manufacturing – the {r}evolution apparel blog

Getting Warmer: Introducing Our Newest Lead

In last week’s post, we hinted at potentially having a production method for {r}evolution apparel. Knock on wood — we’re finally feeling like there might be light at the end of the tunnel.

A couple months ago, a group of cotton farmers in Texas gave us a list of people to contact for help. After dozens of e-mails to manufacturers all over the country, we finally got a response from one of the few custom knitters left in America.

The company is based out of Asheville, North Carolina, and prides itself on its environmental accountability and fair trade certifications.

Our inquiry e-mail started in their spam folder, but things have only gone up from there. For the past few weeks, we have been sending designs and fabric swatches back and forth, and the company has been incredibly encouraging about the task we’re trying to accomplish.

A big difference from the manufacturers who told us they wouldn’t “commit to the complexity of the project.”

The Asheville company knits several fabrics that we may be able to use: U.S. grown organic cotton, fairly-traded organic cotton from Turkey, a blend of recycled cotton and recycled polyester, and finally, a special type of fabric made completely from recycled PET plastic. We love the idea of mixing organic and recycled fabrics from a number of environmentally-kind sources.

With the laundry list of requirements we need to do this right, our lead is ticking off the boxes one by one:

Organically-grown and organically-manufactured cotton.
Fair trade options.
Capabilities to construct reversible and convertible garments.
Low-impact dyes, with enough color options to create the look we’re going for.
Minimum orders that we can afford.
Knitted and sewn in the USA.
Company ethics that we can stand behind.

I received the sample swatches of the 100 percent organic cotton in several different weights to compare the durability and texture of the fabric. It feels great to the touch and feels even better knowing the farmers and workers were paid fairly and treated well in the process.

We still have issues to hash out and more research to do, but things are looking good.

Really good. {r}

Creating a Clothing Line: Responsibility, Power and Change

Each of us has a responsibility as living, breathing people.

I used to think that since we’d all be dead someday, it didn’t really matter what we did as long as we were kind to each other.

I still believe that, but I suppose the phrase “as long as we are kind to each other” has taken on a whole new meaning.

It’s not so immediate anymore. It’s not just about my family and friends. Or fellow humans. It’s about being kind with the understanding that we are all connected.

And what great power we have, as people who get to read blogs, express thoughts in words, connect on the internet, and live in relative comfort!

With great power, comes great responsibility. I think we are really just beginning to realize our power and responsibility in full. It’s sometimes overwhelming to think that we truly do have the capacity to change things.

Responsibility is scary. Especially as we start a new business, producing clothing. Because no matter what, this system will not be perfect. We’ll have to burn fuel to ship materials. Use lots of water in the manufacturing process. As with any product, it involves some level of un-kindness to man and environment.

Of course, responsibility is a blessing too. We have the choice to use recycled PET plastic fiber, domestically-grown organic cotton, or no-waste Tencel. Every choice is up to us: better packaging, efficient shipping, the best manufacturing system possible. We have the responsibility to make the process kinder.

Along with this responsibility and power must come the understanding that while we will do our best, we are not perfect. All we can do is make the best choices, try to change the system, little by little, and make it easier for everyone else to make the right decisions too.

“We can’t all do everything, but we can all do something.” {r}

What Goes In, Must Come Out: "The Story of Stuff"

This is the “Story of Stuff.” It’s about how our things get made.

It’s about how big companies take the natural resources of developing countries, strip them, toxify them, and churn out finished products to consumers like us.

It’s scary. Because what goes in, must come out.

Have you ever thought about the chemicals on your clothes? I don’t want to sound like a hemp-wearing hippy, but seriously, have you ever noticed that your hands feel dirty after a big day of clothes shopping?

Forget for a second all of the toxins that are on your clothes right now; preserving color, wicking away moisture, defeating smelly microbes, and even retarding flames (should your clothes catch on fire).

Instead, think about the way your clothes were made. All of those synthetics had to come from somewhere. They were manufactured in some factory, in some developing country. Then, they were applied to your clothes, by people, in yet another developing country, that probably doesn’t have proper safety regulations.

The factories’ smoke polluted their air. The byproducts were dumped into their rivers. And we bought their products.

And so it goes; the cycle of fashion continues. We buy, they produce, and no one wins. We all lose. We lose precious resources, beautiful landscapes, wildlife, and our health.

Organic is not just a buzzword. It’s an important element in reclaiming our human rights — the rights that the big-wigs in the fashion industry have pilfered away so readily for a quick buck.

This is why we believe that organic is the only answer. Truly organic. We won’t have it any other way. {r}

What Goes In, Must Come Out: “The Story of Stuff”

This is the “Story of Stuff.” It’s about how our things get made.

It’s about how big companies take the natural resources of developing countries, strip them, toxify them, and churn out finished products to consumers like us.

It’s scary. Because what goes in, must come out.

The factories’ smoke polluted their air. The byproducts were dumped into their rivers. And we bought their products.

And so it goes; the cycle of fashion continues. We buy, they produce, and no one wins. We all lose. We lose precious resources, beautiful landscapes, wildlife, and our health.

Organic is not just a buzzword. It’s an important element in reclaiming our human rights — the rights that the big-wigs in the fashion industry have pilfered away so readily for a quick buck.

This is why we believe that organic is the only answer. Truly organic. We won’t have it any other way. {r}

Ethical Fashion: The Model Behind All of Us Apparel

Sometimes it’s hard to explain what we’re trying to do. Going to Latin America to look for some elusive, non-existent fair trade clothing seems pretty crazy, right? That’s what most of our friends think. “What are you looking for? What are you hoping to find? What is a cooperative and how are you going to find one?”The story of Maggie’s Organics is a great backdrop for understanding our mission.

Maggie’s is a cotton clothing company. They make basic apparel: shirts, socks, hoodies. It’s an American company, but all of their production is done in Nicaragua.

They’ve set up a totally organic, fair trade system for producing their clothes. Cotton comes from organic growers, then is spun in a fair trade cooperative, and finally sent to another cooperative for cutting, dyeing and sewing.

There are actually a lot of fair trade cooperatives in Central America, especially Guatemala and Nicaragua. We’ve already found some online, through NGO’s who help cooperatives get started, and they are located all over (some in urban places like Guatemala City and some in rural villages).

Depending on their area of expertise, there are cooperatives that design, and others that just sew. You bring them a prototype, and they produce. Our goal is to find either a product we love, or to work with a cooperative to create a prototype.

So how do these co-ops work? Basically, communities (in textiles it’s generally women) get together and decide to “be their own boss” (we can relate to that!). They form a cooperative, which means there’s no employer and employee. Everyone is a member. Everyone has a fair say in the business. Cooperatives like to cut out the middleman and sell directly to exporters. And, of course, they set a price that all members agree upon.

Here’s the video, “Ants Moving Mountains”, an 11-minute documentary about the cooperative that works with Maggie’s Organics.

This summer, Maggie’s Organics became the first third-party-certified clothing company in the world. Every part of their production is organic and ethical, something truly rare in the fashion industry. While our style is completely different, their production model is something we really look up to. It’s exciting to see an American fair trade-certified company pioneering the industry.

If you know of any other fair trade fashion lines, drop us a comment or email — we’re always looking for inspiration! {r}

HOW DID WE GET HERE?

{the blog}

Tagged: manufacturing

Getting Warmer: Introducing Our Newest Lead

Creating a Clothing Line: Responsibility, Power and Change

What Goes In, Must Come Out: "The Story of Stuff"

What Goes In, Must Come Out: “The Story of Stuff”

Ethical Fashion: The Model Behind All of Us Apparel