Who We Are
We are OutsideIn: a purpose-driven clothing business on a mission to help people experiencing homelessness.
Now, you might be wondering why homelessness? Great question.
Homelessness is a global issue that affects millions of people around the world regardless of race, age, gender, culture, circumstances and more.
That's why we created our Wear One, Share One giving model which allows customers to donate brand-new clothing, specifically designed by us, every time they purchase.
Our Mission Statement
We are a business on a mission to help people experiencing homelessness. With every customer's purchase, brand-new, essential clothing is donated to someone in need.
One Product Purchased = One Person Helped
One Product Purchased
=
One Person Helped
It's really important to us that you know the impact each one of your purchases makes.
As part of our Wear One, Share One model, every item you purchase donates essential items which are allocated across our network of Giving Partners following your purchase.
These Giving Partners then distribute the essential items that were donated on your behalf following your purchase.
One Product Purchased = One Person Helped serves as a reminder that every single item you purchase - big or small - also provides someone in need with valuable essential items that will help them in their situation of homelessness.
So, whether your purchase donates a T-Shirt, a pair of Socks or both, someone will be helped because of YOU!
Our Pledge: 2 in 5
So far, you have helped to donate over 224,000* essential items to people in need across the world.
But we're not done yet.
As a business on a mission to help people experiencing homelessness, we are pledging to donate 2 million essential items to people in need over the next five years.
We do not take this pledge lightly and, with the help of our customers and our Giving Partners, we are committed to doing everything we can to ensure that this pledge is met and, more importantly, that people experiencing homelessness are helped because of it.
Thank you for your continued support over the last seven years, we can't wait to see what the future holds and who we are able to help as it unfolds.
*As of October 2024
Our Story
How It Began
OutsideIn was established in 2016 in Belfast, Northern Ireland. Our very first products were Poms and over the years, we've expanded our range to Fleeces, Sweatshirts, Hoodies, Socks, Caps, Beanies and so much more!
Why It Began
But OutsideIn wasn't just created to sell clothing. In fact, we were created to help people experiencing homelessness after our founder recognised the great and growing need for high-quality, brand-new essential items among charities.
Where We Are Now
Fast forward to today and not only do we have a wide range of unique items designed by our very own Fashion Team, but we also design each one of Giving Items from scratch according to feedback from our network of Giving Partners.
Did You Know?
Every single item you purchase, big or small, helps someone experiencing homelessness by providing them with brand-new, high-quality essential clothing items.
So, no matter what you pick, from Fleeces to Socks, Hoodies to Sweatshirts, Poms to T-Shirts and more, your purchase helps someone in need.
Well done!
Donations With A Difference
Our Giving Items are always brand-new and manufactured to the same high-quality standards as the OutsideIn products you would buy for yourself. Each Giving Item also comes with a positive message designed to encourage whoever receives it. We consider everything, including the fit, fabric, colour, and seasonal needs when designing these items, ensuring they provide dignity, comfort, and confidence for the person wearing it.
Our Fashion Team designs all of our unique Giving Items following feedback from our network of Giving Partners to ensure that each item meets the greatest clothing needs of those who receive them.
How We Give Back
Our Wear One, Share One giving process and the impact it makes is made possible by YOU!
Each time you purchase an item from OutsideIn, you kickstart the Wear One, Share One process, helping to bring its four simple steps to life.
The Partners Who Make This Possible
As a purpose-driven business, we partner with a collection of charities and organisations to distribute the items donated through our ‘Wear One, Share One’ giving model. We call these our 'Giving Partners'.
Not only does each Giving Partner distribute the items donated by your purchases directly to those who need them most, but they provide critical feedback which informs the designs, quantities, and types of items needed to meet the greatest needs of those experiencing homelessness.
With the support of our Giving Partner network, over 224,000* items of essential clothing have been given to people in need.
*As of October 2024
Oi or OutsideIn?
Simply put, 'OutsideIn' is our name and 'Oi' is our nickname.
But they both have a pretty cool story behind behind them.
OutsideIn:
No, this name isn't back to front but it came from our desire to help people experiencing homelessness. They individuals are often seen as being on the 'outside' of society; however, by creating a way for our customers to help them with every purchase, we wanted to give them a sense of belonging, a sense of being 'in' when it comes to our community. So, there you have it: OutsideIn.
