Sydney, NSW, Australia, July 18, 2014 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Banjo & Matilda, Inc. (OTCQB: BANJ) ("Banjo & Matilda" or the "Company"), an emerging Australian premium fashion lifestyle brand announce its annual Australian Sweater Exchange ( www.thesweaterexchange.com ), and its intention to launch the successful initiative globally.
Established in 2011, The Sweater Exchange founded by Banjo & Matilda and Co-Founders Belynda & Ben Macpherson has helped thousands of homeless and displaced women and children across Australia stay warm especially during the winter months.
In its 6 th year, the Sweater Exchanged impetus came from the discovery after Co-Founder and Creative Director Belynda Macpherson read an article that every night across Australia 50,000+ women are homeless, many of whom have young children with them. The impact on her was profound and as a knitwear brand providing luxury sweaters and knitwear for people more fortunate than these displaced and homeless women, Belynda could see how she and her business could make a difference to the lives of these people.
Belynda Macpherson said "We launched the Sweater Exchange in 2011 wanting to fuse philanthropy and fashion in a benevolent way. I wanted to make the initiative more inclusive than most charity projects however by having a call-to-action that didn't involve donating money. The idea of donating your pre-loved sweaters - or literally the clothes off your back - resonated with our brand and also our community at large. Anyone able to afford a new sweater, would have to have an older one in their cupboard, thus the charity was born. It has been so successful to date, I think because no exchange of money is involved and it's a genuine kindness that is the motivating factor, and we make it easy by providing a $50 gift voucher to spend in our online store. We plan to roll it out in other major cities like New York, London and Germany over the coming years."
Since founding, The Sweater Exchanged has been supported by many who are passionate about the cause and initiative. High-profile celebrities such as Gwyneth Paltrow, Nicole Richie, Miranda Kerr, and Elle Macpherson among others, all have donated to the exchange and helped promote the initiative over the years.
In Australia this year, the Sweater Exchange has partnered with Mission Australia who will distribute the sweaters to the thousands of woman and children who need them, and Audi who will promote the initiative to their customers and provide drop off points for donations among other support.
With the positive impact The Sweater Exchange has had in Australia, and the global success and awareness Banjo & Matilda being stocked around the world the company now plans to launch the initiative in other parts of the world where it can also make a difference.
For Australia, The Sweater Exchange is now collecting pre-loved sweaters from Australian's until August 1, 2014. These sweaters will then be donated to disadvantaged women and children throughout Australia this winter. To find out more on how to donate your pre-loved sweater to Mission Australia, visit http://sweaterexchange.banjoandmatilda.com .
The initiative is in the process of finalizing partners in the United States, United Kingdom and other parts of the world for a 2014/2015 Winter Launch.
About Banjo & Matilda, Inc.
Banjo & Matilda, Inc., is an emerging high growth Australian premium lifestyle brand, best known as a designer, producer and marketer of premium contemporary woman's knitwear. Inspired by the iconic Bondi Beach surroundings of its creative studios, Banjo & Matilda launched its first knitwear collection in 2008. Big on quality, small on pretence, and known globally for their fun statement sweaters and luxury cashmere basics, Banjo & Matilda is discreetly luxurious, yet able to capture the essence of beach culture in a range of apparel made with supreme quality and integrity. The brand has a rapidly growing loyal global following, is quickly being stocked in major and specialty retailers around the world, and is sold through its online store www.banjoandmatilda.com .
Additional information about Banjo & Matilda can be found at the Company's corporate website: www.banjoandmatilda.com .
Forward looking Statement
Certain matters discussed in this press release are 'forward-looking statements' intended to qualify for the safe harbor from liability established by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. In particular, the Company's statements regarding trends in the marketplace, growth in the number of stores that will carry its products, increases in its sales and financial results, are examples of forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties, including, but not limited to, economic trends and conditions, trends in the fashion and retail industries, the acceptance of new product designs, inherent discrepancy in actual results from estimates, projections and forecasts made by management and other factors not within the Company's control The factors discussed herein and expressed from time to time in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission could cause actual results and developments to be materially different from those expressed in or implied by forward looking statements made by the Company. The forward-looking statements contained herein are made only as of the date of this press release and the Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update such forward-looking statements to reflect subsequent events or circumstances.
Banjo & Matilda, Inc. The Equity Group Inc. Ben Macpherson Adam Prior Chief Executive Officer Senior Vice-President +612 8096 2665 / (212)836-9606 / Market Street Investor Relations LLC The Equity Group Inc. Stan Abiassi Terry Downs Managing Member Associate 1 (877) 218-9173 / (212) 836-9615 /
