Panda Express® and 3.1 Phillip Lim Team Up to Launch Limited-Edition Apparel Collection, with Every Purchase Benefitting Organizations Dedicated to Combatting Food Insecurity for the Asian American & Pacific Islander (AAPI) Community

In celebration of AAPI Heritage Month, the American Chinese Trailblazer, Global Fashion Designer, and GoFundMe.org, unite communities to provide comfort and nourishment to underserved AAPI elders and youths 

ROSEMEAD, Calif., May 10, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Panda Express® is partnering with global fashion designer Phillip Lim and his namesake brand, 3.1 Phillip Lim, to create a limited-edition apparel collection, "Eat More, Share More, Love More," in celebration of Asian American & Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month. Inspired by food as a love language in Asian cultures, the collaboration aims to shed light on a prevalent, yet often overlooked issue of food insecurity in the AAPI community and uplift those in need by providing access to safe and nutritious food. Starting on May 10, this special collection, featuring a t-shirt, crewneck sweatshirt and cap, will be available for order on here with 100 percent of the net proceeds donated to local organizations focused on food security, including Heart of Dinner, More Than a Meal, OCA-Greater Houston, Radical Family Farms, Respect Your Elders, and Welcome to Chinatown.

As part of the campaign, the two AAPI brands also launched the "Eat More, Share More, Love More" Fund, in partnership with GoFundMe.org, to invite people to participate with a donation of any amount to further support this cause throughout the month of May. Panda Express has donated $20,000 to the GoFundMe page to kick off the fundraising efforts. This collaboration is one of the many initiatives dedicated to culture and community that Panda and Lim have championed respectively over the years, such as the Panda CommUnity Fund and #StopAsianHate most recently.

"As we continue to combat hate and fight for representation, we must also balance this out with nourishment and love. Food is the best way to bring people together. Bring bread to a table and you can create an instant community. Across cultures and throughout history, food is the universal love language. Through the simple act of sharing a meal, we give each other the space to experience humanity in its quintessence," said Phillip Lim.

Food plays a significant role in Asian cultures and the AAPI experience. The act of eating and sharing a meal together is a multi-generational way to express love to one another; a plate of delicious food can bring down walls and promote understanding to inspire compassion. The design of the apparel collection centers around an Asian-style plate as an homage to tradition and cultural appreciation, with the circular shape representing unity during divisive times.

"We are proud to be spotlighting our community partners and collaborating with Phillip Lim, a powerhouse for AAPI advocacy, on an initiative that's anchored in the power of food and its ability to bring healing and togetherness," said Andrea Cherng, Chief Brand Officer at Panda Express. "The beauty of what we get to do every day at Panda is bridging cultures and providing care through food, and this collaboration is an extension of that mission as well as an invitation for all to come to the table, to see past labels, and to hear and help those in need."

Panda's partnership and fundraising initiative in collaboration with Lim is a part of the restaurant brand's ongoing diversity, equity and inclusion efforts to uplift diverse voices and organizations. In 2021, Panda launched the Panda CommUnity Fund, a $10 million investment program that supports immediate and sustainable solutions to help foster greater understanding, unity, and belonging. To-date, the Fund has donated more than $2.3 million to nonprofit organizations that serve the BIPOC and LGBTQIA+ communities while empowering representation across various sectors. Over the next four years, the Fund will continue to allocate resources to empower marginalized communities.

To learn more about how you can shop the limited-edition collection and support this fundraising effort, click here or follow the @officialpandaexpress and @31philliplim Instagram.

About Panda Express 
On a mission to inspire better lives, Panda Express® is the largest Asian dining concept in the U.S. Family-owned and operated since 1983 by Co-Founders and Co-CEOs Andrew and Peggy Cherng, Panda Express is best known as a trailblazer for creating a wide variety of industry-first recipes, including its best seller The Original Orange Chicken® and award-winning Honey Walnut Shrimp, which have defined the category of authentic American Chinese cuisine. Each dish at Panda Express is thoughtfully crafted with quality ingredients and inspired by bold Chinese flavors and culinary principles. The restaurant brand has more than 2,300 locations and has introduced American Chinese cuisine to 12 international countries.

Powered by this global family of associates, Panda Cares®, Panda's philanthropic arm, has raised more than $282 million and dedicated countless volunteer hours in bettering the health and education for over 13 million youths, as well as supporting communities in need since 1999. In 2021, Panda Express established the Panda CommUnity Fund — a five-year, $10 million community investment and response program that supports immediate and sustainable solutions from national and local organizations to uplift diverse groups, including people of color and other marginalized communities. For more information about Panda, visit pandaexpress.com, or find us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. 

About 3.1 Phillip Lim
Debuted at New York Fashion Week in 2005, 3.1 Phillip Lim was born from a friendship between founders, Phillip Lim and Wen Zhou. Both 31 years of age at its inception, the designer and entrepreneur were pioneers in the accessible luxury space, with the goal of bringing an innovative, elevated, and chic wardrobe to the modern global citizen. The brand has since expanded to include womenswear, menswear, accessories and footwear, with stores in New York, Los Angeles, Hawaii, China, Japan, South Korea and clientele in over 12 countries. 

The brand has built a strong community of like-minded global citizens, those who are mindful of their consumption, confident in their voice and live authentically with intention, gratitude, and kindness. Throughout its 17-year history, the brand has continued to evolve its positioning in the ever-changing fashion landscape to continue paving the way as a resilient, independent, competitive leader in American and Global fashion. With Community and Sustainability at the forefront of the brand's every move, 3.1 Phillip Lim continues to build alliances and a platform that brings together fashion, art, community and culture together in a meaningful, sustainable way.  

About GoFundMe.org
GoFundMe.org is a 501(c)(3) public charity (EIN 81-2279757). Its mission is to provide fast and effective relief to victims of disaster, and to fund education and other charitable initiatives. Since 2017, GoFundMe.org has raised over $135 million, for distribution to nonprofit organizations serving the same mission, and to individuals who are part of the charitable class. It strives to eliminate the paradox of choice for donors by providing a centralized place to give, knowing that those dollars are dispersed to the right organization and people. Working closely with its compliance and trust teams, GoFundMe.org has supported charitable initiatives in over 40 countries.  

SOURCE Panda Express