Hartwell Industries Enlists SCAD Students To Launch "Helping Hart" Giving Initiative
Students transform garments into original designs to support community
ATLANTA, April 24, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Hartwell Industries, a leading designer and seller of decorated and blank garments, announced today that it will partner with Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) to help raise awareness for its "Helping Hart" giving initiative. Students majoring in fashion, fashion marketing, illustration, graphic design and advertising will collaborate to transform Hartwell apparel into original designs inspired by the concept of "giving." The 72-hour challenge is all about skill, speed and creativity.
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The community/corporate partnership will give participating students real-world experience and the opportunity to design for Hartwell, which has been manufacturing premium apparel since 1939.
Born out of the tragedy of Hurricane Sandy, the Helping Hart initiative was created to establish Hartwell's social responsibility outreach and make giving easy for consumers. For every garment purchased on HelpingHart.com, Hartwell will donate a new garment to charity. Caring For Others, an Atlanta-based human services organization, will serve as a distribution partner to ensure all clothing is given to families and individuals in need.
"At the core of Helping Hart is Hartwell's commitment to giving back," said John Sabol, chief executive officer, Hartwell Industries. "Who better than the next generation of socially conscious designers, like students at SCAD, to remind us that ingenuity and working together can yield amazing results -- both in business and throughout our communities?"
The Challenge
Hartwell will showcase final designs by ten student teams at a VIP launch event on April 25th at 6:30 pm on SCAD's Atlanta campus. Throughout the evening, students will present their concepts to a distinguished panel of judges including David Arnold (The Partnership), Michel Boyd (SmithBoyd Interiors), Angela Church (Hartwell Industries), and Allison Mitchell (Jezebel Magazine). Each submission will be evaluated on creativity, use of apparel, technical design and overall presentation. The event will also bring together members of the fashion and design community, civic and philanthropic leaders, as well as notable SCAD alumni.
"We hope Helping Hart positively impacts the lives of others and ultimately provides much needed relief to those in our own back yard," said Jonathan Matthews, head of new initiatives, Hartwell Industries. "We're excited to see how this talented group of SCAD students will transform Hartwell apparel into compelling works of art, while encouraging others to give through the Helping Hart initiative."
New findings from a Nielsen survey reveal 52% of socially conscious consumers surveyed think companies should provide relief after natural disasters. The survey also found that two thirds (66%) of consumers around the world say they prefer to buy products and services from companies that have implemented programs to give back to society.
"Hartwell is sending an inspiring message to SCAD students that it's important to take responsibility for the needs of the community-at-large," said Lee Barry Todd, SCAD director of community outreach. "We welcome the opportunity to partner with companies that not only provide a platform to showcase student work, but whose leaders also understand that community and commerce are inextricably linked."
For more information visit helpinghart.com or connect via: facebook.com/HelpingHart; pinterest.com/helpinghart/; twitter.com/Helping_Hart; #helpinghart
About Hartwell
Hartwell Industries, headquartered in Hartwell, Georgia, is a leading designer and seller of decorated and blank garments, including outerwear, wovens, dress shirts, polos, work wear, moisture management items, hats, bags and accessories. Hartwell is also a major uniform supplier whose product line allows outfitting everyone in a company. For more information, visit www.hartwell.com.
About SCAD: The University for Creative Careers
The Savannah College of Art and Design is a private, nonprofit, accredited institution conferring bachelor's and master's degrees at distinctive locations and online to prepare talented students for professional careers. SCAD offers degrees in more than 40 majors. Visit scad.edu.
Media contacts:
Lalohni Campbell, Hartwell
404.593.7145
[email protected]
Jessica Manning, Hartwell
404.313.7602
[email protected]
Andy Shearer, SCAD
912.525.4881
[email protected]
SOURCE Hartwell Industries
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