Sustainable, organic and recycled are all healthier options for our environment than standard synthetic materials. In the apparel decoration industry, we most frequently use these terms when discussing the fabric or garments we will be decorating, however, they can also refer to practices, processes, and other materials in the shop.
ORGANIC: Material made from natural fibers, free of chemicals and/or pesticides. Organic agriculture practices cannot ensure that products are completely free of residues; however, methods are used to minimize pollution from air, soil and water.
SUSTAINABLE: Material that is completely biodegradable, returning to and nourishing the earth.
RECYCLED: Created using waste, discarded materials, or excess. Using recycled material applies to the practice of sustainability in that the product doesn’t return to the earth at all, but is instead put back to use creating zero waste.
Impacting the environment in only positive ways is a huge initiative at Sharprint. We put a focus on learning about new products and practices to lessen our footprint on the universe. Our goal is to make improvements every day, week, month and year until we are a completely sustainable contributor.
Curent Practices:
There is a vast amount of information available on the internet relating to organic clothing and other eco-friendly products. Here are some articles that we've read and would like to share:
Two Square Meter: Skin Nourishing Eco Friendly Clothing? Yes.
New Facebook App Promotes Energy Saving Through Social Networking
The Top 7 Greenest Ski Destinations in the U.S.
Pepsi's Reverse Vending Machine Pays You to Recycle
Three Neat Eco-Friendly Finds
The Meaning of Sustainability
Carbon-Conscious Kicks
The New Cotton Debate: What is Sustainable Cotton?
Introduction to Organic Fibers
Top 10 Reasons to Support Organic in the 21st Century
To be accredited as organic, cotton farmers must adhere to strict guidelines prohibiting pesticides and chemical fertilizers. If all the cotton in the world were grown organically, the use of insecticides could be reduced by 25 percent!
Fast-growing bamboo is a favorite because it regenerates rapidly without the use of pesticides. Material made from bamboo fiber is soft to the touch and naturally anti-bacterial.
Soy fabrics re-use a byproduct of soy products (i.e. soy milk, soybean oil, tofu, etc) to create a material with a look and feel similar to silk.
A pound of hemp fiber uses a fraction of the water needed to grow a pound of cotton and doesn’t require pesticides. The hemp plant is harvested for its fibers, seed, seed meal and seed oil and can be spun and woven in a fine, crisp, linen-like fabric.
Custom company apparel can benefit your business in a variety of ways. Branding your uniforms, t-shirts, or promotional apparel with personality can help develop a strong company image that people will remember.
This guide is a primer for the main points to consider when ordering custom company clothing and how to start the process.