Putting the environment first

When we read that 10% of worldwide CO2 comes from clothing, that 60% of clothes are made from or with plastic and that a dump truck of textiles waste goes to landfill or incineration every second, we knew we wanted to be part of the solution, not part of the problem. That’s why we set out to become the UK’s sustainable print-on-demand t-shirt supplier and built the first circular economy in sustainable fashion. Our products are made from GOTS certified organic materials, using renewable energy and designed to come back to be remanufactured when they’re worn out.

It’s the advanced technology in our circular supply chain that makes this possible. Out in business-as-usual land, clothes are mass produced speculatively, producing massive amounts of waste: 40% of clothing is never worn. Our sustainable t-shirt printing software prints products in the seconds after they’ve been ordered, and dropshipping directly to the customer saves transport costs and lowers emissions. Those savings are spent on making organic cotton farming and renewables affordable. Robotics does the same thing, making the packing process 30% more efficient so the 10X increased cost of using sustainable packaging made from plants, not plastic is covered.

Natural and organic

Our products are printed to order and made from organic cotton using renewable energy. Each item is designed to be sent back when worn out, and new products are made from the material that’s recovered.

Organic cotton farming methods are better for producers and the ecosystem around the farms. Instead of more toxic pesticides and fertilisers, co-planting and insect traps are used along with the special ingredient – cow poo. It encourages biodiversity and leads to the extra soft feel of our organic cotton clothing.

Fewer inputs also means less water, but even organic cotton is still a thirsty crop. So where you grow it matters. The fields that grow the organic cotton for our products are in the North of India, where the monsoons fill reservoirs that supply almost all the water needed.

Modern production

Teemill digital printed products are certified STANDARD 100 by OEKO-TEX®. Meaning that the products are tested for the use of harmful substances. The use of technology has enabled this transformation. Our sustainable t-shirt printing software fulfils orders in real-time, so we only make what you need, when you need it. We share this technology through our print-on-demand integrations and plugins and print API giving brands and businesses access to our award winning fulfilment and dropshipping services.

Similarly, software runs the reverse logistics that enables products to be recovered and remade when worn out. From this integrated and digitised supply chain, efficiencies are created and the cost savings can be reinvested in the facilities, working conditions and team. Consequently in factories on the Isle of Wight, in India and in Europe, the environment is clean, light, modern and positive as would be expected from any 21st century manufacturer.

Powered by renewable energy

Clean, renewable energy is a vital tool to reduce the worst effects of climate change. Throughout our circular supply chain, renewable energy is used. Our manufacturing operations run on solar power and, in India, the factory owns two wind farms and a 150kw PV array. Renewable energy is affordable, reliable and something we are committed to using.

Within the factory, machine-to-machine communications technology allows the team to dynamically turn equipment on and off only when it is needed, balancing our manufacturing demand with on site generation.

Plastic-free packaging

By 2050 there will be more plastic in the ocean than fish. This is bad. Instead of plastic packaging, we use a rip and splash-proof mailer bag made out of paper. Big orders come in cardboard boxes, with paper-based tape.

• Plants, not plastic
• Reuse the packaging or colour it in
• Recycled material stickers
  
  

Made to last

These circular economy products are made to last and we encourage everyone to care for them properly and use them for as long as possible. They’re printed to order using water based inks one at a time and in real time, so there’s no waste from over-stocked designs and sizes. What is made is only what people need, when they need it. 

When they are no longer wearable, each product is designed to be sent back to us and the material reprocessed, respun and made into new products through our Remill process. This is how we’re taking sustainable print on demand to the next level, so anyone can join the circular economy fashion movement. You can find instructions on how to do this inside every product on the washcare label. Scan it and get a Freepost code (if you’re in the UK) to send the item back and get store credit in return.

Let’s keep natural materials flowing, and end waste together