This Black Friday through Cyber Monday, November 25th - 28th, AARVEN has set out to do something a little different. As a brand that prioritises ethics and the quality of our products, we have decided to donate 10% of in-store and online sales in support of our partner charity, African Promise, a charity dedicated to uplifting the lives and education of school children in Africa.
Since the 1950s, the day after American Thanksgiving has been considered the official start of the holiday shopping season, called "Black Friday." The phrase itself signifies the day when retailers’ financial years would finally turn a profit, going from “in the red” to “in the black”. In recent decades this first day of holiday shopping has increasingly been marked by massive discounts, long store opening hours and online shopping sales. It’s also becoming more heavily marketed around the world and extending from a single day to a weekend and sometimes even a week’s worth of discounts. As an ethical, sustainable brand, we say no to massive discounts, and instead we are choosing to support a charity that is near and dear to our hearts.
Community has always been at the heart of what we do at AARVEN. Supporting the small communities of artisans that we work with is a vital part of our business and something that we are very proud of. That is why we partnered with African Promise over a year ago and continue to donate 2% of our retail sales from every Kenyan product to the charity. African Promise are an incredible charity that support primary schools in Kenya, a country that we work in extensively and hold very dear to our hearts. The charity works to improve the lives of children in rural communities today and give them the chance of a brighter future tomorrow. African Promise creates child-friendly 'model' schools by building safe infrastructure, providing food for a daily lunchtime meal and equipping schools with resources including desks, books and teachers.
Fashion Revolution cofounder and creative director, Orsola de Castro, said,
“Black Friday is a scam. It’s one more way to get citizens to think they are finding a bargain, when in fact they are hunting an illusion. Don’t just buy because it’s cheap, think of why you are intending to buy, inspect your potential purchase and only then decide. Black Friday is about the rush, the speed, the compulsion. At Fashion Revolution we are asking you to stay conscientious, to buy with purpose.” To learn more about Fashion Revolution, please click here.
Help us make some change for good this Black Friday.