The list of new styles and materials in eco-friendly fashion from the promotional items industry continues to grow. Bodek & Rhodes has now introduced a sporty camp shirt made from Tencel.

Never heard of Tencel? Well neither had I. When asked, Bodek & Rhodes sent this statement on the material:

“Tencel is made from cellulose in wood pulp, which is harvested from tree-farmed trees. Cellulose is the natural polymer that makes up the living cells of all vegetation. The tree farms have been established on land unsuitable for food crops or grazing.  The fiber is produced via an advanced ‘closed loop’ solvent spinning process, with minimal impact on the environment and economical use of energy and water. The solvent used in the process is toxic but 99% is recovered and continually recycled.”

So these are shirts from trees? Interesting.

The specific shirt in question is the UltraClub Adult Short-Sleeve Tencel Pattern Camp Shirt. These 4.6 oz 100% Tencel shirts are very soft with a hex pattern in the weave. They also have an “enzyme-washed finish” for softness. The shirts are currently available in Blue, Ivory, and Black in sizes S-3XL.

As you can see from the image the shirts are a traditional camp cut, very relaxed, very casual but formal enough for uniforms or casual wear for ecopreneurists or their businesses. It is certainly a different look than the many polo cuts on the market.

These shirts EQP at around $33. For most promotional product distributors that price will include the standard 7,000 stitches of custom embroidery for name or logo. Like many of the other eco-friendly shirts on the market they are designed to compete against traditional top shelf apparel. The UltraClub Adult Short-Sleeve Tencel Pattern Camp Shirt certainly holds its own in this category.

To learn more about Tencel and the process of making it Marc Seiler is the ASI contact to talk to at Bodek & Rhodes. If you are interested in these items to promote your own business contact your local promotional items vendor or email info@proformagreen.com for information and pricing.

…unless you’re a parent that hates looking at tools, trucks, sports logos, and cowboy gear, in which case you’re up a creek.  Don’t get me wrong, I’m grateful for all of the hand-me-downs we’ve received since our son was born last fall.  Passing clothing down from kid to kid is an American tradition that’s thrifty and environmentally responsible at the same time.  I’ve also had a great time going through resale shops and thrift stores and I’ve found some good stuff.  Blue jean shorts for $1?  Sold!

However,  since kiddo isn’t old enough to care about his own clothes yet, we are actually the primary viewers of his wardrobe and we are starting to get a bit tired of all the “All Boy All The Time” look - and it is darn difficult to find anything else unless you buy new.  I know it isn’t any easier on the other side. Announcing “it’s a girl!” seems to trigger a pink clothing avalanche.  (Also see Amy’s post on GirlMogul for some alternatives.)

So if you’re on the hunt for something to break the mold and liven up your babe’s couture, here’s a list of 20 eco-friendly shirts that don’t scream boy or girl (or cowboy).  Use the money you saved on the jean shorts to splurge a little, or drop a few hints to the grandparents.

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Ah yes, the souvenir t-shirt… too silly to wear, but what do you do with it?

I know Leslie’s probably going to be rocking us with recycled t-shirt projects from Generation T for quite some time, but I’ve also been racking up a few t-shirt craft ideas that I wanted to share. (Yes, we seem to have “fads” among the CAGW writers sometimes. First jeans, now t-shirts. Next up: socks?)

Specifically, I’ve been looking for t-shirt crafts that do NOT rely on fusible web. Since I wrote my two-part post a while back on how to think through the “green-ness” of your craft supplies using fusible web as an example, I’ve been less than enthusiastic about ever adhering the yucky stuff to a piece of fabric ever again. (In case you missed it, here’s the part on craft supply safety and the part on craft supply environmental impact.) I have one t-shirt quilt already planned, with the fusible web already purchased, but after that I’m done.

So what to do with cherished t-shirts after that?

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