It’s 2016 and compassion fatigue has well and truly settled itself within the fashion industry. Ethically sourced fashion is becoming an afterthought and celebrities are once again donning their furs without fear of a media backlash. However, philanthropy is not dead and for 25-year-old Josh Turner, the answer is to rebrand the whole idea of “charity” within the industry.

Stand4 Socks works on a ‘buy one, give one’ model which admittedly isn’t anything new. TOMS shoes have been doing it for years. However, this isn’t any old “buy a sock and we’ll donate one to a child in desperate need of medicine, housing, clean water so that they can suffer in style”…No, Stand4 has innovated the model so that each pair of socks can go towards planting 20 trees, vaccinating 6 children against measles in Bangladesh and clearing 2 meters of land mine in Laos among many other causes.

 

Here is a list of the causes each design provides money to.

1 pair – Plants 20 trees

1 pair – Vaccinates 6 kids against measles in Bangladesh

1 pair – Provides 25 days education in Afghanistan

1 pair – 2x Antenatal check-ups in Uganda

1 pair – Clears 2 meters of landmines in Laos

1 pair – Provides entrepreneurship education in South America

1 pair – Pays a child healthcare in Uganda

1 pair – Provides 2 weeks education to a Syrian refugee

1 pair – 24 Hours in safe house for women & family in Ethiopia

 

On design, we received the 2 above. On the left is the Measles Vaccination design (providing 6 measles vaccinations) and on the right is the Gender Equality design (supporting Womankind Worldwide this pair helps pay for a bed, food and medical help for one woman and her children for one day). On design alone, they are solidly crafted. The prints are vibrant and easily paired with office wear. It is the design which will see Stand4 thrive as a business. The socks have a low price point at £8.99, they offer the consumer the chance to contribute to battling global crises all the while receiving a greatly designed product.

We foresee much larger things from Stand4 and they have plenty more space for them to grow as a brand.

 

Words: Miles Holder