upworthy

Skip Black Friday and shop discounts at these companies making a positive impact on the world

Michelle Gant
11.27.19
Courtesy of DoneGood

While Thanksgiving is meant to celebrate all we have to be grateful for, it's also the unofficial kick-off to the holiday shopping season. Last year, Americans spent about $1 trillion on gifts. What if we all used that purchasing power to support companies that reduce inequality, alleviate poverty, fight climate change, and help make the world better?

Between Black Friday and Cyber Monday, the coming days will have spending on everyone's brains. But in an effort to promote the companies doing good for the world, DoneGood founder Cullen Schwarz created Shop for Good Sunday (which falls on December 1 this year.)

Dubbed the "Alternate Black Friday," Shop for Good Sunday is dedicated to encouraging people to shop brands that do good for people and the planet. It also serves as a reminder to support local businesses making a positive impact in their communities.

While Shop for Good Sunday technically falls on a single day, this year, participating ethical and sustainable brands are running discounts for the whole week prior.

Where you invest your dollars matters, and there's great potential to put that money to good use if you know how. Check out these six brands that sell amazing products while also making a positive impact on the world. You'll not only be getting your loved ones meaningful gifts, but also making the world a brighter place along the way.

Isn't that what the holidays are really about?

Functional outdoor gear

Parque Rain Shell

Cotopaxi makes unique, sustainable outdoor gear, like this Parque rain shell, while keeping ethics at the core of its business model. The company gives 1% of its annual revenue to organizations that fight poverty and improve the human condition.

Modern furniture

Simbly Coffee Table

Simbly is a direct-to-consumer furniture company that sells modern, sustainable products built in the U.S. made of FSC-certified wood. And for every product sold, the company plants a tree.

Beautiful jewelry

Tho Bar & Geo Buffalo Horn Earrings

Hathorway is a jewelry company that handcrafts its accessories with materials like ethically-sourced up-cycled buffalo horns and handwoven rattan. Each item is designed and assembled in the U.S. with thoughtfully selected materials sourced from Vietnam, Thailand, and South Korea. A portion of the company's profit goes to initiatives that empower young, underprivileged women.

Luxe linens

Bamboo Charcoal Sheet Set

Ettitude crafts its home textiles from CleanBamboo fabric, a unique material made from 100% organic bamboo, the most resource-efficient plant on the planet. It also requires significantly less water to grow and produce than traditional cotton textiles. The products are also ethically made and come in packaging made from extra pieces of fabric.

Unique wood wares

The Charcuterie Board

Would Works creates and sells beautiful household wood products handcrafted by people experiencing homelessness or living in poverty. The company works with its artisans to provide job skills, financial literacy, and an income so they can reach their financial goals.

Empowering candles

She Inspires Candle

Prosperity Candle products are created by women refugees building a brighter future for themselves and their families. Each candle is made of soy-blend wax with essential oils hand poured in a well-designed container that is easily refilled or repurposed.

Find more of these great deals at DoneGood!

*Upworthy may earn a portion of sales revenue from purchases made through affiliate links on our site.

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Business

Xennials share the best life lessons they've learned from their Boomer parents

"I learned how to budget, survive on a poverty level income, and persevere no matter what is thrown at me."

Photo credit: Canva

Xennials share the best life advice that their Boomer parents gave them.

Xennials (those born 1977 to 1983) are a microgeneration between Gen X (those born 1965 to 1980) and Millennials (those born 1981 to 1996). These late '70s and early '80s babies were mostly raised by Baby Boomer parents (born 1946 to 1964) who taught them lots of positive life lessons that have stuck with them.

In a discussion among Xennials on Reddit, one posed the question: "What do you think was your best lesson learned by being raised by Boomers?"

Fellow Xennials shared their open and honest answers about the good their Boomer parents instilled in them. These are 15 things they appreciate having learned from their Boomer parents:

xennial, xennials, xennial life lessons, boomer parents, boomer mom Xennial woman with her Boomer mother.Photo credit: Canva

"My parents were born in the late 40s. I got the same indoctrination to only show calm. And you know what? It has worked out for me. I feel the feels, but I have the mental equipment to only show the calm. I think this is actually a benefit of our upbringing." - FastWalkingShortGuy

"My parents were both born in ‘48. They have always been fairly liberal, artsy types. The best thing I learned from them is that racism, sexism and homophobia is wrong and we should all actively work to make the world a better place. Also, that societal expectations are arbitrary and that you should carve your own path and be yourself." - Public-Grocery-8183

