What Does Your Shirt Say About You?

Green t-shirts by A Lot To Say.

Photo: A Lot To Say

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There's the old adage: "Say what you mean and mean what you say." I'm a big fan of this saying, especially when it comes to consumerism. There are so many products out right now boasting of being green, yet I've rarely come across anything that seems so revolutionary.

A Lot To Say is a company with revolution written all over it. It was founded by two sisters -- Jennifer Stanich and Alison Stanich Power -- who wanted to be a part of the green movement. Their idea was to create wearable messages to get the facts out there. However, one of their complaints was that no "cute" green clothing existed. They also worried that although buying clothes made in the U.S. helps prevent against sweatshops, it still might necessarily be that green.

So the California-based sisters started doing some research. They discovered this startling fact: it takes 15 to 25 gallons of water to traditionally dye just one t-shirt. This was something they just couldn't fathom being healthy for the environment. Then they came across Air Dye by Colorep. It is a process by which no water is used and requires up to 70% less energy and no hazardous by-products. This process has the potential to save millions of gallons of water, and reduce pollutants released into the environment.

And they didn't stop there. The sisters began creating a new version of hand-me-down. Their t-shirts -- which are all made in California -- are now made of 100% recycled PET (plastic bottles). The company hopes this will make a dent in the non-biodegradable products found in landfills the world over, and reduce energy consumption by 80% compared to making typical t-shirts. Now you might be thinking that wearing a plastic bottle doesn't sound comfortable. But A Lot To Say's shirts are not only plush, they keep moisture at bay, are stain-resistant, odor eliminating and germ killing.

The nonprofit Stand Up 2 Cancer has recently partnered with the brand on a new line. Plus, 20% of proceeds of the tees go to the International Green Energy Council, with a number of other animal and green groups to benefit as well.

So what are some of the messages these sisters are getting out there on these shirts and accessories?

"FUEL your tank with the lowest grade octane allowed and save over $3 billion a year -- enough to buy more than 100,000 hybrid cars."

"UNPLUG your video games, TV and computers when you're not playing, watching or using, and we can save more than $1 billion in energy bills every year."

"LOVE the planet, lose the plastic. Only 3% of plastic is being recycled. The rest winds up buried in landfills and can take between 200 to 400 years to degrade."

So what do you think? I do have one complaint. We hear it every day: organic and green products cost more. A white tee from A Lot To Say with one of the above slogans or many others costs an average of $35.99. With that sticker shock being said, however, we are also seeing a higher demand in the green revolution, and the more we ask for green products, the cheaper they get. (Plus, many people don't think twice about spending more than $35 for a designer t-shirt, so on one hand they really aren't that expensive.) So, what do you have to say?

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