that you purchase will provide one year of clean water to a person living in the United States.
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Bombas
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For every pair of Bombas socks purchased, one pair is donated to homeless shelters, where the most requested item is socks.

Bombas is named after the Latin word for bumblebee. As Bombas explains on their site, "Bees live in a hive and work together to make their world a better place. They're small, but have a big effect on things."
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Activyst
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This company donates 10 percent of its profits to helping girls in poor countries gain access to sports. Their Activyst bag, which helped launch the company, is made from water-resistant "macen," a material from Nicaragua.

One bag purchased provides three girls with safe transportation to their soccer game. Activyst believes that girls who are active are healthier, happier and even smarter, as they tend to attend school more often.
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Miir
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Miir's hydration products are stainless steel and designed for both gym use and everyday. Each purchase of a Miir hydration product gives one person access to clean water for an entire year. By partnering with various nonprofits, Miir has completed water projects in Ethiopia, Uganda and Honduras, to name a few. Miir also allows you to track your impact after registering your product online.
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