Turning a setback into something positive: we donated pants and blazers that didn’t meet our quality standards to La Cravate Solidaire, a non-profit organization committed to fighting hiring discrimination.
After a small production run where the fabric showed quality issues and the finishing touches fell short of our standards, we decided to withdraw a limited number of blazers and trousers from sale.
Unfortunately, the fabric issue was irreversible, one of the occasional downsides of upcycling, so we reached out to La Cravate Solidaire with full transparency and offered the entire batch as a donation.
“Clothes don’t make the man, but they certainly help.” La Cravate Solidaire is a nationwide network of public-interest organizations in France, promoting equal opportunity and working to eliminate hiring discrimination, particularly those based on physical appearance.
Since 2012, the organization has supported individuals across France as they re-enter the workforce and pursue their professional goals.
Their four-step program is designed to empower candidates, build their confidence, and equip them with the tools they need to succeed in interviews:
A warm welcome: in a friendly setting over coffee and sweets, to help identify any barriers to employment and guide volunteers on how best to support each candidate.
- Image coaching: finding the perfect outfit for the candidate’s career path, with the help of a volunteer image coach. The outfit is gifted to them!
- HR coaching: now dressed for success, candidates practice interview scenarios with experienced recruitment professionals.
- A photo session: they leave with a professional headshot for their CV and professional networks, and a fun photo for the memory.
These four steps help rebuild candidates’ self-esteem and teach them the verbal, non-verbal, and stylistic codes of the workplace, greatly increasing their chances of success.
The result: 70% of participants go on to achieve their career goals.
learn more about the work of la cravate solidaire
