Giving Compass' Take:

• Cuddle + Kind is an enterprise creating ethical dolls that spread positive messages to kids while promoting equitable and fair trade employment for women artisans in Peru who make the dolls. 

• As more consumers start to think about ethical branding, will more companies evaluate their ethical standards?

• Here is a list of ten social enterprise brands impacting the world through sneakers. 

Cuddle + kind was founded by family of five – Jen, Derek, Ethan, Brooke and Rachel Woodgate – after watching a documentary about child hunger. Hunger and malnutrition are leading causes of sickness and death in children globally.

Unfortunately, there are about 66 million primary school-aged children attend classes hungry every day, and 45% of deaths in children under five are caused by poor nutrition. That’s 3.1 million children who die each year simply because they are not getting the basic, essential nutrition that they need.

Inspired to do something about it, the Woodgate’s set up a crowdfunding campaign for cuddle + kind and reached their funding goal in one day. Their business took off and just six weeks after launching, the family was able to donate over 163,000 meals to children in the USA and abroad. This was possible because for every doll they sell, ten meals are donated to children in need through partnership organizations.

The dolls are handcrafted by a team of more than 750 female artisans in Peru who are employed through sustainable, equitable and fair trade employment. Cuddle + kind ensure that working mothers have access to flexible hours which allows them to care for their families and plan for their futures, bringing meaningful change to their lives through sustainable income and security.

For the meal donations, where the purchase of one cuddle + kind doll equals ten meals, cuddle + kind work with leading organizations such as the United Nations World Food Programme USA’s School Meals Program, Children’s Hunger Fund, Breakfast Club Canada, We Charity School Nutrition Program.

Read the full article about ethical dolls by Sarah Cowley at Causeartist