The evolution is not being televised. The tectonic plates of business are shifting. The “greed is good” paradigm is slowly sliding under as a new generation of entrepreneurs, who give no credence to their forebears’ cutthroat mentality, is quietly emerging. This is a generation that believes business can not only avoid corruption, but can actually become the most powerful force in the world for positive change. It is a generation that believes life is not a zero-sum game and that humanity can only be strengthened through cooperation. The number of humanitarian crises and global disasters demanding the same level of attention as has been given to the “green revolution” grows every single day. The time to act is now and we can no longer afford to resign ourselves to waiting for “someone else” to step in.

We started this effort by providing microloans to developing world entrepreneurs through kiva.org. It was a cause close to our heart because we’ve gone through all the trials and tribulations of starting a business ourselves and could only imagine the difficulties our loan recipients faced. We’re still very proud of this lending process, but we also know that the same passion we have for kiva exists in our customers’ hearts for other causes like cancer research, education and the environment. So, we asked ourselves, “Why not let our customers’ passions guide their buying decisions?” It’s not just good business practice to let the customer pick their own worthy cause, it helps us reach those who may need even more help than entrepreneurs. Donating is as easy as choosing your charity from a drop-down menu at checkout and if you have one that’s particularly close to your heart we’d be happy to expand our list.

Most people see fashion as a vehicle to better themselves. We see it as a vehicle to better others. Did you notice that at first glance?