A number of retailers are stepping up, giving back, and even pivoting platforms completely to help us push through this pandemic. Here are a few you can support and feel good about.
The Vodka brand, made in Iceland, credits its good, clean taste to the pure glacial spring water that is used to make it. The alcohol is filtered by lava rocks at a distillery powered by the geothermal energy of volcanoes under the watchful eye of a master distiller, who is also the village fireman and policeman. That’s about as natural as it gets.
At the beginning of the “stay at home” order, Reyka ran a contest encouraging people to ditch their razors and grow their best quarantine beard. For each beard submitted, the company donated $5 to William Grant & Sons’ Stand Fast Fund, a multi-pronged relief effort to help support bartenders impacted by Covid-19.
DKShin
This new luxury denim brand was founded by NFL player, Andre Williams. Because the material is fashioned from Japanese selvedge denim (a method using one continuous cross yarn), these jeans stretch and mold to the body creating the perfect fit for all body types and providing unmatched comfort.
The brand supports multiple global causes including the Covid-19 response fund, whose mission is to provide relief and resources to those affected by the virus.
VAST
The LA-based surf and lifestyle brand has stepped up during COVID-19 to help the community and the environment by making high quality cloth masks.
In addition to the masks, made from the durable, water repellant, antibacterial fabrics already used in their surf line, VAST has partnered with Los Angeles hospitals on an initiative benefitting essential workers. For any mask or surf item purchased, the company is donating a cozy item like socks or sweats to hospital staff so they can rest and recoup post-shift.
Sourced Craft Cocktails
With the current crisis making it difficult to go to the store, get together with friends and celebrate special occasions, Sourced has come to the rescue. The company delivers cocktails directly from your phone, laptop, or tablet straight to your door.
Every order is delivered by a bartender who is currently out of work due to bar closures across America. Thanks to this initiative, the company has managed to put $300,000 back into bartenders’ pockets in four months.
Sourced Craft Cocktails is also donating a portion of the proceeds from the sale of each bottled cocktail to the United States Bartenders Guild’s Bartender Emergency Assistance Program. Delivery is currently available in Austin, TX, Dallas, TX, New York City, Washington D.C., Chicago, Los Angeles, and San Francisco with Nashville and South Florida coming soon!
Casillero Del Diablo
The Chilean wine brand’s bold flavors, strong finish and subtle notes have won it accolades worldwide, including recognition as the second most powerful wine brand in the world and the first in Latin America, for the third consecutive year.
Since the Coronavirus turned the world upside down, the winemakers have been showing support for the hospitality industry by selling masks. 100% of mask sales go towards the James Beard “open for good” campaign, which is aimed at helping independent restaurants survive the global pandemic crisis, rebuild, and thrive for the long term.
Fitz Frames
In response to the global pandemic, Fitz Frames, innovators in kids eyewear, shifted their manufacturing to focus on making protective eyewear for healthcare workers on the front lines. Their new, protective glasses provide an enhanced line of defense against COVID-19 infection. Available in prescription and non-prescription, the custom-fitted 3D printed eyewear hugs the contours of the wearer’s face and provides enhanced droplet protection in a clinical setting.
The goal is to get this eyewear into the hands of medical professionals as quickly as possible at no cost to them! Healthcare professionals can sign up for their free made-to-measure pair through the Fitz app in under four minutes and the glasses will be delivered directly to their door.
CELSIUS
This healthy, sugar free, carbonated energy drink is clinically proven to accelerate metabolism, burn fat and calories, boost endurance and help build lean body muscle. Plus, it doesn’t contain any of the bad stuff like high fructose corn syrup, artificial colors, preservatives, or aspartame.
The company is refreshing in its flavors (Peach Vibe, KiwiGuava, Fuji Apple Pear and Grapefruit Melon Green Tea) and in its charitable philosophies.
Drinks are currently being donated to frontline workers around the country with daily drops being made to firehouses and hospitals. First responders and healthcare workers who would like a case should DM a photo of their ID to @celisusofficial on Instagram. Over 4,000 cases have been donated so far.
Olivela
20% of every purchase made through this online luxury shopping platform, offering fashion, beauty and home goods from the world’s top designers, is donated directly to charity.
In an effort to help the millions of children currently home from school due to the pandemic, the site has partnered with Save the Children & No Kid Hungry. With America’s most vulnerable children losing perhaps their one and only daily meal, Olivela is extremely proud to report they’ve donated 143,517 meals to date (and counting!)
Reformation
Reformation is a company dedicated to designing fashionable, sustainable clothing by using fabrics such as Tencel, Viscose and Recover® (yarns are made from old clothes and fabric waste).
This past March, the company partnered with The City of Los Angeles and Mayor Eric Garcetti on LA Protects to help local manufacturers make five million non-medical masks for essential workers. The company also produces masks for personal use, small businesses, and for donations and have sold over 456,000 of them so far!
Elise Edwards
Writer/Producer
Elise began her career as a Writer/Anchor/Reporter at CNN headquarters in Atlanta, GA. She also served as Supervising Producer at E! Networks and most recently, has been busy freelance producing and writing for numerous magazines and blogs.
