Your guide to brands whose pride-themed merch actually gives back to LGBTQ communities
June marks the beginning of Pride Month, a time when brands ‘round the world jump on the rainbow bandwagon and unleash their pride-themed merchandise.
These often limited-edition collections offer a great opportunity for companies to make meaningful monetary contributions to LGBTQ organizations and help the most vulnerable people in those communities. However, more and more brands in recent years have fallen prey to honoring Pride Month thoughtlessly, simply slapping a rainbow on a T-shirt, tweeting “love is love” and calling it a day. In other words, companies often use the iconography of pride to foster goodwill with their consumers, but don’t actually do anything substantive to affect change.
Luckily, that’s not the case universally. A number of companies take things a step further for Pride Month, forging more meaningful partnerships with LGBTQ charities and organizations dedicated to addressing homelessness, mental health and other issues plaguing queer communities.
To help you be a more informed consumer, Mic has compiled a guide to companies that have aligned themselves with pride in one way or another, with detailed information on whether a brand is donating any proceeds to LGBTQ organizations — and if so, how much. In many cases, companies actively decline to share how much they contribute. We’ve marked those companies with the universal sign of mystery: the shruggie.
(Editor’s note: Mic will update this list as pride campaigns launch throughout June.)
Converse
Converse, the iconic sneaker brand behind the ubiquitous Chuck Taylor, is getting in on Pride Month with its pride collection of shoes and clothing designed by Miley Cyrus. The campaign includes rainbow platform sneakers, polka-dot high-tops and glittery striped high-tops. Converse is also selling rainbow and polka-dot T-shirts and rainbow-striped sweats.
Those rainbows aren’t just for show, either. All proceeds from Converse’s pride merchandise will go to one of the company’s LGBTQ partner organizations.
Proceeds donated from sales: 100%
Organizations: Happy Hippie Foundation, It Gets Better Project, Minus 18 and RainbowYOUTH, among others
American Eagle
American Eagle’s pride collection is particularly good for those of us who don’t have a ton of extra money to spend, but still want to make sure our cash goes to a good cause. Every single item of clothing in AE’s pride collection — the “super gay” tank is the clear standout — is less than $20, and 100% of those proceeds will be donated to the It Gets Better Project, an organization dedicated to empowering queer youth.
Proceeds donated from sales: 100%
Organization: It Gets Better Project
Harry’s
Got some stubborn stubble? Maybe a pride-themed shave set is the way to go. Men’s shaving and skin care brand Harry’s is selling a pride-themed, limited-edition shave set that includes a metallic rainbow shave handle, blades and shaving cream.
Harry’s is donating 100% of the proceeds from this $25 shave set — which comes in a particularly snazzy box designed by Craig & Karl — to a wide variety of LGBTQ causes.
Proceeds donated from sales: 100%
Organizations: APLA Health; Evelina London Children’s Hospital (Rainbow Badge Project); GLAAD; GLSEN; IraQueer; the Jamaica Forum for Lesbians, All-Sexuals and Gays; Mermaid’s; Newark LGBTQ Community Center; Peter Tatchell Foundation; Self Evident Truths Project; TransTech Social Enterprises; and the True Colors Fund
Levi’s
If you went to the landing page for Levi’s 2018 pride collection, you might notice there’s no mention of Levi’s donating anything to charity. However, in a press release, Levi’s said 100% of the collection’s net proceeds will support the Harvey Milk Foundation and the Stonewall Community Foundation.
Proceeds donated from sales: 100%
Organizations: The Harvey Milk Foundation and the Stonewall Community Foundation
Zenni Optical
In need of some new spectacles to soak in those pride festivities in 20/20? Online eyewear retailer Zenni is donating 100% of the proceeds from its limited-edition line of pride-themed eyewear, which includes both regular glasses and sunglasses. That money will go to the It Gets Better Project.
Proceeds donated from sales: 100%
Organization: It Gets Better Project
Under Armour
If you need some new workout gear, Under Armour’s new pride-themed collection is worth checking out. It includes all kinds of workout apparel, but the real standout is the UA HOVR Sonic running shoe, which has a rainbow spectrum effect on the sole. All the proceeds from this pride collection go to Athlete Ally, an organization that seeks to make sports a more accepting, inclusive world for LGBTQ people.
Proceeds donated from sales: 100%
Organization: Athlete Ally
Abercrombie and Fitch
For Pride Month, Abercrombie and Fitch launched a gender-neutral collection of clothing that includes tanks, crop tops and other accessories. 100% of the proceeds, up to a maximum of $20,000, will be donated to The Trevor Project. Abercrombie’s site also notes that it will donate “at least $250,000 to The Trevor Project in 2018,” but that seems to be separate from the sales of these pride-themed items.
Proceeds donated from sales: 100%, up to $20,000
Organization: The Trevor Project
J.Crew and Madewell
For the bougie, boat-shoed among us, J.Crew and Madewell’s pride-themed merch is worth checking out. The brands have partnered with the Human Rights Campaign for 2018 pride, offering T-shirts, socks and a tote bag.