Oi:
The word 'Oi' is slang for 'Hello' and saying 'Hello' often leads to a smile and a sense of acknowledgement. We want our clothing to create big smiles and to show those who wear it, whether a customer or someone experiencing homelessness, that we see you and we appreciate you.
The OutsideIn Dictionary
Wear One, Share One
Every item purchased from OutsideIn kickstarts our giving process where essential clothing is donated to someone experiencing homelessness. This is our Wear One, Share One model.
Wear One, Share One was created to allow customers to donate brand-new clothing, specifically designed by us, every time they purchase. Our network of charities and organisations that we call 'Giving Partners' ensures the most highly requested items reach those who need them the most.
One Product Purchased = One Person Helped
Giving Partners
As a purpose-driven business, we partner with a collection of charities and organisations to distribute the items donated through our ‘Wear One, Share One’ giving model. We call these our “Giving Partners”.
Not only does each Giving Partner distribute the items donated by your purchases directly to those who need them most, but they provide critical feedback which informs the designs, quantities, and types of items needed to meet the greatest needs of those experiencing homelessness.
With the support of our Giving Partner network, over 213,000* items of essential clothing have been given to people in need.
*As of April 2024
Giving Items
Our Giving Items are the essential clothing items our customers donate to someone experiencing homelessness following their purchase.
Our in-house Fashion Team designs our unique Giving Items following feedback from our network of Giving Partners to ensure that each item meets the greatest clothing needs of those who receive them.
Our Giving Items are always brand-new and manufactured to the same high-quality standards as the OutsideIn products you would buy for yourself. Each Giving Item also comes with a positive message designed to encourage whoever receives it. We consider everything, including the fit, fabric, colour, and seasonal needs when designing these items, ensuring they provide dignity, comfort, and confidence for the person wearing it.
Once you have purchased your OutsideIn items (Wear One), we work on delivering each Giving Item to our various Giving Partners (Share One).
Our Social Impact Team carefully and intentionally allocates these Giving Items to our Giving Partners depending on their individual needs, while our Operations Team packs and distributes every single donated item, ensuring they get from our warehouse to our Giving Partners safely.
Just like the clothes you buy evolve and improve, we review our Giving Items regularly to ensure that they are always meeting the greatest needs and requests of the people they were created to help.
Experiencing Homelessness
Instead of labelling someone as 'homeless', we say that they are experiencing homelessness. This language is important to us because it means challenges us not to define someone by their situation but rather to see it as just that - a situation.
Purpose-Driven
We use the term 'purpose-driven' a lot because, well, we are! Our purpose, helping people experiencing homelessness, is at the heart of everything we do and the driving force behind our business.
FAQs
What's OutsideIn's mission statement?
We are a business on a mission to help people experiencing homelessness. With every customer's purchase, brand-new, essential clothing is donated to someone in need.
One Product Purchased = One Person Helped
Is OutsideIn a business or a charity?
We are a purpose-driven business. This means that everything we do is done with our mission to help people experiencing homelessness in mind.
Through our purpose-driven ethos and our Wear One, Share One giving model, we strive to make every single purchase count.
Why did we create our Wear One, Share One giving model?
We wanted to create a simple way for our customers to drive our mission to help people experiencing homelessness. This giving model allows our customers to be the catalyst behind our impact and the ones who kickstart the Wear One, Share One process with each item they purchase.
What products do we donate?
We donate a range of high-quality, brand-new essential clothing items called 'Giving Items'. These items are designed based on feedback from our network of Giving Partners to ensure that everything from the fit, fabric, colour and more meets the unique needs of people experiencing homelessness.
How can I see what Giving Items my purchase donates?
When you click on a product on our website you’ll be able to see exactly what Giving Item you donate with your purchase.
You can find this in the product description as well as the product imagery.
How do you deliver the Giving Items donated by purchases?
Our Social Impact and Operations Teams work together to ensure that your Giving Items get to our Giving Partners and the people they support. Following your purchase, we allocate these Giving Items among our Giving Partners based on their individual needs relating to quantity, type and preferred delivery date.
Once your donations have been allocated, we deliver these items within 6 - 12 months of your purchase.
Who pays to deliver the Giving Items?
100% of sales from our Thrift Store Pop-Ups and Mystery Bags (when in stock) go towards the cost of delivering your donations to our Giving Partners as well as other logistics needed to make these donations possible.
