Organic cotton tees aren’t just about looking good—they’re about feeling good too. Investing in quality clothing like this makes a huge difference. Let’s dive into why organic cotton tees are a top choice.

What Are Organic Cotton Tees?

So, what’s the big deal about organic cotton? It’s cotton grown without all the nasty pesticides and fertilizers. This means it’s better for the planet and for you.

Organic cotton is softer and stronger than regular cotton. Plus, it’s free from harmful chemicals, making it a healthier choice for your skin and the environment.

Environmental Benefits Of Organic Cotton Tees

One major perk of organic cotton tees is their eco-friendliness. 

Organic farming uses way fewer chemicals, which is great for the planet. It means less pollution and healthier ecosystems.

Organic cotton also uses less water than regular cotton, helping conserve this precious resource. And it promotes better soil health and biodiversity, making it a win-win for the environment.

Quality and Durability

Organic cotton tees are top-notch in quality and comfort. They’re softer and stronger, so they feel great on your skin and last a long time. Unlike regular tees that wear out quickly, organic ones keep their shape and quality even after many washes.

While organic cotton tees might cost more upfront, they save you money in the long run because they last longer. Fewer replacements mean more savings and less waste.

Health and Ethical Benefits

Organic cotton is gentle on your skin, making it perfect for people with allergies or sensitive skin. No toxic chemicals are used in making these tees, so you avoid skin irritants.

Plus, organic cotton farming usually means fair wages and safe working conditions for workers. By choosing organic tees, you’re supporting brands that care about people and the planet.

Why Organic Cotton Tees Are Worth the Price

Yes, organic cotton tees can be more expensive, but they’re totally worth it. They’re good for the environment, super comfy, and made ethically. It’s a smart investment.

Picking organic cotton tees means you’re choosing sustainability, high quality, and ethical production. It’s a long-term investment that benefits you and the planet.

Conclusion

Organic cotton tees are worth the splurge because they’re eco-friendly, high-quality, and ethically made. When you go organic, you’re making a choice that’s good for you and the world. So, treat yourself to some organic cotton tees and enjoy the benefits!

1. Don’t Be Weird About It

First things first, don’t act like your friend just announced they’re from another planet. Veganism isn’t a freaky alien concept; it’s a lifestyle choice. So when your pal says they don’t eat animal products, resist the urge to gasp dramatically and clutch your pearls. Play it cool, like when you found out your favorite coffee shop doesn’t serve unicorn lattes. It’s fine. We’ll survive.

2. Respect their Boundaries

Imagine if someone kept trying to sneak tofu into your double cheeseburger. That’d be weird, right? So don’t do the reverse. Respect their choices and don’t be the person who says, “But bacon though!” every five minutes. Newsflash: they’ve heard it all before. And no, they’re not about to crumble under the weight of your porky persuasion.

3. Be Inclusive at Meals

Hosting a dinner party? Be a decent human and provide some vegan options. You don’t have to turn your entire menu into a plant-based paradise, but throwing in a couple of vegan-friendly dishes shows you care. And hey, you might even discover that vegan chocolate cake is a gift from the gods. Win-win.

4. Avoid the Nutritional Debate Trap

I know it’s tempting to launch into a full-blown nutritional debate, armed with articles from that one time you Googled “Are vegans healthier?” But here’s a tip: don’t. Unless you’re a registered dietitian, no one wants to hear your hot take on protein deficiencies. Trust me, your vegan friend probably knows more about B12 than you ever will.

5. Be Mindful of Jokes

Look, we all love a good joke. But constantly ribbing your vegan friend with “How do you know someone’s vegan? Don’t worry, they’ll tell you!” gets old fast. Humor is great, just make sure it’s not at the expense of someone’s lifestyle choices. Be clever, be kind, and save the lazy jokes for your dad’s Facebook page.

6. Don’t Be the Food Police

You might catch your vegan friend slipping a bit of honey into their tea or wearing leather shoes. Guess what? It’s not your job to police their choices. People are complex and sometimes inconsistent. Unless they’ve appointed you their official Vegan Lifestyle Enforcer (hint: they haven’t), just let it go.

7. Educate Yourself (Just a Bit)

You don’t have to become an expert, but having a basic understanding of what veganism entails can go a long way. It shows that you respect their choices and are making an effort to accommodate them. Plus, knowing the difference between vegan and vegetarian might save you from some awkward mishaps at the dinner table.

So there you have it, folks! A crash course in not being a jerk to your vegan friends. It’s really not that hard. Be respectful, be inclusive, and remember: tofu is not the enemy. Now go forth and be the kind of friend Betty would be proud of. You’ve got this.

And guess what? You can gift them some amazing vegan clothing. And maybe even get something for yourself while at it!

You bring the vibes, we bring the style.

One of the ways I’ve tried to deal with this is to buy from brands that are sustainable. Or claim to be. I’ll admit, I’ve been fooled by gorgeous photos and beguiling lines and ended up with clothes that are anything but planet friendly.

Even though I’ve been a physicoolsports customer for a while now, it’s only recently that I started paying attention to all the nerdy numbers each piece of clothing comes along with. So I thought I’d share what I learned with you. I’m nice like that.

Now being asked to think about what you’re wearing as we live through a climate emergency, probably seems like the most privileged, frivolous, Marie Antoinette thing I could do. But the fact is, what we wear and where we buy our clothes from, matters.

 

 

Pause the cat reel and read this

Now, there’s no way around it, but buying new clothes increases your carbon footprint - as does each and every action we take as humans. Simply put, carbon footprint is the total amount of greenhouse gases (like carbon dioxide and methane) that humans and industry generate every time we do something. That includes buying food, going to work, even sharing cat reels with your best friend!  And greenhouse gases are what’s causing global warming (It’s 52 degrees in Delhi as I type this.) 

Before you go down a rabbit hole of guilt and self-recrimination, here’s where I tell you that when you shop from physicoolsports every product you buy removes more CO2 from the air than it creates to make it.

Nope, I’m not high on Frooti. Let me break it down for you.

Grab a hold of something cold and fruity

All physicoolsports clothing is made from 100% organic cotton using a 100% local supply chain. Organic cotton seeds don’t need harsh pesticides and chemicals which saves water and uses less energy. By going the organic cotton route physicoolsports saves 91% water and 64% energy compared to conventional cotton. Plus, it just feels so much better.

100% Local: All our products are made in India from start to finish. It's all 100% local and this means no air miles. We wish that was enough, but it’s not. Each item of clothing we make still results in CO2 being released into the atmosphere. This is where carbon offsets come in. 

Okay okay, stay with me here. Don’t go watch another cat video. 

Think of carbon offsets as a kind of accounting mechanism that allows people and organisations to mitigate the effects of their carbon footprint. It’s not a get-out-of-jail-free-card. Of course, it’s better to walk or take public transport, rather than a Uber Prime (try Uber Green instead!), but if you’re taking that Uber Prime, how can you make up for the carbon emissions that result from it? Through carbon offsets.  

