In case you haven’t noticed, retailers, even giants, are “going green”. It was bound to happen and it is a welcome change. Of course the Wal-marts, Targets and Sams Clubs of the world, most likely, will never go fully earth-friendly, and merely offer sections in their stores rather than become another Whole Foods, it is still a very good sign.
Why is it a good sign. The obvious part is that anything a person, organization, company, or group and do, in any tiny way, to leave shorter “carbon footprints”, the better. The signs of a “planet in trouble” have been with us for awhile. It is nothing new. Today, one does not need to be what was commonly referred to as a “tree-hugger” to do their part in pitching in to help in their own small way to help the planet.
I am a cartoonist and online retailer. I sell licensed images of my cartoon images on
a myriad of products such as Tshirts, mouse pads, coffee mugs, and others. When I told my friends I was planning to open a 100% organic cotton (using nontoxic dyes) T-shirt shop as my latest online venture, a good many of them laughed. And not at my cartoons. Some felt I was “losing it”. The truth is, I am finding it. Though I don’t know if I will ever become 100% earth-friendly in my entrepreneurial pursuits, that is my goal. I still have many existing customers at other stores who have supported us all these years, and they are a completely different market. It is imperative to cater to them and provide a product and service that they have come to appreciate. It does not make them “bad” or me bad for providing that.
What would make me bad is if, now that I have been given the opportunity to get into
the “green sector” of business, not to have taken it. Actually, I had been trying for a long time, but I could not strike a deal with a manufacturer that suited me. I wanted to find one in which I could provide an extremely high quality fabric, and have my cartoon images imprinted with natural dyes that would not harm the skin. Easier said than done. There were a few our but there was always an issue or minimal purchases, quality control, etc.
Finally, thanks to a print-on-demand company called Zazzle.com, and contracts they
have with American Apparel and Edun Organics (two of the best), I can offer the
quality green tee and have it printed and drop-shipped anywhere in the world within
24 hours. Not bad, and at very competitive prices.
Statistics show that eco-friendly shoppers have tripled in America in the past sixteen months. It is rare when such a business phenomena happens, in which the products may cost a few dollars more, in an “iffy economy”. That generally means it is not “just a trend” but becoming the mainstream. So green retailing and buying is not just a good thing it is a smart thing, an investment in body, soul, mind, and planet earth. The return on investment is priceless.
Americans, and citizens of other countries, love our t-shirts. According to a study, the average American has at least thirty designed tees, and almost one hundred percent have a “favorite one”. I know I do. We also are health-conscious people these days. We try to eat healthier foods, take organic vitamins, eat less red meat, consume less trans-fat. The skin is the largest and most absorbable organ the body has. Wearing non-toxic dye tees is smart. And wearing premium ones, paying about $5-6 more than one would for a regular cotton or cotton blend tee is even smarter. It looks sexier. It feels better. And one is doing their part to help the planet a little. To me, that kind of peace of mind is worth a lot more than a McDonald’s Happy Meal.
Rick London is a freelance writer, cartoonist, and e-tailer. He is the first cartoonist to become earth-friendly with his merchandising with Rick London Organics at http://www.ricklondonorganics.info
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