With Earth Day just around the corner, it's a great time to talk about how we can be better stewards of our planet's resources.
Earth Day is a celebration of the Earth and the environment, and it's held every year on April 22. The celebration was started in 1970 by U.S. Senator Gaylord Nelson as an environmental teach-in that drew 20 million Americans into their communities to learn about the environment and discuss ways to protect it.
Since then, Earth Day has grown into a global movement, with hundreds of millions of participants in over 190 countries worldwide celebrating. People of all ages and backgrounds come together to take action on issues like climate change, water pollution, wildlife conservation, and more.
Earth Day is a time to celebrate the planet that we call home. It's also a time to consider how to protect it for future generations. Read along as we share more about how companies are celebrating Earth Day around the world, how your company can get involved, and how Real Thread is making sustainable strides in the custom apparel industry.
How Companies are Celebrating Earth Day
There are many ways that companies can get involved with Earth Day, but we found three stand-out organizations taking significant initiatives to celebrate Earth Day.
Although these are household names, they are good examples of ways to get involved and embrace a greener future.
- Carvana, an online used-car retailer,is teaming up with The Canopy Project to help plants trees in celebration of Earth Day this year. According to Business Wire, Carvana has planted thousands of trees globally in conjunction with Project Releaf and the Arbor Foundation before this year's initiatives.
- The Walt Disney Company will also celebrate Animal Kingdom's 25th anniversary on Earth Day. They will continue the celebration for an entire month, launching a new plant-based menu, sharing actionable stories on their blog, and launching a 4-part National Geography documentary on elephants.
- Everlane is celebrating "Earth Month" with a unique recycled collection featuring recycled materials brought to new life. Some of the collection is a blend of embroidered and screen-printed designs! We know a thing or two about that.
How can your company get involved?
Whether you're just getting started or already a household brand name, there are many ways to start taking action and participating in this year's Earth Day. Here are a few ideas we came up with to get you started:
- Organize an event with employees where they can learn about environmental initiatives and how they can make a difference.
- Bring your community alongside your company goal. Announce and send a portion of your proceeds to an organization of your choice. Remember to follow up after Earth Day with the results of your combined efforts.
- Make changes within the company to reduce your carbon footprint by using alternative forms of transportation, recycling more waste, or committing to new standards. Reaffirming sustainable operating standards within your team might be a good idea if your company takes internal action.
- If you're sourcing materials, buy products made from recycled materials or renewable energy sources. If you're selling products, commit to using reusable bags.
- Give out high-quality custom company totes as a way to reduce single-use plastics.
How Real Thread Invests in Sustainability
Real Thread is a group of passionate people interested in creating a more sustainable future—both in the custom apparel industry and the world.
Our commitment to sustainability goes beyond our decision to be kind to the planet. We believe in meeting the three pillars of sustainability - planet, people, and profit.
After many years of committing to water-based ink screenprinting, Real Thread is taking significant steps this year to become a better and greener company by going through extensive measures to become a B-certified custom apparel printing company.
"B Corp Certification is a designation that a business is meeting high standards of verified performance, accountability, and transparency on factors from employee benefits and charitable giving to supply chain practices and input materials."
As Real Thread aspires to obtain B Corp status, we will continue our sustainability efforts with our product, employees, and community. We will do this by utilizing reusable supplies around the office, kickstarting a rewards program for people to carpool, and encouraging the use of public transportation. Plus, many more initiatives to come. As for our customers, you can expect our continued dedication to using eco-friendly water-based inks, as well as the expansion of our catalog to offer more sustainable products.
YOU Can Make A Difference Today + Everyday
If you're a clothing brand or looking for an opportunity to make a difference - we've got your back. Besides working with a custom apparel company dedicated to making significant changes, we also offer several eco-friendly and sustainable products that will transform your shirts into shirts with a mission!
We are intentional about partnering with sustainable suppliers to provide you with a variety of ethically produced, sustainably made apparel from wholesale partners like Bella + Canvas, Allmade, Royal Apparel, and econscious.
Take a step toward a more sustainable custom apparel industry (and planet!) by choosing from Real Thread's selection of sustainable custom t-shirts made from organic, recycled, and eco-friendly materials.
We’ve been in the custom apparel business since 2009, and we’ve been practicing sustainable printing and embroidery processes ever since.
Let us be your right-hand when it comes to ordering sustainable custom tees, tanks, totes and more, we’ll be waiting.