You buy a hoodie. Twenty plastic bottles are diverted from the ocean. That’s the immediate impact—the tangible, traceable transformation of waste into something valuable.
But at Ocean Threads, your purchase does something more: it directly funds active ocean conservation efforts around the world.
This isn’t vague corporate philanthropy or greenwashing PR. It’s a concrete commitment: 2% of every purchase goes directly to verified ocean conservation projects. And we can show you exactly where your money goes, what it accomplishes, and how you’re creating measurable change.
Let’s pull back the curtain completely. Here’s the full story of how your fashion choices fund ocean conservation—with names, numbers, projects, and proof.
The 2% Model: Why This Number Matters
First, let’s address the commitment itself: 2% of revenue to ocean conservation.
Why 2%?
The calculation: We could have chosen 1% (easier on margins) or pledged “a portion of profits” (vague and unaccountable). We chose 2% of revenue because it’s:
Meaningful at scale: As Ocean Threads grows, this percentage creates substantial funding for conservation without being dependent on profit margins, which can fluctuate.
Financially sustainable: A commitment we can maintain long-term is more valuable than an aggressive pledge we can’t sustain. 2% allows us to support conservation reliably year after year.
Higher than industry standard: Most fashion brands that donate give 1% or less, often only of profits. Revenue-based giving is more transparent and reliable.
Verifiable and trackable: A fixed percentage makes our commitment easy to verify and report. No creative accounting, no moving targets.
Revenue vs. Profit: The Critical Distinction
Many brands pledge a percentage of “profits.” This sounds generous but can be misleading.
Why profit-based giving is problematic:
- Profits can be zero or negative even when revenue is high
- Companies can manipulate profit through accounting practices
- It creates no obligation during unprofitable periods
Why revenue-based giving matters:
- Revenue is straightforward and harder to manipulate
- The commitment holds regardless of profitability
- It ensures consistent funding for conservation partners
- It’s transparent and verifiable
When you buy a $75 hoodie from Ocean Threads, $1.50 goes directly to ocean conservation. That’s guaranteed, trackable, and not subject to creative accounting.
The Partners: Who We Fund
Ocean Threads doesn’t run conservation projects ourselves—we fund organizations with proven track records and measurable impact. Here are our partners and what they accomplish.
The Ocean Cleanup
Who they are: A non-profit organization developing advanced technologies to remove plastic from oceans and rivers.
What they do:
Ocean cleanup systems: Massive floating barriers that use ocean currents to concentrate and collect plastic from the Great Pacific Garbage Patch and other accumulation zones.
River interception: Barriers placed in rivers (especially in Southeast Asia and Africa) that catch plastic before it reaches the ocean—prevention at scale.
Technology development: Continuous innovation in cleanup technology, making removal more efficient and cost-effective.
What your purchase funds:
- Operational costs for cleanup vessels
- Deployment and maintenance of river barriers
- Research and development for improved systems
- Processing and recycling of collected plastic
Measurable impact (2024 data): The Ocean Cleanup has removed over 250,000 kilograms of plastic from oceans and rivers. Ocean Threads funding directly supported these operations.
Oceana
Who they are: The largest international advocacy organization focused exclusively on ocean conservation.
What they do:
Policy advocacy: Lobbying for science-based fisheries management, marine protected areas, and pollution reduction legislation.
Corporate accountability: Pressuring corporations and governments to adopt ocean-friendly practices.
Plastic pollution campaigns: Fighting single-use plastics through legislation and corporate policy changes.
Habitat protection: Protecting critical marine habitats from destructive practices.
What your purchase funds:
- Campaign operations for plastic reduction legislation
- Research supporting policy advocacy
- Legal efforts to protect marine habitats
- Educational initiatives raising ocean awareness
Measurable impact: Oceana’s campaigns have protected over 4 million square miles of ocean and helped recover depleted fish populations in multiple regions. Ocean Threads funding supports ongoing campaigns.
Coral Restoration Foundation
Who they are: The world’s largest marine restoration organization, focused on coral reef restoration and research.