Carbon offsets allow people and companies to invest in environmental projects that reduce or remove CO2 from the air - think reforestation, solar power, wind and hydro energy or bio-gas - projects that actively seek to avoid, reduce or remove CO2 from the air. Plus, for every item purchased, we plant 3 trees, for some extra good karmic juju. And this is done at no extra charge to you, our lovely customer. All this comes out of physicoolsports’ profit margins.

Look, obviously the best thing to do would be to not buy new clothes, take good care of the clothes you have, upcycle and swap with friends. But if you’re going to buy something new, it’s just better to buy from a brand that really is #planetpositive.

So the next time you’re shopping on the physicoolsports website or in the store, take a moment to look at those nerdy, definitely itsy bitsy, teeny, weeny numbers.  

It’s all bell-shaped

Since that first buy, my relationship with fast fashion can best be likened to a bell curve. I started out with hardly anything in my early twenties, but then snacked on Top Shop, Zara and H&M through for the rest of that decade. They were affordable, beguiling, and there was something new every time I looked. I was once the proud owner of the (in)famous Primark £3 jeans.

But as the clamour of voices around the ethics of fast fashion rang out in the press and online, I began to question the story I was being sold. What did we learn in moral science? All that glitters is not gold.

It took reading Naomi Klein’s No Logo and watching the Rana garment factory tragedy unfold in Bangladesh, that pushed me to start thinking a lot more about who made my clothes. And who paid the real price for £3 jeans. 

What goes up must come down

All of this made me turn away from the brands that had taken up space in my wardrobe after I turned thirty. I stepped away from malls and towards handwoven fabrics, masterjis who could turn them into the latest Miu Miu sundress and my mother’s OG saree collection. 

Maybe these were the initial steps I took towards creating a sustainable wardrobe, though I’m loath to say that. Because let’s be honest, it’s such a privileged, virtue signalling ‘Oh, look at me, and my hemp underwear’ thing to say. Plus, it also wouldn’t be true. My gym clothes aren’t sustainable, neither is my underwear and last month I woke up and found myself the owner of Sex Pistols t-shirt from H&M. I don’t even listen to the Sex Pistols.

What I can say is that over the years, I’ve tried to do things that ensure that I don’t go right back up the fast fashion bell curve. Here they are:

1. Ditch the guilt.

I’ve stopped getting guilt-tripped into thinking I have to throw everything out. a) Because it will just go into a landfill and b) because there are amazing NGOs like Goonj I can give my clothes too.

2. Shop from your friends.

I know someone who is always impeccably dressed on a modest non-profit job salary. Turns out, she just shops from her friends’ wardrobes: from holiday wardrobes to weddings, from jewellery to formal wear. When I asked a friend recently if they wanted a saree of mine for an event, the answer was a swift, ‘Yes, b*tch!’  

3. Talk to to yourself. No really.

“Do I really need that?” is something I ask myself a lot.  Sometimes the answer is yes, sometimes it’s no. But if the part of my brain that tells me to eat Nutella says ‘you really want this’ I cave in depending on whether or not there’s Nutella in the house.

I try to think about what I have, and what I’m adding to my wardrobe. This means I no longer have six pairs of black trousers that ‘kind of’ fit me. I have two that fit really well. And a Sex Pistols t-shirt that will look great with both of them.

4. Talk to others.

I used to hate asking brands questions before buying, because I didn’t want to come across as that annoying, pushy, ‘pp’ customer. But, after receiving purchases that did not look or feel as advertised, I got over it. Brands that are truly sustainable and want to do better, won’t mind answering all your questions. Or better yet, they put everything up front on the website and tell you where to look.

Maybe, one day in the not so distant future I will have an entire wardrobe that consists only of ethically sourced, sustainable clothes, accessories and hemp underwear.

Unless I see a Santana concert t-shirt somewhere. 

Sustainable fashion isn’t just about avoiding fast fashion; it’s about making choices that benefit the environment, society, and economy. Let's unravel why this movement is crucial and essential.

What is Sustainable Fashion?

Sustainable fashion creates clothing with minimal environmental impact. This involves using organic, recycled, or upcycled materials and ensuring production processes reduce waste and pollution.

Key materials include organic cotton, grown without harmful chemicals, and recycled fabrics that give old garments new life. 

Sustainable fashion emphasizes quality over quantity, ensuring each piece is durable and eco-friendly.

The Importance of Sustainable Fashion

The environmental benefits of slow fashion are significant. The fashion industry is a major polluter, contributing to water pollution, greenhouse gas emissions, and textile waste. Choosing sustainable fashion helps reduce these impacts.

Socially and ethically, sustainable fashion ensures fair wages and safe working conditions. This ethical approach combats the exploitation seen in fast fashion, benefiting everyone involved across the supply chain.

Economically, sustainable fashion promotes a circular economy where products are reused, repaired, and recycled. This conserves resources and creates sustainable jobs and markets.

How Sustainable Fashion Is Making a Difference

Brands like Patagonia and Stella McCartney lead the international sustainable fashion movement. Patagonia uses recycled materials and supports environmental causes, showing that businesses can thrive while being eco-friendly. Stella McCartney champions cruelty-free, eco-friendly fashion, setting a standard for luxury brands.

These brands demonstrate that sustainable fashion isn’t niche—it’s a viable, impactful business model reducing carbon footprints and promoting ethical practices.

Challenges and Misconceptions

Despite its benefits, sustainable fashion faces challenges. High production costs and complex supply chains make it tough for brands to fully adopt sustainable practices. Misconceptions about sustainability being too expensive or lacking style persist.

Greenwashing, where brands falsely claim sustainability, also confuses consumers. It’s vital for consumers to research and support transparent sustainable brands.

How You Can Support Sustainable Fashion

Supporting sustainable fashion doesn’t require overhauling your wardrobe overnight. Start small by choosing quality over quantity and investing in timeless, durable pieces. 

Look for certifications like GOTS (Global Organic Textile Standard) or Fair Trade when shopping.

Buying second-hand or vintage clothing is another excellent way to embrace sustainability. When discarding clothes, consider donating, recycling, or upcycling them.

Conclusion

Sustainable fashion isn’t just a trend; it’s a necessary shift towards a more ethical, eco-friendly future. By making conscious choices and supporting sustainable practices, you contribute to positive change. Embrace sustainable fashion and wear your values proudly.

Sustainability in fashion as well as other spheres has to be a consumer-led movement. And higher demand for organic cotton has to come from mindful consumers such as yourselves - we know YOU are because you’re here ;) So, what do we do at physicoolsports to grow the organic movement? We collaborate, NOT compete. Because we believe the organic movement in clothing is kinda something like a symphony. You can hum and strum all you want, but it’s only an orchestra that’ll make it come alive.

Since starting out in 2011, we’ve crossed paths with so many like-minded people who really care and want to act on it too! And we’ve ended up partnering with over 50 organisations in so many different ways. How? Let’s dig in.

