Before a t-shirt becomes a t-shirt, there is a labor-intensive and time-sensitive world that it must manifest from. The fibers are either naturally grown or manufactured synthetically, the fibers then processed and spun into yarns, the yarns woven or knitted into fabric, the fabric dyed and processed with other treatments such as printing, then either cut and sewn into a garment, or have the garment sewn before dyeing and printing.

Raw materials that are responsibly and ethically made cost more than conventional raw materials. In the case of organic cotton, for example, there are many conditions for which it must meet in order for it to be officially labeled "organic", such as the soil needs to be chemical fertilizer-free and pesticide-free for a few years. Because the organic cotton is grown in natural conditions as opposed to a chemical fertilizer and pesticide-ridden environment, the cost of growing cotton is more, as well as the yield of the cotton harvested may be less. In turn, however, you can't put a cost on a healthier planet, which in turn means a better environment to all of us.

The same goes with the dye processing of the garments. Low-impact dyes have significantly less chemicals than conventional dyes. The ingredients for the dyestuffs are organic, but there still needs to be a little bit of chemicals used in order to bind the dye molecules to the fabric. Otherwise, the color will wash off when laundered. But compared to regular dyes, low-impact dyes means dramatically less chemical waste going down our drains. That's why unbleached, "raw" cotton is better than white - no dyes or bleaching agents used at all.

Screenprinting with PVC-free, waterbased inks is the most eco-friendly process you can do when printing garments. Again, as with fabric and dyes, these eco-friendly inks are more expensive than conventional inks, but not only is it better for the environment, but it creates a soft, natural hand that is more desirable than stiff, plastic-y and glitter-ridden printing.

Bottom line is, all the toxic waste adds up and goes into the air, the ground and water resources. It's the soil where we grow our food, where animals eat the plants that grow from, the water we bathe and drink with, the beaches and lakes we swim in, the air we breathe... The list goes on. We can make changes now and have a better future. You can't put a price on that.