At this time of year, there is no shortage of breathtaking gifting options that are sure to enchant the lucky receiver. And while the true joy of Christmas comes from giving to those we love, there’s a very special feeling that comes from knowing you’re giving back to the planet and the wider community. For iconic French beauty house L’Occitane there has always been much more to giving than meets the eye.
This year L’Occitane has teamed up with iconic French brand Castelbajac Paris to bring its holiday collection to life with a few dashes of colour that make for truly memorable gifts. And as eye-catching and delightful as each Castelbajac Paris-embellished piece is, each gift is more than just a gift. To encompass L’Occitane’s ongoing commitment to the planet and its people, each piece from the holiday collection encapsulates at least one of the brand’s several commitments.
Discover L’Occitane’s commitments below and find out why when you give a L’Occitane gift this Christmas you know what you are giving truly is more than just a gift.
Fight for Sight
Every year in developing countries, up to 50,000 children go blind due to vitamin A deficiencies. To combat childhood blindness, L’Occitane has teamed with UNICEF since 2016 to support its International Vitamin A Supplementation Programme. The Solidarity Soap has become a pillar of hope. With a 100 per cent of profits from the sale of each soap donated to UNICEF’s programmes in Bolivia, Myanmar and Papua New Guinea. The sale of just one soap – they’re only $8 – provides three children with enough vitamin A for an entire year.
A Concern for Ecology
L’Occitane believes that our most beautiful gift is the planet and all its natural wonders which is why the French beauty house is dedicated to protecting and promoting the earth’s unique biodiversity. L’Occitane is actively involved in the conservation of biodiversity in the South of France, where many of L’Occitane’s natural ingredients are sourced, in Corsica, where the immortelle flower is sustainably cultivated, and in Burkina Faso, where it has established a mutually beneficial relationship with the local community based on fair trade.
A Sustainable Partnership – Women Empowerment
Adorned with Castelbajac Paris’ bold designs and L’Occitane’s Constellation of Values, the Shea Butter Hand Cream makes an unforgettable gift this Christmas. But this beautiful hand cream carries an important message too: it is a symbol of a partnership that began back in 1980 to create a fair trade, sustainable supply chain with the women of West African country Burkina Faso. For the last 12 years, the partnership has been brought to life through the creation of the L’Occitane Foundation which has worked hard to promote women’s leadership within the Burkina Faso community. At the beginning of the partnership there were just a dozen women creating shea butter by hand; today there are over 10,000 women working in the 100 per cent certified Fair Trade supply chain.
An Unfailing Commitment to Our Producers
Behind L’Occitane’s decadent Almond Shower Oil, is a story of long-term commitment to local almond producers in the South of France. Over the years L’Occitane has worked with local almond producers to support the replanting of thousands of valuable almond trees through the region of Provence. Not only does L’Occitane purchase almonds, but it also purchases and uses rejected, broken nuts, in a move towards a more sustainable practice.
Take a look at some of our favourite gifts from the collection in the gallery below. Click here to shop the collection online or to locate your nearest boutique.
