Blue Sky Clothing has become a remarkable supporter of literacy across British Columbia.
Founded by Marilyn Cobban, Blue Sky Clothing Co. began when Marilyn started selling sarongs out of the back of her VW van at the Balfour Ferry Landing in 1997.
Soon Marilyn began producing clothes in Indonesia, where she could source small quantities of fabric. Using fair-trade practices, where everyone employed is treated with care and respect, Marilyn grew her business and expanded her productions into Northern China where there is a good supply of bamboo fabric.
One day, the company's story took an inspiring turn in a Chinatown noodle shop in Vancouver.
Over lunch, Marilyn and her sister Margaret, who worked for Decoda, BC's literacy organization, brainstormed ways to raise funds for community literacy programs. Their answer? Socks!
Since 2016, Blue Sky has donated over $90,000 to literacy organizations across BC - $1 for every pair of socks sold in-store. That's a lot of socks sold!
Marilyn's commitment didn't stop there; she began offering wholesale socks for resale to literacy groups throughout the province, with 100% of proceeds supporting their programs.
Today, Marilyn and her team at Blue Sky Clothing Co. are invaluable partners in CBAL's Books for Kids campaign, helping bring books and resources to families and children, one cozy pair of socks at a time.
If you are interested in supporting literacy programs by purchasing a pair of Blue Sky Clothing Co. socks, please visit cbal.org. or visit one of its 9 stores located throughout BC.
