EARTHTEC: Clothing with a Conscience AND Made from Recycled Water Bottles

Earthtec: Committed to Change

According to the Earthtec website, 150 billion water bottles are put into landfills every year.  If you are like me, you might say "Wow, that is an astonishing number!" and then think twice about throwing a water bottle in the trash rather than recycling it in the future.  The sporty clothing store Earthtec, however, does what seems to be the impossible:  it converts these landfill-bound bottles into extraordinary, high-performance fabrics made from post-consumer recycled polyethylene terephthalate plastics, or recycled PET.  In addition, Earthtec claims, "[w]e're working with organic cotton and wool. We're exploring innovative natural and earth-friendly fibers, and developing hybrid fabrics that blend recycled synthetics with renewable materials. And we're using a streamlined manufacturing model that builds value into our garments while taking carbon out of our footprint."  Everything piece of clothing produced by Earthtec is comprised of recycled or renewable material.

If you buy one jacket or hoodie from Earthtec, you are saving around 12 bottles from being in a landfill.  And some of the jackets seem like they would be awesome in the elements and, in general, look very well made.  For example, check out the Men's Tupelo Hooded Jacket in midnight ($119.95).  For children, a Wooly Fern Kid's & Toddler Vest, made of high loft recycled berber fleece, might make them the coolest (and greenest) kids on the playground ($48.00).  I could imagine myself throwing on a Silky Camellia Hoodie after a yoga class and wearing it into the night while watching movies by a fire ($44.00).  The chenille CHaD Eco-Comfort Socks, also made out of recycled bottles, would be stellar stocking stuffers ($10.00).  If you have a small child, you could also purchase the Cow & Frog Kid's Book ($5.00), which will take children through through daily eco- adventures on an organic farm and provide lessons about protecting the environment.  By purchasing Earthtec goods, you can engage in one of Earthtec's mottos: "inspiring trash talk."