Our First Sale a Bittersweet Reminder of our Purpose

Our first sale story is bittersweet. In our effort to build our brand, we reached out to local media to raise awareness of the brand and its important purpose: raising awareness of men’s mental health. A few weeks before launching our eCommerce store, one of our Instagram followers who heard our co-founder on the local radio reached out to us with news and a request.

Sadly, a friend of hers had lost her adult son following a long battle with mental illness. Rather than send a bouquet of flowers, she wondered if she could send the family a hat and make a donation to our charitable partner. We weren’t yet open, and we didn’t have all of our stock, but we were determined to make this gift – our first sale – happen.

While our ultimate goal is to raise awareness to prevent the most tragic outcome of mental health, knowing that one of our hats, something we have envisioned and worked on at the kitchen table, would be a symbol – a gesture – of comfort and care to a family in mourning such a significant loss, was overwhelming.

This kind request was a good reminder for us that after business hiccups and unforeseen delays, the purpose for Arthur Bane Apparel can be as meaningful to others as it is to us. Not only do others recognize the importance of men’s mental health, they also want to be part of the journey to raise awareness and lift others up.

Thank you to our first customer and for everyone who has reminded us of our purpose and lifting us up.