With the goal of reducing the amount of waste that goes into landfills, while at the same time offering a quality apparel product, SanMar has introduced the District Re-Tee made from 100 percent recycled fabric. This new T-shirt is never re-dyed and is made from reclaimed material that may have otherwise ended up in a landfill.

To accomplish this, SanMar has taken what was previously considered waste and repurposed those resources to create the District Re-Tee. It is composed of 60 percent recycled cotton scraps and 40 percent recycled polyester known as rPET, which is derived from used items such as plastic bottles. Each T-shirt’s color comes from its original, stringently sorted, cotton scraps and is blended with recycled polyester yarn, so it never has to be re-dyed. This process makes for a soft, comfortable and high-quality T-shirt.

The District Re-Tee and District Women’s Re-Tee V-Neck come in eight colors, including black, ruby red, maize yellow and five heathers. They have a tag-free label and range from XS to 4XL in both styles.

“They are never re-dyed and that is what’s really special,” explains Kara Johnson, senior merchandiser for SanMar. “This is such a significant step in changing how we think about our resources. This tee is impactful because it is sustainable and responsible. It’s a T-shirt that you can feel good about in so many ways. It can easily become your favorite, guilt-free, live-in tee.”

By eliminating the water-intensive dyeing process and the need to produce new raw materials, SanMar saves resources — the equivalent of skipping six weeks of showers or taking 5.87 miles off of a daily commute.

“You can feel better about this purchase,” says Johnson. “We did our homework and can stand behind it. We’re proud to continue looking at new ways to make apparel that is in line with our sustainability goals.”