We are nearly in the season of goodwill, and those of us who are at least pretending that this is the year we’re going to be prepared for Christmas are starting to think about gifts. Whether it’s a present for a partner, a parent, or the office secret Santa, it takes an awful lot of emotional energy to get Christmas sorted. What do you even get people – a bar of soap? Socks? Soap and socks?

Let PosAbility take some of the burdens from you: here’s a few shops and companies we’ve discovered that make beautiful products, while also helping and supporting the disabled community.

The Soap Co.

https://www.instagram.com/p/B4PWr3wnqdC/

Based in East London and with a traditional workshop in the Lake District, The Soap Co’s products are handcrafted by disabled people from locally sourced ingredients. The company is also highly environmentally conscious, focusing their efforts on ensuring that their ingredients and packaging is both sustainable and of a lower environmental impact. 80% of the staff who work for The Soap Co are disabled, so by buying some of their luxurious products – which start at just £7 so you can enjoy some affordable opulence – you’re supporting the wider disabled community.

Harry Specters

https://www.instagram.com/p/B3B3Gcohf9A/

These stunning chocolates not only taste incredible but support a brilliant cause. The small company are highly transparent about their social aims and causes, seeking to employ and provide work experience for young people and adults with autism. The stunning chocolate is an absolute luxury at a very reasonable price, and with 60p out of every £1 of profit made, you can feel extremely good about yourself when you accidentally eat a tray of chocolates you intended to give to someone as a gift!

Shetland Soap Company

https://www.instagram.com/p/B1giTLOAYuP/

Inspired by the scents and sights of their island surroundings, the Shetland Soap Company employs a team of disabled people to make stunning soaps, lotions, scrubs, and bath salts. Their products show a deep sense of pride in their Shetland heritage, naming collections after their shingle beaches, boat landings and – the one that’s most pleasant to say out loud, “shoormal” – where the ocean meets the shore. Supporting the very reasonably priced products of the Shetland Soap Company not only supports an excellent social enterprise, but it also supports the local economy of the Shetland Isles. And you get some stunning soap. Win-win!

Conscious Crafties

https://www.instagram.com/p/BzvEdIagbRc/

Conscious Crafties is a marketplace, kind of like Etsy, where people who live with disabilities and chronic illnesses can sell their hand-made products or sell their skills, like reiki and much more. If you can dream it, you can probably find it on Conscious Crafties. Their selection of bespoke and one-of-a-kind jewellery is truly stunning, and everything is handcrafted, meaning you’re not only buying a beautiful product but giving money directly to a disabled creator. If you live with a disability and are a creative (and kind!) person, you may even qualify to open up your own shop!

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Image: Soap Co

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