Ways to pay it forward this Valentine’s Day?

From bags which support humanitarian causes to shoes providing treats to school kids in need, make this Valentine’s Day about someone around the world who deserves love! Here is a list of organisatons and brands spreading the love and inviting you to do the same…

Sézane Demain

Following the success of its La Femme t-shirt last year (which saw 150,000€ raised for UN Women – working to protect women’s rights since 2010), and to mark its 5th anniversary, fashion brand Sézane has launched Demain. The charity initiative will help Sézane raise funds of over 1 million Euros in 2018, to go towards concrete projects that will improve access to education, culture, and equal opportunities for children around the world.

On the 21st of each month, a new design will be introduced, the profits from which will go directly to the partner charities for DEMAIN. In addition, 10% of sales that day will be donated to the projects supported by DEMAIN. From worn and loved Sézane pieces to prototypes and samples: everything will be sold in the new charity boutique to support our DEMAIN projects. You can ‘donate’ by ordering a t-shirt here.

Charity Retail Association

If each UK household donated one extra black bin bag of clothing, we could save 25 million bags from landfill and raise over £740 million for charity. Clothes which cannot be sold in-store can be sold to textile merchants to raise money for good causes. Donate to a local charity shop here.

Environmental Justice Foundation

By providing film and advocacy training to partners in the global south EJF protects the natural environment and the people and wildlife that depend upon it by empowering local communities to investigate, expose and peacefully resolve abuses.

EJF campaigns internationally on the issues our grassroots partners work locally to solve including cotton production, pirate fishing, shrimp farming, pesticides, wildlife and climate refugees. EJF’s campaigns have brought about crackdowns on modern slavery, human trafficking & pesticides. Could there be a more relevant cause right now? Donate here.

Matt & Nat Hope Initiative

The Sustainable Angle

The Sustainable Angle is a not for profit organisation creating and supporting projects which aim to minimize the environmental impact of the fashion industry and society. The Sustainable Angle has recently worked with the support of the Centre for Sustainable Fashion to present the Future Fabrics Expo, showcasing innovative luxurious fabrics which demonstrate an ongoing commitment to improved performance across the supply chain in relation to water, waste, energy and biodiversity. To help enable The Sustainable Angle to continue promoting and supporting sustainable fabric sourcing at the not for profit Future Fabrics Expo, donate to the organisation here.

Pesticide Action Network

PAN UK is the only UK charity focused solely on global pesticide issues with partners in developing countries, where pesticide problems are sometimes far worse. In developing countries, there are as many as three million poisonings and 20,000 deaths each year from pesticide incidents. Unnecessary use puts farmers on an expensive pesticide treadmill.

PAN are working to eliminate the dangers of toxic pesticides, our collective exposure to them, and their presence in the environment where we live and work.The proceeds from sales of the organisations’ organic cotton clothing and accessories go directly to funding their work  – you can support them here.

Fairtrade Foundation

Fairtrade is an alternative approach to conventional trade based on a partnership between producers and traders, businesses and consumers. The international Fairtrade system – made up of Fairtrade International and its member organizations – represents the world’s largest and most recognized fair trade system, working to secure a better deal for producers.

Fairtrade seeks to transform trading structures and practices in favour of the poor and disadvantaged, facilitating trading partnerships based on equity and transparency. The organisation owns the FAIRTRADE Mark – the product label that certifies international Fairtrade standards have been met. To donate and ensure more traders around the world are ensured a fairer deal, click here.

Women For Women International

Women for Women International are constantly partnering up with leading retailers to come up with ingenious ways to support their important cause. From Chinti & Parker, L.K.Bennett, Selfish Mother and Posh Totty Designs, the list goes on. Since 1993, Women for Women International has helped more than 462,000 marginalised women in 8 countries affected by war and conflict. Many women survivors in conflict-ridden and war-torn societies have been uprooted from their homes and have suffered tragic losses of husbands, parents, other family members, or even their own children.

Long after the conflict has ended, the impacts of sexual violence, poverty, widowhood, discrimination, gender inequality, or continued insecurity often persist, leading to isolation and destitution. Yet despite all this, there is an unmistakable resiliency and sense of hope in women who survive conflicts and war, especially as they struggle to keep families together. To support the women the organisation works so hard for, find the number of ways you can donate here.

Coach

New York designer Coach, known for its bags and accessories, has a partnership with the charity Step Up, which fights for teenage girls’ right to education in under-resourced communities. The Coach Foundation hopes to put thousands of teenage girls in touch with powerful women to mentor them. Support the movement here.

ASOS Made in Kenya

For its Made in Kenya collections, ASOS’ design team partners up with the SOKO Kenya initiative, a charity whose goal is to produce ethical fashion while tackling social issues such as unemployment, prostitution and AIDS.

With hands-on production – SOKO manages the CMT (cut, make, trim) part of the production process and so this stage of the process is 100% traceable – ranges are crafted by seamstresses in Rukinga Wildlife Sanctuary as part of the SOKO production unit set up by Jo Maiden. Shopping the ASOS Made In Kenya range is one way to donate to a brilliant cause.

Ethical Fashion Initiative | Not Charity, Just Work

TOMS

TOMS is well known for its One For One initiative: for each product you purchase, TOMS will
help a person in need. One for One. The true definition of pay it forward.

Their gifts are plentiful and powerful including the gift of support water systems in seven countries ( more than 780 million people don’t have access to safe water) through the purchase of TOMS Roasting Co. purchases, the gift of brand new shoes for school and play, to restoring sight to an individual through sight-saving surgery, prescription glasses or medical treatment through TOMS Eyewear purchases whilst TOMS Bags purchases provide training for skilled birth attendants and the vital materials needed to help a woman safely give birth. Get shopping/donating here.

Astley Clarke’s Gurl Talk

Astley Clarke teamed up with British model, feminist activist and muse Adwoa Aboah to create a pendant, designed in-house for Adwoa’s Gurl Talk charity, which provides an inclusive platform for young women to openly address their experiences and issues in a safe environment.

It features the red enamel Gurls Talk lips logo, decorated with a cultured white sapphire tooth stud, and the charity name in its 18-carat yellow gold vermeil chain. 100% of the proceeds of the £50 necklace go to theGurl Talk charity.