Summer's double whammy of heat and humidity can make even the most elaborately dressed fashionistas yearn for something simple, cool, and comfortable. I've found myself incorporating more t-shirts into my sartorial selections these days, which got me wondering: with the almost limitless variety of tees out there (plain, graphic, sequined, DIY), which t-shirts allow their wearers to look good while doing good?
Here's a run-down of some of my favorite tees that give back:
Miss Do-Gooder Instead of leaping tall buildings in a single bound, Miss Do-Gooder is a plucky superhero who "fights injustice one t-shirt at a time." She's tackled animal cruelty, illiteracy, and is now turning her attention to stomping out intolerance. With every purchase of a Miss Do-Gooder tee, a percentage of the proceeds benefit a charity corresponding to the cause depicted on the tee. This is a fun way to advertise a cause you're passionate about, and you can check back for new designs and help Miss Do-Gooder take on poverty, AIDs, and domestic abuse.
ROSA LOVESThese limited edition tees not only come with a cool design, but also a great story. Each shirt represents a personal story about someone in need: a child waiting for life-saving surgery, an Indonesian fisherman in need of a new boat to provide for his family, or Mexican students financially unable to attend university. When ROSA LOVES' founders come across a person or community in need that they feel can benefit from their organization, the situation is documented and a design is created. Because the needs associated with each shirt are specific, the tees are sold only until the financial goal is met. If you like giving to a very targeted need with a personal connection, then check out the stories at ROSA LOVES.
OmniPeaceCan Fashion save lives? OmniPeace thinks so! With a goal to help end extreme poverty in Africa by 2025, OmniPeace donates 25% of profits from its merchandise to organizations that promote peace, education and human rights in sub-Saharan Africa. OmniPeace's founder, Mary Fanaro, has recruited many of her celebrity friends to support the cause, so you can join Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Gwen Stefani and Sheryl Crow in sporting an OmniPeace tee!
Common ThreadzThis organization also seeks to end extreme poverty in Africa, specifically focusing on improving the lives of the 48 million orphans in sub-Saharan Africa. Its efforts are partially funded through t-shirt sales, which provide orphans with school uniforms or meals for an entire month. They offer several different shirt collections - Signature, Orphan, and CelebriTee - each of which allow you to give back in a unique way.
Alp-n-RockIf you're looking for something more upscale than your basic tee, Alp-n-Rock is for you. These super luxurious shirts blend the sporty yet sophisticated style of resorts in the Swiss Alps with rock n' roll attitude, all while giving back. Ten percent of profits go to Room to Read to fund scholarships for girls in developing countries. In addition, the shirts are made from eco-friendly materials and are manufactured in America.
With all these options, you're assured to make it through summer looking comfortable, chic, and charitable!
A special thanks to @broksas and @thefabgiver for making me aware of some of these fabulous organizations!
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Jean Case at the 2013 Yale Philanthropy Conference