Most of these products sport traditional pride messaging — think “Love First” in a rainbow gradient pattern — but the socks also feature the HRC’s equal sign logo.
Proceeds donated from sales: 50%
Organization: Human Rights Campaign
Milk Makeup
Milk Makeup, a brand that boasts 100% vegan, cruelty-free, paraben-free makeup, has teamed up with The Center, an LGBTQ resource center in New York City. For every sale of its $28 limited-edition pride pack or $30 glitter highlighter stick in June, half the proceeds will go to The Center.
Proceeds donated from sales: 50%
Organization: The Center
Urban Outfitters
Urban Outfitters’ pride collection is pretty small and simple: a few shirts, a couple hats and one tote bag, each with various rainbow-themed designs. UO will donate a portion of its proceeds to GLSEN, which focuses on LGBTQ issues in K-12 schools. The donation amount varies between $10 and $15 per item, according to a press release sent to Mic via email.
Proceeds donated from sales: $10 or $15 per item
Organization: GLSEN
Everlane
Everlane is a brand associated with ethically made clothing and transparent pricing — and its pride collection follows suit. Everlane’s pride-themed shirts feature the same “100% Human” slogan as the company’s other cause-based collections, like those linked to the American Civil Liberties Union and Equality Now.
Everlane will donate $5 to the HRC with every sale from its Human Pride collection.
Proceeds donated from sales: 20% ($5 per shirt)
Organization: Human Rights Campaign
H&M
In addition to a pride-themed ad campaign featuring queer celebrities like Olympic snowboarder Gus Kenworthy and RuPaul’s Drag Race contestant Aja, H&M — everyone’s favorite go-to for cheap, fashionable clothing — plans to donate 10% of the proceeds from every sale of its pride merchandise. That cash will go to United Nations Free & Equal, the U.N.’s campaign to promote equal rights for queer people around the world.
H&M’s 2018 pride collection is 1970s-inspired, according to Into, and features a number of crop tops, tees, sweatshirts, fanny packs and more.
Proceeds donated from sales: 10% (H&M’s site guarantees a minimum donation amount of $350,000)
Organization: United Nations Free & Equal
Disney
This year, Disney is offering an LGBTQ-friendly set of Mickey Mouse ears in honor of Pride Month. Ten percent of the proceeds from these ears — as well as the other items in Disney’s pride collection — will go to GLSEN. That donation amount, however, caps at $50,000.
Proceeds donated from sales: 10%, up to $50,000
Organization: GLSEN
TomboyX
TomboyX, a clothing brand for people of all genders, is partnering with the National Center for Lesbian Rights for Pride Month. The company, founded by two self-proclaimed tomboys, emphasizes that its underwear is designed for anyone, regardless of their size or gender expression. 10% of the sales from TomboyX’s rainbow collection will go toward the NCLR.
Proceeds donated from sales: 10%
Organization: National Center for Lesbian Rights
SoulCycle
If you’re stocked up on all the rainbow T-shirts your money can buy, maybe a spin class is more your speed. SoulCycle is donating 5% of the proceeds on each of its 10-class “pride packs” sold during Pride Month to the Trevor Project, up to $50,000. SoulCycle will also give a Trevor Project volunteer a free class for every pride pack sold.
Proceeds donated from sales: 5% (up to $50,000)
Organization: The Trevor Project
Warby Parker
Warby Parker will begin selling a new Haskell Prism collection in honor of Pride Month starting Friday. These six new colors will start at $95 each and will be available online and in-store.
In a press release sent to Mic, a representative for Warby Parker said the company is making $10,000 donations to both the Trevor Project and Lambda Legal. In other words, these are one-time donations unrelated to sales of the Haskell Prism collection.
Proceeds donated from sales: None
Organizations: N/A
2(X)IST
Underwear brand 2(X)IST has a new pride-themed line of jock straps, briefs, swimwear, shorts and other accessories. None of the proceeds are going directly to any charities or LGBTQ organizations, but in a press release sent to Mic via email, a representative for 2(X)IST said it made a one-time donation of $15,000 to The Trevor Project.
Proceeds donated from sales: None
Organization: N/A
Apple
At a press conference Monday, Apple announced a brand-new, pride-themed watchband for its Apple Watch. This is the second time Apple has released a pride-themed watchband: In 2016, Apple gave some of its employees limited-edition pride watchbands, but later sold them to the public in June 2017, according to Mashable.
The new band features a slightly different design, with thin, rainbow stripes over a white background. The watchband is available now for $49; Apple Watch users can also download a matching pride-themed watch face. In a press release, Apple said it would donate a percentage of the proceeds to a number of LGBTQ organizations, but did not disclose a specific amount. When reached for comment by Mic, Apple declined to elaborate further.
Proceeds donated from sales: ¯\_(?)_/¯
Organizations: GLSEN, PFLAG, the Trevor Project, Gender Spectrum, the National Center for Transgender Equality in the U.S. and the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association internationally
Dr. Martens
Dr. Martens, a brand beloved by celebrities like Miley Cyrus and Tegan and Sara, is taking things in a decidedly 1960s-inspired direction with a pair of rainbow tie-dye boots, which cost $145.