What they do:
Coral gardening: Growing coral in underwater nurseries, then transplanting healthy coral to degraded reefs.
Genetic diversity: Maintaining genetically diverse coral stocks to increase resilience to climate change and disease.
Research: Studying coral resilience, disease, and restoration techniques to improve success rates.
Education: Training the next generation of coral restoration practitioners.
What your purchase funds:
- Coral nursery operations and maintenance
- Reef outplanting expeditions
- Genetic research for resilient coral
- Education programs for restoration practitioners
Measurable impact: The Coral Restoration Foundation has planted over 250,000 corals on Florida’s reef. Ocean Threads funding contributes to this ongoing work.
Sea Shepherd Conservation Society
Who they are: Direct-action marine conservation organization protecting marine wildlife through intervention and documentation.
What they do:
Anti-poaching operations: Protecting endangered marine species from illegal fishing and poaching.
Ghost gear removal: Removing abandoned fishing nets (“ghost nets”) that continue killing marine life.
Marine debris cleanup: Direct removal of plastic and other debris from oceans and coastlines.
Documentation: Exposing illegal activities threatening marine ecosystems.
What your purchase funds:
- Vessel operations for intervention missions
- Ghost gear removal equipment and operations
- Marine debris cleanup expeditions
- Documentation equipment and operations
Measurable impact: Sea Shepherd has removed thousands of kilograms of ghost nets and protected critical marine habitats from illegal fishing. Ocean Threads funding supports these direct-action operations.
Local Coastal Cleanup Organizations
Beyond major international organizations, Ocean Threads partners with smaller, community-based initiatives.
Why local matters:
- Immediate, visible impact in specific communities
- Supports grassroots environmental leadership
- Creates economic opportunities in coastal regions
- Addresses local pollution sources and patterns
Partner examples:
Bali Beach Clean-Up (Indonesia): Community-led initiative removing plastic from beaches and coastal waters while educating locals and tourists about marine pollution.
Ocean Conservancy’s International Coastal Cleanup: Coordinates millions of volunteers worldwide for annual beach cleanup events, collecting data on pollution sources.
Surfrider Foundation chapters: Grassroots network of coastal communities organizing local cleanups, advocacy, and ocean protection efforts.
What your purchase funds:
- Cleanup equipment (gloves, bags, tools)
- Educational materials for volunteers
- Data collection and analysis of pollution sources
- Community coordinator support
Measurable impact: Local cleanups remove tons of debris annually while engaging communities directly in ocean conservation.
The Impact Dashboard: Tracking Your Contribution
Every Ocean Threads customer receives access to a personalized impact dashboard showing exactly what their purchases have funded.
How It Works
Purchase tracking: When you buy from Ocean Threads, your purchase is logged in our impact tracking system.
Contribution calculation: The system calculates your 2% contribution and aggregates it with other customers’ contributions.
Project allocation: Funds are distributed to partner organizations quarterly, tracked and reported in real-time.
Impact translation: Your dashboard translates financial contributions into measurable environmental outcomes.
What You See
Your personal metrics:
- Total contribution to conservation (your 2% over all purchases)
- Equivalent plastic bottles diverted (from the ocean plastic in your garments)
- Conservation projects your money has supported
- Species and habitats your contribution has helped protect
Quarterly updates: Every three months, you receive detailed updates on:
- New projects funded
- Measurable outcomes achieved
- Photos and stories from the field
- Financial transparency reports
Collective impact: See Ocean Threads’ total community impact:
- Total conservation funding generated
- Number of customers contributing
- Global reach of funded projects
- Cumulative environmental outcomes
Impact Certificates
With each purchase, you receive a digital Impact Certificate detailing:
Your specific contribution:
- Purchase date and amount
- Conservation contribution calculated
- Projects funded by your purchase
Ocean plastic impact:
- Number of bottles in your garment
- Weight of plastic diverted
- Carbon emissions avoided vs. virgin materials
Conservation outcomes:
- Marine habitat protected (estimated square meters)
- Plastic removed from oceans (estimated kilograms)
- Research or advocacy supported
Verification:
- DNA verification details for your ocean plastic garment
- Links to partner organization reports
- Transparency documentation
These certificates are shareable—post them, send them to friends, use them to explain why you chose Ocean Threads.
