Canada Goose has announced a call for Inuit designers to design parkas that will be sold through the retailer. The initiative is being run through a partnership with Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, a national representational organization that works to improve the health and well-being of Inuit in Canada.
Project Atigi first launched in January and sold 14 parkas from 14 different creators. The second wave will showcase a total of 100 parkas from 20 designers, representing all four regions of Inuit Nunangat: Inuvialuit Settlement Region, Nunatsiavut, Nunavut and Nunavik. In both cases, the proceeds will be donated back to the creators’ communities.
“Project Atigi is a great example of cultural appreciation, not appropriation,” said Mishael Gordon, an Inuit designer and entrepreneur who participated in the launch of Project Atigi in a statement. “It’s bringing together a world-renowned company and Inuit culture that is represented through our clothing and traditions. This is an opportunity for a piece of our heritage to reach a global audience, especially while owning our own designs.”
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New forms of corporate responsibility are proving to be winning strategies in retail and other businesses. For instance, 85% of employees say they are likely to stay longer at a company that shows a high level of social responsibility. Additionally, retailers like Grove Collaborative have boosted customer loyalty by making sustainability part of the brand’s core message.
