Sesame Street’s yearlong 50th anniversary celebration is underway, and the nonprofit Sesame Workshop is collaborating with TOMS, Bombas, Out of Print, and DIFF Eyewear on new lifestyle collections. New Sesame Street collections will support those in need with buy-one give-one initiatives and outreach programs through partnerships with these socially-conscious companies.
“With Sesame Street’s 50th anniversary, we are collaborating with best-in-class partners, experts in their respective industries who, like Sesame Workshop, also believe in giving back to families in need, to deliver a whole new product execution,” says Gabriela Arenas, vice president of licensing, North America, Sesame Workshop. “One of our key strategic goals is to expand and diversify our Consumer Products offering so that fans across generations have new ways to enjoy Sesame Street, and we are thrilled to create these unique opportunities for fans to contribute to the causes they care about.”
Launched globally in this month, Sesame Street x TOMS’ latest collab is a 17-piece collection of shoes for women, kids, and toddlers. For every pair purchased, TOMS will provide a pair of shoes for a child in need through their One for One program, which has given more than 86 million pairs of new shoes to the people who need them most.
Bombas will debut new Sesame Street x Bombas collections for summer and fall. For each pair of Bombas socks sold, the company gives a pair to someone in need. To date, the company has donated more than 15 million pairs of socks to homeless shelters in the U.S. For the Sesame Street x Bombas collection, all donation socks will go to families experiencing homelessness.
Out of Print released a line of apparel for adults, toddlers, and babies that features classic illustrations from Sesame Street books. Multiple collections will roll out throughout the year—spanning totes, pouches, enamel pins, socks, and clothing for all ages, and featuring artwork from beloved titles such as The Sesame Street Together Book and How to be a Grouch. Out of Print has donated over 3 million books to communities in need and supported a variety of literacy initiatives.
In June, DIFF Eyewear will debut a line of handcrafted sunglasses and blue-light-blocking glasses for kids and adults. The Sesame Street x DIFF collection will feature subtle hints of the Muppets from Sesame Street, and will be elevated by an online influencer campaign. For every pair of DIFF sunglasses purchased, DIFF donates a pair of reading glasses to someone in need. Since 2015, DIFF Eyewear has donated over 1,000,000 pairs of reading glasses to those who need them most and would not be able to afford them otherwise.
“With unique products from socially-conscious partners like TOMS, Bombas, Out of Print, and DIFF, fans can support Sesame Workshop and show off their love for Cookie Monster, Elmo, and the rest of the gang while helping plant seeds of long-term change,” Arenas continued. “Throughout 2019, we’ll continue to unveil new partnerships and show up in big and unexpected ways.”
