Impressions - May 2021 - 33

Today, thanks to the CPSIA of 2008,
most of the textile inks in use in the
U.S. are formulated with nonphthalate plasticizers. Photo provided
by International Coatings.

" Printers have been hit
with many unsubstantiated
and often-incorrect claims
suggesting that certain inks
are 'greener' or 'ecofriendlier' than others. "
- Stephen Kahane,
International Coatings

Royal Apparel uses lowimpact, f iber-reactive dyes that
have been found to be a solid
sustainable option. Shown is the
unisex organic short-sleeve tee.

ered by renewable electricity by 2030. These
efforts are not only good for our planet, but
long-term, they are cost-effective. "
Royal Apparel has seen growth driven by
segments of its customer base, including corporations, musicians, wineries, craft breweries,
CBD businesses, retailers and brands.
" While the raw materials are more expensive, we find it allows for a higher retail price
point and the consumer is willing to pay more
to support sustainability, " Brumer says. " We
are a vertical manufacturer, which allows us
to put more value into the garments. This also
supports the trend [that] consumers are now
buying higher quality that lasts longer as opposed to fast-fashion. "

Spreading the Knowledge

Royal Apparel has developed a wide portfolio of product that begins with raw materials.
The company uses low-impact, fiber-reactive
dyes that have been found to be a solid sustainable option. Sales Director Glen Brumer
touts the company's GOTS-certified organic
cotton, recycled bottles in a few blends, and a
headquarters that implements energy-saving
initiatives and recycling.
Sustainability is about the entire supply

chain, as well as every person and community touched by it along the way.
" [Sustainability is] not just about where [a
product is] going, it's about where it came
from, " Johnson says, citing an example of Hanes
reducing water usage by 30%, and treating
100% of the wastewater from its manufacturing facilities through an advanced, naturally
occurring biological process. " We are on a path
to transition our operations to be 100% pow-

Educating decorators about sustainability is
an ongoing effort. Hanes recently kicked off
its " U.S. Grown Cotton " initiative, which outlines the benefits of using U.S.-grown cotton
in apparel. Johnson says using such cotton
fits perfectly with the company's " peopleplanet-product " approach.
" It creates jobs in the United States, and
those jobs are subject to USDA and OSHA
requirements, " he says. " Cotton grown in the
Southeastern region of the U.S. uses less water than cotton grown elsewhere in the world,
and because of improvements with tillage and
equipment, U.S.-grown cotton produces some
of the highest-quality cotton yields. "
From responsible sourcing and a global
footprint to living wages, Hanes thinks the
benefits of U.S.-grown cotton can resonate
with each of its customers.
Royal Apparel has held virtual Town Hall
meetings and one-on-one virtual meetings to
share knowledge with decorators. In-depth
MAY 2021

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Impressions - May 2021

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Impressions - May 2021