Three Cheers for Eco Gear!

I’ve featured ecological t-shirt sites at Buy Tees before, but Canadian-based Eco-Gear.ca has to be the most ethical and ecologically aware t-shirt manufacturer and printer in the world. I was going to wait until I’d collated a few more sources for organic t-shirt suppliers/printers because I’ve had a few requests for more lists, but I couldn’t let this wait.

Here’s a quick rundown of Ecogear’s amazing ethical and environmental credentials:

- recycled materials in pre-consumer cotton clippings and recycled water bottles( 65% cotton and 35% recycled PET )
- least water and energy needed to produce the fabric
- no bleach or dyes used. Their colours are from the first life cotton clippings.
- no land use for agriculture or need for deforestation
- for their printing processes, instead of being back end conscious and filtering all wastes, they are front end conscious and only use dyes that are either organic or water based.No PVC, pthalates or APEOs.

Ecogear was founded by Robert Hii, a veteran of the Toronto design and manufacturing community. With over 20 years experience in the garment industry and related manufacturing experience from China and Bangladesh, it was his sole drive to bring the most earth friendly apparel to market using all his connections in the industry.

Ecogear do more than any other company to try and ‘close the loop’ on ethical t-shirt production and manufacturing and that’s a fact. The only thing left as far as I can see is distribution, although I wouldn’t be surprised if they don’t find a way around that in the end - who knows sailing barges and pack mules maybe? Here’s what EG have achieved so far in a relatively short time, revolutionising the eco t-shirt industry with such ethical business practices as these.

Ecogear only works with suppliers and contractors that they know and trust. Child labour is not an issue in Canada. All our suppliers and contractors are within a 15 km radius in Toronto and we make unannounced visits all the time. The contractors do not use child or forced labour and practise job equality for women.

Ecogear has an open and regularly checked fair pay policy. They carry out periodic checks on all their contractors’ wage records. The current minimum wage in Toronto Canada today is $8.75/ hour. As part of their unannounced visits, they always ask for up to date records, not only when the contractor is working on ecogear items but for their entire working week. The present average wage for any persons at any contractor for ecogear stands approximately $10.50/ hour.

Ecogear offer fair workers’ representation as part of the ideology behind this highly committed community run organisation. Input from workers and employees is always heard whether it pertains to working conditions or a product quality. Bonuses are in place for their employees and it’s based on company performance, which drives our their employees to treat the company as their own.

Ecogear products use exclusively 100% recycled fibres from pre-consumer cotton clippings and recycled PET from water bottles. Their clothing comes with a 99% recycled sign, the 1% being the new polyester sewing thread that they use. Their main and care/content label is an iron on type which is made from organic inks. Their graphic tees use either an organic ink heat transfer or water based direct screen print. Both are declared free of PVCs and pthalates.
Their hangtag is printed on recycled paper using soy inks. It is attached to the garment with a raw sisal cord and a safety pin which is big enough that it will be useful if one chooses to reuse it.

Ecogear do not use any ecologically damaging chemicals in their production process. Their fabrics do not contain heavy metals, formaldehyde or other dyestuffs with unknown affects on people. The finishing processes do not contain PVC, which is a suspected carcinogenic. Their printing processes are PVC and phthalate free.B oth of these chemicals have been proven to have a slow release when the consumer washes the clothing at home. Pthalates have a really destructive effect on water creatures.

Ecogear work closely with various groups that protect the animals, the environment and educational groups that encourage the world’s youth to have more respect for Nature. They use their profits to assist major environmental groups in their fight to preserve the lands, waters and animals.

Ecogear offer a dodo dollar scheme which is only redeemable by donating it to their preferred list of environmental groups that belong to 1%fortheplanet.

WWF (World Wildlife Fund).

Algalita focuses on ocean research and environmental restoration of the world’s oceans.

The Toronto Zoo which has a big focus on conservation and we’re helping their fundraising drive.

Environmental Defence fights for Canadian issues.

CPAWs which fights for forest conservation and we had a major victory last week when the govt was pressure into preserving 225000 sq km of forests of their province.

Woodstockfas.org - an animal sanctuary.

OHVEC.org who are fighting the US govt. and big coal companies in an effort to stop them blowing up the Appalachian Mountains for coal.

If you’re thinking of setting up your own organic and ethical t-shirt label, I’d highly recommend you visit Ecogear, they are most certainly a potential leader for the next generation of the t-shirt industry. Mmm… feel that good karma!!