Sharing our “secret sauce”

We started early. In 2011, physicoolsports became India’s first Fairtrade, organic clothing brand. The flip side to this badge was that there was a real dearth of ethical fashion brands in the country. And we weren’t cool with that. So physicoolsports decided to mentor more aspiring brand owners. We’ve since consulted over 100 dozens of upcoming brands, shared our take on market opportunities with them and spoken openly of our struggles and challenges. So that they have it better.

Besides making our supply chain completely transparent (organic cotton bought from farmer cooperative Chetna Organic and clothing made at Rajlakshmi Cotton Mills’ Fairtrade certified factory in Kolkata - simple!), we’ve proactively helped connect organic brands with these supply chain partners. For instance, check out the good folks at Delhi-based Stretchery, who make some awesome organic yoga clothing. One for all, all for one? That’s our jam. You see, we’re not looking for a bigger piece of the piece, we’re actually giving away the pie recipe!

On the other hand, for several overseas brands, we even take up the entire production process for them! From design and sourcing, right down to even the eco-friendly packaging. We use our experience with the factory and technical chops to bring their vision of organic clothing to life. It’s SUCH a good feeling to contribute this way and grow the tribe. One such brand partner is Toddy Inc. from Maldives. We work with them closely to create a range of clothing that best represents their idea of sustainability and home. We know that owners Riyaz and Mohammed genuinely care about the environment and it’s a real pleasure collaborating with them. Island-inspired printed tees, women’s dresses, kids clothing - we made an entire beautiful range. Pristine and happy, just like the country.

Sustainable Fashion Brands Mission Coalition

United we stand, yeah? There’s nothing we like more than uniting and amplifying voices of fashion brands that are truly ethical at heart. They’ve got infectious energy and resolve, which is why it’s so much fun working together with them.

To that end, physicoolsports helped kickstart the global movement Fashion Revolution (famous for propagating the ‘Who Made My Clothes’ campaign) in India, bringing lots of like-minded people onto a single platform. We were Country Coordinators for its first year and have been on the team ever since! We work with Fairtrade India as well to bring awareness about farmer issues to schoolchildren and educate them on the need for fair trade. And back home in Goa - where there’s such closeness to the cause anyway - we organise talks about fixing the plight of fashion and hold movie screenings of landmark documentaries like True Cost, River Blue and Nero’s Guests.

Remember Chetna Organic? physicoolsports also supports a global coalition called the Chetna Coalition or ‘ChetCo’ whose mission is to provide support and demand stability to Chetna’s farmers. The coalition works together on assuring future demand as well implementing social welfare projects in Chetna Organic’s communities. We give it all we got. Because we really care.

Teeing off, physicoolsports style

Now we can’t forget where it all began, can we? physicoolsports started off as a brand making organic cotton t-shirts (we still do! Just that there’s so much more now, too). And you know what they say about first love. We LOVE doing custom-printed organic tees for all kinds of folks - bands, social enterprises, private companies, homegrown brands. To name a few: Shaa’ir & Func, Indus Creed, Scribe, UnLtd India, Atma, Sangam, WAGGGS, Kayako, Cube Wealth, Chop Shop.… yep, it’s a LONG list! 

They care enough for their tees to be organic, so we work extra hard to create something they’ll wear proudly. Just like we did for the Goan Gin company Stranger & Sons. They distil in small batches using botanicals sourced from local spice farms. YUM. (Consider this a personal recommendation for your next Sunday G&T sesh.) For Stranger & Son’s brand launch, we custom-made a range of tees showcasing their brand identity in all its quirky glory. We even connected them to our zero-plastic packaging partner - Corugami - to design a unique box for their bottles. That’s teamwork between homegrown brands at its best!

We’re always up for a good collab, as long as the collaborators care like we do. And things don’t always work out! We’ve had to refuse our largest EVER custom order, simply because the company (read: NASTY agro-chemicals) wasn’t quite (read: not at all!) on the same page as us about farmer welfare. ZERO regrets, of course. Ultimately, all our choices go back to where we started and why we’re really doing this.  No positive impact = no go. Care for the planet and everyone on it = physicoolsports.

It’s this care that spins the wheels and drives collaborative effort. At the end of the day, we’re still a small brand with a small team - we can’t rally a consumer movement just by ourselves. This is why we’d acknowledged a long time back that we’re in it together and decided that we’ll drive this change together too. After all, a rising tide lifts all boats! And y’know, we kinda feel it coming. :)

Now can you feel it coming? :)

We really did come into our own here. What started with wanting to find more of physicoolsports in Goa ended with more of Goa in physicoolsports. And today, whether it’s our approach to sustainability or designing our organic clothing, the Goan influence is unmistakable.

Where we’re at - an old, beautiful Portuguese bungalow

Our mothership (HQ, store, studio, warehouse) is an old Portuguese bungalow in the Assagao neighbourhood. It’s where we dream and create. It’s home. The calm, airy space certainly has a Susegado (the relaxed life, as we call it in Goa) vibe to it, but make no mistake, it sometimes gets pretty crazy! Because y’know, being a small team that’s trying to drive big change isn’t easy - we’re ALWAYS up to some kind of multitasking or firefighting. But just being here - in Goa and in our Assagao home - makes SUCH a difference and keeps us going. Also, one of the best lessons Goa taught us is that there’s nothing that ocean breeze and sunset beach swims can’t fix. We swear by this little trick. 

Slowing down in Goa town

The move to Goa was never meant to change anything philosophically. Even while in Bombay, physicoolsports was a proudly Indian organic clothing brand (also Fairtrade and vegan). But Goa lets us think more and be more. At the start, the decision to move was driven by basically two things - affordability and pace.

Goa is a lot more affordable for a small business (other caveats of being in a smaller city apply!) than Bombay. Living here took the financial edge off a little, initially, and didn’t pressure us into directions we didn’t want to take. Most importantly, it let us slow down and think deeply about our outlook towards consumption, sustainability and the planet. Because let’s face it - a metropolis isn’t exactly the ideal place to have these conversations!

We’ve met some great, like-minded people here who believe in many of the same ideas that we do. Fairness, community, planet-friendly actions, care and compassion. Interacting with them and introspecting has led to other epiphanies too. For instance, if our brand is vegan, why aren’t we? A few of us in the team have since taken up vegan lifestyles. For real. Honestly, this has been pretty darn fulfilling. 

And slowly, everything we speak about as a brand has ended up becoming a part of our daily lives as well. Yoga, vegan eateries, zero-waste brands, working with other local change-makers. Remember how we said coming into our own? The slow life really did its thing!

Goan life is our design muse

Before getting here, I don’t think we’d foreseen the extent of inspiration Goa had in store for us. There’s A LOT of it around here. From culture to people to things to...the beach, of course! This is why, as a brand, physicoolsports became a lot more design-oriented after we moved to Goa; inspired by its nature, sights and landscapes. So many of our collections are actually tributes to Goa. For example, many of our prints showcase the beauty of Goa's forests, dunes, fields and mangroves. Kingfisher on a tee anyone? We got you! Our patrons often refer to our styles and designs as relaxed, whimsical and chill. Because that’s our vibe. That’s Goa in physicoolsports.

