Uniqlo, UNHCR to launch charity T-shirt project in June+

TOKYO, May 20 Kyodo -
Casual clothing retailer Uniqlo Co. said Wednesday it will launch a charity
T-shirt project in June in collaboration with the U.N. refugee agency to raise
global awareness of refugee and asylum issues.

Under its popular UT brand, nine designs carrying messages from celebrities
such as architect Tadao Ando, singer-songwriter Kazumasa Oda, actress Rei
Kikukawa and Myanmarese refugee-turned-designer Zarny Shibuya will be on sale
from June 8 at major Uniqlo stores in Japan and around the world.
''This campaign illustrates how people can make a difference through their
actions...and shows how the UNHCR and companies can work together for a common
cause,'' Johan Cels, representative of the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees
Tokyo office, told Kyodo News.
Cooperation between Uniqlo and UNHCR first began in 2006 when they began to
collecting reusable Uniqlo clothing in Japan for distribution to refugees and
asylum seekers around the world, including Georgia, Nepal and Uganda.
''We realized from these missions that unlike food and medicine supplies,
clothing receives little priority and is rarely included in emergency relief,
resulting in a chronic shortage in refugee camps,'' said Takashi Igarashi from
the global marketing and communications department of Fast Retailing Co., the
operator of Uniqlo.
''We hope these T-shirts will help get this message across and trigger greater
interest in supporting UNHCR operations to find a longer-term solution to
refugee issues,'' Igarashi said.
All profits from sales of the T-shirts, priced at 1,500 yen each, will be
donated to the UNHCR. Uniqlo declined to specify total figures of the expected
contribution and Igarashi said the volume of T-shirts up for sale will depend
on customer response.
''We (also) plan to consider launching the next round of the campaign, perhaps
with another new product other than T-shirts, if this project succeeds in
grabbing attention and getting a positive feedback,'' he added.
The project envisions using some of the profit to support UNHCR operations in
Georgia and elsewhere, and some of it to cover transport costs in delivering
used clothing to refugee camps, according to Cels and Igarashi.
The T-shirts will be available at major Uniqlo stores in Japan, through
Uniqlo's online shop as well as at branches in Beijing, Hong Kong, London, New
York, Paris, Seoul and Shanghai.
Customers hoping to donate old Uniqlo items can do so at any of its stores in
Japan during the months of March, June and September. A special collection
booth will also be set up outside the United Nations University in Tokyo on
June 20 to mark World Refugee Day.
==Kyodo
2009-05-20 23:43:38