As the times are changing, people are following suit by reaching out to one another in somewhat unexpected and unprecedented ways. The fashion world and environmental agencies have merged to draw attention to the urgency associated with protecting our planet.

At BikiniFlavors, an online boutique with a location in Winter Park, FL, women can shop bikinis. The company’s newest venture is a partnership with the Caribbean Conservation Corporation (CCC) to save one of the oldest species on earth; the marine turtle. Now you can buy a bikini and save sea turtles at the same time.

The CCC is a nonprofit organization out of Gainesville, FL that has dedicated itself to maintaining marine turtles’ habitats and population for the last 50 years.

Through the bikini-turtle collaboration, the endangered species will receive a portion of sales that are associated with the special line that will be created for the cause. Although it may seem like a new trend, the partnership between BikiniFlavors and the CCC is not the first of its kind. Other companies like Cartier and Local Celebrity are creating lines to benefit different conservation initiatives of their choosing.

In Cartier’s LOVE collection, one of the bracelets’ proceeds goes to the Edward Norton with Maasai Wilderness Conservation Trust. Cartier started this charitable collaboration in affiliation with celebrities wanting to benefit their favorite charities. The bracelets have either interlocking or single gold bands on different colored silk cord depending on the charity. For example, the bracelet supporting the fight against breast cancer is the same color as their signature ribbon; light pink. These bracelets do not only represent a good cause but also serve as a status symbol only increasing their popularity.

The company Local Celebrity went with an approach closer to the teeny bikini’s by manufacturing eco-friendly t-shirts proclaiming “Respect Your Mother” and displaying a graphic of earth. They were able to make a statement and raise funds at the same time for Global Green USA.

Despite their philanthropic efforts, as a consumer it is hard not to wonder whether these partnerships are actually being charitable or if they are merely a publicity stunt. In most cases the percentage donated by the companies is relatively small. For each bikini sold at Bikiniflavors, only five dollars is being donated to save the turtles. When their bikinis sell for more than $150.00, it seems as though they could spare a little more for the cause.

However, at Cartier, for every $475.00 bracelet (single gold band) sold, $100.00 is donated and for each $995.00 bracelet (interlocking gold bands) sold, $200.00 is donated to the charity of choice. It is undeniable that companies and charitable organizations receive public recognition and publicity for these partnerships yet the fact remains that they are giving back, regardless of the amount.

No matter what the agenda, the founders of BikiniFlavors, Ann Tucker and Colleen Thompson, have effectively joined the movement to GO GREEN and save the planet. Let’s just hope others take notice and join the crusade to battle the negative elements that are threatening our environment.