Natural-products company Aveda is giving back this holiday season with an initiative that benefits Nepal, the world's 12th-poorest country. Because rapid deforestation has wreaked havoc on the region's beloved lokta-paper-making industry, the company partnered with non-governmental organizations to manage and protect 50,000 acres of forests.

Additionally, the company helped the Nepalese create a sustainable business by ordering the traditional paper for everyday business use. This month, Aveda is bringing Nepal's reality to the wider public: its premium gift boxes, which can be customized at Aveda salons, spas, and stores, come wrapped in bright, durable lokta paper. Says Aveda president Dominique Conseil, "Aveda's mission is to care for the world we live in."