Ark Collective
| File:ArkCollectiveLogo250x260.jpg | |
| Private | |
| ISIN | 🆔 |
| Industry | Apparel and Consumer goods |
| Founded 📆 | Orange County, California (June 1, 2009) |
| Founder 👔 | Kev Moshayedi |
| Headquarters 🏙️ | , |
Area served 🗺️ | Worldwide |
| Products 📟 | Vinchee Day Pack Apparel |
| Members | |
Number of employees | |
| 🌐 Website | arkcollective.com |
| 📇 Address | |
| 📞 telephone | |
Ark Collective is an eclectic backpack company based in Santa Ana, CA[1] that was established with the goal of enhancing the educational experience of the underserved youth of America. Ark Collective likes to call it their Get to Give program.[2][3][4] For every backpack purchased, another backpack is given to an underserved student on behalf of the consumer.[5]
Background[edit]
Founder Kev Mosh[6] attended the University of Southern California where he completed his undergrad work in Business Entrepreneurship. While in school, Mosh concentrated on business models that focus to improve the community that fostered his growth.[7]
Through research Mosh discovered that 14 million American children are having problems properly transporting school books, sack lunches, and supplies with some even resorting to torn grocery bags.[8] Disheartened to hear about the alarmingly high rate of students attending school in Los Angeles without adequate school supplies and backpacks, he took it upon himself to make a difference and established Ark Collective and its mission of improving the quality of our youth's education.[9][10]
Ark Collective recently improved their giving model by implementing a pseudo currency to incentivize the students. The newly restructured model requires students to write a letter to their schools about what they want to be when they grow up and how they will achieve their goals. Along with the essay, students must turn in plastic bottles to their respective schools for recycling purposes and in return, Ark Collective will trade each student a brand new backpack.
Mosh decided to revise the giving model while he was reviewing the giving process and felt that the previous style was leading to some of the students developing a sense of entitlement, which he wanted to avoid as he felt it to be counterproductive to Ark’s mission. He instead decided to focus on rewarding the students for their many talents and aspirations rather than strictly giving. As he believes,
- "All students have many amazing talents and abilities and even though they may not have the monetary sources to attain goods, they should be rewarded for using those talents and abilities in a positive manner."
In April 2011 Ark Collective also introduced a line of sustainable apparel to the company. The proceeds received from apparel sales enable the company to equip the backpacks they give to students with art and school supplies, or as some like to call it “a portable art studio.” This was done in an effort to highlight the importance of a student's growth through the use of creative arts.
Design Philosophy[edit]
With a fashion-forward approach to design and product quality, their signature Vinchee Laptop Backpack draws inspiration from coastal culture, multiple art styles, nature, and vintage clothing. When asked about the Vinchee, Kev Mosh, Founder and Captain of Ark Collective said,
- "In designing the Vinchee Laptop Pack I wanted to focus on creating a bag that is an extension of what one is wearing, as well as giving the end-user the freedom to express their own creativity. I hope the people who purchase our packs are also conscious of the positive impact they will be making in someone else's life."
Get to Give[edit]
As a result of the favorable outcome of the Get to Give Model, Ark Collective has been able to host two Give Backs since the inception of the company.
Give Backs[edit]
Response from the local community has been extremely supportive of Ark's mission of promoting social responsibility and enhancing the educational experience of America's underserved youth. In September 2010, Ark partnered with Hollywood-based volunteer organization Operation School Bell[11] for their first Pack Give Back at 112th Street Elementary[12] school in Watts. Over 100 Ark Collective Vinchee Laptop Packs were donated to underserved students[13][14] during the event. At the end of the first give back Mosh was quoted saying,
- "The most rewarding part is knowing we're making a firsthand difference in the lives of students all across the board. Not only are we helping students that wouldn't normally have goods... We're also encouraging people to look for other companies that are socially conscious."
On January 13, 2011, Ark Collective once again partnered with Operation School Bell[15] for their second Pack Give Back. The Give Back took place at Hughes Elementary located in Cudahy, California a suburb south of East Los Angeles,[16] where 176 backpacks were donated to underserved students.[17][18][19][20]
Art & Culture[edit]
Art Benefits[edit]
In February, 2011 Ark Collective participated in their first collaborative art benefit titled "Urban l Modern Art Exhibit" located in The ARTery in Costa Mesa, CA alongside artists Pinky Taylor and 12FV and Ed Bopp.[21][22]
Get to Give Art Benefit On June 18, 2011 Ark Collective will be hosting their first annual "Get to Give Art Benefit" at Ecco Restaurant in Costa Mesa, CA.[23] The show will feature 20-25 artists who have used an Ark Collective backpack as a medium of expression. Each backpack will be painted/designed by the artist and then made available for purchase to benefit attendees with 100% of the proceeds being donated to a local educational based charity, THINK Together.
