Ashley and Mary-Kate Olsen Endorse Help1Up

Furniture World News

Ashley and Mary-Kate Olsen and their mary-kateandashley brand announced their endorsement of Help1Up, the home furnishings industry’s free, socially responsible, and environmentally friendly used furniture removal service. Through a network of dozens of furniture banks, and facilitated by the non-profit National Furniture Bank Association (NFBA), the Help1Up service collects gently used furniture from the general public and provides it directly to children and families in need. Typical recipients of the furnishings are victims of natural disasters like Hurricane Katrina, women and children escaping domestic violence, and working families living below the poverty line. “Ashley and I are happy to endorse Help1Up,” said Mary-Kate Olsen. “There’s no reason why usable furniture should be thrown away when it can instead provide a family in need with basic comfort and dignity.” Furniture banks in America collect and distribute over a million pieces of furnishings each year. Children represent the largest client segment receiving the donated furniture. “Mary-Kate and I believe that Help1Up will continue to expand through increased awareness within the industry,” said Ashley Olsen. “With so many families in need, Help1Up makes it easy for consumers to make a difference.” Dualstar Entertainment Group, the international corporate group wholly owned by designers and global fashion icons Ashley and Mary-Kate Olsen, partnered with A.P. Industries to produce two furniture collections within the mary-kateandashley home category which also includes lighting and area rugs. The latest collection, mary-kateandashley home essentials, features key and accent pieces including bed sizes from twin to queen, bunk beds, nightstands, armoires, computer desks, hutches, dressers, sweater chests with door, mirrors and more. Help1Up is endorsed by all of the home furnishings industry associations, and is sustained by sponsorships from retailers, manufacturers, and service providers. About the National Furniture Bank Association (NFBA): The NFBA is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization with the mission to increase the service capacity of existing furniture banks, and to open new furniture banks in areas without one. No child in America should have to sleep on the floor. Visit http://www.help1up.org for more information, and to learn about becoming a Help1Up sponsor. About Dualstar Entertainment Group: Founded in 1993 to leverage the universal appeal of then-“Full House” stars Mary-Kate Olsen and Ashley Olsen, has evolved into a boutique global brand management company with offices in Los Angeles and New York. Corporate plans include management of existing brands as well as seeking out emerging labels and talent in the fashion and entertainment arenas. Ashley and Mary-Kate are collaborating on a contemporary brand, Elizabeth and James, which will launch Fall 2007, as well as taking a more active role in the film production division of Dualstar by purchasing and producing new properties. Dualstar’s mary-kateandashley brand is today the leader in affordable designer fashions for ‘tween girls (age 5-12). Augmenting its original focus on home video titles with books, music CDs, videogames and fashion dolls, Dualstar has subsequently expanded the mary-kateandashley brand into apparel, cosmetics, fragrances and home décor, in addition to digital media with the launch of mary-kateandashley.com and shopmary-kateandashley.com, the dedicated e-commerce site for the mary-kateandashley brand. Dualstar Entertainment Group is also the proud force behind 14-year-old actors’ Cole and Dylan Sprouse (Big Daddy, “Friends,” “The Suite Life of Zack & Cody”) Sprouse Bros. brand. The only young men’s lifestyle brand designed by boys for boys, the Sprouse Bros. brand is supported by Dylan and Cole’s strong fan base who view them as influencers in lifestyle and fashion choices. With a new clothing line, book series (Sprouse Bros. 47 R.O.N.I.N.), an online fan club and mobile content already in the market, the Sprouse Bros. brand plan to launch a DVD Home Entertainment series in early 2008 and many more categories are in development.