"My dad worked harder than I ever have. He literally worked 24 hours days when it would snow. Worked his regular job for 12 hours, then snow removal all night long. Before the sun was up, he was back at his regular job. I'm so glad I don't have to do that. I feel terrible all the times I kept him up at night with my videos games or other youthful bullsh*t. It gave me a work ethic like no other. If you want to own your own business, it's best if you don't have any 'quit' in you." - 86400spd

"Good: Mom and dad can both work full time and still cook a healthy and good dinner for the fam every night." - Verbull710

"I was born in ‘79 (mom 1955 and dad 1949 so both boomers). The best thing I learned from then was to not make excuses and be independent. They were not neglectful but they weren’t helicopter parents and let me suffer the consequences of my actions when I messed up." - Creative-Tomatillo

"A couple come to mind: Rely on yourself. Don’t expect anyone else to figure things out for you. And balanced meals, how to garden." - mel060

xennial, xennials, xennial adult children, boomer parent, boomer parents A Xennial son spends time with his Baby Boomer parent.Photo credit: Canva

"Boomer parents taught me about cool hippie era counter culture stuff and gave me a leg up on having music, literature, and film nerd cred." - User Unknown

"I learned how to budget, survive on a poverty level income, and persevere no matter what is thrown at me. I was taught to fix things rather than replace when possible." - Economy_Dog5080

"Learning to suck things up and move on rather than dwelling on them. I think they probably took it farther than they should with that, but as I see gen Z being kind of ruled by their trauma (and don't get me wrong, I love gen z), I'm glad I learned to just deal with stuff and press on when I need to. That and not micromanaging my kid- boomers were pretty hands off parents and while it wasn't perfect, I do think it's much better than the helicopter parenting of today." - Myrtle_Snow_

"My parents very much taught me how to do things for myself. I knew how to fix the minor things on my car, basic plumbing, electric, obviously I could mow a lawn and grow some plants. They taught me to cook more than just the bare bones, but tasty stuff. I could do laundry the right way. And my mom actually took time to teach me how to learn. Back in the day you needed to know how to use encyclopedias and librarians. She told me I needed to know how to ask the right questions to learn what was necessary. I think they did a great job with these." - esignIntelligent456

xennial, xennial microgeneration, xennials, baby boomer parent, boomer parent A Xennial son goofs around with his Baby Boomer dad.Photo credit: Canva

"My parents are both 1956, def Boomers. They are pretty frugal and taught me to never be wasteful, which actually they got from their parents and passed down. My mom was a huge fan of garage sales, shopping for our clothes and toys and stuff and then having sales and selling the same stuff after we were done with it. Then in order to get the most money when reselling we had to take care of the stuff so we could sell it so that taught us to take care of everything we had. I hated it then and found it embarrassing, especially when we went into someone’s garage and it was like a kid from my school sitting there. But now I freaking love going to find treasures. Haha. They also taught me to save money. When I was a kid I hated getting 'money for college' for Christmas and birthdays but when they were able to pay all of the tuition for me without any loans I knew I wanted to do the same for my kids." - JumboThornton

"Life is hard, don’t give up. My pops was pretty sick, had a stroke, seizures, and was an amputee. He lived way longer than he should have apparently and he refused to let that shit define him. My mom showed me that when you really love someone, nothing gets in the way. My dad got sick like 2 years after they married and they loved each other until the day he died. So, she showed me how strong love can be. She also told me to punch my bully in the nose as hard as I can, that way he will tear up and it will definitely leave him hurting lol." - Intelligent-Invite79

"Life is not fair. My dad preached that to me and it may be painful, but true. You dint get 'participation trophies' in life!" - SafetyNo6700

"How to spend money responsibly. I don’t actually need everything." - Demon_Eater12345

"My parents were huge on respect. They taught me to respect others and think before I speak. It even went so far as to consider how others might take what I say based on their perspective, religion, experience, etc. Now, 45 years later, I need to teach them the same lessons they taught me." - truthcopy

baby boomer parentsboomerboomersxennialxennialsxennial microgenerationlife lessonslife adviceparentsparentingparenting lessonsparentboomer parentbaby boomer parentadult childrenboomer parents
Culture

A man's bathroom emergency forced his partner out of the shower. Cue the online debate.

"Dude, no. I'll just close the shower curtain and you can go"

Photo credit: Canva, Ariwasabi (left, cropped) / pixelshot (right, cropped)

The story of an emergency poop and a shower dilemma sparked an online debate.

