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BUILD TRUST OVER TIME

Loomstate deals in long-term contracts with the people behind our clothes, because these build long-lasting relationships that benefit everyone. We manage negotiations to get good prices in bulk orders for our clients, and the farmers and makers—and their communities—get greater economic stability. And although it’s a common commercial practice to switch factories and suppliers from year to year to gain an advantage in the moment, we play the long game.

KNOW YOUR FARMERS

Partnering with Chetna Organic, a major farmers’ cooperative in India, brings Loomstate the generational expertise of some of the world’s best organic cotton farmers. Working field by field on small family farms, they plant their own heritage seeds, avoiding the issues related to GMO seeds and the annual expense of purchasing them. Chetna Organic guarantees farmers market access—it buys their entire harvest—and because it’s Fair Trade cotton, the farmers get a fair, premium price for it. This is a big win for them, helping reduce poverty in their families and communities.

FIND WISDOM IN TRADITION

Raising different crops in the same field—known as intercropping—is a practice thousands of years old, but unheard-of in modern industrial cotton farming. For our organic cotton farmers in India, intercropping lets them raise organic food for their families on the same land that gives them income. But it has more benefits than just reducing hunger. Cultivating complementary crops keeps the soil rich with nutrients, eliminating the need for chemical fertilizers. (Excess seeds pulled from mature cotton offer protein-filled feed for cattle, and then equally nourishing manure). Cotton plants absorb soil nutrients, then transform them into their own insect defenses above ground, so chemical pesticides aren’t necessary. Runoff water from this farming is clean and harmless.

DO IT WELL, KEEP IT SAFE

Local gins in India in the Loomstate network process our farmers’ cotton—separating raw fiber from seeds—then comb and separate the cotton, and spin it into yarn. Hands are working the fibers at every step. In other factories, makers knit or weave the yarn into fabric, then dye or print it. All our dyes and inks meet the leading standards in chemical safety, and printing systems are water- or natural oil-based. All of our facilities are certified, audited annually, and their wastewater (which there isn’t much of) is treated. There isn’t a cleaner, safer way to do all this.

And the economics work out for everyone. Loomstate factories can provide deeper savings and cost efficiencies thanks to the large volume of annual purchasing and the security of multi-year client commitments, and our makers enjoy steady work and the promise of economic growth.

In our clothing, this means we’re able to offer far better quality and value for our customers than they would expect for what they pay.

ECO-FRIENDLY EVERYTHING

As Loomstate organic cotton fabric is sewn into actual garments, trims (like grommets or bartacks) are often added as the design calls for. Or, functional benefits like stain-, moisture- or wrinkle-repellency are applied. We partner with the Sustainable Apparel Coalition and work with the leading suppliers of sustainable trims, and nothing we apply to our fabrics uses chemicals linked to environmental or human health risks.

STRONGER, HEALTHIER COMMUNITIES

Our partnership with Chetna has a big impact on the living and working conditions of the farmers and makers who create our clothes in India. Schooling is promoted for their children, including a special school project for girls. Special filtration systems ensure students have fresh, clean water. Other programs sponsored in collaboration with Chetna help farmers cover about 50% of costs for solidly constructed housing. Power supply systems are installed in local communities, sanitary facilities are renovated. Bicycles are donated for transportation. And in a win for cultural traditions and family bonds, Chetna’s fair prices and premiums create an incentive for young people to stay in farming.

A BETTER STORY

Each Loomstate organic cotton tee—or any of our clothing—is a part of this rich, globe-spanning story. It’s a connection to people and cultures beyond our own, and the product of time-honored traditions, local farmers and makers, artisans and creatives. Everyone who helped make it has their own story to tell, and each of them came out ahead because of it. Loomstate clothes feel special because they really are special.

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