Lion Brand Yarn Company is excited to kick off the third year of #HatNotHate, a craftivist campaign taking aim at the bullying epidemic, with a bold new public service announcement (PSA) video sending the message that bullying is never okay.
The PSA features real people who have each been impacted by bullying. “Your hats remind us to be brave, be kind, feel empowered that we’re not alone and when we stand together we can end bullying,” they say in solidarity.
“Nearly everyone has been affected by bullying at some point in their life,” says #HatNotHate Founder and Lion Brand Yarn Brand Ambassador Shira Blumenthal. “The scale of the issue is enormous, but we’re up to the challenge. Lion Brand Yarn has always been about elevating crafters to pursue excellence and be courageous. This inspired us to create our PSA and shine a light on this problem.”
Motivated by Blumenthal’s own bullying experience, #HatNotHate, as the name suggests, provides a positive symbol of the growing community of students and adults standing up to bullying: the blue hat.
The campaign has collected more than 26,000 blue hats to date and is announcing its highest goal yet in 2020: collecting 100,000 handmade blue hats to share with students around the country during National Bullying Prevention Month in October.
In addition to the PSA, #HatNotHate’s 2020 campaign will feature a Pattern Lookbook to inspire knitters and crocheters of every skill level. The lookbook features several hat patterns, including Shira’s official blue hat pattern.
New 2020 merchandise is also available on the website. In addition to blue yarn of every variety, craftivists and supporters can buy the signature #HatNotHate tags, which can be added to any blue hat. #HatNotHate is also releasing limited edition ballpoint pens with their very own miniature blue hats, fleece pullovers featuring the hashtag and logo, and a tote bag, so you can carry the anti-bullying cause wherever you go. A portion of the proceeds collected from the sale of #HatNotHate products are donated to charities around the country supporting the anti-bullying cause.
Anyone can participate in the campaign by knitting or crocheting a blue hat and sending it to #HatNotHate, Lion Brand Yarn Co. 140 Kero Rd. Carlstadt, NJ 07072 by August 1, 2020. Not very crafty? No worries! You can also show your support for the campaign by posting a photo in your favorite blue hat on social media using #HatNotHate.
For more information about how to get involved or bring #HatNotHate to your school, visit the website at HatNotHate.org.