One couple, one toilet, one digestive emergency, and a half-finished shower. For anyone who values poop-time privacy, it's hard to imagine a more awkward combo. Someone recently shared how they handled that exact scenario, sparking an online debate about bathroom decorum and, by extension, whether couples should be comfortable pooping in each other's company.

In a viral thread on Reddit, the OP said they arrived home and told their boyfriend they were taking a "quick shower." But as soon as they started shampooing, their partner walked in and announced an urgent poop emergency. "I respond 'Dude, no. I'll just close the shower curtain and you can go,'" they replied. "To which he responds 'Are you serious?!? You gotta get out!' To which I'm like, 'Dude, are YOU seriously asking me to get out of the shower right now?'"

bathroom, shower, toilet, sink A modern bathroom. Photo by 99.films on Unsplash

The context here is crucial. The Redditor said they've lived together for more than two years and are "pretty [comfortable] with each other but definitely not to the point of pooping in front of each other."

Their boyfriend has IBS, so bathroom urgency is a serious issue for him: "When he's gotta go, he's gotta go." But the OP noted that their home is very cold and heated with a wood stove. "I hadn't gotten the fire going yet so was just standing freezing and dripping and shampoo-haired outside the bathroom waiting for him to s---," they added. "This is obviously not THAT big of a deal but like…am I crazy thinking that it's a wild ask to make ur partner leave mid shower so you can take a dump?"

The post went viral, and many comments appeared to side with the boyfriend, citing general privacy concerns as well as his IBS.

"I've been married over 20 years and we still give each other privacy to poop"

"Ngl I wouldn't want to be in the shower while someone was actively s----ing in the same room, but maybe that's me."

"op even said he has IBS. Bro is fighting demons in there"

"I have [Crohn's]. If my wife had to vacate the shower every time I unexpectedly needed the toilet, she'd be shaving her head."

"Sometimes when I s--- I don't even want to be in there"

"I’ve been married over 20 years and we still give each other privacy to poop. Multiple bathrooms do help. IBS adds a whole level of complexity to this scenario. It's urgent, and often very unpleasant both in sound/smell and he's probably embarrassed enough by it as it is. This was a case of really bad timing. If it happens again, rinse out the shampoo and get out ASAP - although you're majorly inconvenienced, he's got an actual emergency."

- YouTube www.youtube.com

"I am not leaving that water till the shampoo is rinsed and conditioner is applied and rinsed. Period."

But there were plenty of other perspectives.

"This is so weird to me. I don't share a bathroom while my husband s---s if I can reasonably avoid it, but if I've just put in shampoo and he's got to GO, then we're just going to have to handle business at the same time. I'm not leaving the bathroom soapy and cold because he can't poop with an audience. It's just f---ing bodily functions, I'm not that precious and neither is he. IBS wouldn't change that. It's not ideal, but he'd never ask me to be physically uncomfortable because he was emotionally uncomfortable. Edit: to be clear, I'll rush the shower. Skip shaving and other unnecessary steps. Shorten the post shower routine or fully push it back. But I am not leaving that water till the shampoo is rinsed and conditioner is applied and rinsed. Period."

"Completely wild. As much as I gotta poop (also in same boat with the IBS) if I'm kicking everyone out every time I do, nothing would ever get done. Nobody else can shower or use the shower to pee or my ol lady would never be able to get ready for work. Thats insane IMO."

"I had an ex with IBS, it was bad. But I know how to just not use my nose in horribly smelly situations. I'd rush, for his comfort, but I wouldn't bail, covered in soap."

"IBS emergencies are real and when someone says they have to go, they usually mean right now. That said, asking someone to step out of the shower soaking wet in a freezing house is also pretty rough and understandably frustrating."

"I'm 12 years in and have never once done that with my husband in the room or vice versa"

Naturally, some comments diverged from the original story and focused more on the idea of pooping in the same room as your partner.

"Honestly I’m more fascinated by how many spouses poop in front of each other. I’m 12 years in and have never once done that with my husband in the room or vice versa. I didn’t realise it was such a common thing!"

"I'm surprised how many people are appalled by the idea 🤣 we have full blown conversations while pooping daily. If it's especially stinky I'll vacate, but otherwise it's not a big deal at all."

"I dump in front of my husband all the time lol. And vice versa. Just turn on the fan. Oh and we have three bathrooms haha!"

Bathroom etiquette is complex. In a 2025 Reddit thread, people debated whether or not a "courtesy flush" is expected at someone else's house. Some argued it's the decent thing to do, while others doubted its effectiveness or disliked the idea because of water waste.

