Parks Project’s clothes are a must-have for any lover of the outdoors. A leader in sustainable fashion, the brand makes clothes with the aim to protect and preserve the United States’ parklands. A portion of the profits from their clothes goes toward funding projects in national parks; so far, Parks Project has raised over $1,300,000. Different clothes support different projects and parks. For instance, the Proud Cloud Explorer Tie Dye Tee helps support Stonewall National Monument, while the Yosemite Mod Dome Night Tee funds the Yosemite Conservancy’s visitor programs.
A large part of Parks Project’s appeal comes from its transparency. Not only is the brand transparent about where the money raised from each item of clothing goes, they are also highly transparent about their production practices. Parks Project takes great care to produce its clothes as sustainably as possible. For instance, they manufacture their clothes locally in California to minimize transportation and use more efficient dye machines that use 7 times less water than traditional machines.
Image via.
Co-founder Keith Eshelman was inspired to create Parks Project during a restoration volunteer day in the Santa Monica mountains. The experience spoke to him deeply, and he felt a desire to create opportunities for more people to get connected to nature. He felt that he could accomplish this through creating Parks Project and allowing people to help fund park conservation projects through buying clothes.
Eshelman is clear that the funds that Parks Project raise for the national parks has a direct impact. He explains,
““There are so many amazing stories out there and the best thing about our approach is hopefully we can find a project, promote it, fund it, then move onto a new one.” - Keith Eshelman, Co-Founder”
Image via.
Parks Project’s care for the national parks is reflected not only in its practices but also in their products. The brand primarily focuses on clothes, producing a variety of hoodies, tie-dye t-shirts, and more that feature drawings inspired by environmental features like the national parks. For many consumers, it can be difficult to find clothes that align with both their values and style. However, Parks Project provides an excellent solution to this problem, designing clothes that are visually appealing due to their cute graphics, bright colors, and overall whimsy.
In addition to clothes, the brand also sells home decor, artwork, mugs, camping gear, and other products that would be perfect both for personal use but also as gifts. These products feature the same aesthetic sensibility as Parks Project’s clothes - the home decor provides a beautiful way to display one’s love for the environment, while the camping gear possesses a unique flair from what we typically see in such equipment.
Image via.
Parks Project has also collaborated with notable organizations and brands. Some of the brand’s most popular clothes are from its series of collaborations with National Geographic. The latest collaborative collection is themed around butterflies and features a number of shirts, hoodies, and hats. In the past, Parks Project has also collaborated with Girlfriend Collective REI, Outdoor Afro, Sierra Club, and more.
Check out Parks Project at parksproject.com!
Image via.
Cover image via.
