Re: A sustainable lifestyle...

Sustainable T-Shirts?

What are the 7 things this company is doing to help the environment?

Walk the walk, when you talk the talk.

Sarah

Re: A sustainable lifestyle...

Hi Sarah, we live it, walk it, and talk it. I appreciate you calling us out, so please take a minute to get a better idea of what's below the surface here. I hope it helps you to get to know us as the real deal.

Here's some insight into what we're doing:

First, let's face it - clothing is something that is not going to go away. So, we are doing our part to make sure that the clothing we make is produced in a way that minimizes any negative effect on the environment.

One of the clothing world's "dirty little secrets" is that tremendous air and water pollution is created from clothing production. Chemical pesticides and fertilizers are used to grow natural fibers like cotton. The material is treated and dyed using processes that are both highly toxic and energy intensive. Synthetic fibers are particularly damaging in terms of the use of chemicals and energy to produce the fiber, and then to process and dye the materials.

The United Nations has identified fiber, fabric, and clothing production to be among the worst creators of spot pollution in the world. The information is out there to be viewed if you're interested.

Here are a few things we're doing that are helping the environment.

1. We are using only organic and sustainable materials for the t-shirts we produce, which means the fibers we use have not been produced using chemical pesticides or chemical fertilizers. Organic production means that none of these chemicals make their way into the watershed - meaning the rivers, streams, lakes, and oceans.

2. We are using recycled polyester and blending it with our organic cotton. Not only does this divert plastic bottles from landfills and reduce the need for new fossil fuels, it also extends the use of organic cotton.

3. We have worked with our dye house in LA to gain GOTS certification for our garment dying processes, which is a first in the US. GOTS standards are written to ensure that the environment is not damaged during production.

4. We have pioneered the use of a new WATER FREE dying technology we call ECOLOR (tm). This technology saves 15 gallons of water for every 1 pound of fabric dyed. That amounts to roughly 7 gallons per t-shirt. The potential impact on water usage for fabirc production is staggering.

5. ECOLOR (tm) processing eliminates the need for over 70 chemicals that are recognized by the UN and the EPA to cause cancer.

6. Our ECOLOR (tm) dyed fabrics also create an 85% energy savings when compared to industry standard processing.

7. ECOLOR (tm) processing eliminates VOC's, which means workers are not exposed to airborne toxins and our skies are protected.

8. ECOLOR (tm) production leaves virtually no waste since the byproducts are fully recyclable.

9. Our hangtags are made from 100% recycled paper. We'd prefer not to have any hangtags, but retailers demand them, so we're doing it the best way we can.

10. We have eliminated the use of catalogs, so where many clothing companies will produce a ton of books about their offering, we don't. We like it that way.

11. Since the beginning, we have supported Waterkeeper Alliance through a portion of our sales, a number which has exceeded 5% of our Gross. Waterkeeper's sole purpose is to protect the watershed through a coalition of members worldwide. Their work is well documented and we are proud to support their ongoing efforts.

12. In everything we do and have done, we consider the impact of our activities on the environment and on others. We have given t-shirts to impoverished children in Africa, and have donated our tees to a number of non-profits.

13. We have created compelling events like "The Giving Suite at Sundance" designed to support organizations working to make the world better. During 2008's Sundance Film Festival, we raised over $20,000.00 for causes including: Healthy Child Healthy World, Earth Pledge, Our Future Now, and Waterkeeper Alliance.

14. We are currently promoting RVL7 at Music Festivals around the country using a completely sustainable "Eco-Shop" made with bamboo and aluminum (approx. 95% of all aluminum is recycled). We travel the festival circuit in a biodiesel Penske truck, one of the first they have rolled out, in order to reduce the need for fossil fuel and reduce emissions.

15. Our offices have been finished using sustainable materials. Our floors are made from recycled linoleum, our shelves and desks were made for us using bamboo, our showroom is decorated using reclaimed barnwood, and the conference table I'm typing this on is made from reclaimed hardwoods and a recycled paper surface.

16. Here's the most important reason for what we are doing, we want to be a part of the process to making the world beter for our kids. There is nothing more important to us than that, and we share what we do and why with our kids to help prepare them for living a more sustainable life.

Thanks for taking time to get to know RVL7 better! :)

Peace,
Joe T

wholesale

Hello
I have tried contacting you several times but you don't list a phone number, and when I click on the link to email the address given, it is sent back to me every time. I have a store in Boulder, CO and I am interested in selling your product. However, it has been VERY difficult, if not practically impossible to get ahold of you. I see that you will be at the University of Colorado on Sept 9th- I would love to be in touch before that so that if I do carry the brand you can promote that I sell it at my store.

Please please give me some kind of contact information!
my phone number is 303-440-3989.

Thanks,
Erica

Re: A sustainable lifestyle...

Hi,
I was trying to contact you guys but the e-mail address in the contact section of this website doesn't seem to be working. If you could e-mail me at navasilverstein22@gmail.com or call me at (845)705-6490, that'd be fantastic. I wanted to know if you guys we're interested in being a vendor at a benefit event I'm hosting called WRock for Darfur in Poughkeepsie, NY on August 23rd. I talked to representative at the Jack Johnson concert at Liberty State Park on August 10th and gave them some info about WRock for Darfur, I'm wondering if you received it. Well I'd like to talk to you more about it so please contact me asap.

Hope to hear from you soon,

Nava Silverstein
www.wrockdarfur.org

Re: A sustainable lifestyle...

here I am still in little Rhody and you guys have moved to Park City. Hi Joe and Amy its Erin back from those Newport Gromette days. What you are doing here is absolutely amazing. Fashion is and always will be a huge part of our culture and lets face it, its fabulous but at the same time is also very destructive on so many levels. its affect on the environment, foreign labor force, and young peoples self esteem( to name a few) is damaging. Having a family of my own now has brought so many more of these issues to light for me and I'm just so happy to see an innovative product that breaks that cycle. I'm really really over the moon happy for you guys!!! I wish you all the success in the world. Please send my love and support to your family and I really miss you guys! My email is erinthomson@cox.net if Amy ever has a spare minute I would love to catch up. Happy thoughts and lots of love-erin xoxoxox

Re: A sustainable lifestyle...

Amy-call your mother----Remember the days when she DID EVERYTHING for you!!! What a lady!!