- YouTube www.youtube.com

pooping at someone's housepooping in publicpoop at homepoopbathroomprivacybathroom decorumdebateshoweringrelationshipsemergency pooppooping
Wellness
Friendship

Man who was mistakenly added to a group chat shares the moment he knew they'd be lifelong friends

Culture

Photographer films empty, snowy street that sparks massive Millennial and Gen Z metaphor

Pop Culture

Fascinating video reveals 7 reasons why people in the past looked so much older

Employment lawyer reveals the four text messages you should never send to a coworker

When it comes down to it, they're there to make money.

Photo credit: Canva

Employment lawyer reveals 4 texts to never send a coworker

It's not uncommon for people to have a "work bestie" or "work spouse." Often, people spend a lot of their waking hours at work, so they're bound to feel like they've made true friendships with their coworkers. Before too long, numbers get exchanged, and they find themselves venting after hours about work, but this may not be a good thing.

Ed Hones is an employment attorney in Seattle, Washington, and he is not only discouraging coworkers from thinking of each other as friends, but also sharing what texts people should never send their colleagues. As an employment lawyer, Hones sees the legal fallout of the lines between friends and coworkers being blurred. Though he isn't saying people can't text their coworkers, he lists four specific types of texts to never send in case of a lawsuit.

"I see great cases destroyed every single day from one thing: old text messages," Hones reveals. "You might think that your text thread with your coworker is a safe space to vent, joke, or even scheme, but let me be clear about this one thing: it is not. In the eyes of the law, those text messages are evidence, and if you ever have to sue your employer for something, defense attorneys will find a way to get those text messages and destroy your credibility and tank your case."

employee; employment law; work friends; work bestie; coworker boundaries; work boundaries; work life balance Smiling at work, checking messages during a break.Photo credit: Canva

Of course, no one plans to sue their employer or to have their employer sue them, but sometimes things happen that result in lawsuits. Once a lawsuit is filed, discovery often follows, which means phone records and other device communications can be requested. If you've been trash-talking your boss or making egregious claims, you may be stuck having to explain it in court. But avoid sending these four texts, and you won't have to worry about your employer finding something to use against you in a lawsuit.

1. Asking a coworker to bend the rules

Hones explains that this often happens in the form of asking someone to clock you in or initial a form they forgot to complete. It may be something you think everyone does every once in a while at their place of employment, but sending a text message is documenting the request. Explicitly asking a coworker to break this employment policy can result in termination being justified. The employment attorney implores people to avoid doing it completely.

employee; employment law; work friends; work bestie; coworker boundaries; work boundaries; work life balance Man focused on his phone screen, deep in thought.Photo credit: Canva

2. Awkwardly acknowledging something inappropriate

"Here is the scenario," Hones says. "A coworker or supervisor texts you something inappropriate. Maybe it's a dirty joke or a comment about your private life, or medical condition. It makes you uncomfortable, but you have to see this person at the office tomorrow, and you don't want to make it awkward, so you reply with an LOL, laughing emoji, or a thumbs up. But if you send that text, you're walking into a legal trap called "The Unwelcome Standard.'" This means that if this behavior turns into harassment or creates a hostile environment, legally, it can be seen as being acceptable due to responses to inappropriate texts in the past.

3. Texting about job hunting

It's not uncommon for frustration to boil over and result in someone declaring they're going to start looking for a new job. Not every text or annoyed utterance about needing to find different employment is serious. Sometimes it is about blowing off steam, but other times it's truthful. Hones says not to let your employer be the one to decipher the difference in a court of law, because it may not work out in your favor. It could reduce an employee's lost wages claims, eliminate the ability to claim work conditions that resulted in an abrupt resignation, and even result in the company pushing an employee out if the text is revealed before they resign.

4. Talking trash about your boss or company

"We all need to vent, but doing it via text message hands the employer the perfect cover story," says Hones. This comes into play when an employee sues for discrimination or wrongful termination. According to the employment lawyer, if an employee sues for one of those reasons, the burden shifts to the employer to prove they didn't fire the employee for an illegal reason. If the employer discovers the negative texts about them, then it could give legitimacy to their claims if they have lied about the reasons someone was terminated. Hones says it's common for employers to lie in these cases by saying the employee was disrespectful or a bad employee, and texts trash-talking the boss would strengthen their argument.

employee; employment law; work friends; work bestie; coworker boundaries; work boundaries; work life balance Focused multitasking at the office.Photo credit: Canva

Hones explains in another video that it's not wise to assume your coworker-turned-friend will have your back in an employment investigation. Often, people need their jobs and are unwilling to risk them to help someone else keep theirs. Becoming overly familiar with a coworker may feel genuine and comfortable, but maintaining certain boundaries will help protect you legally should you ever have to sue your employer.