Defining the vibe of our organic clothing

We’re closer to nature here. We look at the calm, endless ocean, changing seasons and swaying trees all around us, and we love expressing that FEELING in everything that we design. Drawn from our surroundings, this Goan flavour manifests itself in each aspect of our clothing. Whether it’s our easy, free-flowing silhouettes, comfortable, casual fits or muted, earthy colours. Because we want you to feel liberated and happy when you wear physicoolsports. These design choices also lend themselves to a certain timelessness and longevity, without which any conversation around sustainability in clothing is futile, honestly (buy less, wear more often!). A really satisfying win-win situation. 

So whenever you find yourself in Goa next, come say hi! We’re in Assagao - right opposite Gunpowder restaurant, that’s become a landmark in its own right. You won’t miss it! We’ll chat over some fresh, spiced coffee that you will NOT find anywhere else. That’s a promise.

Also read on the physicoolsports Journal: The Truth About Living in Goa

Now, the pollution caused by the fashion industry is frequently under the spotlight, but opaque supply chains in developing countries can be NASTY too. But we’re not having any of it. Nuh-uh. We’ve sworn to never be a part of the problem. physicoolsports means NO. NASTIES.

What we want to do, rather, is make a positive difference to the planet and everyone on it. From FARMER to FACTORY to YOU. Which is why how our clothes are made and who makes them are both equally important to us. So #whomadeyourclothes, then? The awesome folks and technicians at Rajlakshmi Cotton Mills!

How our partnership with Rajlakshmi came to be

All physicoolsports’ organic clothing is made by Rajlakshmi Cotton Mills (RCM) at their facilities in Kolkata and Noida in India, while almost all the cotton we use is bought from the farmer-owned cooperative Chetna Organic. One material, one source, one factory. Yep, we’re completely transparent about how we steer the ship at physicoolsports. 

When we were starting our brand, we actually found Chetna Organic before RCM, because we knew from day 1 that we would not use any materials other than 100% organic cotton. We then followed Chetna’s cotton downstream and discovered that most of it went to RCM. We also love that RCM helps Chetna Organic’s farmers pre-finance their produce and the fact that they actually own a 10% stake in RCM. How’s THAT for leading by example? 

You may not have heard of them, but to call RCM pioneers of organic, Fairtrade clothing in India would be an understatement. RCM is a GOTS, Fairtrade and SA-8000 certified company, using organic cotton to make a range of products from apparel to bed linens. They’re super committed to the cause of farmers, organic, small brands and a better planet. It was because of this alignment of values that working with them turned out to be a no-brainer. Oh, and the quality of everything they make is EXCEPTIONAL.

Their support to local brands to grow the movement is so significant that they are perhaps the reason we could start small way back in 2011; while staying true to our vision of the kind of quality, meaningful product we wanted to create at physicoolsports.

The joy of visiting the organic cotton factory of RCM

We don’t know how much of a coincidence it is that RCM’s main facility is in the City of Joy - Kolkata. But joy is sure as heck how we’d describe our experience there. Every. Single. Time. The factory is in a congested industrial area and getting there means crossing a number of buildings and complexes with chimneys and smoke, but once we reach RCM, it feels like we’re in a different world. 

The single most fulfilling part of our visit always is the vibe we feel when we’re there. We can’t describe it in any way other than happy, bright and purposeful. It’s chaotic, but determined. Industrial, but human. It gives us immense affirmation as well as satisfaction to see the set-up and circumstances within which physicoolsports’ clothing is made. Kudos.

We’ll be honest. Back in the day, we began dreaming of our clothes being made under blue skies in the midst of green, rural pastures. But soon enough, we realised we had to approach this a bit more pragmatically. Here’s the thing: The ready-made garment industry employs almost 13 million(!) people in India. General working conditions, by most accounts, are terrible and unsafe. So it’s actually the structured manufacturing sector that needs attention and fixing. This is why we turned the spotlight there. This way we could increase awareness AND contribute towards making a difference where it really meant something.

We figured we’d much rather work on existing problems than go with the idyllic notion of how we’d like to make our clothing. If it meant working in an industrial setup, so be it. Though y’know, having this so-called industrial-setup isn’t always a bad thing, as we realised with RCM. We told you about the joy we feel, yeah? That’s because even within this construct that makes efficiency a priority, it’s never considered higher than human factors at RCM.

Apart from their own founding values, the Fairtrade and SA-8000 (developed by Social Accountability International) certifications also go towards demonstrating the kind of standards and safeguards they have in place to ensure fair, equitable conditions for each of their employees.

This guarantees a few things to us:

• No child labour or forced labour
• No discrimination
• Payment of fair wages including overtime
• Freedom to form or be part of labour unions
• Strict adherence to health and safety standards

We visit RCM once every few months when putting new designs and styles into production, and are able to see this play out in front of our own eyes, which is so reassuring. They go FAR beyond what these standards stipulate and require, and this goes to show they’re not just in it to check boxes and meet compliance.

A day in the life at Rajlakshmi Cotton Mills

Here’s what the actual scene is like at this sustainability-first factory. We enter to the sight of green lawns and flowers on one side, with HUNDREDS of bicycles neatly parked on the other. Inside the building, it’s all segmented and nicely organised, but from the faces of those behind sewing machines and the way all the different textiles are spread around them, there’s a sense of goodness and warmth to the entire operation. Safety instructions and signs are EVERYWHERE. Whether for fire instructions or protective equipment that needs to be worn.

It’s during chai break that we get to have a chat with some of the people working here. Some of them have been with RCM for more than 10 years! Loyalty seems to be the trend - quite a change from what we’ve generally seen elsewhere in the industry. The employees universally attribute it to how well they’re treated.

All workers are provided subsidised hot vegetarian meals, they’re given health benefits, overtime, buses to commute to and from the factory as well as accommodation in many cases. And on the subject of meals, the hot, fresh rotis they give are a TOTAL weakness of ours. We’ll sheepishly admit they’re one of the highlights of our trips, and we really go to town on them every chance we get!

You know what’s the icing on the cake, though?

Apart from all this genuine, social good they do and the ideals they stand for, they really make a GREAT product. From their well-calibrated machines to the skilled workers fashioning garments - it’s all done to a very high degree.

We’ve seen our share of factories working with organic fabrics, but we didn’t find them offering the kind of quality material and superior final product like RCM does. A true case-in point is our collection of sweater knits. They’re so luxuriously soft and wonderfully finished, if we may say so ourselves. It’s an added bonus that they’re each made using a zero-waste process.

Interestingly, RCM have been able to operate at such high quality because they have worked with some of the biggest international names with extremely exacting standards. physicoolsports was actually the first Indian Fairtrade brand they worked with. You see, till a few years back, India was exporting most of its organic cotton clothing and very little was being sold in our own country. physicoolsports wanted to change that, and that’s exactly what we’ve been doing since the day we started out in 2011.

