Working towards sustainability, one shirt at a time

Born from the idea that people should have the option to purchase eco-friendly clothing, Envolve Clothing of Ann Arbor has had an impressive start in realizing that vision. Founded earlier this year by three friends who share a passion for the environment, the company has already established itself in the area as a pioneering force in environmentally-conscious fashion.

“We were kicking around ideas of starting a company when we finally sat down and put all of our ideas on the table,” recalls co-founder David Saltsman. “Drawing influences from the Ann Arbor community, we knew that tailoring our idea around being sustainable and green was the way to go to make not only an impact in our local environment, but to hatch an idea that could take root in communities across America.”

Envolve Clothing offers shirts made from organic cotton, bamboo and hemp fabrics – ensuring that customers who support the environment will be extremely comfortable doing so. The shirt designs are simple and appealing – the most popular design sporting a print of the state of Michigan surrounded by the Great Lakes. Envolve also offers hoodies, tote bags and beanies, all subject to a completely green production process.

“You can choose to buy clothing that reduces its impact on the environment or you can buy clothing that makes little or no effort to protect our most precious resource,” says co-founder Patrick Hayes. “We want to make that decision easier by providing an eco-friendly alternative when it comes to clothing.”

The company’s website defines the word “envolve” as “to engage oneself, and/or peers, in the maintenance and restoration of the environment.” In an effort to further pursue that mission, the company’s founders also created Project Envolution, an organization that supports environmentally-conscious service projects by means of funding, promoting, networking and volunteering. Twenty percent of every clothing purchase is donated directly to Project Envolution. In this way, Envolve Clothing is a gateway to something bigger, and its success is an indicator of the community’s commitment to a green future.

“Somewhere down the road we believe that eco-friendly clothing will become the norm and preferred material for apparel,” says co-founder Casey Irelan. “When will this happen? Hopefully sooner than later – the environment is a limited resource. Every time we make the choice as a consumer to support the environment, that’s a win in our eyes.”

You can purchase clothing and watch for the new Spring 2012 line at envolveclothing.com. If you would like information about environmentally-focused, non-profit service projects in the area, visit projectenv.org.