Sustainability
In this section of our website we have not come to tell you that we are the greenest company in the world. We simply want to tell you that the sustainability of the planet is an issue that worries us and little by little we are taking steps (some very small and others gigantic) to contribute our bit to the cause.
Fortunately, there is a very marked trend right now, both on the part of suppliers and on the part of the consumer, which pushes us all globally towards an increasingly responsible and sustainable consumption .
At Cheap Wholesales United States we are an SME that puts a lot of effort to be a little greener every day. For example, we spend around 12,000 US dollars annually to properly manage our waste .
The textile sector is one of the industries with the greatest environmental impact and many measures must be taken. Below we explain the ones we have already taken to date:
RECOVERY, SAVINGS AND RECYCLING
We recycle and recover liquids, plastics and cardboard using SMA. Its manager Roger Segarra also acts as our advisor on sustainability issues.
PIRSA (Planta Intercomarcal del Reciclaje SA) gave us an ecological certificate that endorses our stamping process as Sustainable and respectful with the environment.
Since 2018, we have a cardboard compactor to speed up and facilitate the process of storage, collection and recycling of cardboard.
We have a complex multi-level liquid filtration system. Solvents, paint residues and residues are collected and treated by the British company Safety Kleen Europe .
In our screen printing laboratory we have one of the few automatic machines in our sector for recycling and washing screens. The screens are washed and reused.
We work with MEWA , a certified German company that collects all ink- and chemical-soaked rags for recycling. MEWA.
We recycle the cardboard boxes that suppliers send us, reusing them to send some of our orders both internally and externally.
In offices we try to reduce paper consumption as much as possible by working digitally as much as possible. Of course we recycle the excess paper.
Thanks to the personalized mugs that the Cheap Wholesales United States team have, we reduce the use of plastic cups to drink coffee, which is irreplaceable for us! : P
We are progressively changing the use of light bulbs and fluorescent lights for low consumption led lighting. We take the old bulbs to the appropriate green points.
We recycle our ink cartridges together with HP and its green project HP Planet partners . They take care of the collection and correct treatment of the printer inks.
We donate our remains of clothing items to associations, NGOs and local solidarity projects. Our clothes deserve a second chance!
ECOLOGICAL AND ETHICAL GARMENTS
Ecological clothing
We offer more than 150 ecological garments in our textile catalog. These are garments of ecological fabrics with quality finishes. From eco-friendly T-shirts to sweatshirts, bags, polo shirts and accessories. They are garments designed to last and promote responsible consumption. Luckily, brands are working to offer increasingly affordable prices for organic clothing for consumers.
Official supplier
We are official dealers for Stanley / Stella , one of the most popular eco-clothing brands today. The principles of the Belgian brand are quality, sustainability, fair trade and design. Their garments are ideal for creating sustainable clothing brands. It will allow you to create custom garments from organic cotton, recycled cotton, recycled polyester , tencel, modal or linen.
Sustainable fabrics
In our ecological clothing catalog you will find different natural fabrics made from organic fibers and recycled materials. All the fabrics of the eco products that we offer are certified with official seals.
Organic cotton comes from organic farming. It does not use synthetic chemicals or transgenic plants. It is a sustainable fabric that promotes biodiversity.
Reclaimed cotton is reused cotton from production leftovers. The excess cotton is collected and reused to make other garments.
Plastic is one of the biggest problems in the current ecological crisis. Recycled polyester comes from recycled plastic bottles. With 35 bottles you get 1 Kg of fabric. 1 polyester t-shirt = + -6 bottles.
Plant-based tissue. It comes from the flax plant Linum usitatissimum. Flax fibers are one of the most ecological that exists. They need less water, dyes, fertilizers and energy than other fabrics.
Fiber with an extra soft and silky finish. It comes from the pulp of trees from sustainable plantations. It is generally extracted from eucalyptus.
Artificial regenerated cellulose fiber. It requires less water and chemicals than other fabrics such as cotton. Garments with modal fabric (or HWM rayon) are comfortable, soft and resistant.
