Beach, coastal and nautical brands are no strangers to supporting worthy causes, and that willingness to give to those in need was no more apparent than when Russia invaded Ukraine in late February. Many wholesale companies immediately took action to support families fleeing their war-torn country.
They quickly put product development teams to work creating products that would allow them to raise money and awareness for those in desperate need. Retailers and consumers were eager to show their support by purchasing these new offerings to benefit Ukraine and spread a message of hope.Wearing awareness
“When the Ukraine issue arose, we felt the need to design a product we could use to bring awareness for peace while also helping the efforts,” says Jourdain Foster, sales manager, Simply Southern.
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“We felt this cause was of significant importance because of the many lives that are being impacted in Ukraine,” explains Foster. “We wanted this design to be a reminder that no matter your race, political party or view on the war, we always want to be the peacemakers in society, standing up for those unable to stand up for themselves.”
The T-shirt design consists of a world map to show that “we are all one and all equal.” The map is filled with a repetitive flower design to illustrate that “we are not parted by lines on a map.”
Simply Southern has been a longtime sponsor of nonprofits, including Child Fund International, turtle conservation organizations and American Red Cross.
“With our dedicated and loyal customers, we have donated over $7 million in cash and merchandise to these various organizations,” Foster says. “Our most recent efforts in the Ukraine mission are ongoing and our customers continue to give us the opportunity of giving back and to make that effort endless.”
Since the shirt was released on March 22, it has been at the top of Simply Southern’s best-selling list. As of early June, Simply Southern has raised more than $48,500 to support Child Fund International and the American Red Cross to help Ukraine.
“Our giving comes from wholesale sales and our corporate retail stores,” says Foster. “In many of our initiatives, we have had retailers who have stepped up and matched our contributions to various causes. We continue to encourage and appreciate this effort from our customers.”
Puppie Love is another apparel and accessories brand that has jumped in to help with a special T-shirt design. The brand, which features dozens of T-shirts with a puppy on them in different themes, has always donated 10% of its net profits to animal rescue centers and adoption agencies.
“When the Ukraine conflict started, we thought ‘How can we help?’ so we decided to come up with a T-shirt,” says co-founder Ali Pfeifer. “Our customers love to collect Puppie Love so anything that is special or supports a cause that they can show their pride with our brand does really well.”
Puppie Love designers came up with a cute design featuring a puppy wearing a signature flower crown reminiscent of Ukrainian women and draped in the nation’s blue and yellow flag.
“We didn’t feel right about profiting off this so we decided to donate 100% of our profits to an organization called ISAW,” Pfeifer says.
A lot of times when conflict happens, animals are left behind, but in this case the International Fund for Animal Welfare is not only helping animals, but safely helping people get out of Ukraine. And they’re helping those who do have pets evacuate without having to abandon them.
Pfeifer says she is thankful to their customers who purchased the shirts without hesitation. The first donation that Puppie Love made was for $30,000 in April, which Pfeifer says is the biggest donation in the history of the company. More donations are expected. Most of the T-shirt sales have been online but retailers have also purchased shirts to sell in their stores.
Decor that does more
Home decor and lifestyle brand Rustic Marlin launched its Signs of Hope for Ukraine initiative to provide aid to those directly impacted by the ongoing crisis in Ukraine.
The original Signs of Hope initiative from Rustic Marlin began in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic shutdown in 2020. When that happened, owners Melanie and Brian O’Neil decided to sell their handmade signs and donate 100% of the profits to struggling businesses.
Rustic Marlin owners Melanie and Brian O’Neil have donated more than $15,000.
The Massachusetts-based company is now donating 100% of the profits generated from sales of the Signs of Hope for Ukraine collection to World Central Kitchen, a nonprofit organization working on the front lines to bring hope and serve fresh meals to Ukrainian families fleeing their homes as well as to those who remain in the country.
“Like millions of people around the world, Rustic Marlin’s team is heartbroken by the ongoing crisis unfolding in Ukraine,” says Melanie O’Neil. “As a U.S. company founded out of love in 2012, its team has taken action to provide aid in the best way they know-how.”
Rustic Marlin has created two designs for the Signs of Hope for Ukraine collection: the first is a simple white heart placed over an homage to the Ukrainian flag, and the second is the word hope with an image of a sunflower, Ukraine’s national flower, in place of the O. Both signs embrace the vibrant blue and yellow colors of the nation’s flag, while also maintaining the design elements now synonymous with Signs of Hope, according to Melanie.