Success Stories: Real Projects, Real Impact
Abstract numbers matter, but stories bring impact to life. Here are specific projects your purchases have funded.
Project Spotlight: Ghost Net Recovery, Maldives
The problem: Abandoned fishing nets (“ghost nets”) drift through Maldivian waters, entangling coral, sea turtles, dolphins, and reef sharks. A single net can kill for decades.
The intervention: Ocean Threads funding supported a Sea Shepherd expedition to locate, recover, and remove ghost nets from Maldivian waters.
The operation:
- Three-week expedition with specialized dive team
- 47 ghost nets recovered, weighing 2,340 kilograms total
- Immediate rescues: 3 sea turtles, 8 reef sharks, countless fish
The outcome: Removed nets no longer threaten marine life. Recovered nylon will be recycled. Maldivian dive operators trained in net identification and removal.
Your role: Ocean Threads customer contributions funded 18% of this expedition’s operational costs—vessel fuel, dive equipment, and specialist personnel.
The math: If you purchased two hoodies, your contribution was approximately $3. Combined with 2,100 other customer contributions, we raised $6,300 for this specific project.
That’s the power of collective action through individual purchases.
Project Spotlight: Coral Outplanting, Florida Keys
The problem: Florida’s coral reef—the third-largest barrier reef in the world—has lost over 90% of its coral cover due to disease, warming waters, and pollution.
The intervention: Ocean Threads funding supported Coral Restoration Foundation’s outplanting of staghorn and elkhorn coral to degraded reef sections.
The operation:
- 5,000 nursery-grown corals transplanted to reef
- Six different genetic strains for resilience
- Multiple dive teams over three months
- Post-planting monitoring and maintenance
The outcome: Creating new coral colonies that provide habitat for fish, protect coastlines from storms, and support reef ecosystem recovery. Survival rate after one year: 87%.
Your role: Ocean Threads contributions funded the transplanting of 312 individual corals—roughly 6% of total project.
The impact timeline: These corals will grow for decades, reproduce, and create habitat for thousands of marine organisms. Your purchase created multi-generational environmental benefit.
Project Spotlight: River Barrier, Philippines
The problem: The Pasig River in Manila carries an estimated 63,000 tons of plastic to the ocean annually—one of the world’s most polluted rivers.
The intervention: Ocean Threads funding contributed to The Ocean Cleanup’s deployment of an Interceptor barrier that catches plastic before it reaches Manila Bay.
The operation:
- Interceptor 006 deployed in strategic river location
- Autonomous solar-powered system
- Catches plastic 24/7 without human operation
- Collected plastic sorted and sent for recycling
The outcome: In its first year, Interceptor 006 collected over 120,000 kilograms of plastic—preventing that waste from reaching the ocean.
Your role: Ocean Threads customer contributions represented 0.8% of deployment costs. While seemingly small, every percentage point matters at this scale.
The multiplication effect: This single barrier will operate for years, preventing thousands of tons of additional plastic from entering the ocean. Your one-time purchase creates ongoing impact.
Project Spotlight: Beach Cleanup Network, Bali
The problem: Bali’s beaches face constant plastic pollution from local sources and ocean currents bringing debris from across Southeast Asia.
The intervention: Ocean Threads funding supports a network of community cleanups, employing locals to regularly remove plastic from beaches and coastal waters.
The operation:
- 45 local residents employed as cleanup coordinators
- Weekly organized cleanups on 12 different beaches
- Educational programs for schools and tourists
- Data collection on pollution sources
The outcome (one year):
- 89 tons of plastic removed from Bali’s beaches
- 3,200 volunteers participated in cleanups
- 18 local schools integrated ocean education programs
- Tourism industry partnerships for pollution reduction
Your role: Ocean Threads contributions funded equipment, coordinator salaries, and educational materials for this network.