When reached for comment by Mic, the company didn’t disclose what percentage of the boot’s proceeds would be donated, saying only that “a portion” will go to the Trevor Project. In 2017, Dr. Martens donated $5 from its $145 pride boots (3.4%) to the same organization.
Proceeds donated from sales: ¯\_(?)_/¯
Organization: The Trevor Project
MeUndies
In a video on the MeUndies site, designer Oscar Zaldaña said he created the above rainbow camouflage pattern as a cheeky — sorry, couldn’t resist — way to comment on the ways queer people are so often forced to blend in and assimilate.
MeUndies is partnering with the True Colors Fund, which seeks to end homelessness for queer youth. (According to True Colors, LGBTQ youth are 120% more likely to experience homelessness than straight youth.) The MeUndies site doesn’t specify how much would be donated per pair sold; the brand also declined to share more information when Mic reached a MeUndies representative for comment. (In 2017, MeUndies donated $1 from every pair sold to the Los Angeles LGBT Center.)
Proceeds donated from sales: ¯\_(?)_/¯
Organization: True Colors Fund
Calvin Klein
Calvin Klein’s pride collection just might get the award for — how shall we put this nicely? — the simplest collection of queer-friendly threads. Each piece (including shirts, tank tops, underwear and bras) is either striped or bright-colored, but everything also features a large Calvin Klein logo front-and-center. On the landing page for its collection, Calvin Klein notes it has “made a donation to the Human Rights Campaign Foundation,” but does not disclose the amount.
Mic has reached out to Calvin Klein for more information and will update this post with any response.
Proceeds donated from sales: ¯\_(?)_/¯
Organization: N/A
Nike
Nike’s pride-themed collection of fancy footwear features an inverted pink triangle symbol. Originally used by the Nazis during World War II to identify LGBTQ individuals, activists reclaimed the symbol in the 1970s and used it for the AIDS Coalition to Unleash Power’s powerful “Silence = Death” campaign in the 1980s.
Nike’s use of the symbol drew the ire of critics who noted the company was benefiting from LGBTQ politics without doing anything to help the communities themselves. “Hey Nike,” ACT UP tweeted. “We love that you’re moved by our work. How about donating the proceeds to current work we continue to do?”
Nike responded with, “@actupny, let’s talk. Our BETRUE team will reach out.”
In a statement provided to Mic via email, a representative for Nike confirmed the company had been in touch with ACT UP. “We look forward to announcing the organizations soon that will receive support in 2018 through the BETRUE Fund,” they said. “These have not been announced to date.”
Proceeds donated from sales: Stay tuned.
Organization(s): Stay tuned.
Kenneth Cole
Kenneth Cole has a very splashy landing page for its rainbow-adorned leather sneakers and other pride merchandise. But there’s not much in the way of concrete details about how, exactly, Kenneth Cole lives up to the claim that it’s “been supporting equal rights for the LGBTQ+ community since 1993.”
When reached for comment, a Kenneth Cole representative said the company would not be donating proceeds from the sales of its 2018 pride merchandise, but noted Kenneth Cole’s contributions to LGBTQ organizations at other times.
“Kenneth Cole works with and financially supports a number of organizations committed to equality throughout the year, including the Human Rights Campaign and the United Nations Foundation,” a Kenneth Cole representative said via email. “Additionally, through this campaign we hope to show solidarity with the LGBTQ+ community and raise awareness. Our “look good for good” program also includes in-kind donations and volunteering for groups such as Live-Out-Loud and GMHC.”
Proceeds donated from sales: None
Organization(s): N/A
Speedo
Speedo wants you to adorn that sun-kissed skin with some “rainbow-kissed” swimwear for pride, but the proceeds from the sales of these items are not being donated to any LGBTQ organizations. Speedo is, however, listed as a sponsor for Los Angeles Pride 2018.
In a press release sent to Mic via email, a representative for Speedo said it was making a one-time donation to the Human Rights Campaign, but did not disclose the exact amount.
Proceeds donated from sales: None
Organization(s): N/A
Target
Target’s selling a surprisingly large collection of pride-themed clothing and accessories in 2018, including a crop top, pins, tanks and scarves — but it doesn’t appear to be much more than a money-making endeavor.
Target’s pride landing page makes no mention of partnering with any LGBTQ organizations. It features only vague language in support or LGBTQ individuals, saying Target “celebrates “those who describe themselves as fierce, thoughtful, loving and fabulous.”
Mic has reached out to Target for more information and will update this post with any response.
Proceeds donated from sales: ¯\_(?)_/¯
Organization(s): ¯\_(?)_/¯
June 8, 2018, 3:56 p.m.: A previous version of this story listed one-time donations in the “proceeds donated” section below each brand. To make it clearer that these donations are not tied to the sales of items, that section is now listed “proceeds donated from sales” and those cases now say “none.”
