Since: 2006

Locations: Worldwide

Fast Retailing/UNIQLO began its partnership with UNHCR in 2006 with a massive donation of recycled clothing which was distributed to refugee families in 2007.

Ever since, the partnership has grown both in scope and scale, to have an incredible impact for refugees across the world.

Since 2007, over 30 million pieces of clothing have been delivered to more than 48 countries where UNHCR works. And Fast Retailing/UNIQLO has donated approximately US$12 million for our programmes.

UNHCR’s global and multifaceted partnership with Fast Retailing/UNIQLO shows the kind of comprehensive support and impact the private sector can have for the refugee cause.

Types of intervention:

  1. contributing clothing to people of concern and host communities, mainly from UNIQLO and GU customers;
  2. providing financial grants to support livelihoods and primary education programmes in Asia and emergency response in South Sudan, Mali and Bangladesh;
  3. giving refugees employment opportunities, and helping them become self-reliant;
  4. deploying Fast Retailing employees to work with UNHCR at its field offices;
  5. supporting cause-related campaigns and marketing;
  6. supporting educational and outreach programmes to increase awareness of refugee issues.

Impact at a glance

  • Over 30 million pieces of clothing have been delivered to refugees in more than 48 countries.
  • More than 18,000 refugees have been provided with vocational and life skills, given access to finance and/or started up their own business in five countries in Asia.
  • 40,000 children, teachers and parents have benefitted from early-childhood, primary and secondary education in four countries in Asia.
  • 121 refugees are employed as staff in UNIQLO stores in eight countries (63 in Japan, 28 in France, 11 in Germany,7 in Italy, 3 in The Netherlands, 2 in Sweden, 1 in the UK and 6 in the US).
  • More than 10 Fast Retailing employees have participated in an employee deployment programme to UNHCR field offices.
  • Nearly 200,000 students in 1,887 schools have been taught about refugee issues by Fast Retailing employees in Japan as part of its school education programme called “The Power of Clothing Project”.