Ask any stylist, designer, or manufacturer and they’ll tell you that the biggest trend this year in clothes wasn’t black, it wasn’t patterns, and it wasn’t metallic; It was green. With over 110 million Americans living in environments with levels of pollutants that the government considers harmful, designers, manufacturers, and companies are fighting back with 100% organic cotton. What are the beneficial effects of the use of organic materials? First, they greatly reduce the use of sweatshops. Rather than underpaying and overworking children in impoverished countries, organic cotton rewards workers in South America, Africa, and Asian countries for their work. Companies are opting for organic materials, thus, properly paying those who are employed, and thus greatly reducing horrific child labor and poor working conditions. In addition, organic materials used in clothes come from land that does not utilize harmful materials such as pesticides, fertilizers, and herbicides. Eradicating the use of materials that are hazardous to the ecosystem promotes a healthier, cleaner world.
However, the real question isn’t how corporations can do their part, but how can consumers contribute to what companies are already advocating? Buyers can begin by opting for organic t-shirts when buying. If designing your own t-shirt through custom screen printers, you have the chance to use organic materials for your t-shirt. Many companies, such as DesignAShirt.com, offer many environmentally-responsible options when choosing the t-shirt to print on. DesignAShirt.com custom t-shirts offers the use of companies such as Alternative Apparel and Anvil, both of whom have environmentally-conscious products. Albeit more expensive, the organic t-shirts are both chic and green. If purchasing from custom screen printers, consumers have not only the option, but also the responsibility, to make a small, yet profound, step to creating a cleaner tomorrow on planet Earth.