Bangkok — June 5, 2026 — The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and Thai apparel brand YUEDPAO have unveiled the Icons of Hope T-shirt collection, a campaign that turns fashion into a force for biodiversity conservation.
Developed in partnership with Thailand’s Office of Natural Resources and Environmental Policy and Planning (ONEP) and community artists from Khao Sam Roi Yot National Park, the collection celebrates Thailand’s rich biodiversity — home to nearly 10% of the world’s species. Designs highlight iconic wildlife and ecosystems, from Indochinese tigers and great hornbills in forests, to fishing cats and lotus in wetlands, and dugongs and green sea turtles along coasts.
All profits from the campaign will support community-led conservation initiatives through the UNDP Global Environment Facility’s Small Grants Programme (SGP). The collection is available from June 5 to December 31, 2026 via YUEDPAO channels and campaign partners.
UNDP Resident Representative Niamh Collier-Smith emphasized the urgency of action: “When we protect iconic species, we protect entire ecosystems and the communities that depend on them.” YUEDPAO CEO Tanongsak Saeaw added that creativity and fashion can inspire meaningful engagement with nature, while ONEP Deputy Secretary-General Nareerat Panmanee welcomed the initiative as part of Thailand’s National Biodiversity Action Plan 2023–2027.
Thailand, recognized as one of Southeast Asia’s most biodiverse nations, faces growing threats from habitat loss, climate change, and ecosystem degradation. The Icons of Hope campaign contributes to national and global biodiversity goals under the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, which calls for urgent action to halt and reverse biodiversity loss by 2030.
