Should fashion brands make pro-Palestinian clothing for profit?

The surge in pro-Palestine merchandise

Sponsored posts for pro-Palestine merch have been appearing with increasing frequency on my social media feeds over the last week.

I’ve noticed a handful of brands have released limited quantities of certain garments (t-shirts, hoodies, and hats) embellished with pro-Palestine statements, imagery, and symbolism. These brands explicitly state that all profits from these sales will be donated to Palestinian aid, complete with the names of specific charities that will receive funds.

Meanwhile, other brands are printing clothing of a similar style alongside their normal collections. Their websites state that ‘a portion of all proceeds will go towards Palestinian charities’ without indicating how large or small this ‘portion’ is. Donations could be anywhere between 1-99 percent of profits.

While any amount donated is better than nothing, I would be surprised if I’m the only one feeling a bit strange about all of this ambiguity.

Other brands are simply capitalising on what has unfortunately become yet another ‘trend’. On these websites, there is no mention of fundraising for a specific charity or then intent to donate any portion of the profits earned from the sale of pro-Palestine merchandise. This can only lead one to believe that all earnings are pocketed by sellers.

Does a moral dilemma not arise when companies or individuals are generating profit off merchandise that references the suffering and death of an entire population of people?

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by MUSLIM BREAKFAST CLUB (@muslimbreakfastclub)

Is corporate activism a bad thing?

There are a couple of stances to consider.

Of course, the best case scenario when it comes to corporate activism comes from brands that donate 100 percent of all proceeds to a specific cause, charity, or organisation.

Still, it should be noted that companies do gain from this – their public reputation is bolstered by aligning themselves with a popular, respectable cause.

One brand taking this approach is Everpress, which released a series of pro-Palestine designs in collaboration with numerous graphic designers. It notes that 100 percent of all profits from these collections are donated to Medical Aid for Palestinians.

Donating a portion of earnings seems reasonable enough, too. If small businesses are responsible for manufacturing costs and using sustainable materials rather than drop-shipping, it seems reasonable to cover the cost of production and donate as much as possible.

Still, it only feels fair that customers should be made aware of just how much of their money will be going towards a cause they choose to support. Without specifying this explicitly the website, brands can get away with pocketing the majority of earnings.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by The Pali Project | Palestinian Clothing and Streetwear (@thepaliproject)

When buying from companies that keep all earnings from merchandise that nod to a specific cause, customers might argue that they’re willing to pay those who make a product that has the potential to create a butterfly effect of positive change.

Merchandise that signals or directly mentions social injustice does indeed raise awareness when it’s worn in public. It brings the cause back to the forefront of the mind of anyone who sees it, perhaps inciting further education or action related to the topic.

Ultimately, it’s up to the person clicking ‘complete purchase’ to decide whether buying merchandise related to (what is widely being classified as) a genocide is ethical or not. One can only hope that in the near future, we will be able to Palestine merch directly from the source.