It’s heartening that the organic movement is now growing here too. We’re trying to do our bit and are so glad to have found a like-minded partner in RCM. Because they care like we do. 

Here’s a little video that shows how it all comes together for physicoolsports from fibre to garment: 

physicoolsports- Factory // Process from Soham Mukherjee on Vimeo.

So that’s that. This is where the magic happens. 

These are the lovely people #WhoMadeYourClothes for physicoolsports.

Think about it. How mainstream these phrases are, reflect how normalised animal cruelty has become in the world even today. Some of us, though, have to raise our hands and say we won’t go down that road. It’s been like that at physicoolsports from the start. Organic. Fairtrade. Vegan. Because we care.

Vegan Clothes - Because Animals don’t have to suffer for us to look or feel good

When we think vegan, our minds immediately go to food and other things we consume. But how prevalent animal-cruelty is in the fashion industry is, to put it lightly, terrible.

We’re all conscious people, yeah? This is why we needn’t get into gory details and images of the things animals have to go through for our sake. We’ve seen more than our share of those to know that it just isn’t the done thing. It’s nasty.

Our values and principles rest on one simple desire. To make a positive difference to the planet and everyone on it. EVERYONE. We believe there simply isn’t good enough reason any more to not treat animals ethically. They deserve our kindness and compassion too.

Cruelty comes in many forms

Whether it’s hurting, killing, ill-treating or testing; cruelty and abuse come in many forms. The end results in our clothing are leather, wool, silk, fur, shell, bones, ivory or various other animal-origin materials. We’re not okay with that. We just don’t believe any of this can be achieved ethically.

So we chose cotton. And we stuck to it. The physicoolsports in our clothes extend to ZERO animal-origin products. Yes, we’re PETA-certified too. Animal testing? Nope. Buttons? Coconut shell. Sweaters? Knitted, Organic, Fairtrade cotton. Scarves? Same. We mean it when we say physicoolsports.

Vegan clothes is all about making more mindful choices

A few years ago, the discussion around being vegan in clothing and fashion made us deeply consider if everything in our supply chain was clean and cruelty-free. Our single material, single farm, single factory supply chain convincingly assured us that we were truly a vegan brand in all respects, but we could certainly offer more alternatives to our customers using ethical substitutes to animal-origin products.

Going the extra mile on matters like these is the physicoolsports way. Always. We started with the usual suspect - wool. No, of course, we don’t use any. But others do. And we wanted to find an alternative - especially one that’s more suitable for higher Indian temperatures. So we came up with warm, really soft, sweater-knits and scarves that are made using a special zero-waste process at our Fairtrade factory in Noida, India.

And then onto usual suspect #2 - buttons. Bone and shell buttons are quite common and we don’t even realise it. Nah, we never used those either. But we switched from plastic buttons to coconut shell buttons all across (by the way, our packaging is ZERO plastic, too! - yeah, we really don’t like plastic).

We even took care of the little things. We decided to not put any leather trims on any of our bags; we used canvas instead. And looked for more substitutes. For instance, there were certain designs that would have benefited from a lustrous appearance (akin to silk) - so we made them with sateen fabric (cotton, but with a satin weave structure). That’s how we do it. No cruelty, no abuse, no nasties. Just playing our part in making better clothing. For you. For the planet. And for animals as well.  

The gift of organic cotton from India for a vegan clothing brand

But if we only use cotton, why are we even talking about being vegan? Good question. Most importantly, it’s a guiding principle and part of our value system, above all else. Further, if we take a closer look, animal-origin products in clothing are all around us. Sometimes even in wardrobes of those leading largely vegan lifestyles. Something about that doesn’t feel right. So having this conversation is important. We want more people to ask “what’s vegan about clothing?”. If we’re making conscious choices anyway by going organic, why not venture a little beyond?

And why do we say cotton is a gift? Because it’s SO versatile and can be used to replace SO much animal-origin apparel. Here’s something to consider: just within our small business, we use more than 10(!) different kinds of organic cotton fabrics of varying texture, thickness and character. Poplin, cambric, single jersey, slub jersey, muslin, knit, canvas and so much more. 

Like we said, we make scarves, sweaters, bags, jackets - all out of organic cotton. There’s just so much more possible and left to explore with this material. And the good thing is we grow so much of it right here in India! We’re the world’s leading producer of organic cotton.

Go vegan with your clothing

In our fashion choices, the vegan angle is certainly something to think about. Even if it means just taking a step back and considering the origins of everything that goes into making our clothes.

Together, we can achieve a lot of sustainability goals simply by making more mindful choices. The same goes for being vegan in our fashion decisions too. Emma Watson put it quite beautifully: “As consumers we have so much power to change the world by just being careful in what we buy.” 

We couldn’t have said it better. And y’know, this goes beyond cotton too. It’s worth looking around to see the rich bouquet of alternative materials available to us today. So in this day and age, we REALLY don’t think killing and animal-abuse is necessary for the sake of our appearance. Remember, every purchase is a vote.

It was 2009. Our founder Apurva Kothari was working as a consultant in the Silicon Valley, but in the course of reading about matters back home in India, he came upon a NASTY problem. Apurva discovered that the number of farmer suicides in the country was alarming - over 300,000 in 20 years! For some eye-opening context, this comes to a life being lost about EVERY 30 minutes. Cotton farmers were buried under debt (so many still ARE) due to expensive GMO seeds and pesticides used towards producing one of the world's most water-intensive crops - conventional cotton. This just wasn’t okay and Apurva decided to do something about it. That's where it all began for us. 

It’s what made us care so deeply. And it’s why we’ve always been an organic, Fairtrade brand.

Breaking down the farmer problem

physicoolsports officially took flight in 2011, but we’d hit the drawing board a while before that. We looked at farmer issues and the agrarian crisis through different perspectives to understand them better. 

Most cotton farmers in India have small landholdings. They aren’t well-connected to the market. They are unable to get fair prices for their produce. Add high-yield pressures, costs of pricey chemicals and loan sharks, and things start to look really grim for them. Cotton is also called the dirtiest crop - while it takes up about 5% of farmland in India, cotton consumes almost 40% of all pesticides used. That is NOT a good sign. It’s terrible for farmer health and these chemicals make their way right back into our water and food systems. 

Could we, then, help the farmers AND the environment by switching to organic? Oh heck yes! We’ve been doing it from the day we started. We wrote here about why conventional cotton is such a big problem and what organic cotton does to overcome it.

How we found our lovely organic cotton

It was decided then - organic cotton was our answer.  So we went searching for it.

Now, India is the world’s LARGEST producer of conventional AND organic cotton. So sourcing organic cotton wasn’t going to be a task, per se, but it had to be done in a manner that drove some meaningful change for the farmers from whom we were buying it. Starting an organic clothing brand was to effect REAL change for cotton farmers. Otherwise, what’s the point? Enter Chetna Organic.

