Uniqlo Save Japan! T-shirt design from Karl Lagerfeld.

Fast-fashion giant Uniqlo from Japan has launched a massive relief campaign that’s sure to have an impact on fundraising for Japanese relief efforts, and raise interest for the celebs designing the campaign and sending messages. In yet another interesting project utilizing the power of T-shirts to make a difference, Uniqlo will market a line of Save Japan! UT T-shirts with words of encouragement from major global celebrities including Lady Gaga, Nicole Kidman, Victoria Beckham, Cindi Lauper, Karl Lagerfeld, Charlize Theron, Gweneth Paltrow, and others.

Proceeds from the line estimated to total approximately 100 million yen will be donated to help individuals affected by the March 11 Great East Japan Earthquake. This is the latest initiative from Uniqlo, which jumped into action immediately following the March 11 earthquake, launching a number of initiatives to help those affected by the disaster.

The Save Japan UT! project was made possible with help from the Cond? Nast Group, the publisher of Vogue Japan and GQ Japan. UNIQLO has undertaken the project with Cond? Nast, a cosponsor of the disaster relief information website Save Japan!, which was launched soon after the earthquake to supply information on area-specific relief efforts. Cond? Nast has gathered the 10 celebrity messages to be carried on these limited edition T-shirts. Projected profits of approximately 100 million yen from the initiative will be donated to the Japanese Red Cross Society to help those affected by the earthquake.

Save Japan! UT shirts will hit UNIQLO stores worldwide on June 25. The 10 variations will come in sizes ranging from extra small to extra large and be priced 1,500 yen, including tax.

Some of the messages include: Lady Gaga’s message: I just wanted to send all of my love and support on behalf of myself as well as monsters from around the world. We have been praying and thinking of you. I want you to know that you can always call on me for help and we have already been doing everything that we can to send relief to all of you. We will be praying. Aishitemasu minnanotameni inotte imasu.I love you and I’m praying for you.”

Nicole Kidman’s message with a hand holding a flower: “Support Japan. Give a Hand to Japan.”

This latest campaign from Uniqlo marks another interesting twist that utilizes T-shirts as the message board for change, at the same time launching fundraising and awareness, particularly for the celebrities and collaborators involved.

With so much still left to be accomplished in Japan, we anticipate that Japan relief-type T-shirts, including local DIY versions, will continue to be a growing trend this summer among youth culture.