Fair Trade Clothes, Eco Friendly Clothing - Why SAF?

What difference can you make by choosing Saf organic cotton?

Conventional cotton farming is one of agriculture's most environmentally destructive activities. It takes an enormous toll on the earth's air, water, and soil, and significantly affects the health of people living in cotton growing areas.

A typical conventional cotton t-shirt uses about 150 grams of acutely toxic pesticides and insecticides; that's the size of a cup of sugar. (source: Soil Association). A Saf garment uses none.

Organic farming methods benefit farmers and their communities by:

preventing and reducing farmer debt
improving food stability for farmers as a result of crop rotation
preventing pollution of the water table
preventing potential fatal pesticide poisoning of farmers and their families
improving and maintaining biodiversity

To achieve organic certification, only azo-free dyes are used in the dying process and all effluent is properly treated.

In addition, the traceability of organic cotton right back down the supply chain means that it is the only cotton that you can be certain is GM free

And, naturally, your skin can't absorb any toxic pesticides when you wear organic cotton clothing.

If you want to learn more about organic cotton and the issues associated with conventional cotton take a look at:

Fair Trade Organic Clothing? How can you be sure?

Organic cotton garments can be certified by a number of independent bodies, including Control Union (formerly SKAL international), the Soil Association and the I.M.O.

All cotton used by Saf is currently certified by Control Union and IMO. Saf's supply chain has been audited against the new Global Organic Textile Standard, a standard recognised by the Soil Association in the UK.

Are Saf t-shirts fair trade?

All Saf t-shirts are sourced in accordance with fair trade principles from projects in India. The farmers are paid a premium for their cotton and a number of social projects are taking place within the community to ensure that the benefits of the additional income are felt by all members of the community.

What does having a Saf tag on my wash care label mean?

The Saf tag stands for:

Comfortable, durable and well-made clothing - made with the best quality cotton and manufactured to the highest standard. Nothing gets the Saf tag until it passes our stringent quality control.

Minimum environmental impact - Here at Saf we work hard to minimise our environmental footprint - everything from the textiles we use (organic cotton) to the processes involved in making our clothing is put to the Saf environmental footprint test - if we think it's leaving too big a footprint then its doesn't pass the test and doesn't get the Saf tag.

Close supplier relationships - we want to be proud of our clothing and how it has been made. The best way to do this is to work closely with partners and suppliers - in this way we can facilitate the ethical production of clothing. Together we examine ways in which we can positively impact on the local communities where Saf tagged clothing is produced.

Where does our cotton come from?

Saf's cotton is grown by a farmers' co-operative in India that is committed to improving the livelihood of its farmers and their communities in a manner that is environmentally sound and sustainable. To read more about organic cotton farmers in India click here.

How can you have different colours if it's organic?

While Saf offers t-shirts in Ecru (the natural colour of cotton), it also offers a range of t-shirts in a number of other colours. These other colours are available in fabric dyes that meet the requirements of the Global Organic Standard and are available in various colours.

A large number of inputs are prohibited in the Global Organic Standard these include; amine-releasing azo dyes, aromatic solvents, phenols, short-chain aldehydes, GMO's, halogenated solvents, heavy metals and flourcarbones.

The Global Organic Standard also has strict requirements concerning the management of waste water from dyeing facilities. All dyeing facilities must have a waste-water treatment plant which meets the standards laid out for the quality of water discharged from the facility.

What about screen printing dyes?

While Saf does not carry out any screen printing, we supply our t-shirts to screen printers across the UK and Europe. Saf recommends the use of either:

Water based inks
PVC & Phthalate free plastisol dyes

PVC and Phthalates - The Facts

Where is PVC used?

PVC is a very popular plastic. One area where PVC resins are very common (along with phthalates) is in plastisol textile inks. This is an area where the reduction in the popularity of PVC as a substrate will not have an impact on the inks.

The Environmental Health and Safety Issues

The issues related to PVC are numerous, they relate to the manufacturing process, the additives used with the plastic and the final disposal.

Differently from other plastics, PVC has a number of negative aspects related to its manufacture. They include the use of chlorine (given that other chlorine containing chemicals have been reduced (e.g. CFCs and PCBs), the production of hydrogen chloride and chemicals like dioxins as by-products. Dioxins and similar chemicals have been associated with adverse effects on the human body and more evidence to back this up is continually being discovered. Dioxins are also a problem if PVC is not disposed of correctly; if an inefficient incinerator is used then these chemicals can result. Other disposal issues are that PVC is difficult to recycle and, is not biodegradable. The most common concern raised about PVC relates to the additives that are used with it. Additives are an essential aspect to PVC as it is the additives that often make it so versatile. Such additives include stabilisers, plasticisers, pigments and fire retardants. Many of these additives have adverse safety and environmental impacts. The main concern over the additives used in PVC has centred on the plasticisers used, typically phthalates, to allow the plastic more flexibility. The more that is included in the mix the more flexible it is.

What are phthalates?

In textile printing, they are used in plastisols as the carrier for the resin and pigment etc. They are essentially a non-volatile equivalent to the solvent in solvent-based inks and paints. Phthalates are claimed to be endocrine disruptors. These are chemicals that have been linked with generating either sex changes, or unbalanced levels of certain sexes within the marine environment. Phthalates, when ingested into the body, are under investigation as they could potentially be harmful. It is because of this that phthalates are currently being removed from childrens toys as a precautionary measure, in particular from dummies or pacifiers. It is also currently recommended that garments for children under 2 years old (e.g. Öko-Tex Standard class 1 'Baby wear 0-2 years') should not be printed with phthalate based plastisols for the same reasons.

How do I know that Saf t-shirts are made under ethical working conditions?

The Saf supply chain is audited against the Global Organic Standard, this standard includes an audit against social criteria, the scope of this social audit includes checking for the following:

Employment is freely chosen
Freedom of association and the right to collective bargaining are respected
Working conditions are safe and hygienic
Child labour is not used
Living wages are paid
Working hours are not excessive
No discrimination is practised
Regular employment is provided
No harsh or inhumane treatment is allowed

Does Saf stand for anything?

Yes, Socially Aware Fashion.

What about other clothing products?

We are striving to expand our offering while doing so in ways that minimise our environmental footprint. This may mean the use of textiles and materials that are both very new (recycled plastics) and very old (hemp). We are also working with our suppliers in order to reduce the environmental footprint associated with the processes in which our garments are made. If you have any suggestions regarding textiles or materials that you think we should/could be using, or if there are any items that you would like to see included in our range, please let us know.

We will also consider bespoke orders for garment styles or colours not included in our range, subject to minimum order sizes. Please contact us for further information.

Whats the environmental impact once you've got the T-Shirt?

Many people don't realise that a garment can continue to impact on the environment once you own it. The amount of energy used to wash clothing, the impact of chemical detergents on the environment and the volume of water used, all add up each time you wash your piece of clothing. Doing simple things can have a positive impact. Washing clothes in hot water uses excess energy, while washing in warm or even cold water reduces energy use and can be equally effective. Use eco-friendly detergents, they work wonderfully and are better for you and the environment.