SALT LAKE CITY — Utah outdoor gear retailer Cotopaxi is extending its “Gear for Good” mantra with a new fundraising effort aimed at helping to address COVID-19 impacts in its home state.
The company is selling T-shirts with the #OneUtah message that’s emerged as a social media rallying cry for Utahns to pull together in the ongoing fight against COVID-19. The company says all proceeds from the shirts will go to a fund established by Utah tech advocacy group Silicon Slopes aiming to raise $5 million.
Cotopaxi founder and CEO Davis Smith said his company is definitely feeling the impacts of the pandemic, with many of its brick-and-mortar retail partners as well its own two Utah stores shuttered amid COVID-19 restrictions, and online shopping for its travel and adventure gear down significantly. But Davis said the struggles don’t erase the underlying foundation of Cotopaxi’s take on the best way of doing business.
“We’re always thinking about what we can do to positively impact our community and help,” Davis said. “While we don’t have the same resources as some of Utah’s unicorn companies, we don’t think it’s right just to wait for the big companies to help.
“We wanted to be part of that effort ... and we have something many of them don’t have, a way to connect with our community and great physical products.”
Rallying on behalf of those facing challenges has long been a part of Cotopaxi’s business DNA.
Since launching in 2014, Cotopaxi has dedicated 1% of annual sales to help address global poverty and currently earmarks about 4% of annual revenues for impact efforts in the company’s supply chain, refugee programs in Utah and grants. The company also subjects itself to a set of rigorous social and environmental standards as a Certified B Corp. Last year, Cotopaxi launched a philanthropic arm, the Cotopaxi Foundation, that formalized partnerships and programs supported by the company’s revenue contributions.
Proceeds from Cotopaxi’s #OneUtah T-shirt sales will help bolster Silicon Slopes’ COVID19 Utah Community Response Fund, which is committed to deploying capital “to accelerate the private sector’s impact on COVID19 in Utah.”
That fund has already been seeded with $1.2 million committed by Utah companies, executives and individuals, and will be looking to boost efforts in the following areas:
- FDA-approved COVID19 test kits to accelerate the diagnosis of fellow Utahns
- Medical supplies for those health professionals and nonprofit workers in contact with potentially infected individuals
- Public health and K-12 education
- Community food programs
- Support for Utah small businesses
Smith said Cotopaxi has already received thousands of orders for the $25 #OneUtah T-shirts since it launched the effort last Friday. Those interested in purchasing a shirt or making a donation to Utah COVID-19 efforts can find more information at cotopaxi.com/collections/oneutah.
Correction: An earlier version incorrectly noted Cotopaxi dedicates 1% of annual profits to global poverty issues. The company spends 1% of annual revenues on those efforts.