I own .0000032 percent of the world’s t-shirts.
That’s not really true. It would only be true if I had purchased every one of those 64 t-shirts this year. Since I still have t-shirts from when I worked for Macy’s back in the 1980s, that is so not the case.
But I still own a lot of t-shirts, and it’s likely you do too. Two billion tees are sold every year. I don’t know if that number counts the giveaway tees from 5K races and charity events, but it’s a lot of tees. And a lot of cash to pay for them.
Imagine if a small percent of that cash could be directed to do some good?
Some entrepreneurs have imagined it. In the last month I’ve learned of two local companies that are looking to do good by selling tees.
When I heard the name Mothco, I thought I was going to meet some bug guy, looking to save the moths one t-shirt at a time. Not so. Mothco is shorthand for “More than conquerers,” a phrase from the Bible in Romans 8:37. The two high school students who started Mothco did so to help support two local families struggling with cancer. Now profits from each shirt support Urban Hope, a ministry working in Philadelphia.
FakeLife Clothing, on the other hand, was started by a band guy. Larry Martin parlayed his experience of creating t-shirts for his punk band into a t-shirt business that supports orphans. Each purchase provides a $5 donation to Rice Bowls, providing 20 meals to children living in orphanages around the world.
Turns out that together we and our t-shirts can help change the world!
P.S. To learn more about where your clothing comes from and the people involved in the process, check out the two books recommended in this post from the past.
I think my husband is the winner of the amount of t-shirts! He’s been a coach for 43 years and has one for every team he’s ever coached! Of course, as a Professional Organizer I run into this all the time. It’s so refreshing when a client is ready to let go and donate them to a great cause! Great blog. Vali