National nonprofit One Warm Coat partners with retailers, manufacturers, and wholesalers to upcycle outerwear overstock, irregulars, and samples
NEW YORK, July 20, 2022 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- A summer heatwave is currently sweeping across many parts of the country and temperatures are soaring.
But in a few short months, no matter where you live in America, protection from cold and rain will be essential. National nonprofit One Warm Coat believes in each person's right to shelter from the elements and is committed to sharing warmth, without discrimination, one coat at a time.
For 30 years, One Warm Coat has been providing free coats to children and adults in need across the country through its Coat Drive Program, while keeping more than one million pounds of clothing out of landfills each year. The majority of donated coats are gently worn and collected by volunteer-led coat drives across the country. But in recent years, One Warm Coat has also been sourcing coats by working with clothing brands to direct donations of excess or irregular inventory to nonprofit agencies within One Warm Coat's partner network, who then distribute the coats to their clients.
In an effort to reach more retailers and manufacturers, One Warm Coat has formally launched the Zero Waste Initiative. Through this program, One Warm Coat facilitates the donation of sample, overrun, overstock, and irregular coats and other outerwear from retailers, wholesalers, and manufacturers to children and adults in need across the United States and Canada.
"The Zero Waste Initiative offers manufacturers and retailers an opportunity to upcycle outerwear, enabling them to share warmth with people in need while making a positive impact on the environment," said Beth Amodio, president, and CEO of One Warm Coat. "The donations One Warm Coat is receiving through this initiative are enabling us to provide warmth for even more children and adults across the country, including in remote areas where coat drives are not often held."
Joules, a premium lifestyle brand, has participated in One Warm Coat's Zero Waste Initiative multiple times.
"At Joules, we respect the environment and see it as our responsibility to look after the world around us," said Florence Castillo, General Manager (Americas), Joules Ltd. "We build to last and all our garments provide many years of use and can often be passed on or handed down. This is particularly relevant when some reports suggest that nearly two-thirds of clothing created by the retail industry overall end up in incinerators or landfills within a year of being produced.
"One Warm Coat's Zero Waste Initiative is one of the ways Joules is working to reduce our impact and contribute to positive change," Castillo added. "We're proud to work with One Warm Coat to share warmth across the U.S."
Classic American lifestyle brand Lands' End welcomed the opportunity to partner with One Warm Coat in a solution that represents a win-win for the retailer and the many financially strapped Americans who can't afford to purchase new coats.
"The Lands' End mission is to create a more comfortable world through programs that support sustainability, philanthropy, and diversity and inclusion," said Matt Trainor, senior vice president of brand marketing and creative. "Our philanthropic arm, the Lands' End Comfort Fund, supports organizations that provide at least one of the 3 basic needs for human comfort – food, shelter, and safety. This ongoing partnership with One Warm Coat is not only an ideal match for our mission but also our unparalleled outerwear product assortment. We are thrilled to continue to grow this relationship and serve our community."
About One Warm Coat
One Warm Coat is a national cloud-based nonprofit organization that provides free coats to children and adults in need while promoting volunteerism and environmental sustainability. Over the past 30 years, One Warm Coat has facilitated more than 43,000 coat drives, collecting 7.3 million coats that have been distributed through 1,400 nonprofit partners across all 50 states. Individuals and organizations can get involved by donating coats, holding coat drives, and making financial donations. One Warm Coat believes in each person's right to shelter from the elements and is committed to sharing warmth, without discrimination, one coat at a time.
Media Contact
Patti Zappa, One Warm coat, 877-663-9276 x 2, [email protected]
SOURCE One Warm coat
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