Founder Hannah Fastov Inspired to Give Away More Than 1,000 Bags After Hearing from Nurse How Useful its Crossbody Style, with Multiple Pockets, was In Doing her Rounds
NEW YORK — Go Dash Dot, maker of stylish and functional bags for the woman on the go, has donated its entire inventory to healthcare workers throughout the NYC area who are dealing with the coronavirus epidemic. Over the course of a week, founder Hannah Fastov personally delivered bags, most notably its cross-body style, to hospitals throughout the city. The bag’s size, pockets, ease of use and being machine washable makes it especially convenient for nurses who can carry their supplies with ease.
“These people are our frontline in combating this devastating disease,” said Fastov. “Healthcare workers are putting their lives in danger every day to take care of our most vulnerable. When I heard that a nurse in Nashville was wearing a Go Dash Dot crossbody when doing her rounds, I knew this was a meaningful way that we could contribute. I am heartened to learn so many of the medical professionals are finding our bags useful.”
Go Dash Dot’s donation rose out of its “Inspire” campaign, which began by offering followers free daily workouts on Instagram. The brand also offered steep discounts for merchandise on its site and pledged to donate a signigicant percentage of sales to Direct Relief, a non-profit working to equip doctors and nurses with life-saving medical resources to care for the world’s most vulnerable. But giving its bags to healthcare workers took precedence amid rising rates of hospital admissions and the toll it was taking on the hospital workers.
Go Dash Dot was founded in 2016 by Fastov, who has previously worked in product development and merchandising with Brooks Brothers and Rag and Bone. She sought to create a stylish line of bags for women that could serve multiple purposes: work, social engagements, gym, travel and other activities in a busy woman’s life. “It had to be fashionable, function and timeless” was the mission, Fastov said. She and her small team went to work creating several styles, including totes, backpacks, crossbodies and the signature “puffle,” which she imagined as a re-imagined duffel worn as a hand or shoulder bag or crossbody. The bags are thoroughly unique, featuring a separate compartment for footwear, padded laptop section, a snap in snap out pouch that can be worn as a crossbody or belt bag, laundry pouch, cell phone pocket, tons of additional pockets and compartments, and completely machine washable. They also come in a variety of colors. “The Go Dash Dot woman is active, ambitious, and fun loving. One adventure leads to the next and she needs a bag that can keep up with her,” Fastov says.
