William Jessup Student Helps Sell Pants With Purpose

(Handout) A William Jessup University student started wearing "elephant pants" around campus, which quickly ignited a new fashion trend.

It not only started a trend on the Rocklin campus, it's also raising money for a tremendous cause.

Although these are not your average pants – they have a special meaning. For each pair of pants that are sold, 25 percent of the proceeds will go toward a local nonprofit called Agape International Missions in Rocklin.

Agape started in 1988 and has been instrumental in fighting human sex-trafficking in Cambodia. Since 2005, the Agape ministries have focused on putting a stop to the child sex slavery industry.

The bold-printed pants, which cost $25, have nine different patterns. They are called elephant pants because the first fabric picked out was an elephant print.

Lindsey Lingenfelder, a senior at William Jessup, enlisted the help of fellow students to begin wearing the bold printed, light and conformable elephant pants on campus. Many students began asking where they could buy the pants. It was the perfect opportunity for Lingenfelder to explain why the pants serve such an important purpose.

"Most people love how comfortable they are, but the best part about these pants is that the sale of them provides continued employment, support and recovery for women at the Agape International Missions employment center," Lingenfelder said.

Jim Burman with EOTE Trading Company is the creator of the elephant pants. After Burman went on a mission trip to Cambodia he saw rescued girls working at the garment factory.

Lindsey is good friends with Jim's daughter and she's been involved in the process ever since they started selling the pants.

Agape not only educates all the women who are rescued, but they work and get paid as well. The women are taught skill sets they need for the future and the safe and nurturing environment allows them to reclaim their dignity.

For more information on how to purchase a pair of elephant pants, visit www.eotetradingco.com.