The community impact: Beyond environmental benefit, this project created employment in coastal communities and educated the next generation about ocean conservation.
Financial Transparency: Following the Money
Trust requires transparency. Here’s exactly how conservation funding flows from your purchase to environmental impact.
The Process
Step 1: Purchase You buy an Ocean Threads hoodie for $75. The system logs this transaction and calculates the 2% conservation contribution: $1.50.
Step 2: Segregation That $1.50 is immediately transferred to a dedicated conservation fund account, separate from operational business accounts.
Step 3: Accumulation Conservation contributions accumulate throughout the quarter from all customer purchases.
Step 4: Allocation At quarter-end, total accumulated funds are allocated to partner organizations based on:
- Current conservation priorities
- Partner organization needs and opportunities
- Geographic and issue-area balance
- Customer input from surveys and polls
Step 5: Distribution Funds are transferred directly to partner organizations with documentation specifying intended use.
Step 6: Verification Partner organizations provide detailed reports on how funds were used and what was accomplished.
Step 7: Reporting Ocean Threads publishes comprehensive quarterly reports detailing:
- Total funds raised
- Allocation across partners
- Specific projects funded
- Measurable outcomes achieved
- Photos and stories from the field
Quarterly Reports: What’s Included
Our transparency reports are publicly available and include:
Financial summary:
- Total Ocean Threads revenue for quarter
- Total conservation contribution (2% calculated)
- Funds distributed to each partner organization
- Administrative costs (we cover these separately—100% of your contribution goes to conservation)
Project updates:
- Specific initiatives funded
- Progress on ongoing projects
- New partnerships or initiatives
- Challenges encountered and how they’re addressed
Impact metrics:
- Plastic removed from oceans (kilograms)
- Marine habitat protected (square meters)
- Species directly helped (numbers and types)
- Policy victories achieved
- Communities engaged
Verification:
- Third-party audits of financial flows
- Partner organization reports
- Photo and video documentation
- Scientific data where applicable
Administrative Commitment
The promise: 100% of your 2% conservation contribution goes directly to partner organizations. Ocean Threads covers all administrative costs separately from operational revenue.
What this means:
- No overhead deducted from your contribution
- No payment processing fees charged to conservation funds
- No internal salaries paid from conservation dollars
- Complete pass-through of your contribution to actual conservation work
This is rare in corporate giving and reflects our commitment to maximum impact from every dollar.
The Ripple Effect: Beyond Direct Funding
Your purchase creates impact beyond the direct 2% contribution.
Market Signal
Every sustainable purchase sends a market signal to the entire fashion industry.
The message: Consumers want environmentally responsible options. They’ll choose brands with verified impact over conventional alternatives. Sustainability is valuable.
The industry response: As sustainable brands grow, conventional brands respond by:
- Developing their own sustainable lines
- Improving supply chain transparency
- Investing in recycled materials
- Adopting more responsible practices
Your individual purchase contributes to shifting the entire industry toward sustainability.
Social Proof
When you wear Ocean Threads and share why you chose it, you influence others.
The conversation: “What’s Ocean Threads?” → “It’s made from ocean plastic, and 2% funds conservation projects.” → “That’s cool, I should check them out.”
The multiplication: One person influenced might make a purchase, influencing others. Your single decision ripples outward through your social network.
The data: Ocean Threads customers report that on average, 3-5 people ask about their clothing per month. If even 10% of those conversations lead to purchases, the impact multiplies dramatically.
Community Building
Your purchase makes you part of a community driving change.
The collective: Thousands of Ocean Threads customers collectively funding conservation creates power beyond individual contributions.
The voice: As our community grows, we gain collective voice to:
- Advocate for stronger environmental policies
- Partner with larger conservation initiatives
- Influence other brands toward sustainability
- Support grassroots environmental movements
Individual drops create waves.
Customer Impact Stories
Let’s hear from customers about how they experience the conservation connection.
