4 Best sustainable t-shirts & eco-friendly apparel to sell online
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Sustainable t-shirts and eco-friendly clothing have become a hot trend in fashion. Ecommerce retailers are attracting eco-conscious consumers to their online stores by selling quality clothes that don't harm the environment. Featuring sustainable t-shirts and apparel can give your store a unique selling point that appeals to shoppers and builds customer loyalty. In this blog, we'll explore the benefits of selling sustainable t-shirts and apparel and share four top products you can feature on your ecommerce store.
Main takeaways from this article:
Demand for sustainable fashion, such as organic cotton t-shirts, is growing because of rising environmental awareness and ecommerce shopping.
Eco-friendly products minimize environmental impact, cut costs, and build brand reputation.
Top sustainable clothing options include t-shirts, hoodies, and sweatshirts made from organic cotton and recycled polyester.
Print on demand (POD) technology makes offering customizable eco-friendly t-shirts and apparel easy.
Exploring the demand for sustainable products
Demand for sustainable clothing and apparel has been growing steadily, a trend projected to continue for the foreseeable future. This development represents a departure from conventional fashion production methods, characterized by the wasteful use of unsustainable materials. Today's fashion industry is moving toward a more eco-friendly standard constructed around environmentally responsible materials, production methods, and distribution methods.
Historically, fashion brands haven't paid attention to whether their suppliers use sustainable materials and methods, according to environmental scientist Linda Greer, quoted in Harvard Business Review. The problem is worse with companies that don't prioritize environmental issues, but even brands with eco-friendly policies may unknowingly follow unsustainable practices.
For example, even natural materials such as cotton may be grown using harmful pesticides, fertilizers, and methods that erode the soil. Synthetic materials such as polyester derive from petroleum-based plastics that consume significant energy to produce and pose disposal problems.
Driven by the desire to meet consumer demand, fashion manufacturers generate wasteful piles of unsustainable materials through overproduction. Inventories accumulate, which is why nearly half of the clothes get sold at marked-down prices. The rest collects as mountains of waste.
The rise of the sustainable fashion market has begun to reverse this trend. The ethical fashion market grew at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6.7% between 2017 and 2022, reaching a value of $7,548.2 million by the end of that period, according to market research by The Business Research Company. Between 2022 and 2027, the market's CAGR will grow to 8.1%, propelling the industry to a value of $11,122.2 million. After that, the anticipated 8.6% CAGR will swell the market to $16,819.0 million by 2032.
Several factors are helping drive the trend toward sustainable clothing and apparel. Both consumers and business leaders are becoming more environmentally conscious. Social media policies have promoted this awareness. Government regulations have transformed consumer and corporate awareness into actionable policies and regulatory standards. Growing ecommerce shopping and online competition make it easier for eco-conscious consumers to shop for sustainable products.
Benefits of eco-friendly products
The rising demand for sustainable products benefits ecommerce retailers in several ways. Some of the most significant benefits for online sellers include the following:
Minimized environmental impact
Long-term cost savings
Improved brand reputation
These benefits have led more fashion brands and retailers to adopt eco-friendly policies. Here are some of the reasons you should consider featuring sustainable clothing options on your ecommerce store:
Minimized environmental impact
Sustainable apparel's most direct benefit for environmentally-conscious brands is a reduced environmental impact. Adopting sustainable production and supply chain policies can effectively implement an environmentally friendly mission statement. Both the materials you use and your logistics policies can play a role.
Materials such as organic cotton avoid the use of harmful pesticides and fertilizers. Using recycled materials such as recycled polyester reduces petroleum use and plastic waste.
Sustainable fashion also helps brands reduce their carbon footprint using eco-friendly supply chain management policies. For example, Gelato's print on demand products uses local producers in 32 countries. This economizes shipping and reduces carbon emissions.
Long-term cost savings
Sustainable fashion policies benefit brands by cutting costs. Energy-efficient production and shipping methods expend fewer resources. This cuts costs and promotes long-term savings. You may pay slightly more for eco-friendly materials such as organic cotton, but you'll make up the difference in reduced production and shipping costs. For example, a print on demand (POD) service shifts the burden of inventory and order fulfillment to your supplier, reducing expenses on these items.
Improved brand reputation
Consumers increasingly prefer to purchase and wear eco-friendly fashion products. Brands selling sustainable apparel can build positive reputations. This makes it easier to attract customers and cultivate customer loyalty.
Four top sustainable t-shirts and apparel to sell
What kind of sustainable fashion products do online shoppers buy? Below we've picked four popular eco-friendly t-shirts and apparel you can offer your customers. Our selections include t-shirts, hoodies, and sweatshirts. Using print on demand technology, you can imprint your designs on these products or let your customers submit customized designs.
These products are made from sustainable materials such as organic cotton or recycled polyester blends. Gelato uses responsible sourcing by giving preference to brands certified by Worldwide Responsible Accredited Production (WRAP) and participants in the Fair Labor Association (FLA) or members of the Fair Wear Foundation.
This organic ringspun cotton unisex t-shirt from Belgian clothing manufacturer Stanley Stella features a casual crew neck style for everyday and casual use. The fabric is made from 100% Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) certified organic cotton, grown without chemical pesticides, chemical fertilizers, or genetically modified organisms (GMOs). The thick material feels soft and provides an eye-popping canvas for your custom artwork or your customers' personalized designs. Direct-to-garment (DTG) printing lets you customize the front, back, neck, and sleeves—a perfect choice for eco-conscious customers seeking a classic t-shirt look.
Product specifications:
Colors: white, charcoal, black, navy.
Sizes: S, M. L, XL, 2XL.
Casual wear style.
Side-seamed construction maintains shape.