Ecological stamps
These are the most common environmental stamps that you can find in the eco-friendly garments of our textile catalog:
Confidence in textiles
The Oeko-Tex Standard 100 seal certifies that no toxic substances for man or the environment are used during the manufacture of the garments.
OCS 100
The Organic 100 Content Standard certificate ensures that the garments are made with 100% organic cotton. Guarantees the purity of cotton.
OCS Blended
The Organic Blended Content Standard seal is applied to mixed fabric garments. Make sure that part of the garment is made of organic cotton.
Global recycled standard
Certifies the high content of recycled material in a garment. In addition, it is also concerned with issues such as social and environmental impact.
Vegan
PETA certification guarantees that the materials are 100% vegan. There has been no use of animals to test the ingredients or the garments.
Cotton USA
It certifies that the cotton has been produced in the United States and that it has been grown fairly and sustainably.
Ethical certificates
But not only the environment is important. We must not forget the care of people. We leave you the most notable official certificates that some suppliers have, such as Stanley / Stella, B&C, Clique or Fruit of the Loom.
Fair Wear Foundation
The members of the Fair Wear Foundation must apply a specific code of ethical conduct to the textile sector. They must ensure an ethical and safe work environment, free from exploitation or discrimination, as well as fair hours and wages.
BSCI
The Social Compliance Initiative helps companies improve working conditions on agricultural plantations and in factories. Members of the BSCI follow a strict code of conduct on child labor, pay, working hours and sustainability.
A GLOBAL COMPACT
The United Nations Global Compact is the United Nations global compact that brings together 10 principles to be followed in matters of human rights, the environment, labor and anti-corruption.
WRAP
The Worldwide Responsible Accredited Production certifies the ethical, human and responsible standards that companies follow during the manufacture of garments and textile accessories.
Hand in hand
The goal of Hand in hand is to fight poverty by encouraging entrepreneurial projects. They are committed to education and job creation in the world's poorest populations.
Sedex
It certifies that companies are socially responsible in their supply chain: health, safety, labor standards, ethics and the environment.
STAMPING EACH TIME MORE SUSTAINABLE
Serigraphy
Textile screen printing is not the greenest printing method out there, but small changes can make a difference. We always use high quality phthalate-free screen printing inks . In 2017 we said goodbye to the old drying tunnels that used diesel to install new electrical tunnels. And finally, we recycle screens, liquids and rags.
Digital printing
DTG digital printing is one of the most sustainable techniques today, basically for 3 main reasons: the water -based NeoPigment ™ inks in our printer are biodegradable and free of substances harmful to the environment, they do not use water in the printing process and being of the latest generation has a low electricity consumption.
Transfer
The transfers we use are certified with the highest level of quality: the Oeko Tex Standard 100 seal. They are perfect for creating custom organic clothing and clothing for kids and babies. If you print organic garments with our transfers the result will be a 100% ecological product.
Embroidery
To embroider your garments we only use threads from the German brand Madeira. Its threads are of high quality and have the Confidence in Textiles seal. They are free of substances that are harmful to man and the environment. The Madeira brand also has the Dekra quality management certificate.
SOCIAL COMMITMENT
We constantly collaborate with NGOs and associations. We generally collaborate with projects related to the animal world, health or childhood.
We take care of people. We are more than 50 in the team. Of course, we are all declared and adhered to the textile agreement. We have good conditions and an enviable work environment. :)
As much as they ask us, the answer is no. As much as other stamping shops do, we do not work without VAT.
A LONG ROAD AHEAD
Our desire is to continue improving on sustainability issues and our commitment is medium and long term. We know that there is still a long way to go and we have several projects. Here are some of them:
- Acquire an electric van.
- Offer more ecological packaging to our clients.
- Continue expanding our catalog of ecological clothing.
- Make our clients aware of the importance of buying sustainable garments.
- Continue collaborating with solidarity initiatives.
- Update our stamping machines with the latest technologies.
- Expand our recycling goals both in stores and in the office and workshop.
You can't go a single day without having an impact on the world around us. What we do makes a difference, and we have to decide what kind of difference we want to make. Jane goodall
Some companies with which we are associated:
