CHNGE
BY AVERY ST. GEORGE ILLUSTRATIONS BY ZOE CRANFILL
It’s popular to wear merch that represents one’s favorite band or musical artist, but there has been a recent rise in the wearing of clothes and accessories supporting different social movements. CHNGE is a leading clothing brand in the fashion for change industry, supporting a wide range of issues by using its profits for good. CHNGE donates proceeds from every purchase to different charitable causes, setting it apart from other clothing brands. The company has donated nearly $750,000 to various charities, and this number continues to grow. Some of the causes the brand supports include LGBTQ+ rights, protecting the environment, reproductive rights, and, most recently, helping children in Palestine.
CHNGE sells everything from sweatpants to tank tops, and while its prices are a bit higher than average, each purchase goes toward a good cause. In addition to donating profits, the company is focused on the ethical creation of clothing items and the environmental impact the fashion industry has on the Earth. The fashion industry is the second most damaging industry to the environment, second only to the oil industry, and CHNGE is seeking to inspire other brands to adopt more ethical practices. CHNGE is climate-neutral certified, meaning it offsets its own carbon emissions with the work it does to help the environment. The company also has a commitment to renewable energy, using 95% organic fibers in its clothes. Along with the environmental aspect, the company also ensures safe working conditions, fair wages for its workers, and allows employees the right to unionize.
CHNGE believes other companies in the fashion industry should follow these standards to limit the impact the fashion industry has on the world. The rise of fast fashion has only increased already prominent problems in the industry, like overconsumption and poor treatment of factory workers. According to the CHNGE website, “We are creating clothing that will outlive your closet, so you can buy less by buying better.” The company has a commitment to creating sustainable clothing its customers can feel good about wearing for a long time.
CHNGE built its image around transparency. The company wants its customers to know where its products come from and that what they’re buying is ethical. In addition to this, the company also wants to be socially conscious and create designs that resonate with young people around the world. Some of its best sellers are shirts with “Love Whoever the F— You Want” and “Women Don’t Owe You S—” across the front. A lot of young people feel very strongly about particular social movements, so CHNGE clothes are targeted toward prominent causes in youth culture. Climate change and gun control are also featured causes in CHNGE’s clothes through graphic tees with earthly designs and “Protect Kids, not Guns” shirts.
From its commitment to the environment as well as ensuring rights for its workers, CHNGE is encouraging other clothing brands to follow in its footsteps and take more accountability for their environmental and societal impact. The company seeks to make a difference in a variety of social issues, and it does so through charitable donations and spreading the word through its clothes. CHNGE is a trailblazer in the fashion industry.
