Is there such a thing as eco outdoor clothing??

We're preparing to introduce what will be world's first eco outdoor clothing collection using our recycled fibres.

Working with the Sustainability Group out of Europe gave us a lot of insight into what other brands are doing wrong and how not to greenwash. A lot of clothing brands have already cashed into the outdoor lovers desire to be ecofriendly and to support eco clothing. HOwever, most of the brands and products talk up a good green talk without supporting product.

Recycled polyesters are great if you don't end up redyeing them! Polyester is one of the harder fabrics to dye and takes extreme high heat and toxic dyestuffs to color the yarns, even the newer generation rePET yarns that are supposed to be easier to dye. Even with the introduction of closed loop production, where dye waters are supposedly treated before being released back into the world, the dye houses are not clear as to what they do with all the sludge that is created from the inert dyestuff.So its buried somewhere and hope no one sees it?

One of the all time favorite beefs has to be the performance finishes that are added. You simply cannot have eco outdoor clothing that has had nano finishes or repellent chemicals added to make the clothing water or wind repellent. Such a product maybe a performance product and great for keeping the elements out but it is not an eco product!

In our opinion, the outdoor lover,whether its a weekend camper or day hiker, is prepared to make some sacrifices for personal comfort so that they can be truly friendly to the earth. Bundle up and pile on the layers to keep the wind out!The trees and the streams will love you for it as they would have seen that the clothing on your back did not cause any trees to be cut or waters polluted.

The great thing about making eco clothing from recycled cottons is that the process uses no new dyestuff. All the colors come from first life cotton clippings that are picked off factory floors and sorted by color before being processed.Less energy.Less water.Less emissions.Less chemicals. How much more eco can you get?

With the technology that is now available to make use of 100% recycled fibres, there are no excuses to take small steps in the right direction. We have arrived at the end of the journey for eco clothing and coming for the Fall 2010 season, we will show the world how a truly eco friendly outdoor clothing collection is made.Love green.Go recycled.

Remembrance Day everyday

We introduced a new tee shirt today in support of war veterans. Aptly named “Fading Memories” the graphics show a faded image of the helmet,boot and rifle, an image synonymous with fallen soldiers. To add to the symbolism, the image is printed on the wearer’s left chest as a sign of heartfelt sincerity with the message “ I remember.”

While stories and news of war veterans was in headlines recently as part of the 65th anniversary of VE day, other headlines tell a different story of the Canadian government’s recent actions to reduce the benefits it pays to its war veterans.

The timing to introduce this shirt in August is purely coincidental,we have long wanted to make a tee shirt to honor those that gave their lives for our freedom today and to honor those who continue to risk their lives so that we may remain free. I have the freedom today for free speech and criticism without fear of being thrown in jail, freedom to protest injustice without fear of being shot down. Freedom to practise whatever religion I like. Freedom to a mixed race marriage. Little things that most of us take for granted especially if we were born in North America. We held off this shirt as it didn’t feel right to sell a shirt with such a heavy emotional attachment without it benefitting the war veterans somehow. We urge everyone that is thinking of buying a tee shirt today, to buy this shirt. Rather than wearing a shirt with some company’s logo splashed across it, make a statement about your freedom and help us make every day Remembrance Day.”

A portion of profits from the sale of this remembrance day tee goes to support a London,Ontario based veterans association, Remember November 11 whose mission is to help honour the heroes of Canada’s Armed Forces, educate people about their actions and help guide the country with a variety of ways to honour the fallen Canadian Soldier. The memories of what the war veterans did for us is slowly fading in our generation’s memories as less and less of WW11 vets attend Remembrance Day parades. Those memories will be gone for sure for the younger generations unless we go out and inform the kids of the sacrifices millions of men and women made for the freedom we enjoy today.