Some of Australia’s largest and most iconic fashion brands are joining forces this year to form the 2025 Jeans for Genes Retail Alliance and raise vital funds and awareness for Children’s Medical Research Institute and help find cures for children’s genetic disease.

Lowes is the founding partner of the Jeans for Genes Retail Alliance and last year they raised more than $75,000. This adds to the more than $1m that Lowes has raised for CMRI since 1998.

“Becoming part of the Jeans for Genes campaign is a privilege for our team,’’ Lowes CEO Linda Penn said. “This is a cause that touches so many families, and we’re excited to be able to help raise vital funds and awareness for the amazing work being done in the labs at CMRI.”

Lowes will be donating $10 from the sale of every pair of jeans and denim shorts, in store and online, from July 3 until September 3. They will also accept donations in store.

Joining the Retail Alliance for the first time is Munro Footwear Group’s Williams, Mathers and The Trybe. Their stores will be accepting donations in-store and online from August through to January 2026.

Munro Footwear Group Creative Director Kerri Munro said that as an organisation that has been trusted by the Australian public for over 50 years, it was natural to support research to help the 1 in 20 Aussie kids impacted by birth defects and genetic diseases.

“For decades, everyday Australians have walked into our stores because they trust us. We’re very grateful for the opportunity to give back to those families who are facing extraordinary challenges.

“We encourage everyone to make a donation to support this important research.’’

Other Aussie retailers who are part of the Retail Alliance this year include Seed Heritage, kikki-K, Fine-Day, allkinds, Commonry and Unison – who are also accepting donations in-store and online from July 28 until August 10.

We will also be joined by amazing businesses Little You who will donate $10 from every sale from July 14 to August 11 to CMRI. Mojo Candles are selling Jeans for Genes candles with 25% of their sale going to CMRI.

Jeans for Genes was launched by Children's Medical Research Institute in 1994 to raise funds and awareness for genetic research. The campaign encourages community participation through various activities, such as wearing jeans, Bake it Blue cake sales and popular fundraising events like 100 Skips a Day and Ks for Kids.

This year Jeans for Genes Day will be marked on Thursday August 7 and together the Retail Alliance want to make the incurable, curable.

The money raised will help kids like Ollie, who is one of the faces of this year’s Jeans for Genes campaign. Ollie was diagnosed with rhabdomyosarcoma — a rare, aggressive type of soft tissue cancer that develops in skeletal muscle tissue. He underwent 67 rounds of chemotherapy and 32 rounds of radiotherapy before he went into remission.

“The importance of research is that it benefits families like mine who have a sick child and make it through their journey,’’ his dad Nathan said. “It scares me to think that if we didn't help scientists learn more about the specific cancers, learn more about the treatment processes, he might not be here today.”

Nathan remembers taking part in Jeans for Genes when he was at school. “It's interesting to think that my gold coin donation that I made years and years ago actually had an effect on the research that was done that kept my son alive,’’ he said.