Gift Shop Plus Summer 2021

Hopeful Bowl

We had the honor of interviewing Dirk Vogel, business development U.S. for FIFTYEIGHT Products to learn more about the Hopeful Bowls that provide a way for retailers and consumers to give-back to pandemic-related causes. 

What is your mission?

Dirk Vogel (DV): As a company, we strive to be a good corporate citizen. All of our products are 100% manufactured in Germany according to environmental and social guidelines. With the HOPEFUL porcelain bowl, featuring a face in the signature style of our company but covered in a PPE face mask, we wanted to create a positive initiative during the pandemic. The bowl was launched in Spring 2020 as a witness to history, something to remember the pandemic, but also with a charitable dimension since we donate $1.20 per bowl sold.

How do your products serve the mission?

DV: For every HOPEFUL bowl sold, we donate $1.20 to a charitable cause related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Whenever we hit a $6,000 milestone, we issue a check to a positive cause. So far, we have delivered to a number of initiatives across the world, including the FOOD BANK FOR NEW YORK CITY, the Frankfurt University Hospital daycare “Unistrolche” (“Little University rascals”) in Germany, COVID-19 research at the INSTITUT PASTEUR in Paris, France, the Cáritas Organisation in Las Matas-Las Rozas de Madrid, a suburb of the Spanish capital and the IRCCS Ospedale San Raffaele hospital in Milan, Italy. It’s great to see the direct impact of these donations and we thank all our customers and store partners for their support. Also read the story on our website about our donations.

What are the plans for the future?

DV: We want to keep the initiative going as long as possible. The “bowl with a mask” has been a great thank you to everyone out there for wearing a mask and keeping one another safe. Hopefully the pandemic will be in the rearview mirror soon, so perhaps people will want to keep the HOPEFUL bowl as a reminder of what we have all collectively been through over the past year.

How can retailers get involved?

DV: That’s really easy! By selling our HOPEFUL bowl to customers. We take care of keeping track of sales and donating 1 euro for every bowl sold. Retailers looking to get involved can contact our wholesale line at Fiftyeight Inc. in Miami.

Is there any additional information retailers should know?

DV: All FIFTYEIGHT PRODUCTS porcelain is manufactured according to social and environmental guidelines in Germany at the highest level of quality. We believe in creating products that bring joy into people’s lives and the HOPEFUL bowl is our response to keeping spirits high during the adversities of the global pandemic.