Covid-19 has truly brought out the worst in some communities, exposing underlying racism, unabashed selfishness and shameless greed. Add to that the doom and gloom of the news cycle, it’s safe to say we could all use some cheering up right now. To that end, we’ve compiled the positive efforts made by some of our favorite streetwear brands. Whether it’s providing supplies or simply making a donation, each one of these brands has stepped up to restore our faith in humanity. Scroll down to check out how these brands have contributed to the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic.
Besides being one of the first brands to shut their doors in order to protect their employees, Nike is taking other steps to help combat the Covid-19 epidemic. They will be donating over US$15 million to Covid-19 response efforts, specifically focused on regions where their employees live and work. A total of US$10 million will go to organizations in Oregon, where the brand is headquartered. The remaining US$5 million will be distributed across various NGOs all over the world.
At the same time, to ensure we stay healthy and active during quarantine, Nike is offering a discount on their Nike Training Club premium features. You can learn more about the app here.
On April 3, Nike announced that they would be donating another US$1.6 million to organizations that are providing much-needed food assistance and medical care to communities and cities their employees are working in.
Then on April 21, they announced that they will be donating US$500,000 to organizations in New York City helping combat the effects of Covid-19. This places their total donation at roughly US$17.5 million. At the same time, Nike has distributed over 250,000 three-ply protective face masks in New York City alone and 130,000 units of face shield and PAPR lenses to hospitals in Oregon, greater Boston, Memphis, Tennessee, and St.Louis.
New Balance has got all hands-on deck manufacturing essential facial masks for hospitals. According to a statement, the brand is working on a prototype mask and will eventually expand production to all its New England factories. On top of mask production, New Balance will also be donating US$2 million to fight the pandemic and its social effects. Most of the donations will go to existing NGOs within their network on a regional and global scale.
Various teams and players in the NBA have donated portions of their salaries to support frontline employees at their home ground stadiums. With no games and essentially no revenue, these workers would have been laid off or furloughed. This generous action would enable thousands of employees all across America to maintain their livelihoods through the shutdown.
Under Armour has pledged US$2 million towards communities impacted by the pandemic. Half of that will go to Feeding America to provide hunger relief across the country. Through a home fitness challenge, the remaining US$1 million will go towards Good Sports’ efforts to helps youth leagues maintain and obtain the necessary equipment, apparel and footwear. The brand has also shut all North American stores and implemented a work-from-home policy to flatten the curve and reduce infections.
Under Armour has also pledged to produce more than 500,000 masks, 1,000 face shields and thousands of hospital gowns from its innovation hub in Baltimore. On top of that, they will be preparing 50,000 fanny packs filled with much-needed supplies for medical personal. The fanny pack will be incredibly useful, providing medical workers a way to store and access supplies on the go.
After seeing an increasing need for masks and PPEs in South East Asia, Razer has announced that they will be setting up a manufacturing line in Singapore to produce certified masks. The production will be done autonomously and is aimed to begin producing masks in the next 30 days. Razer aims to produce a million or more certified 3-layer masks per month that will be distributed to local and regional markets. As of April 1, Razer has already donated a batch of masks produced by their converted production line in China alongside masks they procured for donation to the National Council of Social Services in Singapore.
Uniqlo’s parent company, Fast Retailing, is donating 10 million masks to medical institutions in Japan and across the world to combat Covid-19. They are using their facilities in China to produce the masks and ship them to the medical facilities in Japan that need it the most. They will also be distributing 1 million masks to countries with very high infection rates, like Italy and United States. They will also be supporting medical staff by providing Heattech, Airism and warm down jackets to medical personal in China, South Korea and Southeast Asia.
Chrome Hearts has stepped up and converted their Hollywood facilities to produce personal protective equipment to help combat Covid-19. Under the mission “we protect what we love”, Chrome Hearts has promised to do everything they can for their community for as long as necessary, which includes sharing their resources and expertise.
The brand with three stripes has also joined in the efforts to battle Covid-19. Using the Carbon production line for their FutureCraft 4D, Adidas is manufacturing personal protective equipment for front line medical staff. The machines print the head brace which is then attached to a translucent guard large enough to cover the face. Right now, Adidas is pumping out 18,000 masks a week at their California plant.
Staple has taken multiple steps to make a difference in New York City, one of the cities most affected by Covid-19. Staple has been running a storewide sale that will end on April 26. 10% of all sales will go to the NYU Langone Medical.
Earlier, Staple were selling face masks to raise funds for the Boys and Girls Club of America, an NGO dedicated to helping those most affected by the Covid-19 pandemic. The masks have since sold out and 10% of all sales was donated.
The brand also worked with @TilitNYC and @Chefsupply.xyz to sell special edition T-shirts to raise funds for Roar.NY, an NGO dedicated to helping F&B businesses affected by the shut-downs. Pre-orders opened on April 6 and have since sold out.
Supreme has collaborated with Takashi Murakami to create the Covid-19 Relief Box Logo Tee. The t-shirt drops on April 24 and 100% of its sales will go to Help USA, an organization dedicated to supporting homeless youth and families facing homelessness during this pandemic. Each t-shirt will retail for US$60, but this is sold only exclusively in the US and Canada.
What steps have you taken to combat the Covid-19 pandemic? Share your thoughts in the comment section.
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