Chinese New Year gave brands a reason to show loyalty to Asian immigrants
Department store chain Holt Renfrew has released a children's book about a Chinese girl celebrating her first Lunar New Year in Canada.
More and more manufacturers of souvenirs and other products that use the symbols of the Chinese New Year find it important that these products are liked by members of Asian culture themselves. No wonder, since the largest visible minority in Canada, 17.7% of the country's total population, are of Asian descent. According to the 2016 Census, Canadians with Chinese roots are the most among them — almost 1.8 million. There is no denying that they have made a huge contribution to Canada.
In 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic began, hate crimes against Asians in Vancouver, the city with the largest diaspora, increased by 700%. More than half of Asians surveyed in 2021 said they often faced discrimination.
The Chinese-born children's writer from Toronto, Senna Yee, commissioned by Holt Renfrew, has come up with a series of stories about the girl Lin and the red envelope. In envelopes of this color, called "Hongbao," it is customary to give money to children and young people on the Chinese New Year. Holt Renfrew will donate 100% of the profits from the sale of the book to Project 1907, a community organization that protects the rights of Asian diasporas in Canada and preserves their culture.
Other popular Canadian brands, such as clothing manufacturers Roots, Aritzia, Lululemon, Nobis, have released special collections for the Lunar New Year, and the Vancouver Canucks hockey team has replaced its logo, a killer whale, with a tiger. Proceeds from the sale of the tiger jerseys will be donated to Elimin8Hate, a community organization that also protects Asians in Canada.
