It’s not that shopping can save the world, but the philanthropic fashion Feedback Clothing Co. offers can help struggling artisans in many countries.
Feedback, the longest-serving student run-business on campus, keeps that mission as its focus as it adds new lines to the clothing and accessories it carries.
“We’re striving to be Belmont students’ first stop for fashion by carrying contemporary offerings at reasonable prices,” said Feedback manager Linda Wu, a senior marketing major at Belmont.
A back-to-school launch party 6-8 p.m. Monday will introduce Free the Nations jewelry. At the launch, Moovers and Shakers, another of Belmont’s student entrepreneurial efforts, will have its food truck parked in front of the store.
Currently, Free the Nations’s jewelry is only sold online, but Monday’s launch party will give individuals a special opportunity to view their merchandise in person.
The necklaces, bracelets and earrings of the newest line come from India and Uganda. The products come from partnerships with World Finds, Suubi, 31 Bits, and Nu Intentions.
Sarah Deane Hale, a Belmont music business alum, started Free the Nations and partnered with Feedback with the mission to “give individuals opportunities to help eradicate extreme poverty and human exploitation around the world through fashion.”
“We agreed that philanthropic fashion doesn’t have to have a traditional ‘charity’ feel; the items can be both for a good cause and good quality,” Wu said.
The addition of Free the Nations adds to the store’s FEED, Bead for Life, fashionABLE, Blood:Water Mission and TOMS lines, all of which have socially and environmentally conscious mission statements.
“It’s important for us to partner with these companies because they stand to benefit a cause greater than us,” Wu said. “It’s also an incredibly easy way for consumers to support charities or causes.”
In conjunction with the launch of Free the Nations, Feedback is also launching fashionABLE scarves and Blood:Water Mission t-shirts Monday. Plus, Feedback is offering a discount of 15% off women’s TOMS and 40% off men’s.
“Belmont students should be interested because it’s both supporting their local student-run business as well as helping support awesome brands,” Wu said.
To learn more about some of the merchandise available at Feedback, click on these links: http://www.freethenations.com/ http://www.feedprojects.com/ http://www.beadforlife.org/ http://livefashionable.com/ http://www.worldfinds.com/ http://hope.lightgivesheat.org/suubi http://31bits.com/ http://nuintentions.com/