Organic Cotton T-Shirts

Our T-Shirts

We're excited to have produced a range of organic cotton t-shirts, printed with chemical free inks.

These shirts are super ethical from start to finish. They are made from 100% fairly traded Organic Indian cotton, manufactured using ethical labour factories, dyed with chemical free dyes then printed with our own unique designs using chemical free inks.

We've teamed up with a number of people to launch this range of t-shirts, and we're proud to say that everyone involved places the ethical and environmental impact of their work at the top of their list of priorities. We could have produced these shirts via cheaper methods, but feel that it's more important to offer great quality products that don't impact negatively on people's lives.

Certifications

Our t-shirts are certified by the following organisations:

• Certified by G.O.T.S. and licensed by the soil association

• Eco Sustainable textiles

• SA 8000 the industry standard for Social accountability

• WRAP World responsible apparel production

• Confidence in textiles, tested for harmful substances

Organic Cotton

Organic cotton comes from plants which have not been genetically modified and is grown without the use of pesticides or fertilizers. The chemicals used in traditional cotton production account for up to 25% of all pesticides used worldwide. The World Health Organisation estimates that 20,000 people die every year from pesticide poisoning, and that many of these are attributed to the traditional cotton industry through direct contact with chemicals without adequate protection, and through pollution of water systems.

Repeated use of chemicals destroys the natural soil fertility, and many cotton farmers are then forced to use more and more chemicals to produce the same amount of cotton, and the situation develops into a downward spiral that ultimately results in poisoning the environment on a massive scale, and many farmers getting into debt through not being able to grow adequate amounts of cotton without borrowing money to buy excessive amounts of pesticides.

However, in Africa alone there are over 25,000 organic cotton farmers who are utilising natural methods to grow their plants. In Uganda, for example, farmers encourage black ants to live amongst their plants as they keep pests away, and grow okra plants next to cotton plants to attract a pest known as "cotton stainers" away from the cotton plants. This use of natural methods means that organic cotton farmers can utilise their land for more than cotton production. They can grow food to feed their families and can feel safe in the knowledge that they are not poisoning their communities. Their increased ability to produce a range of products means that their income is higher, and subsequently they enjoy a better standard of living (basic healthcare, clean water etc).

Organic cotton costs more to grow, but the farmers who grow it get far more out of it than just a higher priced product. It's easy to see the benefits of organic cotton, and we're proud to promote it.