[Distribution Hot People] I Want to Put the Power Toward a Better World into ‘Clothes’ That Everyone Absolutely Needs

Dongha Kim, Assistant Manager, Corporate PR & Sustainability Team, Uniqlo

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Seon-ae] These days, as everyone's daily lives have changed significantly due to the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19), interest in neighbors who share everyday life, once taken for granted, is also increasing. In particular, as attention grows toward small business owners and local farmers who have been directly hit in their livelihoods by COVID-19, social contribution activities promoting coexistence with local communities, such as 'Pocketting' and the 'Flower Bucket Challenge,' are continuing.

Uniqlo also conducted a special promotion during its recent appreciation event, giving customers local specialties at 10 stores nationwide. On the 10th, Kim Dong-ha, assistant manager in charge of sustainable management for five years at Uniqlo's Corporate PR & Sustainability Team, stated, "Uniqlo is engaged in various activities to create a better society through clothing under the sustainable management goal of 'Making our society beautiful through the power of clothes.' Especially, we place great importance on coexistence with local communities, and Uniqlo's social contribution is characterized by efforts made together with customers and stores."

In fact, many of Uniqlo's social contribution activities originate from ideas by employees who have a deep understanding and interest in local communities. A representative example is the event held in April when the Busan Samjeong Tower store opened, where purchasing customers were given tomatoes sourced from local farms on a first-come, first-served basis. This event was planned based on the store manager's suggestion after recognizing that local farmers in Busan were struggling due to the cancellation of the Daejeo Tomato Festival, which had been held for 20 years in the region, because of COVID-19.

Additionally, during the 2017 Pohang earthquake, activities for the local community also started from employees' ideas. Through an earthquake evacuation drill coordinated with Pohang City, about 100 citizens, including employees of Uniqlo Pohang Jangseong store, participated in a simulated training to prepare for earthquake situations. Uniqlo produced 1,500 earthquake disaster prevention hats that protect the head and face from falling objects during an earthquake and donated them to 43 welfare facilities for the disabled in Pohang. These disaster prevention hats were upcycled from 3,000 recycled garments collected through Uniqlo's 'All Product Recycling Campaign.'

As such, Uniqlo's social contribution activities are often linked to 'clothing.' Assistant Manager Kim said, "Supporting clothing may not feel new, but clothing is not only a basic necessity that constitutes clothing, food, and shelter, but also an important element in creating a better daily life. Therefore, I believe there is still much work to be done."

This year, the clothing reform support campaign, conducted for the second consecutive year, is an activity for people with severe disabilities whose happiness in daily life is directly connected to clothing. Noting that people with brain lesions have difficulty wearing ready-made clothes and thus have almost no choice in clothing, the campaign supports customized reformed clothing tailored to individual disabled bodies. In 2019, about 200 million KRW worth of clothing and donations were provided. This year, the campaign has expanded from Seoul to Busan, supporting a total of 800 people with brain lesions with 4,000 pieces of customized clothing and an operating budget of 130 million KRW, totaling 250 million KRW. Also, the 'Shopping Event,' held since 2013, is a social contribution activity that provides children in orphanages, who have fewer opportunities to shop for clothes due to economic reasons, with the experience of choosing clothes they want themselves.

Uniqlo recently announced in its '2020 Sustainability Report' that it plans to pursue sustainability throughout its business as a global fashion company. Assistant Manager Kim said, "Many beneficiaries we meet through social contribution activities say they thought of themselves as 'forgotten by society,' but are grateful that there are still hands that remember them." He added, "With sincerity to contribute to solving social problems, we will continue to show interest and concern for better daily lives of those around us who need help."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.