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Some dude once said that people should be the change they want to see in the world. We thought that was a great idea — one that we had to put into practice when it came to making dope t-shirts. After all, every action adds up and it’s not every day that you get a chance to create a business that speaks louder than the t-shirts it makes. [ED note: if you do get to make these kinds of choices every day, hit us up for a feature. You’re probably pretty cool.]
When we were going up mountains and down through jungles in search of the t-shirt factory that ticked all of our essential boxes, we knew we had to set the bar higher than the Andes. Juan, the guy who’s in charge of our factory, agreed (which is one of the many reasons he’s our go-to guy). When Juan sources our ,Peruvian cotton he makes sure it comes with a certificate of origin. That handy piece of paper reflects our cotton’s WRAP & Fair Trade Certification, which covers the important things like social compliance, security protocols, and environmental protection. Basically, it’s proof that your favourite STPLs are responsibly sourced.
But our factory also has a lot more going on behind the seams, including a three part social responsibility program that covers all the bases. Buckle up for the highlight reel:
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The environmental stuff. You gotta start here. Juan and the team that makes your STPLs works with the softest natural pima cotton for ultimate sustainability. And quality, while we’re at it. Water and energy saving practices help round out our factory’s environmental effort, while their recycling program is another thing to be a fan of too.
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The social stuff. Our craftspeople deserve access to universal healthcare and education, so we make sure they have national health insurance and free English lessons to improve their skills while bettering their future. For the serious keeners, there are also five full scholarships for technical careers at the National Institute of Technical Formation in Peru on offer.
- The charitable stuff. Last, but definitely not least, we help support causes that are both close to our hearts and close to our factory. Our excess paper and plastic goes to Aldeas Infantiles SOS, an NGO that recycles them and uses the proceeds to support local abandoned kids with school tuition and meals. All of our factory’s glass is given to Aniquem to recycle with Kimberly-Clark, and helps fund rehabilitation programs for burn victims.
Never one to settle, we knew we couldn’t just make really comfortable, fair-trade certified t-shirts. By partnering with an ethical factory that believes in taking action on some seriously pressing issues, like the environment and social responsibility, STPL is taking ownership of our role to drive positive change. You know, the kind of change we want to see in the world.
