Giving back to the community is cornerstone of student-run streetwear brand

Student-run streetwear brand Philocracy works to involve youth in philanthropy and raise money for charity through their clothing. Credit: Courtesy of Rakesh Murugesan

Created by two Ohio State students, Philocracy aims to blend streetwear with philanthropy. 

The founders of the nonprofit clothing company — Nutan Kopuri, a third-year in finance and president of Philocracy, and Rakesh Murugesan, a third-year in biomedical science and executive director of Philocracy — came together in December 2020 with the mission of raising awareness and money for charities and philanthropic organizations. The students decided a clothing company would be the most effective way to shed light on select issues.

“I think our nonprofit business aims to get specifically college students more involved,” Nicole Tranca, a fourth-year in marketing and creative director of Philocracy, said. “We’re all so busy, and things kind of pass our mind. With our streetwear, we pull in a crowd that maybe doesn’t put in as much time into giving back, and on top of that might not have the time or know how to.”

The company, which was officially incorporated by the state of Ohio in March 2021, promises to donate all net profit to its partnered charities, according to its website. Murugesan said the name of the brand combines “philanthropy” and “democracy” to emphasize the idea that those who purchase clothing from Philocracy are also choosing to contribute to a cause they deem important.

“We see things like cancer research being a major philanthropy source in Columbus — things like UNICEF and the Red Cross — but there are a lot of systemic issues that receive not as much attention but, regardless, deserve this attention,” Murugesan said. “There are organizations that are doing work to combat those issues, so we wanted to support them.”

The company’s most recent clothing drop and first community collaboration was with LifeSmart Education, according to its website. The nonprofit organization works to provide life skills training to underserved children in Columbus, and Murugesan said Philocracy aims to donate $1,000 worth of proceeds to it.

To design the clothing, the group collected drawings from children involved with LifeSmart Education, which Tranca said she combined into a design that captured the playfulness of being a child.

“We created this one big drawing on the back where I overstretched their characters and then added some other things in there, just to give it that childish but still fun look,” Tranca said. “My job is to make sure their story and the purpose all kind of fits into a design that still can be appealing to consumers and be streetwear.”

Finding a way to give back is a driving factor for the students behind Philocracy, and Kopuri said recognizing their own privilege and making an effort to help the community is what motivates them.

“We have this passion, and it’s something that’s bigger than us. It’s bigger than me, or Rakesh, or anyone on board. It’s helping other people, helping get their lives better,” Kopuri said. “We’ve all had very fortunate lives, very robust lives, and a lot of people haven’t had that same upbringing.”

Philocracy is currently planning its next collaboration with Equitas Health, a regional nonprofit providing free health care to the LGBTQ+ community, Murugesan said.

For students interested in starting their own brand or company, finding a passion and formulating a way to give back is important, Kopuri said.

“This passion for giving to people is so much bigger than just, I don’t know, earning money throughout life,” Kopuri said. “I think that’s what really should drive you — focusing on stuff that’s bigger than you.”