Water Usage

On average a single organic cotton T-shirt can save 33% more water when compared to a regular cotton T-shirt. While both forms of cotton use large amounts of water, organic cotton uses substantially less, even in the plant’s infancy. During the life cycle of a single Organic Cotton farm, the amount of water that can be saved when compared to a traditional cotton farm can reach into the millions of gallons.

 

Chemicals Used

There were zero chemicals, fertilizers or herbicides used in the cultivation of the cotton used in Local’s organic cotton clothing. Cotton in the U.S. accounts for almost 25% of the world’s pesticides and herbicides used yearly. This overuse of chemicals is to blame for the environmental degradation of countless streams and rivers throughout the U.S. and the world. This lack of respect for nature is what compels Local to look for eco-friendly alternatives.

 

Digital Printer

The revolutionary eco-friendly digital printing technique is a major facet of the Local’s sustainable program. The state of the art, soy-based printing press offers an environmentally friendly alternative to the widely practiced petroleum-based screen printing. With this cutting edge digital technology, Local proudly prints right here in the

United States of America.

*side note: the natural inks don’t give off a stank, so the Local production staff doesn’t have to wear respirators or other protective equipment while printing shirts- a clean, inviting t-shirt company free of harmful fumes- unheard of!

 

Carbon

Local created a system to reduce carbon emissions released during the shipping process. A “shop locator” on the Local website prompts customers to contact a retail shop in the customers area before purchasing directly from the Local’s online shopping cart. This way, customers can either visit the store in person or have the product shipped directly from the retailer, and the retailers of Local products are stoked too!

 

Carbon Reduction- Tree Tee Program

While carbon reduction is normally not an avenue most other surf n’ skate companies travel, Local has developed a program to lower its carbon emissions: planting a tree for every T-shirt sold. Read more about Local’s “Tree Tee” program.

 

Water Usage

On average, a single regular cotton T-shirt uses more than 577 gallons of water to be cultivated and produced. A pair of cotton jeans can use upward of 900 gallons of water. Cotton’s extreme need for water is without question, but its environmental impact has yet to be fully felt. One example is the Arial Sea. Years ago this once magical lake was boasted as one of the four largest lakes in the world. The over production of cotton is what depleted the lake to its current state. Over 90% of the lake's original mass has been depleted. See more…

 

Chemicals Used

The average regular cotton T-shirt uses more than one third of a pound of herbicides and pesticides to be produced. While that amount of chemicals may seem small, a majority of those chemical will eventually come in direct contact with people in some form. Whether it be direct contact to one’s skin by wearing a shirt made using chemicals, or by ingesting fish that have been contaminated by the production of cotton. These chemicals also contribute to countless examples of environmental degradation in the United States and around the world. See more…

 

Printing

Most traditional screen printing is conducted using petroleum-based products that contain plastisol. It’s the chemicals within the plastisol known as unpolymerized vinyl chloride that is know to cause liver and lung cancers. This form of printing is slowly going out of style; due to its menacing and hazardous nature, less and less people have been drawn to this particular career.

 

Carbon Emissions

While the regular cotton T-shirt emits .6 lbs of carbon, a majority of the carbon that is created occurs during the shipping and receiving process. This increase in carbon emissions only increases the negative impact of regular cotton.

 

Carbon Reduction

The reduction of carbon emissions is an action that few companies take part in. Most regular cotton manufactures do not take part in any carbon reduction programs.