Organic Cotton Mix Short Sleeve Shirt

Organic cotton: India (GOTS certified)

Shirt: Cut and sewn in India by Dibella Ltd (GOTS, SA8000 certified factory)

Owned by Sreeranga Rajan, Dibella’s mission is to improve the livelihoods of small-scale, marginalised cotton farmers and textile workers. The factory is GOTS, Fairtrade and BSCI compliant. Dibella employs 420 workers, 97% of whom are women. It is a place they can feel safe and form good friendships with one another.

Dibella Ltd runs a number of social projects called ‘sustainable development pillars’, these have a particular focus on women and children. One pillar invests in education; this is done through providing desks, chairs, computers, laboratory equipment, teachers, toilets and sinks to the local schools. Another pillar focuses on hygiene; by providing medical care, check ups and training on personal hygiene, particularly for girls and women. This pillar is very important to Dibella and hygiene procedures have been upgraded due to Covid-19. Another one of Dibella’s pillars gives training in farming techniques and educates farmers on how to do agriculture sustainably. And one more of Dibella’s other pillars looks at female empowerment. This is done through providing training opportunities to the women who work in the factory, many of whom came from poor living conditions before they received work at Dibella. The women are trained in a variety of tasks from food processing to life skills.

Organic cotton protects the environment and also farmers who may suffer ill health when coming into contact with the intensive fertilisers and pesticides used in conventional cotton production.

This shirt is made to last! Making a product that will stand the test of time is a hugely important aspect of sustainable design.