Restaurant brand Panda Express is partnering with global fashion designer Phillip Lim and his namesake brand, 3.1 Phillip Lim, to create a limited-edition apparel collection, "Eat More, Share More, Love More," in celebration of AAPI Heritage Month.  

Inspired by food as a love language in Asian cultures, the collaboration aims to shed light on a prevalent, yet often overlooked, issue of food insecurity in the AAPI community and uplift those in need by providing access to safe and nutritious food.  

The special collection, featuring a T-shirt, crewneck sweatshirt and cap, is available to order now with 100% of net proceeds donated to local organizations focused on food security, including Heart of Dinner, More Than a Meal, OCA-Greater Houston, Radical Family Farms, Respect Your Elders and Welcome to Chinatown. 

As part of the campaign, the two AAPI brands also launched the "Eat More, Share More, Love More" Fund, in partnership with GoFundMe.org, to invite people to participate with a donation of any amount to further support the cause throughout the month of May. Panda Express has donated $20,000 to the GoFundMe page to kick off the fundraising efforts. The collaboration is one of the many initiatives dedicated to culture and community that Panda and Lim have championed over the years, such as the Panda CommUnity Fund and #StopAsianHate most recently. 

"As we continue to combat hate and fight for representation, we must also balance this out with nourishment and love,” says Lim. “Food is the best way to bring people together. Bring bread to a table and you can create an instant community. Across cultures and throughout history, food is the universal love language. Through the simple act of sharing a meal, we give each other the space to experience humanity in its quintessence."  

Food plays a significant role in Asian cultures and the AAPI experience. The act of eating and sharing a meal together is a multi-generational way to express love to one another; a plate of delicious food can bring down walls and promote understanding to inspire compassion. The design of the apparel collection centers around an Asian-style plate as an homage to tradition and cultural appreciation, with the circular shape representing unity during divisive times. 

"We are proud to be spotlighting our community partners and collaborating with Phillip Lim, a powerhouse for AAPI advocacy, on an initiative that's anchored in the power of food and its ability to bring healing and togetherness," says Andrea Cherng, chief brand officer, Panda Express. "The beauty of what we get to do every day at Panda is bridging cultures and providing care through food, and this collaboration is an extension of that mission as well as an invitation for all to come to the table, to see past labels and to hear and help those in need." 

Panda's partnership and fundraising initiative in collaboration with Lim is a part of the restaurant brand's ongoing diversity, equity and inclusion efforts to uplift diverse voices and organizations.