4 Reasons to Buy Australian Made T-shirts

Whether we like it or not, T-shirts that have been made in Australia are often more expensive than those imported from various other countries in the world, and most Australians aren’t so patriotic as to automatically spend considerably more on a T-shirt simply because it was made in Australia.

Any business wishing to compete with low-cost alternatives needs to provide additional sources of value to its customers, to warrant the difference in price. Money talks, but thankfully, it isn’t the only voice we heed. We also believe that we get what we pay for.

So what are these additional sources of value? Why buy Australian made T-shirts, rather than the cheaper ones imported from overseas?

Reason #1 – High Quality

Australian products are manufactured to meet high Australian standards, so you can be confident in their quality. They’re good. Indeed, surveys commissioned by the Australian Made, Australian Grown (AMAG) Campaign to examine exporters’ activities and attitudes towards the Campaign logo (the green triangle with the golden kangaroo), indicate that Australian exporters increasingly report that “Australian products have a good reputation in export markets” (30% in 2010). See http://www.australianmade.com.au/resources/research/ for more information on these surveys.

Reason #2 – Support Australia’s economy

When you buy Australian products, you are clearly supporting the Australian economy and Australian workers.

Reason #3 – Care for the Environment

All things being equal, buying locally produced goods is better for the environment, if for no other reason than reduced transport distance (i.e. less usage of fossil fuels). In addition, many (although not all) Australian T-shirts are manufactured from organic cotton. Australians are increasingly concerned about environmental impact, so it’s no surprise that eco-friendliness is one of the differentiators many Australian farmers and manufacturers have chosen to use as a value-add for their products.

Reason #4 – Fight against sweatshops

Sweatshops are workplaces where employees are…

paid lower than living wage (e.g. $3-$4 an hour)
forced to work incredibly long hours (e.g. 18-22 hours per day)
children (yes, really)
working in poor conditions, often under arbitrary discipline and verbal and/or physical abuse

Unfortunately, buying a T-shirt made in Australia is no guarantee that the garment wasn’t made under ‘sweatshop conditions’ (e.g. through outsourcing to new immigrants who don’t know their rights in this country); however, Australia does have an accreditation process for garment manufacturers to be certified as ‘sweatshop free’. The process doesn’t entirely rule out poor treatment of industry workers, but it does give you the option to discourage such unethical practices by making informed choices as to whether you’ll financially support it or not.

Here at PSI we can supply you with Australian made t-shirts as well as Organic Australian made t-shirts. The company we use for this is Certton. Here is a little bit about them and their product…

Certton T- Shirt Facts

All their Certton t-shirts are manufactured in house at their company owned factory in Sydney, Australia.
They do not employ or contract any home workers or outworkers.
They only use fabrics made in Australia from 100% certified organic cotton.
Their factory is guaranteed sweatshop free.
Their factory and head office is carbon neutral.
They reinforce their t-shirts with shoulder to shoulder taping for quality and durability.
The fabrics they use are coloured using accredited Oeko Tex 100 Eco dyes for colour fastness and sustainability

Why Buy Certton t-shirt’s?

Quality: ‘Certton’ – Made in Australia, twin needle reinforced neckline, cover stitched hems.
Australian Manufacturing: Their t-shirts last a long time and offer excellent value for money. They combine the best manufacturing techniques with the best organic cotton fabric to produce a high quality t-shirt that lasts.
Certified Organic Cotton: Control Union Certified Organic Cotton, is grown without the use of pestcides, synthetic fertilisers and from non genetically modified seed + organic cotton uses little or no irrigation and water stock piling to grow.
Australian Made Fabric: Premium 180GSM, 140GSM, 1×1 Rib & 90% organic cotton/10% Spandex Australian made fabric from certified ringspun organic cotton single jersey yarns.
Fit: Their t-shirts are a great fit and cater their styles to suit different body shapes from Babies, Infants, Kids & Adults.
Colour: The colour range is inspired by the country we live in. We use Oeko Tek 100 Eco dyes to get guarantee a colour fastness that lasts. They provide earthy and rustic tones in combination with well worn classic’s that are perfect for every occasion.
The Environment & Sustainability: Purchasing quality products manufactured from sustainable methods in your own back yard is one of the easiest way’s you can help to strengthen the natural state of the world’s environment and your local economy.