From Ashes To Action - United By Blue Update

Dear United By Blue Family,

In early January, we encountered a new challenge that put our resilience and dedication to our mission to the test. A fire broke out at our warehouse, causing us to lose most of our inventory. This could have marked the end of a chapter for us, but we were determined to turn this setback into an opportunity to help others.

Thanks in large part to suggestions from our community, we've turned a moment of loss into a beacon of hope and were able to find ways to put the smoke-impacted inventory to good use. In collaboration with the United Community Corporation (UCC), we salvaged, cleaned, and donated over $300,000 worth of inventory to support their mission to help the homeless in Newark, NJ, which is near where our warehouse was located. 

The UCC's dedication to fighting poverty, offering educational support, and providing housing services aligns with our vision of making the world a better place, and we are proud to have contributed to their cause.

Furthermore, we extended our warmth by donating our buffalo wool socks to the Outdoor School Program for the Rainier School District in Rainier, Oregon. These socks will keep a group of 6th graders warm during their camping trip, an experience designed to instill the principles of conservation and sustainability.

We're also exploring several other avenues to ensure that the remaining undamaged inventory serves a meaningful purpose. We greatly appreciate the input from you, our community, in this process.

Today marks not just a relaunch of our website, but a reinvigoration of our mission. We are thrilled to announce that, for a limited time, we will double our commitment to cleaning our oceans and waterways. For every product purchased, we will remove 2 pounds of trash from our oceans and waterways, doubling down on our promise to help leave the world better than we found it. 

Our journey to clean up nearly 5.3 million pounds of trash is a testament to what we can achieve together, and this is your invitation to double the impact. Visit our site, explore our latest collection, and be a part of our doubled commitment to our planet. Your support is not just a purchase; it's a step towards a cleaner, better world. 

Our first clean-up of 2024 is less than a week away in Miami in collaboration with Debris Free Oceans, with more information here, and we hope to see some of you there. We also have some exciting new projects in the works that we hope to be able to share with you soon.

I’ve said it before, but I’m grateful to be part of a community of individuals who share our belief that together we can not only make a larger difference but actually amplify our impact. As such, we’re excited to continue this journey together, with hope, resilience, and the shared goal of making a significant, positive impact on our planet. 

With heartfelt gratitude and renewed determination,

Lane George

President, United By Blue

lane@unitedbyblue.com