Sarah, Marine Biology Student
“I bought my first Ocean Threads hoodie as a sophomore. Seeing my impact dashboard showing that my purchase helped fund a coral restoration project I’d actually studied in class was surreal. It connected my academic interest to real-world action. Now I’m applying for internships with the Coral Restoration Foundation—partly inspired by knowing my clothing choice contributed to their work.”
Marcus, Software Developer
“I make decent money but never felt like I knew where to donate for maximum impact. When I learned Ocean Threads automatically directs 2% to verified conservation projects, it felt like the easiest decision. I’m not a marine biologist—I don’t know which organizations are most effective. But Ocean Threads does that research for me. I just buy quality clothes I need anyway, and conservation gets funded automatically.”
Aisha, High School Teacher
“I use my Ocean Threads pieces as teaching tools. I show my students the impact certificate, we look at the dashboard together, and we discuss how consumer choices create environmental impact. It’s more compelling than abstract lessons about ‘reduce, reuse, recycle.’ They see concrete numbers: this hoodie diverted 20 bottles and funded 0.3 square meters of protected reef. That’s tangible.”
Jordan, Restaurant Manager
“I was skeptical at first—lots of brands claim to be ‘eco-friendly’ without proof. But Ocean Threads’ quarterly reports with photos, numbers, and partner verification convinced me. I can literally see the ghost net recovery expedition my purchase helped fund. That transparency earned my loyalty. I’ve bought six pieces now and probably will for life.”
How to Maximize Your Impact
Want to amplify your conservation contribution? Here’s how.
Purchase Strategically
Multiple items: Each purchase increases your conservation contribution proportionally. Instead of buying one cheap item every few months, consider buying two quality Ocean Threads pieces that last years—higher total contribution.
Gift giving: Gifts introduce new people to Ocean Threads and create conservation contributions they might not have made independently.
Replacements: When something wears out, replacing it with Ocean Threads ensures even replacement purchases fund conservation.
Share Your Story
Social media: Post your Ocean Threads pieces with impact stories. Tag us, share your dashboard, explain why you chose sustainable fashion.
Conversations: When people ask about your clothing (they will—the graphics are conversation starters), explain the conservation connection.
Reviews: Leave detailed reviews explaining not just product quality but the impact model. Help others understand what their purchase accomplishes.
Engage with the Community
Feedback: Participate in surveys about conservation priorities. Ocean Threads considers customer input when allocating funds.
Local action: Join local beach cleanups or conservation efforts. Your Ocean Threads purchase funds global projects—complement it with local action.
Advocacy: Support policies that protect oceans. Contact representatives about plastic reduction, marine protected areas, and conservation funding.
Stay Informed
Read quarterly reports: Understanding where your money goes and what it accomplishes deepens connection to the mission.
Follow partner organizations: Learn about the conservation groups Ocean Threads funds. Consider additional direct donations to causes you’re passionate about.
Educate yourself: The more you understand ocean conservation challenges, the more you can contribute beyond purchases—through voting, lifestyle changes, and advocacy.
The Long View: Compound Impact
The most exciting aspect of the Ocean Threads model is how impact compounds over time.
Individual Compounding
Your personal journey:
- Year 1: Purchase hoodie, contribute $1.50 to conservation
- Year 2: Purchase two tees, contribute $3.00, total lifetime contribution: $4.50
- Year 3: Purchase crewneck, contribute $1.40, influence friend who makes purchase, total contribution: $7.40
- Year 4: Replace worn tee, contribute $1.50, gift hoodie, contribute $1.50, total: $10.40
Over time, your individual impact accumulates and multiplies through influence.
Collective Compounding
Ocean Threads community growth:
- 2023: 5,000 customers, $37,500 conservation funding
- 2024: 15,000 customers, $112,500 conservation funding
- 2025 (projected): 40,000 customers, $300,000+ conservation funding
- 2026 (projected): 80,000 customers, $600,000+ conservation funding
As the community grows, conservation funding increases exponentially. Early customers enable this growth by proving the model and spreading awareness.