Thanks to the outpouring of support from customers, communities, retail partners, and an endorsement from Oprah in Oprah Daily, Rustic Marlin has donated over $15,000 to World Central Kitchen. Signs of Hope for Ukraine are being sold at the company’s self-serve 24/7 outdoor shopping destination, The Rustic Marlin Market in Hanover, Massachusetts, at many retail partner stores and kiosks, and online at www.rusticmarlin.com.
P. Graham Dunn donates $1 from each Ukraine coaster sale to Samaritan's Purse.
P. Graham Dunn decided to leverage its on-demand printing capabilities to create coasters for the home and car that would give retailers and shoppers a way to show tangible support for Ukraine.
“As a company, we work hard to create products that resonate with what people are going through and how they feel,” says Anthony Burdette, vice president of marketing and development of the Dalton, Ohio-based company.
P. Graham Dunn offers three different designs, available in both coasters and car coasters. Each of the coasters feature imagery displaying the colors of the Ukrainian flag, with one design specifically stating, “Pray for Peace.”
For each coaster sold, $1 is being donated directly to the Emergency Field Hospital in Lviv. The hospital opened on March 14 and is operated by Samaritan’s Purse.
“We chose to give via Samaritan’s Purse, a faith-based organization that not only aligns with our values, but has a reputation for providing effective, worldwide support,” says Burdette. “In addition, we knew that our giving would be immediately applied to their efforts and wanted to support a cause that directly affected the Ukrainian people — in this case by providing much needed medical care.”
Hope for the holidays
In mid-June, Kurt S. Adler Inc. debuted two ornaments featuring the Ukraine Flag with the words “We Stand With Ukraine.”
In announcing the new glass and resin versions of the ornament, Kurt S. Adler Inc. stated, “The United States has always stood for freedom, not just within its own borders but on behalf of countries around the world who wish to share in the dream of democracy. Here at Kurt S. Adler, we also stand with Ukraine and are offering these two ornaments for those who wish to display their support.”
“Christmas ornaments have personal value and we felt that people want to show their support by having a ‘We Stand With Ukraine’ ornament on their Christmas tree, or somewhere else in their house,” says Michael Adler, account executive. “We know the importance of making quality products that reflect important issues.”
Standing together
T. Jazelle’s We Stand Together bracelet, available for retailers, features blue beads and one central yellow bead reminiscent of the Ukrainian flag. It is packaged with a special message card with the words “We stand together and together we can help make a difference.”
T. Jazelle’s We Stand Together bracelet is packaged with a message of support.
Five dollars from each sale is donated to the Ukraine Crisis Relief Fund, which supports Ukrainians in need with a focus on the most vulnerable, including children. As of April, the Cape Cod, Massachusetts-based company had raised more than $18,000 from sales of the bracelets.
Retailers can find unique ways to incorporate products that support Ukraine in their seaside stores. It’s doesn’t have to overpower other sections of the store, but it can complement existing merchandise.
Artware Designs, a gift store in Hilton Head, South Carolina, offers an assortment of sunflower-themed gifts, including earrings, baskets, socks and tote bags with 100% of sales supporting Ukraine resistance, according to its Instagram page. Another Hilton Head-based store, Gifted, is donating all the proceeds from the sale of sunflower note cards made by a local artist.
In Virginia Beach, Sea La Vie is selling Ukrainian garden flags that feature the Ukraine flag with a large sunflower in the center. All proceeds from the sales go to Tidewater Ukrainian School, which has been actively shipping supplies to Ukraine. The nearby Shore Store is selling Simply Southern’s Ukraine shirt with 100% of proceeds going to Ukraine.
La Camisa, in Coronado, California, is selling a selection of pins with various designs in blue and yellow flag colors and with the phrase, “I stand with Ukraine.” These are just a few of the many stores along the coasts of the United States that have decided to offer merchandise to support Ukraine.
Despite being thousands of miles and an ocean away, the seaside retailer community of wholesalers and stores are making a major impact in providing aid to the millions who have been affected by the war in Ukraine. These people will be affected for years to come and keepsakes that show support and generate contributions will have a lasting impact.
***In support of Ukraine relief efforts, Seaside Retailer will be donating a portion of its profits from the July/August 2022 issue.
