Our commitment to ethically-sourced cotton
Our t-shirts are made of cotton ethically produced in the United States. The vast majority of the cotton used by our manufacturers is grown in the USA, including even for our standard t-shirts and imported products. American cotton farmers are required to adhere to strict US labor laws and regulations. These regulations are most likely some of the most stringent in the cotton-growing industry globally. They provide workers with ethical workplaces and because cotton is regulated as a food crop, workplace health and safety conditions mirror those of the vast majority of the foods we find on our tables.
Click here to learn more about our US cotton.
We boycott cotton from Uzbekistan
Click here to read our full article about Uzbekistan forced labor.
Every year the Government of Uzbekistan, one of the world’s largest exporters of cotton, forces over 1 million Uzbek citizens to leave their regular jobs and go to the fields to pick cotton for weeks in arduous and hazardous conditions. Many people have died in fields from extreme heat and accidents. According to several human rights organizations, slavery-like practices are used in Uzbekistan’s cotton fields.
We endorse the Responsible Sourcing Network coalition against forced labor and we are working to ensure that forced labor does not find its way into our products. We are collaborating with a multi-stakeholder coalition to raise awareness of this very serious concern, and press for its elimination.
As a signatory to this pledge, we are stating our firm opposition to the use of forced labor in the harvest of Uzbek cotton. We commit to not knowingly source Uzbek cotton for the manufacturing of any of our products until the Government of Uzbekistan ends the practice of forced labor in its cotton sector. Until the elimination of this practice is independently verified by the International Labor Organization, we will maintain this pledge.
Our supplier requires all business partners to confirm, by means of a signed statement, that they do not use or procure any cotton fiber originating from Uzbekistan.
RELATED ARTICLES:
- Why are we boycotting Uzbekistan Cotton?
- Where are the t-shirts printed and produced?
- Ethical Guidelines – Manufacturer’s Code of Conduct and working conditions
- Fair labor certifications
- Eco-responsibility, environment-friendly practices and use of non-chemical inks
- Advantages of our 100% organic t-shirts (PETA Approved Vegan)
- Information on locally produced t-shirts
- Browse our “local t-shirts” section