20 trees are planted for every Ancient and Sacred Trees eco friendly teeshirt. With a fully accountable production trail you can see for yourself the green credentials of our new teeshirts.

Tee Shirt Production

I have spent a great deal of time researching the best most ethical supplier to use for our Ancient and Sacred Trees teeshirts. They are 100% organic because of the benefits for people and planet:

• Care for the earth by not using pesticides, herbicides or other chemical fertilisers

• It’s softer than normal cotton but just as durable, insulating, and weatherproof

• It’s free of chemicals and pesticides and hypoallergenic, causing fewer allergies and skin irritations

• It’s fair trade and socially ethical, paying the organic farmers fairly and avoiding unethical industry practices

• It reduces water and soil pollution; there are no chemicals used in organic farming

SUSTAINABILITY Our manufacturer Stanley/Stella has been ranked in the top 16 leading brands in the world for sustainable material sourcing by international authority, the Textile Exchange in their Material Change Index, released on 23 January 2020.

They are very proud to be ranked in the leader category alongside some major fashion and textile industry leaders. This ranking underlines how committed they are to driving positive change in the textile industry.

From the beginning their mission has been to produce premium contemporary garments in a more responsible and ethical way, with the respect for the planet and its people. From day one they chose not to use conventional cotton but only to work with 100% organic cotton in their range of t-shirts and sweatshirts. Today, 95% of the company’s production is certified by the Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS). GOTS is a stringent certification body that guarantees the traceability of organic cotton from the field to the finished garment.

These responsible choices result in a positive impact on the planet and its people, notably:

• The avoidance of pesticides, insecticides and chemical fertilizers which leads to cleaner and healthier soil, water, flora and fauna;

• The health of cotton farmers and their communities is respected and protected;

• The promotion of crop rotation and biodiversity;

• A reduction in water consumption. Organic cotton cultivation requires 91% less water than conventional cotton.

To find out more about their environmental and social practices, read their Social Report 2019.

Organic cotton is a natural, GMO-free fibre that uses less water than standard cotton. In addition, its production does not involve the use of chemicals (no fertilisers or pesticides) and encourages rotation of crops to keep soil healthier, more fertile and maintain humidity. Waste from the cotton ginning process is also recycled for the animal feed industry.

GOTS CERTIFICATION: 4 LETTERS THAT CHANGE EVERYTHING

GOTS is the Global Organic Textile Standard label. The strictest certification for textiles made from organic fibres. GOTS tracks the entire chain of production from farm to factory: from harvesting of the cotton, weaving of fibres, assembly of items, to the final product before printing, including even the export of their clothing! It certifies that the cotton is GMO-free and is grown without the use of chemicals and is processed and dyed without using any banned toxic substances.

GOTS also ensures compliance with the labour standards of the International Labour Organisation throughout the chain of production.

OEKO-TEX: TRUST YOUR CLOTHES!

You can’t buy trust. It has to be earned. OEKO-TEX Standard 100 certifies the absence of harmful chemical substances in all Stanley/Stella products thanks to the “Confidence in textile” label. An independent testing and certification system that ensures that all raw, semi-finished and finished textile products are processed in a way that prioritises:

• The precautionary principle, which prohibits certain potentially harmful substances even where they are not (yet) legally banned 

• The absence of chemical substances that are harmful to health and the environment 

• A restriction on the lead content of dyes

PETA CERTIFICATION

We are also proud to announce that Stanley/Stella is PETA certified. This means that they do not conduct or commission any animal tests on ingredients, formulations, or finished products and pledge never to do so. On top of this, their apparel is made from 100% vegan materials so you can be confident that no harm came to anyone during its creation.

Teeshirt Printing

For printing the garments we use a printing firm using Kornit printers and inks. All the inks are water based and eco friendly.

As a leader in the apparel and fashion industry, Kornit considers sustainability to be a core company value and invests great effort and resources in minimising the company’s environmental footprint. It operates in a sustainable, responsible manner by developing digital printing solutions that are inherently more environmentally-friendly than both traditional and other digital printing methods in the industry. Its' products meet the highest sustainability standards with zero wastewater and a low carbon footprint.

The water-based NeoPigment™ are water based, non-toxic, phthalate free and free of heavy metals, formaldehyde and Alkylphenol Ethoxylates (APE), making them non-hazardous, non-toxic and Eco-Friendly. The inks are biodegradable and follow the highest international sustainability standards including: OEK TEX 100, and GOTS, among others. As part of the waterless printing system, the Eco-Friendly ink and energy saving process makes Kornit the best choice for sustainable printing. These combined factors ensure a safe work environment and result in products that are safe enough even for infants.

The number one environmental risk factor in textiles is water pollution. Did you know that the volume of water used in conventional dyeing and textile print processes could fill the Mediterranean Sea every two years?! The amount of water currently used, wasted, and polluted is staggering. The industry shift towards digital printing goes a long way towards reducing its environmental impact, and Kornit’s technologies are leading this effort with a 100% waterless process utilised in every single printing system we manufacture. No pretreatments, steaming or washing required.

Teeshirts That Don't Cost The Earth.

At £31.50 for a teeshirt this may seem costly to some, but consider this: Half the cost is for the wholesale teeshirt, plus the cost of postage and packing at £7 and then the cost of planting the 20 trees.

When we buy cheap we cost the earth more. We can do our bit by being prepared to pay a bit extra for what we want. This way we cost the earth a whole lot less.

Did you know that just 1% of all cotton is organic? I think that has to change don't you?

With twenty trees planted for every teeshirt sold these Ancient and Sacred Trees eco teeshirts provide great quality ethical teeshirts while conTreebuting to our Green and Growing CommuniTree.

I hope you have found this article interesting and can see how the mission and standards of AST continue to be upheld in the most positive way. I am delighted that we can now raise money through tees for trees with 20 trees For Every teeshirt.

Ancient and Sacred Trees Founder Amanda Claire