Violet Su, a flight attendant turned fashionista, kicks off uplifting Kickstarter campaign to change the world—one t-shirt purchase at a time.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA—Honey Coast might be in its early stages, however, that hasn’t stopped Violet Su, who splits her time between California and her native Taiwan, from reaching a pretty big milestone. In just a few short months, she has distributed approximately 1,000 meals to people in need in major cities all over the world and has plans to donate even more.
“Giving back feels better than eating a gallon of Häagen-Dazs Coconut Pineapple ice cream!” exclaimed Su. “Most of the people I meet are friendly and definitely grateful to receive the free meals. At Honey Coast, we love to have fun, but we take giving seriously.”
The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization estimates that about 795 million people of the 7.3 billion people in the world, or one in nine, suffer from chronic undernourishment. Honey Coast hopes to help lower those startling statistics by doing its part.
According to Su, it was an encounter several years ago with a homeless man in downtown Sydney, Australia that inspired the launch of her company. While grabbing lunch, she found a disheveled man on the ground begging for food. Compelled to help, she handed him her own meal without hesitation.
“We both smiled, and the experience inspired me to combine my passion for fashion and love of food into a company that does two things: one—makes a difference in the community and two—makes people feel and look good with each t-shirt purchase,” explained Su.
And that’s exactly what she did. She launched her startup, Honey Coast, in summer 2016. Over the past year she’s been working carefully with highly experienced manufacturers in Los Angeles to develop a new range of casual chic t-shirts that women can feel both comfortable and sexy in while eliminating hunger.
“I want our shirts to always be comfy, high quality and stylish. I think with t-shirts, girls love to mix and match and own their look. So it’s important to create versatile designs with a ‘lil fun or edge,” explained Su. “With every shirt purchase, one meal will be donated to a person in need.”
As with any new startup company, funding is a necessity for long term success. That’s why Su recently launched her very first Kickstarter crowdfunding campaign with a goal of raising at least $5,000. The money pledged by generous backers will help the young entrepreneur’s company meet its minimum order requirements for production. In doing so, the money raised will help Honey Coast launch its very first set of t-shirt designs for purchase.
“Money is so important for a young social enterprise. It has the power to do so many good things if used wisely,” stressed Su. “Launching Honey Coast has been such a journey. I’ve poured a lot of heart and soul into the company and believe in it 100 percent.”
To back Honey Coast’s Kickstarter campaign, click here. Pledges can be as small as $1 or as much as $399. In return, backers will receive such gifts as t-shirts, choker necklaces, tote bags and more!
Through your support, Su hopes to play a small part in curbing hunger in every part of the world. Along with handing out free meals, Honey Coast will donate funds to reputable food charity partners, too.
“In five years, I hope we can give away 1 million meals!” stated Su.
About Violet Su, Honey Coast CEO: With a love for fashion, design and styling, Su is a self-proclaimed rebel who follows the beat of her own drum. Oh, and she loves unicorns, too! They just ooze happiness and positive vibes. For the last five years, she’s traveled the world as a dedicated, friendly flight attendant. While her fabulous job has allowed her to see some of the greatest fashion from around the globe, it’s also reminded her that hunger is prevalent—and that no country is immune to it. Through her newly launched company, she hopes to be a beacon of change.