The entire WYV concept began as a simple wish by my dear friend Shonie for clothing adorned with vegetables. After a few years of NEVER encountering such a thing (to our utter astonishment), I decided it was time to take action, and the clothing line was born. It has started out small and simple with just a few designs on T-shirts (really kick-ass shirts, though!), but like a sprawling summer zucchini, I plan to expand the line into ever-more diverse offerings including regular new designs, lots more for men and kids, as well as a range of delightful and useful goods featuring our one-of-a-kind artwork.
The clothing line may be small, but it sure is clean, green, ethical, and great! True to my guiding principles, I started with clothing made of super-soft 100% Organic Cotton mixed with either Hemp or Bamboo (2 weeds I actually LOVE!). My shirt suppliers' factories are all third-party audited using the BSCI (Business Social Compliance Initiative) Monitoring system, which is based on the labor standards of the International Labor Organization (ILO). They also purchase carbon offsets from the non-profit, third-party audited www.carbonfund.org.
Next, I worked with talented artist Dean Patrick Luce to create our initial six designs, based on the antique botanical prints I have loved for years. It was a whole new style for Dean, but after working far beyond what I ever could hope to pay him, he has honed in on a style reminiscent of the classics, with his own updated feel. The art is simply beautiful!
Finally, the printing process I use sticks close to my green vision. I screen print the designs myself with phthylate- and PVC-free inks, and use environmentally-friendly cleaning and disposal processes. I've learned that screen printing and environmentalism are an at-odds couple, but also that the former is an industry that isn't going anywhere, and I'm happy to be helping to tilt the balance towards better practices. I want you to feel great about wearing your WYV shirt!