In March, I began a Buy One, Donate One initiative through my crochet market work. For every crochet item purchased, a handmade baby blanket was donated to a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) through Knots of Love. The goal was to move beyond a typical market exchange and create something that felt more thoughtful and meaningful. Instead of focusing only on sales, I wanted each purchase to contribute to something that could genuinely support families during a difficult time.
The idea came from repeatedly hearing about the comfort and reassurance that handmade crochet blankets can provide for premature babies. Through my involvement in the Ethical Entrepreneur Club, I have learned to think about how small businesses can operate with intention and care, using creativity as a way to give back. Applying these ideas to my own work felt like a natural step. Crochet has always been something personal to me, and this initiative allowed that work to reach families who are navigating incredibly challenging circumstances, offering a small source of warmth and comfort when it is needed most.
Donating crochet blankets to NICU babies is supported by both emotional and scientific considerations. Premature infants are especially sensitive to temperature and sensory input, and maintaining a calm, warm environment is essential to their development. Hospital approved handmade blankets can help with thermal regulation and provide a softer sensory experience, which may reduce stress. Organizations like Knots of Love follow strict medical guidelines for yarn type, sizing, and construction to ensure that each blanket is safe and appropriate for NICU use. Before starting this project, I had not realized how much care and precision goes into making an item suitable for such a medical setting. Learning about these requirements gave me a deeper respect for the level of attention involved in NICU care and for the families adapting to it every day.
One of the most meaningful moments of this project came when I received a photo of one of my donated blankets being used with a baby for the first time. Seeing something I had made by hand in such an intimate and important moment was truly priceless and made the impact of the initiative feel real in a way words cannot fully capture.
Overall, this project reflects what ethical entrepreneurship looks like to me. It means using personal skills thoughtfully, staying mindful of community impact, and creating work with purpose. The Buy One, Donate One model helped make the initiative sustainable while allowing customers to be part of something bigger than a single purchase. This experience reinforced my belief that creative work can do more than exist. It can support, comfort, and connect people. I am grateful I chose to pursue this project, and it has encouraged me to continue looking for ways to combine creativity with meaningful impact in the future.
Daisy Crochet Project Collective 