New clothing brand highlights stories of people wrongfully arrested, convicted

Founder Chad Williams has launched dooProcess, a Buffalo-based streetwear brand dedicated to advocating for social justice and sharing the stories of individuals affected by the legal system. The brand was born from Williams' personal experience with a wrongful arrest and a year-long legal battle to clear his name before being acquitted. This initiative highlights a growing trend in the apparel industry where brands integrate social activism and philanthropy directly into their business models to address systemic issues.

Chad Williams founded dooProcess as a streetwear label focused on the concept of fair treatment through the judicial system. The brand's name is a play on the legal term due process, reflecting Williams' own struggle after being wrongfully arrested for an assault during his junior year of college. After fighting for nearly a year to prove his innocence and eventually being acquitted, Williams sought to create a platform that could support others facing similar injustices while raising awareness about the flaws he observed within the justice system.

The brand operates with a strong philanthropic component, committing 15% of all proceeds to organizations that advocate for social justice. One primary beneficiary is the Western New York Peace Center, which works on various interrelated justice issues, particularly those affecting people of color. Victoria Ross, the center's interim president, noted that the partnership helps support their long-standing criminal justice work, emphasizing that those impacted by wrongful arrests and convictions are predominantly Black men and other people of color.

The social mission of dooProcess is supported by data from the National Registry of Exonerations' 2025 annual report, which indicates that 78% of exonerations in 2024 involved people of color, with 61% being Black. To highlight these disparities, the brand's Working World Black collection includes items such as a shirt featuring Trayvon Martin, who Williams notes did not receive his due process rights. By blending apparel with advocacy, Williams aims to use his brand as a voice for the many individuals whose stories mirror his own experience with the legal system.