Chetna Organic - By the farmers, for the farmers

Chetna Organic is a farmer-owned cooperative that was founded in 2004 in Hyderabad by two civil society organisations - Solidaridad and ETC India. Farmers affiliated with Chetna Organic primarily work in the rain fed areas of Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra and Odisha. Beginnings were humble with 234 members having small landholdings in India’s cotton-growing belt. Chetna’s mission is to improve the livelihoods of distressed and marginalised farmers by bringing them together and providing know-how of organic farming practices while giving access to markets and buyers.

From non-GMO seed access to promoting sustainable best practices, and right up to building supply chain partnerships with other groups and agencies - the cooperative does it all. Chetna Organic is indeed unique in its structure of being farmer-owned and operated. This eliminates middlemen and malpractice, putting farmer welfare front and centre. This is EXACTLY the kind of farmer movement we wanted to support and empower. 

physicoolsports & Chetna Organic coming together

When we first came in contact with them, there was some frustration felt by them about organic cotton not being marketable in India due to lack of demand. Most of it was being exported and there was hardly any local support. A large part of the produce had to be sold at conventional cotton prices.

Today, virtually all our organic cotton comes from Chetna Organic. And on average, we pay 30% more for it, which takes into account the Fairtrade Premium as well as the higher value of organic cotton itself, compared to conventional cotton. Read more about Fairtrade and Fairtrade Premiums here.

Chetna Organic use the Fairtrade Premium for a number of community programs, like construction of warehouses for safe storage of cotton (as opposed to inside farmers’ homes where it presents a fire and hygiene risk), construction of bio-fertiliser units and a revolving fund that makes part payments as a safety-net to farmers, preventing them from distress sales when the market is unfavourable.

The impact of choosing Organic Cotton from Chetna Organic

Over the years Chetna has become a comprehensive, all-encompassing socio-economic support system for its cotton farmers with many other achievements to its credit. From increasing incomes and facilitating financing to running programs that help farmers switch to organic farming. Today, it counts OVER 40,000 farmers as members.

It’s such a refreshing alternative to how agriculture typically tends to be structured (or fragmented, rather!) in India. Here are a few more of their heartening successes:

• Chetna Organic is now able to sell over 90% of cotton grown as organic (which commands a higher price)
• They have helped farmers introduce crop rotation and grow food crops such as soya, in addition to cotton, keeping food security and biodiversity in mind
• Their key global customers have grouped themselves together into the Chetna Coalition (ChetCo) which works towards ensuring future buying commitments to Chetna farmers, among other social welfare projects

The 100% organic and Fairtrade factory to which most of Chetna Organic’s cotton goes (Rajlakshmi Cotton Mills in Kolkata) actually makes all of our organic clothing too. They also help pre-finance the cotton produce of Chetna’s farmers. In fact, Chetna Organic, through its cooperatives, owns a 10% stake in Rajlakshmi Cotton Mills, which means even more goes back to the farmers in this supply chain. 

To actually see such positive change in the farmer problem we first saw is just a BEAUTIFUL feeling. It fills our hearts with joy to be a part of it in some way. It’s what we truly care about. THIS is what you support by voting for organic. By choosing better clothing. Because ultimately, without happy farmers, there is NO physicoolsports.

While we’re proud of it, we do wish many more Fairtrade brands come up as time goes on. (It’s about collaboration, not competition!)

But what IS it anyway? What is the meaning of Fairtrade? Let’s frame the problem first.

The problem with free trade products

Developing countries (largely across Asia, Africa, South America) are often producer states that grow and supply key commodities (foods, fibres, spices, coffee, cocoa etc) to the rest of the world. More often than not, terms of trade are not in favour of producers who, in addition being pressured and exploited, are subjected to the speculative volatility (whims, really) of the free market. This frequently results in hopeless, distressing situations for farmers that are EXTREMELY unfair. The farmers don’t get their due. And let’s not even get into broken borrowing systems and the malaise of middlemen.

Across the globe, we’ve heard numerous incidents of human rights violations, trafficking, child labour and suicides concerning producers on fields, farms and plantations. Nasty, isn’t it?

Those (literally) responsible for putting food on our table live less than fortunate lives, sadly. And that’s just not done.

Fairtrade vs free trade

This is the problem Fairtrade sought to address through a system of codified, international measures, once it was formally constituted as an organisation in the early 90s - Improving livelihoods for producers by making trade fairer. It has since grown into a global network with local chapters in different countries and regions. India also became a part of countries with their own local Fairtrade entity - Fairtrade India.

Fairtrade measures are implemented through a system of certification and labelling, whereby the ‘Fairtrade mark’ represents that the principles and standards of Fairtrade were followed in the course of bringing commodities to consumers. We’ll unravel this a bit more, but long story short, a commodity (whether a fruit or a bar of chocolate or a t-shirt) bearing the Fairtrade mark warrants that producers who grew said commodity were paid fairly and dealt with on fair terms, such that they are able to sustain their livelihoods.

So, essentially, it’s one concerted step towards a more equitable system of trade. It’s an assurance that the product you’re buying was sourced ethically.

That’s kind of cool, right? A Fairtrade label means no nasties!

While it still may not be a household term in many places (India included), Fairtrade, as a movement, has achieved significant success in many European nations, most notably the UK, which even boasts of Fairtrade towns and schools, with over 75% of people recognising the Fairtrade label. That’s impressive!

physicoolsports was featured in this video that explains why Fairtrade products are a better choice. Shop the Orchid Tiered Dress here. 

Okay, but how does it really work?

There are three core elements that make up the Fairtrade system: 

Fairtrade Minimum Price: A base price stipulated for each commodity, taking into account average costs incurred to grow and sell. This safeguards farmers against market fluctuations.

Fairtrade Premium: A premium paid over and above the Minimum Price (a fixed percentage defined for each commodity) — usually 10-15%. This premium is utilised for community welfare projects as mutually decided by producer organisations. These could be for healthcare, education, agricultural infrastructure or anything else - it remains at the discretion of the producers.

Fairtrade Standards: Standards are qualitative and defined separately for each commodity as well as stage of supply chain (producers, traders) to ensure ethical conduct. They provide for strict requirements regarding issues such as no child labour, gender equality, payment terms, labour conditions etc. For producers, there are additional detailed requirements regarding the farming processes as well. 

As a system, Fairtrade inherently encourages cooperation among producers and seeks to empower them. Therefore, farmers are required to organise themselves into producer organisations. The organisations then collectively educate members, monitor adherence to standards, sell their produce and work on community projects with the Fairtrade Premium earned.

So when producers meet Fairtrade Standards, they can sell their produce at the Fairtrade Minimum Price and earn Fairtrade Premium. And when traders (including manufacturers, processors etc) meet their Fairtrade Standards, they can sell products to consumers with the Fairtrade mark. Simple.

