I think the biggest difference between products made for profit and products made to improve the lives of others is obviously intent.
The purpose of a product made for profit is, at it's core, just to be sold. No matter what the product is, once it is off the shelves and in your hands it's job is done in the eyes of it's creator. It has generated the revenue that was expected of it. As a cherry on top, it is no secret that when something breaks, you typically will buy a replacement. The more often that something breaks, the more often you are buying replacement and putting money in the pockets of the designers. Because of this we see a lot of products designed for profit produced with very low quality materials. Higher quality items may utilize something referred to as "planned obsolescence" where the manufacturer designs a product to break down and be unusable over a longer set time period. An example would be how your iPhone always seems to slow down and have issues whenever the newest iPhone comes out. That is no accident, that is designed.
Products designed to help people typically don't have a huge profit incentive and as a result the product is designed to last. One example that comes to mind is the extensive family of Patagonia products. Patagonia products are designed to last and to serve their owners faithfully. In these products you see high quality materials, iron clad warranties, and ethically sourced labor and materials. You do sacrifice affordability with these products, but you gain so much more. These products and companies are typically consumer favorites, as people want their things to last and treat them well. Simple as that.