100% organic ringspun, combed cotton, GOTS-certified.
It is responsibly produced.
Thicker fabric with medium softness.
Regular fit with a standard length for easy movement.
Print specifications: direct-to-garment printing for front, back, neck, and sleeves.
Made on demand with no minimum orders.
Orders are fulfilled in six countries with production hubs in Germany, Poland, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Canada, and the United States.
Standard and express shipping are available; shipping times vary with specs.
Want to expand your store's sustainable t-shirt selection with some additional environmentally friendly apparel? This unisex pullover hoodie from Stanley Stella combines a classic look, a comfy, relaxed fit, and eco-friendly material. The fabric blends organic cotton with Recycled Polyester Yarn (rPET) made from recycled bottles to reduce waste. DTG printing lets you put your designs on both the front and back. The unisex design fits anyone perfectly.
Product specifications:
Colors: maroon, black, navy.
Sizes: S, M. L, XL, 2XL.
Casual wear style.
Blends GOTS-certified organic cotton with rPET yarn from recycled bottles.
It is responsibly produced.
Medium thickness and softness
Regular fit with a standard length for easy movement.
Print specifications: direct-to-garment printing for the front and back.
Made on demand with no minimum orders.
Orders are fulfilled in seven countries, with production hubs in Germany, Poland, Portugal, Sweden, the United Kingdom, Canada, and the United States.
Standard and express shipping are available; shipping times vary with specs.
Zip hoodies offer eco-conscious shoppers another stylish alternative to pullover hoodies. This organic unisex zip hoodie from Stanley Stella offers a warm, comfortable, eco-friendly canvas for your store's customized designs. The fabric is made from GOTS-certified organic cotton and rPET yarn from recycled bottles. This hoodie comes in a dark color that makes your designs stand out. DTG printing lets you print your custom designs on the front and the back. You and your customers can't go wrong with this popular item.
Product specifications:
Colors: black.
Sizes: S, M. L, XL, 2XL.
Casual wear style.
GOTS-certified organic cotton blended with rPET polyester yarn from recycled bottles.
It is responsibly produced.
Thicker fabric with medium softness.
Regular fit with a standard length for ease of movement.
Print specifications: direct-to-garment printing for the front and back.
Made on demand with no minimum orders.
Orders are fulfilled in six countries with production hubs in Germany, Poland, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Canada, and the United States.
Standard and express shipping are available; shipping times vary with specs.
Want a warm, eco-friendly product to boost fall and winter sales during the holiday shopping season? This organic unisex crewneck sweatshirt from Stanley Stella provides your customers with soft, warm apparel to show off your customized designs during cooler weather. This shirt is made from recycled bottles of GOTS-certified organic cotton and rPET yarn. It sports a dark background to showcase your customized designs. DTG printing technology supports custom designs on this item's front and back. Your customers will stay warm and look great in this handsome sweatshirt.
Product specifications:
Colors: black.
Sizes: XS, S, M. L, XL, 2XL.
Casual wear style.
GOTS-certified organic cotton blended with rPET polyester yarn from recycled bottles.
It is responsibly produced.
Thick, soft fabric.
Regular fit with a standard length for extra comfort.
Print specifications: direct-to-garment printing for the front and back.
Made on demand with no minimum orders.
Orders are fulfilled in six countries with production hubs: Germany, Poland, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Canada, and Sweden.
Standard and express shipping are available; shipping times vary with specs.
Implementing sustainable practices for your POD business
How can you use sustainable products to implement eco-friendly practices in your ecommerce business? One easy way to adopt sustainability practices is to offer print on demand (POD) clothing made from sustainable materials.
With POD, you only need to produce as many items as your customers order. Clothing designs for sustainable shirts, sweatshirts, and hoodies are stored digitally. Customers can even send you their digital designs. When a customer orders, you use the digital file and a specialized printer to print the design on the apparel item. You don't need to store inventory. You don't even need to own the printer if you use a POD supplier. Your supplier will print the product and fulfill the order for you.
The POD method of producing and selling sustainable clothing uses an innovative approach to customized fashion production called direct-to-garment (DTG) printing. Older, indirect t-shirt printing methods applied designs indirectly to clothing using intermediaries such as screens or transfer paper. This consumes significant set-up time, making screen printing suitable only for bulk orders requiring extensive inventories. DTG printing doesn't require retailers to keep any inventory on hand. It lets customers buy customized items in any quantity, even single units.
You can combine these approaches with sustainable materials and logistics policies to increase the environmental efficiency of POD and DTG fashion methods. Gelato implements this solution using the world's largest POD network to source production locally in 32 countries. Gelato policy extends preference to suppliers who use eco-friendly materials such as organic cotton and recycled polyester. In combination with DTG printing, it is easy for Gelato to help retailers offer customers quality, eco-friendly clothing, and apparel.
Sell custom sustainable clothing with Gelato
Adopting ethical fashion policies helps ecommerce retailers minimize their environmental impact. This cuts your long-term production and supply chain costs while building your brand's reputation with eco-conscious customers. Sustainable policies promote a more extensive, loyal customer base and a more significant profit margin, making your business model more sustainable.
Gelato makes it easy for ecommerce sellers to adopt a sustainable business model by providing customizable, eco-friendly DTG clothing you can offer customers through your website or platforms such as Shopify, Etsy, and eBay. We provide you with high-quality, eco-friendly t-shirts, sweatshirts, hoodies, and other POD products, ranging from mugs to wallpaper to phone cases. We source products locally and fulfill your orders for you, reducing your carbon footprint, inventory, shipping costs, and labor. Sign up for Gelato today to start selling your customers high-quality and sustainable custom t-shirts and other apparel.