As seen in many countries, the presence of the Fairtrade mark then lets consumers successfully fuel the movement as they can choose and vote with their wallet. Ultimately, the Fairtrade movement is ALL about awareness and consumer action.

A snapshot of Fairtrade numbers - Globally and in India

Over 1.5 million farmers and workers are part of the Fairtrade system globally through over 1,500 producer organisations. In 2017, EUR 188.8 million was the total Fairtrade Premium paid to producers, with each producer organisation receiving more than EUR 118,000 on average.

In India, over 120,000 farmers are part of the Fairtrade system, grouped into 100 producer organisations. In the case of cotton, for example, it’s interesting to note that 74% of all Fairtrade cotton farmers live in India. And in 2017, of the EUR 1.1 million Fairtrade Premium paid for cotton worldwide, 88% went to India.

We’ve come across stories of women farmers benefiting from interest-free loans in Telangana, communities setting up computer learning facilities in Punjab and self-help groups setting up ancillary sources of income in Odisha. All of these have been achieved thanks to different Fairtrade programs.

There’s no denying there’s a long way to go, but hey, these numbers aren’t insignificant by any stretch! And y’know, Rome wasn’t built in a day - this is systemic injustice we’re trying to rout. But we’ll get there.

How Fairtrade translates into what we do at physicoolsports

Virtually all our organic cotton comes from Chetna Organic - a farmer-owned, Fairtrade certified cooperative that counts over 40,000 cotton farmers as members. On average, we pay them 30% higher than market price, which takes into account the Fairtrade Premium as well as the higher value of organic cotton itself, compared to conventional cotton.

Chetna Organic uses the Fairtrade Premium for a number of programs, like construction of warehouses for safe storage of cotton (as opposed to inside farmers’ homes where it presents a fire and hygiene risk), construction of bio-fertiliser units and a revolving fund that makes part payments as a safety-net to farmers, preventing them from distress sales when the market is unfavourable. Read more about Chetna Organic here.

Rajlakshmi Cotton Mills is the lovely oasis of sustainability where all of our organic clothing is made. They’re Fairtrade certified too (in spirit even more than on paper, hearteningly) and have done pioneering work in the field of organic and Fairtrade clothing in India. They actually even help Chetna Organic farmers with pre-financing as well as other community initiatives. 

However, we can't claim that all our clothes are Fairtrade-certified because we also use a lot of overstock fabrics which origins can't be tracked. This is good for the environment as those fabrics won't end up in landfills. While we are 100% sure that all our cotton and clothing has been produced under fair, ethical terms, it's simply the certification that's missing for those products. If you want to make sure that what you wear is 100% Fairtrade, use our sustainability filter here. 

And that’s it. That’s our simple, transparent Fairtrade certified supply chain. Sure, many people still don’t know about Fairtrade, but, for us, it’s about believing in a cause and leading the way. We did it because we care. And in the larger context of Fairtrade in India, we hope to do even more. Together with you, of course.

Howard Zinn once said something really powerful that’s stuck with us: “We don’t have to engage in grand, heroic actions to participate in change. Small acts, when multiplied by millions of people, can transform the world.”

It’s fair for change to be small. It’s fair to ask questions. It’s fair to demand that trade be fair.

PS: What do you think? Are we ready for a system like Fairtrade to take off meaningfully in India?

Buy 1 Get 1 Tree!

Or should we say: the story of how we planted nearly 10,000 trees. Yep, Ten Thousand! And we’re nowhere near done.

Try as much as we do to be green and sustainable (and there’s a long, long list of all the extra miles we run), running an e-commerce business means some environmental footprint is inevitable. We still produce, pack and ship.

However, we couldn’t just sit around and do nothing about it. We don’t take the short root. That’s why, when we turned 7, we decided that for each day that physicoolsports exists, we’re going to plant a tree! And this is what gave rise to the physicoolsports Grove.

Here’s how it’s done:

• 1) We counted from Day 1, going all the way back to April 2011 (This meant planting 2500+ trees right at the start of our physicoolsports Grove program)
• 2) We’re still planting a tree every day to mark a day in the life of our brand
• 3) Additionally, for every product that you buy from us, we plant a tree in YOUR name, complimen-tree! (We want YOU in on the action as well)

We want to keep doing this. Forever and ever and ever.

Planted right where our organic cotton comes from

All trees that make up the physicoolsports Grove are planted in Koraput - a town in rural Odisha. We chose this location because Odisha is where all our organic cotton is grown. Understandably, this was a community we were keen on supporting.

Apart from our earnest attempt at carbon offsets and giving back ecologically, planting these trees offers a host of social benefits to local, rural communities. For starters, planting and post-planting activities themselves create jobs. It’s worth noting that job opportunities in these rural areas are not so easy to come by. So an initiative like this helps. The locals are also able to use twigs and branches from trees as fuel, its fruits as food, and leaves as fodder. It’s why we believe this is a meaningful contribution.

Obviously, there are environmental benefits of trees too, which we’re all quite familiar with. From oxygen generation to improving air quality to preventing soil erosion to cooling areas in their vicinity - trees do it all. Like a gift that keeps giving.

We’re able to achieve this with a great partner

But when did planting trees become so easy? Well, here’s how it works.

We’ve partnered with a social enterprise in Mumbai called Grow Trees. They help those who are environmentally-conscious like us (and pretty much anyone else who wants to get in on this noble mission) with planting trees through their local networks and partners. They find community land and keeping biodiversity and local requirements in mind, plant saplings in your chosen locality. Simple!

Of course, there are audits, traceability-metrics and even replenishments in case something goes wrong in the first year. Clean, like everything at physicoolsports. That’s a guaran-tree!

It feels almost magical that we have the power to do this. To contribute towards tree plantation. This is why, once we found out it could be done, we HAD to do it.

So when you choose physicoolsports, you become a part of this story too (Buy 1 Get 1 Tree, remember?). It ain’t just about clothing. It makes a difference. YOU make a difference. 

And we’re not afraid of this difference being small. Because as philosopher Ralph Waldo Emerson once said: “The creation of a thousand forests is in one acorn”.

My Studio

I recently moved base to Goa - welcome to my open-air design studio! This is where all the magic happens - everything that goes into making that organic cotton t-shirt you just bought so perfect, happens here! And Goa is a huge part of the inspiration for our collections. So, here goes - let's walk through the design process I follow! 

The Mood Board

The Sketches

Designing Details

Once the mood board and product planning is done, it's time to move into the detail designing of the collections. It's days of sketching and designing before I can short list a few designs that can go into the sampling stage with the factory. This is where all the customer feedback is of great help! How long should the T-shirt be? How short should the sleeves be? Is the neckline too deep? Big buttons or small buttons? Contrast thread or matching thread? Single stitching or double stitching? Half inch or One inch? Yep, it's that detailed!

It’s an evolving process from the day we started & that is how we are able to make a organic cotton T-shirt that fits well & lasts forever! Once I am through this stage, I get to sample the designs with the factory and see the styles in flesh & blood.

