Sustainability is increasingly capturing public attention, and it's fair to wonder whether the personalized printing industry is also doing its part. Let's look at the Stanley Stella brand and how it serves as a guide for all those who, in their own small way, want to combine ecology, social equity, and customization.
What Makes Custom Print Sustainable?
If we consider the entire process behind customizing a piece of clothing, we can identify three main factors that influence its sustainability . In order of importance, they are:
- The production chain of the garment itself
- The printing technique used
- The distribution , or delivery, of the customized garment
The degree to which each of these three aspects impacts, in its own small way, the customization process will ultimately define the overall sustainability of the whole process. So let's look at them in detail.
Clothing Production Chain
This is perhaps the most important of the three aspects mentioned above. It affects not only the environment, but also—based on what we know about the functioning of the textile manufacturing industry—the social aspect.
In fact, the production of a single item of clothing affects a multitude of industrial sectors , from the sourcing of raw materials to packaging, spread across multiple continents . Hence the name "production chain."
Printing Technique
Each technique not only has pros and cons (sometimes in absolute terms, other times in relation to the other techniques considered) regarding print quality and speed, but also with regard to its more or less significant environmental impact.
There are two factors , regarding the printing technique, that influence its sustainability :
- The type of inks used
- The quantity of the same
There are printing techniques that stand out for their ability to minimize environmental impact , such as DTG (Direct-To-Garment) and DTF (Direct-To-Film) printing. These techniques use water-based inks . DTF printing excels for its reduced ink consumption.
Embroidery deserves a separate discussion, as it obviously represents the most eco-friendly solution . However, its use is usually limited to when customization requires the addition of initials or simple logos, not particularly complex images.
Distribution and Delivery
It may not be that immediate, but the distribution of your custom t-shirt also plays a role.
The distribution of a customized garment is, in itself, a substantially fixed phase. It doesn't vary depending on the quantity of items to be delivered. Therefore, starting the entire distribution phase for a single customized T-shirt will have a much greater environmental impact than delivering an order of 50 or 100 pieces.
The Case of Stanley Stella: Sustainability Tout-Court
Stanley Stella is a Belgian company founded by Jean Chabert that makes sustainability its raison d'être . But how is it different from all (or at least many) other companies that keep an eye on the environment?
The difference lies in the fact that Stanley Stella's commitment is not limited to reducing carbon emissions along the entire supply chain, but the sustainability it takes care of also concerns the social aspect of the entire production.
A commitment on two levels, social and environmental, which are crystallized in what could be defined as the Stanley Stella Charter, the document with which the Belgian company has decided to put its corporate mission down in black and white.
Let's look at both of them in more detail.
Environmental Sustainability
Since the textile production chain involves multiple sectors, Stanley Stella's actions also occur on multiple levels. The Belgian company's environmental commitment is aimed at:
- Carefully select raw materials so that they meet specific sustainability and biodiversity preservation requirements
- Use energy from renewable sources
- Reduce CO2 emissions
- Minimize the amount of waste from the production process, rewarding the circularity of production
This wide-ranging commitment has made the Belgian company a model for all textile industry companies seeking to minimize their environmental impact.
What Certifications Does Stanley Stella Have?
It's unrealistic to think you can trust a company simply based on what it says it does. So, there are specific certifications that confirm the Belgian company's commitment.
Stanley Stella holds several certifications issued by independent bodies that attest to the quality of its production chain. Among these, the most important are:
- OCS Certification – Organic Content Standard
- GOTS Certification – Global Organic Textile Standard
- GRS Certification – Global Recycle Standard
- Oeco-Tex Certification
- PETA certification attests the company to be 100% vegan.
Furthermore, the company has received numerous awards for the circularity and sustainability of its supply chain, including its inclusion among the leading companies by the Textile Exchange, a global non-profit organization committed to combating climate change in the textile industry.
Stanley Stella's Social and Economic Question
It's therefore fair to ask: yes, but in concrete terms, certifications aside, what are the working conditions of those who are part of this brand's supply chain?
A legitimate question because, given the average higher prices of Stanley Stella garments, the certificates are one thing, but knowing that you are actually contributing to the well-being of an entire community is another.
And this well-being is due to the care with which the Belgian company selects its partners in Bangladesh and India. These partners must therefore adhere to the so-called Stanley Stella Code of Conduct , which aims to enhance various aspects of workers, such as:
- High wage standards
- Definition of working hours
- Freedom of association
- Safety at work
- Prohibition of child labor
How to Customize a Stanley Stella Cape
With all this Belgian company's commitment to environmental and social sustainability, it would be a shame to ruin it all by choosing the wrong customization method. Let's start from the beginning, though: choosing the right garment.
As always, on the Burger Print store you can find a wide selection of Stanley Stella products , from t-shirts to sweatshirts, including backpacks and shopping bags.
From here you can choose your preferred printing technique to personalize your garment: DTG printing, DTF printing, screen printing, or, if you want to completely eliminate the use of inks, embroidery.
Without forgetting one of the main factors for reducing the environmental impact of your order: increasing the number of pieces ordered.
