ABOUT US: Green Threads is based out of Austin, Texas and was established in the summer of 2008 by Sandra Hernandez and Michael Nannola. Green Threads specializes in organic, natural, and eco- friendly merchandise. We want our clothing to be in the hands of the people who care about preserving our world and minimizing our carbon footprint. We designed this website to be user friendly and to supply clothes at an affordable price while not sacrificing style or eco-consciousness. We want our clothes to be readily available to customers who want to support making our world a better place. Michael and Sandra operate this business while also maintaining careers outside of the retail industry. This allows us to support our family; while following our dream of running our own business.

ABOUT THEM: The companies we choose to support are all Planet Conscious. We are not just concerned with if the cotton is organic or if it is was made of alternative engergy. We want to be sure that the companies are ethical in the process. We want to support companies who care about their impact on the earth from the beginning, when the cotton is grown, manufactured, and sold, until it reaches your doorstep. Whether the clothes are made by way of alternative energy, the cotton is organic, items are made of recycled material, or all manufacturing is operated under fair trade practices; all pieces are eco-conscious.

OUR INSPIRATION: I (Sandra) read an article in a magazine advertising the pros of organic clothing. I ran to my computer to see these great fashion pieces so I could have one. As I flipped through the webpage’s of $400 dresses and $200 shirts I realized I was in the wrong tax bracket to be eyeing these clothes. I searched for more websites and I found them. They were a little bit more hippy friendly than I usually wear in my normal clothing. I wanted to help the earth, without necessarily looking like I just stepped out of a 1960’s flower child concert. Michael and I created this website to appeal to a younger generation who likes trendy, urban, youthful clothes while also appealing to a middle class more realistic affordability. Green Threads built this site for you and we enjoy the feedback from customers on how to improve our site, or items they would like to see. Please contact us at customerservice@mygreenthreads.com

ABOUT THE CLOTHES: Organic Cotton: Using organic cotton allows farmers to maintain soil fertility by using methods of crop rotation and reduce the negative impact of harmful chemicals on the soil. In order for cotton to be considered organic it must be certified. This means a third party certified by the USDA NOP inspects the cotton to verify it is free of toxic synthetic pesticides and fertilizers, irradiation, sewage sludge, and genetic engineering. USDA oversees and enforces standards put forth on the entry of only qualified organic products into the U.S., thus preventing false and mislabeled products from entering the country.*

Bamboo: Bamboo is a new technology. The companies we use are certified by the Oeko-Tex 1000 or the Oeko Tex 100plus. This requires companies to: 1. Comply with specified criteria to avoid or limit the use of harmful substances in production 2. Observe stringent limit values relating to waste water and exhaust air 3. Optimize their energy consumption 4. Ensure low noise and dust pollution and 5. Introduce measures to ensure safety at work. Bamboo is in the early stages of growth in the textile industry and we recognize that it needs improvements. We choose to sell bamboo because we see this as a step in the right direction for organic clothing. Moreover, its antimicrobial, water resistant properties, and ultra soft texture make this an excellent fabric to wear. Green Threads does consider it “green.”

Alternative energy: Some of the companies we use make their merchandise of wind or solar energy. Obviously, we would like to decrease our dependency on the use of fossil fuels thereby decreasing pollution (including green house gases) then released into our atmosphere. Therefore, we appreciate and support alternative energy which will reduce our carbon footprint on the earth.

Recycled Material: Recycled items may be made of various used products. The best part of recycled merchandise is to see eco-conscious people design creative items that are clever, functional, and stylish while preventing more bulk for landfills. Please see detailed descriptions to determine where the recycled material originated.

Hemp: Hemp has a long history as an eco-friendly alternative to cotton. This fiber or ‘bast’ is used as a light fabric for clothing that works really well in hot climates. Licenses for industrial hemp cultivation are only issued outside the U.S. Hemp is a versatile plant and may be used in paper, cosmetics, food, and fuel. Hemp is strong and grows very quickly while needing little to no pesticides or herbicides and still not eroding the topsoil. Most clothing is made of a hemp/cotton blend or a hemp/linen (flax) blend but can also be found in 100% form.

Fair Trade/ Fair Labor: As consumers it is our responsibility to support the companies who treat their employees fairly by imposing good social, environmental, and wage standards. While we have minimum wages, health standards, and healthcare for US citizens, the same cannot be said for developing countries. We work with companies who are unionized, monitored, or play an active role in manufacturing and distributing in an ethical manner.

Sustainability: Sustainability means meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs (epa.gov/sustainability). Green Threads strongly believes in this method for manufacturing and distributing products. We want to minimize our impact on the earth so that our future generations can enjoy the planet that we inherited. Support the companies who want to help the earth support you! Buy Green!

Sources: www.ota.com; www.ams.usda.gov; www.oeko-tex1000.com; www.bamboosa.com; www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/hemp; www.epa.gov/sustainability;