A T-SHIRT IN DETAIL
You probably have the sense that not all t-shirts are the same. They might feel different, wash differently or fit differently. Many brands claim the ‘perfect t-shirt’. We are less interested in perfect and would rather do the best job we can for the overall impact of that humble t-shirt. It might seem like a simple item and we have been lead to believe they are very cheap and can be replaced easily, but cotton growing and dyeing has a major impact on the environment from pesticides to water use. That is without even getting in to production conditions and wages of the people involved in making them.
We choose to have our t-shirts made in America, we found that a lot of our favourite t-shirts were also made in the US. There is a great history of cotton growing and sportswear manufacturing in America. We were always drawn to the tight thick neck ribbing, dense heavy cotton and tube knit body without side seams that typified American made t-shirts.
More than the way they looked, having our t-shirts made in America meant it was easier to have confidence in how the t-shirt was being made, the origin of the fabric and the conditions they were made under. The company that makes our t-shirts in Los Angeles ensures a living wage for all of its employees. The carbon footprint of the garment is reduced by sourcing cotton domestically and using recycled fibres. Our next step is to source an entirely recycled cotton t-shirt, which we are working on currently.
We don’t claim to be perfect – there is no perfect in this scenario. But we are trying and while the end result may cost a bit more, a lot of you have noticed that the garment will last longer, wash better, feel better and ultimately not be thrown away as quickly (we hope). Using recycled cotton is great, but not needing to recycle it at all is even better.