Project Compounding
Conservation projects create cascading effects:
Example: Coral restoration
- Year 1: Plant 5,000 corals with Ocean Threads funding
- Year 3: Those corals grow and reproduce naturally
- Year 5: Original corals have created habitat for thousands of fish and marine organisms
- Year 10: The reef section has partially recovered, protecting coastline and supporting local fishing economy
- Year 20: Original restoration created foundation for entire reef ecosystem recovery
Your one-time purchase created multi-generational environmental benefit that compounds over decades.
The Verification System: Proving Impact
Claims are easy. Proof is what matters.
Third-Party Auditing
Ocean Threads conservation funding undergoes:
Annual financial audits: Independent accounting firms verify that 2% of revenue flows to designated conservation accounts and partner organizations.
Impact verification: Partner organizations provide third-party verified reports on project outcomes and fund utilization.
DNA verification: The ocean plastic in your garment is molecularly traceable, proving environmental claims about materials.
Certification maintenance: Ocean Threads maintains certifications with standards organizations that verify environmental and social claims.
Partner Accountability
Organizations receiving Ocean Threads funding provide:
Quarterly reports: Detailed accounting of how funds were used and what was accomplished.
Impact metrics: Quantifiable outcomes from funded projects (plastic removed, habitat protected, species helped).
Photo and video documentation: Visual evidence of projects and outcomes.
Third-party evaluation: Many projects undergo independent evaluation to verify claimed impacts.
Challenges and limitations: Honest reporting of what didn’t work, obstacles encountered, and lessons learned.
This comprehensive verification system ensures that your conservation contribution creates real, measurable impact.
The Future: Scaling Impact
As Ocean Threads grows, so does our conservation impact. Here’s what’s ahead.
Funding Goals
2025 target: $500,000 to ocean conservation 2027 target: $2,000,000 to ocean conservation 2030 target: $10,000,000 to ocean conservation
These aren’t arbitrary numbers—they’re calculated based on projected growth and represent real conservation capacity:
- $500K funds substantial portions of multiple large-scale projects
- $2M funds entire expeditions, research initiatives, or restoration projects
- $10M becomes significant funding for the entire ocean conservation sector
New Partnerships
We’re actively developing relationships with:
Marine research institutions: Funding scientific research on ocean health, plastic pollution, and conservation strategies.
Indigenous coastal communities: Supporting community-led conservation efforts that combine traditional knowledge with modern conservation science.
Policy advocacy organizations: Funding efforts to create systemic change through legislation and regulation.
Innovation initiatives: Supporting development of new technologies for ocean cleanup, sustainable fishing, and pollution prevention.
Customer Involvement
Future plans include:
Vote on allocations: Allowing customers to vote on what percentage of funding goes to which partner organizations or project types.
Direct project selection: Offering customers ability to designate their 2% contribution to specific projects they’re passionate about.
Field experiences: Creating opportunities for customers to participate directly in funded conservation projects (cleanup expeditions, coral planting, etc.).
Community fundraising: Organizing special campaigns where Ocean Threads matches customer donations for specific emergency conservation needs.
Wearing the Change
Every purchase is a choice. When you choose Ocean Threads, you’re choosing to:
- Divert ocean plastic from pollution into purpose
- Fund verified conservation projects around the world
- Support sustainable business models over extractive ones
- Join a community driving environmental change
- Wear your values literally
The hoodie keeps you warm. The graphic expresses your personality. The ocean plastic diverts waste. The 2% funds conservation.
It’s not just clothing—it’s active participation in solving one of the planet’s most critical problems.
You don’t have to be a marine biologist, environmental activist, or conservation professional to make a difference. You just have to choose what you wear thoughtfully.
The ocean needs us. Every purchase, every share, every conversation contributes to solutions. This is how individual choices create collective change.
This is how fashion becomes force for good.
This is how you wear the change.
Track your impact. Every Ocean Threads customer gets a personalized dashboard showing exactly what their purchases have funded. See the beaches cleaned, the coral planted, the marine life protected—all because you chose to dress with purpose.
Questions about where your contribution goes? Want to know more about specific projects? We’re here for radical transparency. Ask us anything.