6 Back-to-School Buys That Make a Difference
Yoobi
Yoobi wanted to change the school supply game. Aside from providing an alternative to basic school supplies with their vibrant colors and cool designs, the company also gives back to less advantaged schoolchildren. For every Yoobi purchase, a Yoobi item is donated to a classroom in need. To date, over 1.5 million kids have been helped by Yoobi.
(Photo: Yoobi)
Schoola
Schoola partners with the Malala Fund to let parents and schools participate in a new type of clothing drive. Schoola collects gently worn clothing from individuals or schools, and then sells the clothes online. The clothes aren’t your typical discard scraps, either — desirable brands like Calvin Klein, Ralph Lauren, and H&M are currently available on the site. Schoola then returns 40 percent of the proceeds back to the school itself, the donor’s school of choice, or the Malala Fund. To date, over 30,000 schools have worked with Schoola, and the number is continuing to grow.
(Photo: Schoola)
Toms
You probably are already familiar with Toms, but that doesn’t change the fact that Toms was one of the first to popularize the one-for-one model. Toms started with giving one pair of shoes to a child in need for every shoe purchased, but they have since expanded to providing healthcare and also educational opportunities to children in need through their partnership with Save the Children, a nonprofit whose objective is to protect and support children in matters of education, health, and more.
(Photo: Toms)
Bulgari
This one is more for the parents. Bulgari has also partnered with Save the Children through a new campaign called #RaiseYourHand. An exclusive sterling silver and black ceramic bracelet featuring the Save the Children logo has been introduced to the existing philanthropic collection, which previously included only a ring and pendant. The bracelets retail for $510, of which $100 goes directly to Save the Children.
Actress and mother Naomi Watts is an advocate of the campaign and told Yahoo Style about her involvement: “I chose to RAISE MY HAND because unlike many one-time charity initiatives, this is a serious and long-standing commitment between Bulgari and Save the Children that has now been in place for over seven years. The results are unbelievable: They have given $50 million to 1 million beneficiaries. I chose to RAISE MY HAND because of their long-term and large scale goals, to make a real difference for children who need help.
As a parent, I know children can be so vulnerable, and it breaks my heart to think about all who miss out on opportunities to fulfill their true potential due to poverty, political conflicts, or even natural disasters. I RAISE MY HAND to fight for their right to go to school to create a fairer future. I RAISE MY HAND as if all children are my children.”
(Photo: Bulgari)
Innovative Supplies
Innovative Supplies is a small company started by a single mom who dreamed of providing a better life for her daughter after working in the military. Innovative Supplies sells notebooks celebrating black culture and the Black Lives Matter movement. Proceeds from sales help support the African-American community and local charities.
(Photo: Innovative Supplies)
Rachel Zoe and eBay
Celebrity stylist Rachel Zoe has partnered with eBay to provide a line of limited-edition backpacks featuring exclusive Rachel Zoe prints at $45 only. All proceeds will benefit Save the Children, an international organization that works to protect children through policy change and direct aid. The backpacks will be available for purchase starting Sept. 16 at 8 a.m. PST, exclusively on eBay.
(Photo: Rachel Zoe/eBay)
If you’re not a parent, you probably didn’t realize back-to-school shopping is in full force now that it’s mid-August. However, for those who are still in peak school-shopping mode, you know it’s one of the biggest spending seasons of the year. This year parents are expected to spend nearly $76 billion on school shopping, according to the National Retail Federation.
Of course, not all children are fortunate enough to be returning to school this September. Lack of educational access and equality still exists in many parts of the world. It was only four years ago that Malala Yousafzai’s fierce activism for female education resulted in a law enabling Pakistani children between the ages of 5 and 16 the right to free education. Educational inequality still exists in Nepal as well, exemplifying the great disparity that still exists among developing countries’ policies on education.
How can you help? You can start by making your kids’ back-to-school purchases help kids who don’t have the same educational opportunities. Ahead, we rounded up five brands that give back to the education system. Whether this means contributing to a charity that helps provide school supplies, shoes, or clothing to children in need, these are the brands that are giving back to kids in a big way.
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