Our organically grown, lovingly made policy means we promise to always ethically source our garments and materials. Our original designs are individually printed and finished by hand in Cornwall and each differs a little from one another. We are an independent printer and retailer and only use and sell high quality materials and goods from fully certified, trusted suppliers. We’re about making a change by offering choices which are organic, sweatshop free and sustainable, or recycled, reclaimed, biodegradable and recyclable.

On this eco info page we hope to answer all your questions about our products but if you’d like to know more please get in touch on info@absolutionsaves.com.

Organic cotton

Regular cotton farming is hard on the environment; cotton being the most chemical dependent crop in the world. However organic cotton is grown using materials and methods that have a low impact on our environment.

Organic farming systems replenish and maintain soil fertility without the use of pesticides, chemical fertilizers and Genetically Modified Organisms. This ensures the soil is free of any toxic substances and enriched by organic compost and other organic matter. By aiming to keep soil and water supplies cleaner, they are in turn helping to protect local populations and wildlife. The resulting cotton fibre is then processed into fabrics without the use of harmful chemicals or bleach.

By choosing organic cotton and other organic products you are helping to reduce the use of pesticides and other chemicals used in farming around the world. Switching to organic cotton is a gentler alternative for the environment, and the resulting fabric is purer, stronger and softer than ever.

Soil Association and other organic certification.

Our organic cotton tees and baby wear are fully certified by the UK based Soil Association, which guarantees that the rigorous organic standards have been strictly followed. Each garment can be traced right back to the field it was grown. Our other organic products have also been certified by trusted private certification bodies; these vary for each product and if you would like further, more specific information please email us at info@absolutionsaves.com.

Bamboo

Bamboo is naturally sustainable and has natural anti-bacterial properties so needs no pesticides and since it is fast growing it can reach a mature height of 75 feet in just 45 to 60 days, making it the most sustainable natural fibre.

It regenerates naturally so can be harvested repeatedly and it will grow again and again. The bamboo used in our tees is planted and grown on family-owned farms in China that have been in agricultural use for generations.

The bamboo fibre is used to produce fabric softer than cotton, almost translucent that drapes well on the body; it feels like silk, but with the advantage of being machine washable.

This natural fabric is hypoallergenic, absorbent, and is naturally anti-bacterial so does not hold odour. Like other natural fabrics, it allows the body to breathe as the fabric absorbs moisture away from the body.

When your bamboo garment finishes its useful life, it can return to nourish the earth as it is 100% biodegradable.

Fair trade and sweatshop free

As part of our ‘organically grown, lovingly made’ policy we always make sure our garments and goods are fair trade and sweatshop free. We ethically sourced all materials and supplies from fully certified fair trade suppliers. By choosing suppliers and manufacturers who are accredited in the appropriate fields we can be sure of responsible, fair and sustainable working and trading practices.

Fair trade is an organised social movement that is based upon ensuring workers, farmers and traders are given a fair price and wage. It promotes greater sustainability and equity in international trading systems. It is not about charity, trading fairly is a holistic approach to trade and development; by changing the way international commerce is conducted, it can empower the poorest of the poor and create sustainable and positive change in developing and developed countries.

We believe that trading fairly cultivates better environments for traders and workers which facilitate sustainable economic self-sufficiency and security. It guarantees our products are made with love and have been produced ethically. We ensure our trusted suppliers have reputable independent certification including verification by the British Association for Fair Trade Shops (BAFTS) and the Fairwear Foundation (FWF.)

Our sweatshop free garments mean workers have better working conditions and healthier environments. Certified by the FWF we can be sure that our suppliers adhere to a strict Code of Labour Practices which includes no child labour, no forced labour or excessive overtime, fair wages, no discrimination, a legal labour contract, healthy and safe environments. To learn more take a look at http://en.fairwear.nl/

Recycle, reuse, reduce...

