Listen Here
UF’s first Serengetee campus representative
By Hannah Dunbar
@hanndunbar
“Wear the world, change the world” is the mission of Serengetee, a social and global apparel company that sources fabric from talented artisans all over the world, according to Allison Parrill, senior health studies major.
Parrill became a campus representative for Serengetee at the start of spring semester this year.
“I came across a post on Facebook that said they had a campus representative position open,” said Parrill.
According to serengetee.com, there are three steps involved in each purchase. The first step is to choose your favorite fabric pattern that is paired with a different country around the world. For example, a popular fabric called “Bukit” represents Indonesia and supports women weavers in remote villages of Bali. The next step is to customize your products by applying your fabric of choice to items such as pocket tees, bags, and hats. Once you receive your product you “wear the world” by showcasing the story of the fabric and the partner cause every time you wear it.
“Serengetee currently has 32 different causes and you can choose from any fabric and the country it supports,” said Parrill. “They have outerwear, bags, shorts, tops, iPhone and laptop cases, and much more.”
Since the launch of the company in 2012, Serengetee has become one of the fastest growing clothing brands in the world. Serengetee.com states the company currently has 301,567 supporters and has made $102,458 in total in donations toward all causes so far.
Five percent of each purchase total is given to a specific cause.
The idea for Serengetee came while three college friends were traveling the world on a floating campus study abroad program. Adventures abroad led to the launch of the company in spring of 2012 from the friends’ dorm rooms at the University of Arizona.
“I feel that the Midwest has not heard much about Serengetee since the company started in Arizona,” said Parrill. “There are campus representatives at Ohio State as well as the University of Dayton and I am the first representative at the University of Findlay.”
Parrill’s main goal is to get the word out to students at UF about the company and what it stands for.
“I have studied abroad and I plan to go into the international education field so I think it is important to let everyone become aware of these global issues,” said Parrill. “It is easy to focus on the small world we are in but I think everyone needs to realize there is a lot more going on.”
Parill said she would love to start a club at UF but since she is a senior it would be difficult. However, she is hoping that underclassmen who are interested in Serengetee will apply for campus representative positions and will start a trend on campus.
“Serengetee gets people to help change the world in a small way without even realizing it,” said Parrill.
Parrill has a 15 percent coupon code for every person who sends her an email interested in purchasing an item from the company. Parrill’s email address is parrilla@findlay.edu.
