Since Vans Warped Tour days, Keep A Breast Foundation’s “i ♥︎ boobies!” merchandise tagline has been a statement cemented in the minds of nearly every millennial. Starting in t-shirt form which the punk rock and emo bands gravitated toward for their live show outfits–quickly raising visibility for the organization and its objectives– Keep A Breast then expanded to bracelets as well as accessories including socks, lanyards, belts and hats.
The rest is history.
Yet history is in the making again for KAB, as the brand and 501(c)3 nonprofit organization experiences an unparalleled resurgence in the retail industry over the past several years, leaning into consumer demand, premium collaborations and continued health advocacy to grow the organization’s success.
From 2022 to 2023, KAB saw an 85% increase in their wholesale business, with 1.2M in sales last year from Zumiez alone. Keep A Breast’s founder Shaney jo Darden hopes to double profits again this year, exploring new retail opportunities and brand collaborations leading into the organization’s quarter-century anniversary in 2025.
Slushcult founder Clayton McCarthy weighed in on the excitement surrounding their recent fingerboard KAB graphic collaboration sold nationwide on Slushcult’s commerce channels as well as Zumiez stores across the U.S. and Canada.
“The boards sold out in less than 2 weeks and we quickly got reorders to actually double our first donation!” McCarthy said. “I know what we are doing is just a small part of what KAB does but it fills our hearts with joy to be able to help create awareness however we can to a young skateboarder audience."
For KAB, this year is all about growth through creative fundraising.
“Our own branded products and collaborations have real time ROI taking customers straight to the KAB App," Darden said. “It’s a perfect circle: fundraising plus impact equals lives saved.”
In 2023, more than 5,572 Zumiez customers downloaded the organization’s free mobile application which promotes breast cancer prevention and early detection. With 1 in 8 women being diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime, the app has had the potential to save nearly 700 lives and/or reduce the possibility of higher intensity breast cancer treatments for these app users through the retail store’s partnership in 2023.
CREATIVE COLLABORATIONS
A key growth strategy for Keep A Breast has been development of brand partnerships and custom product collaborations, bringing the Keep A Breast message and KAB app to new audiences, while also raising funding for continued app updates and production of breast health education materials.
“When I first started KAB in 2000, I was a denim designer in the industry, working for many skate brands including Toy Machine, Baker Skateboards, Planet Earth, DC Shoes, Altamont and Etnies,” Darden said. “The action sports community is part of my past, present and future, as we continue to foster incredible partnerships with old and new brands. It’s so fun for me to pull from my creative roots and also work with many friends.”
Blenders Eyewear is one of several collaborators that has made great strides in fundraising through co-branded products, raising $300k to date for KAB.
“We've been honored to collaborate with Keep A Breast for the past six years!” Blenders Eyewear Senior Brand Manager Grace McLauglin Sprung said. “What truly sets Keep A Breast apart is their unwavering commitment to prevention and their innovative and fun approach of infusing art into philanthropy. Shaney Jo and her team are not only inspiring but instrumental in driving positive change. We're excited to see what the future holds with this amazing organization!”
Marking the organization’s quarter-century anniversary next year, Etnies will also be partnering with KAB to develop a capsule collection of footwear and apparel for October 2025.
"We are excited to release a collaboration with Keep A Breast for their 25th anniversary,” Etnies Global Marketing Manager Fred Van Schie said. “Can’t wait for it to see the light of day, and to raise funds and awareness for KAB. With Shaney Jo having worked for Sole Technology in the past, this whole project comes full circle."
This year, PSD will also be releasing a new collaborative collection with KAB through a new multi-year agreement.
MEETING NEW GEN DEMAND
The Y2K fans are out en masse and KAB has been there for it all.
Just last year, KAB released on-trend Kandi beaded bracelets, a limited-edition Progress Pride flag collection and a limited “i love boobies!” beanie drop. This year the organization has plans for the continued release of new “i love boobies!” bracelet colorways and will be launching entirely new designs in its expansion to apparel with trucker hats, dad hats and t-shirts.
Besides new releases, the organization has recently invested in expansion of its online shop infrastructure, adding Amazon, Instagram and Shopify platforms to its arsenal to better support online sales, as well as recent contractor and internal operations and shipping hires to meet increased consumer demand.
The KAB shop audience continues to skew younger, which is favorable for the organization’s goal of reaching young people with its mission of reducing breast cancer risk and its impact globally through art, education, prevention and action.
With each product shipment, customers receive breast health education in their shipping packaging, as well as are introduced to KAB’s free self check app in the QR codes included on every tag.
The products especially appeal to KAB’s discerning customers through their emphasis on quality, nostalgia, impact and a certain punk-rock through-line, helping to bridge connections with similarly creative, intentional, and purpose-driven brands.
Cedric Penders, Chief Marketing Officer of Selk’Bag, spoke on this aspect of KAB and the brand’s recent spring collaboration release in Chicle Pink.
“We wanted to do something different for the launch of this Chicle Pink Selk'bag. It’s more fun, pop-y and expressive than the traditional outdoor colors we’d been doing in past years. We had been looking for the right organization to partner with and give back to for a while. So when a mutual friend of ours, who's a designer in the lifestyle industry, mentioned Shaney Jo and Keep A Breast, it immediately clicked.”
Penders continued: “Pink Selk'bags + a breast cancer prevention-focused organization founded by a designer in the skateboard industry: It's a no-brainer. KAB is local, community driven, grassroots, passionate about what they do and come from a very creative industry. At the brand DNA level, there are so many things we have in common. That's what a good partnership looks like to us. The last thing we'd want to do is give back to a massive organization and our money would go to management fees or potentially not even make a difference.”
Keep A Breast’s commitment to sustainable practices and environmentalism furthers the potential for impact through aligned collaborations looking to benefit both people and the planet, like Seager.
“Seager aligned with KAB to utilize our reach and resources in the fight against breast cancer,” Co-Founder of Seager Co. Case Anderson said. “Every year, we've donated 1% of our total sales to organizations and nonprofits through 1% for the Planet.
Through our partnership, we’ve donated 100% of profits from select ‘pink’ hats branded with the KAB logo.
Knowing how breast cancer has affected the lives around us, including those close to us, we can't just stay on the sidelines. Look out for a new Seager x Keep a Breast hat this October for Breast Cancer Awareness Month!”
The Keep A Breast Foundation looks forward to its quarter-century milestone in 2025.