The 3 Rs are an intrinsic part of absolution saves and we are always looking for ways to improve on what we do. By choosing to reduce, reuse and recycle we are able to minimise our impact as a business and individuals on the environment. We continually ensure all waste is reduced and reuse or recycle all materials where possible, making sure of safe disposal of waste where it cannot be recycled or reused. Printing can be quite a thirsty business, using water to clean and make our printing screens; we reuse the water numerous times and when it’s finally too dirty to clean with we water our lovely garden with it.

Where practical we reclaim or use recycled equipment and materials. When we need to renew equipment we will always look to recycle our old equipment. We have minimised our use of energy and love these long sunny days when we don’t need a light on, even if it is an energy saving bulb! We also make a conscious effort to source recycled office stationery, including our leaflets which are printed with vegetable inks on FSC recycled card. We are also proud to offer cards made from 100% recycled pulp, a fair trade recycled cement tote bag and all our artwork is hand screen printed on fine recycled card.

All our packaging is recycled, reclaimed, biodegradable and / or compostable. We reuse or recycle all the packaging that comes into us. We like to think that when you place an order part of the pleasure of getting it is the unwrapping; we only use recycled materials to wrap with and love classic brown paper parcels tied with string. All we ask is that you try to keep the circle alive and reuse, recycle or compost the packaging once you’re done. If you want to find out more about recycling have a look at http://www.recyclenow.com it’s got easy tips on how to start recycling, if you don’t already and can also tell you where your nearest recycling centre is.

Water based inks.

We print with high quality environmentally friendly water based inks, which do not contain PVC, phthalates or any toxic chemicals at all. Our inks are formulated free from lead and other heavy metals and do not contain ozone-depleting chemicals such as CFC's and HCFC's, aromatic hydrocarbons or any volatile solvents. Furthermore because we don’t use plastisol inks we don't need solvents to clean the print screens, we clean with water which can be used over and over again.

The other great thing about our water based print inks is that they sink into the fabric to become part of it, unlike plastisol inks that sit on the surface with a shiny plastic appearance. Our water based prints also don’t have a rubbery feel like plastisol inks or transfer printing; they are softer to the touch, exceptionally durable and wash well; you can even iron over the print without fear of damaging it.

Sustainability

We see sustainability as being a vital part of our organically grown, lovingly made policy. We always look for the most sustainable option and aim to be as environmentally transparent as possible. We reuse, reduce and recycle as much as we physically can and choose sustainable practices like organic farming and fair trade, which undeniably have less environmental impact. We always try to reduce our impact on the environment and although we know we are not perfect we are continually aiming to do better.

All the wood used for our musical instruments, toys and gifts comes from sustainable sources and the hangers used in our peg bags is FSC certified.

1% for the Planet

As 1% for the Planet members we donate at least 1% of all turnover to environmental charities. 1% For The Planet is an international alliance of businesses that pledge at least 1% of sales to the preservation and restoration of the natural environment. It is a socially and environmentally progressive group that understands the necessity of protecting the natural environment.

Being a member of this not-for-profit network is something we’re really proud of. The total company membership exceeds 700, including more than 100 European businesses and donations approached $30 million USD in 2007. These donations are made to grassroots enviro groups around the world and as members we can chose who and where our donation goes and affect real change. If you’re part of an environmentally focused non profit organisation you can request to become a 1% for the Planet non profit member by emailing info@onepercentfortheplanet.org. To find out more about 1% For The Planet, check out www.onepercentfortheplanet.org.

Ethical Junction

We are committed to behaving in a socially responsible manner and by establishing a culture of openness, trust and integrity in business practices we aim to be as transparent as possible. We have had our ethical and environmental policies independently verified and approved by the British not-for-profit organisation Ethical Junction. Ethical Junction is an independent network, which is impartial, both politically and economically. It focuses on 6 core principles

Becoming a member of Ethical Junction is a commitment - a commitment to operate according to considered ethics. Like all Ethical Junction members we were screened to ensure we adhere to strict social, environmental and ethical policies and have high standards of ethical behaviour.