Uniqlo Donates $25.6 Million To Japanese Red Cross

Fast-fashion chain Uniqlo has donated $25.6 million to the Japanese Red Cross to help those impacted by the earthquake and tsunami in northeastern Japan, Time reports.

President of Fast Retailing and Uniqlo founder Tadashi Yanai will donate $12.2 million from his own pocket and another $4.9 million will be taken from the company itself. The brand will also send $8.6 million-worth of clothing -- including jeans, coats, towels and 300,000 pairs of its Heattech thermal underwear, Time writes.

A statement released by Fast Retailing reads as follows:

As the death toll continues to rise, we at Fast Retailing mourn the many victims of this horrible natural disaster and our thoughts are with their families and people close to them. We extend to them our deepest condolences in this time of sadness.

In this difficult time, the Fast Retailing Group and its personnel are coming together to do their utmost to leverage the group's resources to help to support and lead the nation on its path to recovery. Specific support activities are outlined below:

Clothing contributions:
Approximately 700 million yen worth of clothing will be sent to disaster victims, including 300,000 pieces of HEATTECH items, as warm clothing is in the greatest demand, as well as other articles of innerwear, outerwear, jeans, towels and UNIQLO and g.u. items.

Monetary contributions:
The Fast Retailing Group will distribute donations in the form of disaster relief through organization such as the Japanese Red Cross Society to the most seriously hit areas, Miyagi, Iwate, Fukushima, Aomori and Ibaraki prefectures. In total, 1.4 billion yen will be donated. The breakdown is as follows;
- The Fast Retailing Group company will contribute 300 million yen
- Fast Retailing Group employees worldwide will contribute 100 million yen
- Fast Retailing President, Chairman and CEO Tadashi Yanai will make a personal donation of 1 billion yen.

The group will also install donation boxes at 2,200 stores worldwide, including Uniqlo, g.u., Comptoir des Cotonniers, Princesse tam.tam and Theory.

Take a look at other ways you can help Japan here.

Comments

[Kittenesque]

04:15 AM on 03/16/2011

Now that's effective, rather than just tweeting and Fbing about it like the other fashion designers. Fahion can make a difference - and this is how!

[dididangerlove]

08:05 PM on 03/15/2011

I'm calling your Soho store tomorrow and buying something. (Love the clothes!) I'm also donating directly to the Red Cross and will be volunteering at World Care this weekend to pack medical supplies.

[Mali Inomata]

06:52 PM on 03/15/2011

What an amazing contribution to help the disaster in Japan. I love UNI QLO!

[Ocheco]

06:17 PM on 03/15/2011

Very nice. someday when I have a dime to spend, I'll look for this brand..

[Nerdiac]

05:02 PM on 03/15/2011

Very commendable. The people there really need warm clothing, good thinking on Uniqlo's part. I will forever stop badmouthing Uniqlo for not having an online store nor any locations where I live.

[Jennifer Hoffman]

01:38 PM on 03/15/2011

I commend Mr. Yanai's actions. Times like these either bring out the best or the worst in people. It is our test of whether we remember that 'there but for the grace of God go I.'