The Current | Project Paulie

Project Paulie is a charitable apparel brand selling hats and beanies marked with its signature Little Tomato logo, with a pop-up at The Current in Boston’s Seaport. A portion of the proceeds from every colored hat or beanie goes to an organization that betters the community. The tomato serves as a conversation starter: when people ask about it, wearers get a chance to talk about the causes their purchase supports.

The brand grew out of founder Nicky Bandera’s pandemic project. When she and many friends were out of work, she began baking lasagnas for people in her circle who needed a boost, and over time more than 2,000 lasagnas went to people in need. Realizing she couldn’t bake thousands each morning indefinitely, she drew on her fashion design background and worked with local artists to create the tomato, a nod to her lasagna sauce.

What to Know

• Project Paulie works with 27 charitable organizations, most of them based in Boston.
• Twenty percent of proceeds from each colored hat or beanie is donated.
• The brand was founded on the belief in feeding each other.