Dark green organic cotton t-shirt with an embroidered mountain design in light grey thread, designed by Manchester-based online clothing retailer Phloem and sold in 2021.

This t-shirt was designed and retailed by Phloem, a Manchester-based online clothing retailer set up in 2019 by Manchester University graduate Huw Saunders. Phloem aims to create garments that minimise their negative impact on the planet, are produced in an ethical way, and last for a long time.

Phloem’s clothing is made from 100% organic cotton, in a factory that is powered by renewable green energy. The factory is monitored by the Fair Wear Foundation, an initiative which champions the human rights of textile and garment workers.

Concerns about the global textiles industry’s environmental and social impacts are rising. The United Nations recognises the human and environmental cost of so called ‘fast fashion’, where consumers are offered constantly changing collections at low prices and encouraged to frequently buy and discard clothes. They highlight issues including water use and pollution in textiles production, working conditions and pay for textiles workers and clothing consumption patterns. Fashion and textile businesses are under increasing pressure to recognise these concerns and adapt to more sustainable and ethical ways of working.