Weekly Features[edit]
In addition to being centered around helping improve the educational experience of America’s underserved youth, Ark considers self-expression and the appreciation of fashion, music, and the arts to be very important. The company strives to develop a deeper sense of community between the brand and their consumers, followers, friends, and fans alike. One of the ways Ark accomplishes this goal is with the Weekly Feature.
The Weekly Feature was created as a way of promoting self-expression and showcasing the creative talents of various individuals, which is published in the form of a written or video interview on the Ark Collective website each week. Previous Features have included personalities ranging from culinary artists, to fashion designers, to athletes, to musicians, and everything in between. In March and April 2011, Ark ran a Coachella Weekly Feature Series which included interviews with band members of YACHT,[24][25] Moving Units,[26] and Cut Copy;[27] all of which performed at the festival.
Treasure Tuesdays[edit]
Treasure Tuesdays[28] is a weekly program within Ark Collective, set up to increase community involvement. The program started in the Newport Beach area—with efforts to clean up the shorefront. The success of the cleanup that day parlayed into a weekly event that ranges from beach cleanups, to after school tutoring programs like THINK Together, to lending a hand at the Someone Cares Soup Kitchen and After school Program. Members of the Ark Crew believe Treasure Tuesdays has the potential to make an insurmountable difference in every community–and the inception of new clubs would be an incredible first step to resolving many of the issues surrounding our communities.[29]
Campus Cruise[edit]
In an effort to promote social responsibility across the United States, Ark Collective has visited various college campuses across the United States. In 2011 Ark Collective has spent time on campus interacting with students during what they like to call "The Ark Collective Study Break" at the University of California Santa Barbara, Arizona State University,[30] University of Arizona,[31] University of Nevada, Las Vegas,[32] University of California, Berkeley,[33] San Francisco State University,[34] California Polytechnic State University (Cal Poly San Luis Obispo), and University of California, Santa Cruz.
Reference List[edit]
- ↑ https://maps.google.com/maps?client=safari&rls=en&q=Ark+Collective&oe=UTF-8&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&hl=en&tab=wl
- ↑ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2011-04-24. Retrieved 2011-05-05.CS1 maint: Archived copy as title (link)
- ↑ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2011-09-04. Retrieved 2011-05-05.CS1 maint: Archived copy as title (link)
- ↑ http://claire626.blogspot.com/2011/03/ark-collective.html
- ↑ http://www.good.is/post/ark-collective-uses-toms-shoes-model-to-give-away-backpacks/
- ↑ http://theocnow.com/2011/01/17/company-has-their-backs/
- ↑ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2011-04-24. Retrieved 2011-05-05.CS1 maint: Archived copy as title (link)
- ↑ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2012-03-15. Retrieved 2011-05-05.CS1 maint: Archived copy as title (link)
- ↑ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2011-02-03. Retrieved 2011-05-05.CS1 maint: Archived copy as title (link)
- ↑ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2011-04-24. Retrieved 2011-05-05.CS1 maint: Archived copy as title (link)
- ↑ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2011-05-15. Retrieved 2011-05-05.CS1 maint: Archived copy as title (link)
- ↑ http://vimeo.com/15331103
- ↑ http://empiricalfunds.com/_blog/fill_or_kill/post/Ark_Collective_Get_To_Give_Cam/
- ↑ http://www.prweb.com/releases/2011/01/prweb4963004.htm
- ↑ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2012-03-23. Retrieved 2011-05-05.CS1 maint: Archived copy as title (link)
- ↑ Daily Pilot coverage
- ↑ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2011-05-20. Retrieved 2011-05-05.CS1 maint: Archived copy as title (link)
- ↑ http://theocnow.com/2011/01/17/company-has-their-backs/
- ↑ PR Web News release
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uxl7UWXfnUQ
- ↑ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2011-08-17. Retrieved 2011-05-10.CS1 maint: Archived copy as title (link)
- ↑ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2011-05-07. Retrieved 2011-05-10.CS1 maint: Archived copy as title (link)
- ↑ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2011-07-03. Retrieved 2011-06-02.CS1 maint: Archived copy as title (link)
- ↑ http://trustyacht.org/page/6
- ↑ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2011-07-03. Retrieved 2011-06-02.CS1 maint: Archived copy as title (link)
- ↑ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2011-07-03. Retrieved 2011-06-02.CS1 maint: Archived copy as title (link)
- ↑ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2011-07-03. Retrieved 2011-06-02.CS1 maint: Archived copy as title (link)
- ↑ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2011-07-07. Retrieved 2011-01-11.CS1 maint: Archived copy as title (link)
- ↑ http://preplee.com/2011/03/28/of-benevolence-and-backpacks/
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dRWfp8k7rAw
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7NESzZiz4OU
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kau9Y77HOHs&feature=related
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z2MnVlVEOl8
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jYLfuYZiitk&feature=channel_video_title
External links[edit]
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