I always love the satisfaction of helping out people in need; however I am always spending my money on the useless pleasures of life, including food, social activities, and clothing. I went on a frenzy searching up online stores when I discovered that I could do both help the community and buying something for myself at the same time. Whilst purchasing some cool clothing, I could also be donating to a cause I believed in, such as environmental preservation or wildlife protection. When I stumbled across Serengetee.com while scrolling through my Instagram feed, I was ecstatic to join their campus representative program and be a part of these online stores with great causes.

Founded by two friends who met studying abroad, Serengetee is an online clothing store that sells pocket tees, hats, bags, and other accessories made with fabrics from all over the world. Their motto– “wear the world, change the world”–emphasizes their mission to improve the lives of people who are not as fortunate as us. Not only are these unique fabric patterns fashionable, part of the profit from these fabrics go to non-profit organizations in which the fabric was made. For instance, the first shirt I bought was Rio­–a bright blue fabric dotted with tiny cartoon sharks. The profits went to the Whole Planet Foundation, an organization that provides microloans to women entrepreneurs in Brazil. So not only was I buying a high-quality, good-looking shirt, but I was also supporting an organization that I firmly believe in. The shirts are extremely comfortable and I get several compliments whenever I wear my shirts to school. Although they do run expensive, they have sales very frequently and tons of discount codes can be found through social media.

Serengetee is not the only online store that helps out the community. The Elephant Pants is a store that focuses on one specific cause; as the name implies, it donates part of its profits to the African Wildlife Foundation to prevent elephant poaching. According to my friend Sophia McDaniel, these patterned harem pants are “super cute and comfortable–and they have elephants on them!” McDaniel heard about The Elephant Pants when her friends from other countries wore some on their two week service trip in Morocco. “I also saw a few locals wearing harem pants, and I thought they looked really nice and comfortable, so I ordered some after my trip,” added McDaniel on buying the pants. “They also have really big pockets – a rare feature of women’s pants.”

Another noteworthy store is Beyond Beanie, which supports Bolivian children in need and local Bolivian artisans who make the beanies. It also works on preserving and spreading Bolivian traditions through the clothing. The website is very straight forward and tells you exactly what profits go where; one beanie provides five meals, one bag provides one set of school supplies, and so on. Their handmade beanies from Bolivia come in all sorts of styles and colors and are unisex, allowing for a fun design for everyone. Even if you do not purchase anything, when you sign up for their e-mail list they will donate three meals to a child in need.

All of these online stores rely heavily on spreading the word through social media and word of mouth. Campus representative programs like the one I am in are available at all the stores mentioned. It is a great way to make new friends, support a brand you like, and gain some work experience. It feels great to pay it forward to non-profit organizations around the world–and looking stylish while doing so.