"Work relationships do not necessarily have to be friendly to be healthy," Dr. Maya Reynolds, MD, MPH, Psychiatrist and Behavioral Health Spokesperson at Choice Point Health, explains to Upworthy. "Keeping personal relationships and work relationships separated keeps a person free from additional emotional entanglement, rivalry, and disappointment. Because when work relationships step into personal life, promotions or disagreements can feel personal rather than professional, which brings a great emotional toll on oneself. Also, maintaining boundaries at work promotes your psychological safety."

Education & Information

Millennials discuss their obsession with the teal-and-purple color combo in the '90s

"Those colors were so soothing!"

Images via Reddit/NoahTheAttacker, Face88888888

Millennials get nostalgic about the teal and purple color combination in the '90s.

Millennials who grew up in the 1990s remember plenty of trends from that decade. From hair ties with plastic beads to scented markers to Lite-Brites, these trends captured the essence of the '90s.

There was one color combination that marked the era's aesthetic: teal and purple. The mix became a Millennial craze, showing up on everything from clothing to cups, including the iconic Solo Jazz cup.

YouTubers Michelle Hickey and Steve King of Play Me a Memory explain how the colors exploded in popularity during the '90s, noting that the craze kicked off with a new NBA franchise: the Charlotte Hornets.

- YouTube www.youtube.com

In 1988, the Hornets joined the NBA, and their teal and purple uniforms made an immediate splash. "This was a completely different, outside-the-box concept for a design choice," King says.

The jerseys were created by North Carolina menswear fashion designer Alexander Julian. "Alex's favorite and signature color combination has always been purple and teal and it was a perfect match for his new basketball project," his website states.

- YouTube www.youtube.com

Compared to other sports teams with more traditional colors, teal and purple had never been done before and became instantly memorable. Soon, the combination was replicated by other sports teams.

King adds that of the 22 new teams across the four major pro leagues (MLB, NFL, NBA, and NHL), 11 that launched in the '90s used teal and/or purple as their colors. These included the Colorado Rockies, the Baltimore Ravens, the Toronto Raptors, and the San Jose Sharks. Sports fans repped the colors on Starter jackets and other sports gear.

Beyond the sports world, teal and purple seeped into design more broadly—from food courts and franchises like Taco Bell to iMacs and even movies and TV, such as Disney's The Little Mermaid.

"When I think of that movie, I think of that teal tail and purple being the secondary color to that," Hickey says.

The trend of combining teal and purple caught on, and King points to Jonah Berger's book Contagious: Why Things Catch On for insight into why it took off. He explains that social currency played a major role—meaning kids wearing Starter jackets or other cool sports apparel had the potential to "get me somewhere as a kid in the 90s in elementary school or middle school who might be struggling to kind of catch on with a friend group or trying to make a name for themselves...if I look like everyone else does, this is going to help me fit in a little bit more."

@tikittytalk

And the award for best color duo in a decade goes to: the 90s !! #90saesthetic #90snostalgia #90s #90sthrowback #1990s

Millennials on Reddit got nostalgic about the teal and purple items they owned in the '90s and their love for the colors to this day:

"Teal and purple 90's Adidas jackets rise up." - k1dsmoke

"You forgot the greatest teal of all time, the Charlotte Hornets Starter jacket." - elcamino4629

"So I learned just recently that this is my 24-year-old daughter's new favorite color combo! I had a whole teal and purple bedroom makeover when I was like 10 years old, and honestly I kinda miss it. Those colors were so soothing!" - Morriganx3

"All my outdoor hiking gear and mountain gear are different shades of teal. Literally. People can spot me on the mtn and recognize me just because of all the teal I'm sporting 🤣." - Curious_Run_1538

"Cuz it's tight. That jazz cup aesthetic is the goat. I have that exact pattern in a hoodie." - Siriusly_Jonie

"I had a teal Gameboy color!" - inthecards13

"I still am......and just putting it together that this is probably why." - Interesting_Zombie28

"Because the best Pop-Tart was teal and purple. Wild Berry Pop-Tarts." Bob4Not, rmay14444

"My old bedroom was painted a bright teal color. With inflatable furniture, large boom box, clear phone, got milk ads on the walls….Looking at old pictures gives me headaches." - aLonerDottieArebel

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