By: Jo Rochelle

Interested in making a difference and looking fashionable while doing so? Then look no further than a company called Serengetee. Based in Los Angeles, California, Serengetee was founded by two university students, Jeff Steitz and Ryan Westberg, who met on a study abroad program. Collecting fabrics from the countries they visited, Steitz and Westberg returned to their school and began making tee shirts that they shipped from their dorms.

Serengetee has since grown, purchasing fabric from artisans in over 25 countries in Africa, Asia, Europe, the Americas, and the South Pacific. And they make more than tees; in addition to shirts, Serengetee also makes bags, bracelets, pillows, and hats. There are even items for kids! With such a wide variety, one can “wear the world” in a way that also gives back. Ten percent of Serengetee’s profits go back to support the artisans from which the fabrics were purchased, as well as grassroots foundations in those areas.

Zion Williams, a senior, is the Serengetee campus representative for Heritage High School. When asked to explain her position, she said, “I basically spread the word to everyone, retweet all their stuff on Twitter, and like all their posts on Instagram. And when I get it, I give out my code so people can get discounts.” Zion also stated what made her want to be a part of the company: the fact that they contribute to the communities where the fabric originates from, as well as the cultural exposure that comes from buying Serengetee’s products. “Even if it’s just fabric,” she explained, “it’s sharing cultures because you get to see the different things each culture has to bring.”

To learn more about the cause and shop online, visit www.serengetee.com. Send general inquiries to ninjas@serengetee.com. Also, follow Zion Williams on Twitter @ZionWilliams16 for access to a discount code and Serengetee updates.