Z SUPPLY Foundation: Celebrating Five Years of Giving Back

For the fifth year in a row, our Black Friday season is all about giving back. This year, we’re supporting the Z SUPPLY Education Fund by using Black Friday season sales to help fuel scholarships and educational programs. Our goal is to raise $300K and help more students on their creative journey.

We started the Z SUPPLY Foundation in 2021 with a simple belief…when you invest in education, you invest in the future. Since then, we have donated more than $1.2 million in funding, awarded 78 scholarships, and partnered with 6 leading design schools across the country.

Our commitment is rooted in the belief that creativity should be accessible. Every dollar raised helps students in fashion design, digital media, graphic design, photography, ceramics, fiber arts, UX design, and creative business leadership. These funds help build connections, expand access to education, and provide pathways that support future artists and designers.

We believe creativity can change lives, and we are honored to play a part in that journey.

Our partner schools are at the heart of our mission. By working with leading design programs, we help ensure students get both the support and the resources they need to thrive. Scholarships from the 2025 Black Friday season will go directly to students during the 2026 to 2027 academic year.

This collaborative approach keeps us rooted in community while helping talent grow where it is most needed.

This fall, three amazing scholarship recipients visited Z SUPPLY HQ for a day of creativity, storytelling, and fun. Áine, Melanie, and Isaac joined us on set for a photoshoot, shared more about their journeys, and gave us a front row seat to their work and their passions.

Spending time with them reminded us why this mission matters. Each student brought their own spark, their own story, and a fresh sense of possibility. It was inspiring to see how their talent and determination continue to shape their fields.

Meet Áine

Some people just know they are meant to create. Áine grew up drawing, painting, writing, and crafting, all encouraged by a home that celebrated creative expression. That love of making eventually led her to Otis Collect of Art and Design, where she earned her degree in Fashion Design and discovered how clothing could connect people and tell stories. 

With the support of the Z SUPPLY Foundation scholarship, Áine completed her degree and tapped into a community of fellow designers. Now, she balances her career and personal creative work while staying focused on projects that feel meaningful. 

Her advice for future students is simple: create. The act of making helps you discover what inspires you and how you want to grow.

Meet Melanie

Melanie has always felt called to the arts. She explored many creative outlets growing up and eventually found her passion in graphic design, which she loves for its ability to celebrate creativity while solving real problems. She received a Z SUPPLY Foundation scholarship in 2024 and participated in our campaign shoot that same year. Since then, she has continued to stay connected with the team and eventually completed a summer internship with the Z SUPPLY creative team.

The scholarship supported her BFA program at California State University, Long Beach, by helping offset tuition for her extended program. More importantly, the experience helped build her confidence and encouraged her to continue pursuing her creative work. Her internship gave her hands-on experience with a professional creative team and helped open doors to new opportunities as she will soon begin her career.

Her advice for students is to embrace the process. Each moment helps shape the artist you are becoming.

Meet Isaac

Isaac’s creative journey started young. His mom worked as a furniture painter and art teacher, and he would often join her on projects that turned ordinary moments into bold artistic experiences. Whether screenprinting or piecing together broken plates to create colorful mosaics, Isaac learned early on that creativity thrives when you stay curious.

After earning his Graphic Design degree from Otis College of Art and Design, he moved to Iceland for a residency, where he taught screen printing and explored printmaking using whatever materials were available. He later began building a freelance practice and eventually joined Cleverhood, his mother’s rainwear brand, while continuing to take on creative projects that speak to him. Today, he lives in Los Angeles with his wife and two cats.

Throughout his journey, the Z SUPPLY Foundation has been a consistent source of encouragement.

His advice to students: take yourself seriously and believe in your work. Confidence builds credibility.

Creativity is powerful. It builds confidence, fosters connection, and inspires new ways of seeing the world. When you support the Z SUPPLY Foundation, you help ensure that young artists and designers have the chance to learn, build, and grow.

We are committed to expanding our Foundation and offering even more scholarships and programs that uplift students. Thank you for being part of our community and helping fuel the next generation of creatives.

Learn more about the Z SUPPLY Foundation and the power of your purchase to help us make a difference, together.