{"id":32690,"title":"Why Sustainable Matters - Running an Environmentally Friendly Business","description":"The Earth is more valuable than money. Kate talks about why sustainability is important to her as a brand owner and how she wants to be part of the solution","content":"

\"TheYou may, or may not know that this is me - I\u2019m Kate, and I\u2019m the owner of the Ooh Tees brand (yes, I\u2019ve had a buzz cut). As a 50-something businesswoman, I\u2019ve grown up in the shadow of global warming and the threats to our planet that it brings. As a Mum living with my partner and two grown up sons, I know that we can easily fill several bin bags each week, and that doesn\u2019t include the huge amount of empty bottles\/cans\/plastics\/paper\/cardboard we diligently fill our recycling bags with every fortnight. Every time I make a tip run, usually with many big broken down cardboard boxes or bags of rubbish from around the home, I\u2019m struck by how many people are there disposing of their unwanted items too, how big the containers are that the rubbish goes into, and how they always seem to be full.<\/p>

I\u2019ve been interested in preserving the things we have for quite some time now - just ask anyone who has seen any of my craft supplies - yes, I am that woman that saves cardboard clothes tags, used teabags and bus tickets to use in my crafting - after all, why throw it away if you could use it for another purpose? Over the years I\u2019ve become more interested in living a more sustainable life - there\u2019s still a long way to go, but little steps make all the difference - amongst other things, I use a sustainable deodorant, sustainable laundry sheets, I recycle my coffee pods (and use the discarded coffee grounds on the garden) and try to be mindful of the amount of energy we use around the home.<\/p>

Earlier this year, I came across a clothing brand with superb sustainability credentials, producing high quality clothing that I loved. Yes, it was slightly more expensive than shopping on the high street, but the difference is that the clothing I buy from them will last for years, whereas the stuff I buy on the high street will develop little tiny holes in the fabric whilst in the washing machine, fade, stretch and generally have a much shorter life. I started thinking about how the clothing we buy and wear impacts on the world around us, and while researching on the internet I came across Teemill. Their sustainability stats frankly made shocking reading. I wanted to be part of the solution, not part of the problem, hence after some deep thinking, I decided that I could help lead a more sustainable future by launching my own brand of tees and sweats, using Teemill as a partner.<\/p>

If I haven\u2019t bored you to sleep yet, please read on to find out a bit more about how Ooh Tees are proud to be flying the flag for truly sustainable fashion.<\/p>

Water<\/h3>

Let\u2019s start by looking at water used in the production of your average t-shirt.<\/p>

\"DrawingAccording to the <\/span>World Economic Forum,<\/a> <\/span>700 gallons of water is enough to provide one person with at least eight cups of water every day for three and a half years. With tees and sweats being such a highly worn fashion item these days, the amount of water used to supply all of this clothing doesn\u2019t bear thinking about, does it? Fortunately, the organic cotton used in production of Ooh Tees clothing is grown in the North of India, where the reservoirs (filled by the monsoons) supply almost all the water needed, not water that could be used as drinking water.<\/p>

I don\u2019t know about you, but I\u2019ve been used to just buying whatever clothes take my fancy, without giving any thought to the consequences to our planet from their production. I know that if I were to go around my house right now and add up how many t-shirts we have (non-organic, pre the conception of Ooh Tees) between us as a family of four, all those t-shirts could\u2019ve provided drinking water for three and a half years to at least 100 people - and that\u2019s not a statistic that I can be proud of. That\u2019s another reason for me to want to be part of the solution.<\/p>

Want to hear more about the impact of the fashion industry on our planet. Sign up<\/u><\/a> to our newsletter, and get interesting facts straight to your inbox, plus news and special offers!<\/p>","urlTitle":"why-sustainable-matters","url":"\/blog\/why-sustainable-matters\/","editListUrl":"\/my-blogs","editUrl":"\/my-blogs\/edit\/why-sustainable-matters\/","fullUrl":"https:\/\/oohtees.co.uk\/blog\/why-sustainable-matters\/","featured":false,"published":true,"showOnSitemap":true,"hidden":false,"visibility":null,"createdAt":1697386830,"updatedAt":1702935436,"publishedAt":1702935436,"lastReadAt":null,"division":{"id":308556,"name":"Me and My Cat"},"tags":[{"id":2820,"code":"sustainability","name":"Sustainability","url":"\/blog\/tagged\/sustainability\/"},{"id":2821,"code":"fashion","name":"Fashion","url":"\/blog\/tagged\/fashion\/"},{"id":2883,"code":"activism","name":"Activism","url":"\/blog\/tagged\/activism\/"}],"metaImage":{"original":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/qvfbqom8stcnzlggkovs50z9j7xfpxabhqffiytwsatnmbfr.jpeg","thumbnail":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/qvfbqom8stcnzlggkovs50z9j7xfpxabhqffiytwsatnmbfr.jpeg.jpg?w=1140&h=855","banner":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/qvfbqom8stcnzlggkovs50z9j7xfpxabhqffiytwsatnmbfr.jpeg.jpg?w=1920&h=1440"},"metaTitle":"","metaDescription":"","keyPhraseCampaignId":null,"series":[],"similarReads":[{"id":33042,"title":"How to Bring Sustainable Fashion Into Your Life","url":"\/blog\/how-to-bring-sustainable-fashion-into-your-life\/","urlTitle":"how-to-bring-sustainable-fashion-into-your-life","division":308556,"description":"Kate talks about how to start on your path to a sustainable future, by choosing sustainable fashion made from materials such as organic cotton, wool or bamboo. Buying less, choosing well and making it last goes a long way to helping you achieve a sustainable wardrobe, and Kate gives some tips to help you on your journey.","published":true,"metaImage":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/i8gohri9hyqs3y5ns79cplo0go4d1ll7ay3irdjv7zjoetjl.jpeg.jpg?w=1140&h=855","banner":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/i8gohri9hyqs3y5ns79cplo0go4d1ll7ay3irdjv7zjoetjl.jpeg.jpg?w=1920&h=1440"},"hidden":0},{"id":33456,"title":"Buy Circular Gifts This Christmas!","url":"\/blog\/buy-circular-gifts-this-christmas\/","urlTitle":"buy-circular-gifts-this-christmas","division":308556,"description":"Buy sustainable, organic cotton products with a circular lifestyle for Christmas gifts - once they are worn out you can send them back to be remade into something new, again and again. A circular economy means no waste.","published":true,"metaImage":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/o8zf9jodvdj2htolyfutuwile3c9kdtwy9yagnmrxdpal5ip.jpeg.jpg?w=1140&h=855","banner":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/o8zf9jodvdj2htolyfutuwile3c9kdtwy9yagnmrxdpal5ip.jpeg.jpg?w=1920&h=1440"},"hidden":0},{"id":33693,"title":"From the Very Start, Plants. Not Plastic","url":"\/blog\/from-the-very-start-plants-not-plastic\/","urlTitle":"from-the-very-start-plants-not-plastic","division":308556,"description":"Why fast fashion is getting faster, and why that means more waste ending up in landfill, and how sustainability is a viable solution.","published":true,"metaImage":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/egjxqmeqzlzjtg6wkoqmqbhlwlpxeeyecxwmy98dhqjnldkx.jpeg.jpg?w=1140&h=855","banner":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/egjxqmeqzlzjtg6wkoqmqbhlwlpxeeyecxwmy98dhqjnldkx.jpeg.jpg?w=1920&h=1440"},"hidden":0}],"labels":[]}