There has been a lot of discussion on social media recently, if celebrity COVID-19 merchandise are just attempts at trying to profit from the pandemic, or whether they encourage people who wouldn’t normally otherwise to donate to special causes. As the weeks go by, it seems that more celebs are releasing fundraising merch for their fans.
With a real range of profit percentages being donated to charity, it’s worth doing a bit of research before buying to make sure you are making an informed decision. Checking out Harry Styles‘ Stay Safe Stay Home T-shirts, we’ve been pleasantly surprised with his efforts.
https://twitter.com/THWKUpdates/status/1256255313537269760?s=20
Even though 100% of the profits from sales would be donated to the World Health Organisation’s Solidarity Response Fund, some fans were concerned that the production of charity t-shirts would put workers at risk. We are all being encouraged to stay home and social distance where possible, but this is challenging to do in a factory, and the fashion industry isn’t known for being very transparent with the working conditions of their garment workers.
Checking the tags of the t-shirt reveals a new direction for Harry’s merch.
A quick read of the tags reveals that the t-shirts are manufactured using renewable green energy, from wind and solar power. The t-shirt is made from certified organic cotton and it is also produced as part of the ‘Fair Wear Foundation’. This foundation develops gender-specific lobbying efforts that aim to address the unfair treatment of women in the fashion production industry. They’ve even put together specific COVID-19 efforts to call for financial support for its vulnerable workers and they promote safe and healthy workspaces.
This ethical move isn’t just limited to this round of merch. If you check the tags from the pop-up t-shirts, I’ve checked London and presume the New York and Los Angeles exclusives will be the same, they are also EarthPositive products which used EarthPositive Garment Dye that is 100% organic and ethical and uses 90% Reduced CO2. This is a real first-step commitment towards breaking the barriers of fast fashion, and we hope fans are noticing his efforts.
Although it is absolutely the right thing to do, postponing Love on Tour means we will have to wait even longer to see what tour merch Harry will be coming out with next. Let’s hope he continues to source EarthPostive products for its climate-neutral production and begins a green revolution in tour merchandise. The tour industry is going to be changing quite a lot over the next few years. Let’s see what we can do if we treat people, and the earth, with kindness.
Stay Home. Stay Safe. Protect Each Other.
Spotted in streets of London over the weekend. Beautiful People, stay safe! #maskup pic.twitter.com/r0KG1YGwYx
— Beauty Papers (@beautypapersmag) May 13, 2020