WOULD YOU WEAR SO THAT WE CAN SHARE?
7 MINUTE READ
MEET THE CONCEPT BEHIND IT ALL: WEAR ONE, SHARE ONE
Sounds pretty simple, right?
For those of you that have been on the Oi journey since day one, you’ll know exactly what we’re talking about, but if you’re new to the Oi Fam, you might be thinking, “Wear one, what one???”
So, let us explain ✌️
We bang on about Wear One, Share One a lot and we make no apologies for it. It’s who we are, it’s what we do and it’s what we LOVE. Not only is it a fundamental element of our business model and taken into account for every single product we sell, but it’s also an integral part of our purpose as a brand that is dedicated to helping those on the outside of society. Wear One, Share One isn’t just something that sounds nice and has a catchy ring to it, it’s the heartbeat of OutsideIn.
But what exactly is it and how exactly does it work? 🤔
‘Wear One, Share One’ is outworked in a way as simply as it sounds. Like the name suggests, it means that for every item you purchase from OutsideIn, we give an additional item to someone experiencing homelessness. Before Covid hit, you (the customer) had the option to give this additional item to an individual experiencing homelessness yourself; however, since Covid we have adapted this model so that we now work with incredible charities across the world who donate these additional items on behalf of the customer. Our original Wear One, Share model (which we CANNOT WAIT to get back to) served as a crucial element of OutsideIn’s mission to encourage human connection. You see, by giving customers an opportunity to engage in conversation with a vulnerable individual through the sharing of an OutsideIn product, we were able to create a space for stories to be heard, lives to be changed, and hope to be spread from one individual to another.
See? We told you it was simple.
But why would we do this? Surely it’s more work? Surely it costs money? Surely homelessness is an issue we leave to charities?
Yes, yes and…
No.
While we want to create the best products with unique and I-NEED-THAT-kinda designs, we believe that our products are about SO much more than just fashion. In fact, we are all about turning fashion on its head and asking the question: Are you willing to wear a brand that is also proudly worn by someone impacted by homelessness?
That got you thinking, didn’t it?
The thing is, we really, truly and wholeheartedly believe in holding purpose over product. And for us, ending homelessness is a cause that we are determined to put a lot of purpose behind. We want our message to be one that boldly says that each person in our society - no matter what side of it they find themselves on - deserves to be a part of a community that accepts them for who they are - flaws, failures, bruises, bashes and all.
And we want this community to be one that sees the needs of those pushed to the outside and welcomes them in. One that says to the outcast, “You belong.” And one that seeks out the misfit and tells them, “You are loved.”
We don’t just want our clothing to bring streetwear back to the streets. We want our streetwear to change the streets.
Since OutsideIn started all the way back in 2016, our mission has been to rewrite homelessness and challenge the negative perceptions around it. However, we know that we can’t do this without your help. Nor would we want to. We absolutely love the community of Oi Fam-ers that we have created and we are so grateful to have you as a part of this. Through your support, your purchases, your wearing and your sharing, you are an invaluable part of the OutsideIn story and the narrative we are writing that seeks to end homelessness and the stigmas attached to it.
There’s not much else we can say other than, thank you.
So, THANK YOU!!!
WHAT’S NEXT?
While we’re working on ways to get back to our original Wear One, Share One so that you have the option to play an active role in the distribution of the Share One products, for now we are working hard to make sure that our incredible charity partners have these items to give to those who need them most.
We’re also getting ready to share some very exciting news with you soon… It’s something we are ridiculously proud of SO stay tuned... 👀
Oh and one more teeny tiny announcement….
Jokes, it’s a MEGA announcement!
THIS MONTH WE REACHED 75,000 SHARE ONE PRODUCTS GIVEN TO INDIVIDUALS EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS WORLDWIDE!
How incredible is that?
That’s not just 75,000 products. That’s 75,000 people who have had their lives changed because of you. 75,000 people who have been shown that they have worth and dignity. 75,000 who have been given a piece of hope. Perhaps small, but like so many of life’s best things… Hope is a seed that grows and grows and grows.
So, whether you’ve been a follower of OutsideIn for years or if you’ve only just come on board, we’re so glad you’re joining this hope-filled, hope-wearing, hope-sharing movement.
Now, it’s all good and well that we share our perspective on why these items are so great, but we think it’s pretty (really) important that you hear about the value of Wear One, Share One from our partner charities who benefit from this giving model.
To do this, we got some feedback from a variety of the charities we work with on an ongoing basis. This isn’t a ‘GO US!’ list of feedback, this is real stories from real people working real hard to address a very real need. These testimonials are made possible by you and your continued support for OutsideIn. None of this would be possible without you and so, as you read through these snippets of feedback, be proud of the role you have played in Wear One, Share One.
We couldn’t do it without you.
Dave Cawley, Oasis Community Housing, Sunderland, UK
“It's nice to have some things that allow people to express their characters. Richie [one of their service users] liked the fact that there are options, he took a yellow beanie and the next week came back for a pale blue one!”
Alexander Brown, The Soup Kitchen London, London, UK
“2020 was an extraordinarily difficult year for all of us. If you were sleeping rough in Central London, it was even more punishing. For the vast majority of the year, if you were homeless, vulnerable and hungry, there were only two places you could get a hot meal. We were one of those places and as a result, our numbers skyrocketed. It has been one year since the initial lockdown and we continue to serve a record number of vulnerable people.
Late last year, OutsideIn reached out to us and wanted to know how they could help. They asked what would be most beneficial to our organisation. After many great calls and meetings, OutsideIn raised a tremendous amount of money for us and, even more importantly, donated many hundreds of warm, essential clothing items that our homeless friends were so grateful to have. Warm clothing during the winter is crucial to survival when you’re sleeping rough. Not only did OutsideIn provide funding and apparel, they also offered something else that we desperately needed; their employees. Several members of the team have visited the Soup Kitchen to volunteer and it has made a measurable difference.
We are grateful to have the support of such a fantastic company and we’re proud to have them as partners as we do our part to tackle the homeless crisis in London.”
Beth Shannon, Starfish Foundation, Lesvos, Greece
“[The Oi Fam’s] generosity allowed us to give hats to our resident volunteers who work each day at our SafeHands stations [in Lesvos, Greece]. The weather throughout January and February was extremely cold, and this extra layer of warmth was essential for our volunteers who were working outdoors.”
Kyela Fanagan, Depaul Charity, Ireland
“A huge thank you to the Oi Fam for the very generous recent donation of beanies, socks and gloves to four of Depaul’s homeless services. We really can’t thank you enough for your support during this particularly challenging time.
The people who come to get help from Depaul are some of the most marginalised people in our community. Very often they experience exclusion from mainstream services and isolation from living on the streets. Through your kindness and generosity, we will be able to continue to keep our service users warm and supported during the current crisis. It’s so wonderful to know we have people like you supporting our work with those experiencing homelessness.”
Vince Hessey, Liverpool Homeless Outreach, Liverpool, UK
“All of the residents at DJK Recovery House in Liverpool have recently come out of homelessness and/or an addiction to drugs and alcohol. With the help of the Oi Fam, we supplied each of them with Oi hats. Most of these guys have nothing at all and are seeking to rebuild their lives, and so, receiving something as simple as a hat shows that people like those at OutsideIn do really care.” (Paraphrased)
