If thats the case - why design another t shirt that potentially has negative consequences. Well at some point somebody needs new clothes - so given that that is the case, I'm going to make the more important point - here's why you should buy it from someone like me and not some large corp.
First there's the fact that you have a choice of a domestic made and organic garment on which to print this design on. Then - only when you choose to, will a shirt actually be printed. The printing process used is direct ink jet printing - no screens with excess inks to wash. The design puts all the textures into the graphic- there are no long washes or chemicals to break down the print. Those are the tangibles. As an ex insider of the the apparel industry I can tell you that the design process is also significantly less green. Lets take a look at how the process might work.
Process at large apparel company (fluorescent lit space, 3 man design team, 1 technical designer, 3 merchants, 3 sales,1 VP of Sales, 1 VP Merchandising, President of Division)
Day one: Designer comes up with design concept.Design is sketched and presented on concept boards to present at meeting with design Merchandisers. 3 hours
Day two: Design meeting- merchandisers love the idea and suggest maybe a couple more designs on Green theme. 5 hours spent designing 3 more t shirts.
Day three: President of division gets a call from a retailer saying fashion colors are not selling.Senior VP of merchandising tells design to scrap additional designs, keep the original one but add two more that have a more traditional color base- like red white and blue.
Day four: 2 more t shirts designed, design specifications are created for the print and print placement. Technical design teeam sends product manufacturing specs.
3 weeks later: Print strikeoffs are recieved. 1 print is ok'd, 2 prints need to be resubmitted. 2 hours spent checking colors and sending comments to overseas office.
4 weeks later- fit samples are recieved and fitted with production team and fit model.
6 weeks later- prototype samples are received, fitted, 1 is rejected.
12 weeks later 4 sets of 4 salesmen samples are recieved and presented in showroom for market week. Two designs are dropped and don't make it to the showroom. and Sales team work to sell the line to retail store buyers.
15 weeks later product is costed and redirected to another factory with a better price- new paperwork is submitted
Production samples are recieved and fitted, commented, lab dips approved, at least twice more times.
20 weeks later garment is shipped to retailer by boat.
24 weeks later garment is in store
Process at Occasional Oasis(1 staff working in daylight from window):
Day one: Designer comes up with concept. Creates design. Uploads design. Available in online store 2 hours later.
Thats a whole lot less. Less is more Green.