The Samples

Yay, the samples are here! I am always eagerly waiting for the fit samples to arrive. It's exciting to see the designs that were just lines and numbers a few weeks ago, into actual garments! This is the most crucial part of the design cycle. This is where I decide the fit & feel of the garment.

There are lots of questions to be asked & answered here:

- should I use 120gsm or 140 gsm? (GSM = grams per square metre)

- should I do that fabric wash? (I do! – that’s what makes your cotton T-shirt extra soft)

- Ooh, I think I am going to make the shoulder smaller (psst...that's what gives you the slimming effect, ladies!)

- And I want to make the hem curve a little, it makes the t-shirt hug your body better!

The Colours

Along with the garment sampling starts the testing of new colours. This is loads of fun! I get to choose a bunch of colours pulled out from the mood board and send them to the factory to test them on fabrics. After a few rounds of testing and lab dips, I shortlist my final set of colours!

The Line Sheet

Now I have my final colours & the right fit for my designs! A line sheet is created and I get to plan how many colours to offer in a particular design. This one is always a challenge! It’s a never ending battle...why can’t I have all the styles in all the colours!

The Finishing Touches

It's time for the finishing touches! Here, I work with the branding team to come up with some of the key elements that make the organic cotton t-shirt a physicoolsports t-shirt. From the witty care labels & the fun pizza box, to the shiny new size label, the team works together in creating the perfect brand and packaging that makes up the personality of our t-shirts.

Over to You!

I love that I get to play around with different concepts & silhouettes to create fun ways to wear our humble organic cotton T-shirt before it's back to the mood board for the next season...lather, rinse, repeat.

Rajlakshmi Cotton Mills is one of India’s leading sustainable textile companies that not only produces quality products but observes the highest social, economic and environmental standards. It is organic and fair trade certified. No child labour, no forced labour, no discrimination.

At the mill, employees receive a living wage that is approximately 20-50% above the legal minimum wage, with regular increments and an annual bonus that is not performance-related.  Workers receive paid holiday leave, medical insurance, sick pay, overtime at double the normal wage and a retirement pension fund plan, as well as subsidised meals and free transport.  Employees are free to join trade unions. All children of the mill workers receive free schooling.  These benefits and more have resulted in a high level of worker satisfaction and a low employee turnover of approximately 2% per year.

So what happens when the cotton from Chetna that is destined to become a batch of physicoolsports t-shirts reaches Kolkata?  First, it is spun into yarn, which then gets knitted into the supersoft fabric lengths that physicoolsports fans rave about.  The fabric is checked for quality and then dyed to our technicolour specifications using eco-friendly, water-based dyes that are Global Organic Textiles Standard (GOTS) approved.  After being washed and checked once again for colour consistency, the fabric is stacked and then cut into the pattern pieces of our t-shirt shapes that have been tweaked to perfection.

The cut pieces are then hand-printed, again using eco-friendly inks, bringing to life the artwork of our talented designer community – a group of incredibly skilled individuals who all believe in the power of good through design.

After printing, the fabric pieces are sewn together and voilà!  The t-shirt is born.  It is carefully finished, checked, then securely packed up.  The super sexy tees make their way to physicoolsports HQ where they are waiting eagerly for you to give them a loving home.  For every purchase, the farmers get more, the factory workers get more and you support brands like us who are trying to make a difference - all in return for buying an awesome t-shirt. 

Not a bad deal :)

There are a multitude of words in the English language that are used incorrectly on a daily basis. Take ‘literally’, for example - it’s a word that means ‘actually’, or ‘without exaggeration’, when in fact it is more often than not used by people (most of these people being teenage girls like me, but I digress) to do just that - exaggerate. There are dozens of words and phrases just like this one that people use daily without knowing the literal (ha!) meaning of.

Let’s unpack this one: organic.

Organic is a word I hear all the time. I hear my dad tell our housekeeper to buy organic eggs, not the ones from this store or that seller. I hear people talking about going to farmers markets in Bandra (in Mumbai) that boast a wide variety of organic produce. And of course, I hear from my uncle and aunt, and now other people hear from me, about physicoolsports: the organic clothing brand.

I also hear husbands and wives bickering in the grocery store over, say, which shelf of mushrooms they should pick to take home. It starts with a loud, indignant voice: “Why the hell would I spend this much for a pack of mushrooms when the exact same product is available for half the price, not even a foot away?”

“These are organic! It’s better for you!”

Cue the scramble for both parties to grab the one they prefer and run over to the cash register.

Their cause of confusion is a common one: Why buy something for a far larger sum, simply because the person in charge of packaging it decided to scribble in the word organic?

The answer is that it is not just a word slapped onto the label - there are multiple differences between products that qualify as organic, and products that don’t. These differences begin with the way the materials used to make organic products are grown in farms.

The methods in organic farms are vastly unlike those of most other farms: they don’t use carcinogenic chemicals, toxic pesticides or synthetic fertilizers that harm the air, nearby water bodies, soil, and even the people working on the fields. This prevents the soil from relying on certain chemicals for nutrients, ensuring that it will not need many fertilizers to thrive in the future.

Workers who are often exposed to toxic chemicals can go on to experience various health problems such as issues within reproductive health and cancer. A lot of the people who work on these farms don’t have alternative sources of income though, so they have no choice but to risk this (some may not even know of the health concerns their work may result in).

Not using harmful artificial additives also prevents the chemicals from draining from the soil into any nearby freshwater lakes, rivers or streams, where it could then harm animals or people who drink that water. This is known as ‘fertilizer runoff’ and can also create growths underwater that harm marine life further.

And then, of course, there are the health benefits to the people who use organic food or clothing - no chemical traces within your body or on your skin means that you won’t be facing any risks to your health either!

Another type of fabric commonly used is synthetic fabric, made by humans from petroleum-based components. These fabrics are quite scary when you look into them - they contain chemicals that can irritate sensitive skin, as well as what are known as microplastics - infinitesimal pieces of that one material that cannot be recycled or broken down in compost. These little chunks of plastic are so small that they cannot be detected by filters - so when synthetic fabric is washed, the water with thousands of microplastics now in it, eventually finds its way into oceans, lakes, streams, and rivers. The shards then begin to wreak havoc upon the marine life by hurting fish that ingest them. It doesn’t end there, though - the plastic travels along with the fish through the food chain - larger animals eat the fish and land up with the pieces within their own digestive tracts.

One of the previously mentioned large animals is, of course, seafood eating humans! So because of the materials that manufacturers use to construct synthetic fabrics, a vast array of species, including humans, ironically enough, get tiny shards of plastic floating through their bodies. Organic fabrics, on the other hand, do not use microplastics and are therefore usually a lot more safe in this department.

These are just a few of the reasons why the word ‘organic’ is generally preferred by those who know what it means when they see it on a label. Organic products are often a bit more expensive so that more contributions can be made towards farmers taking the initiative to battle fertilizer, chemical, and pesticide use, but even switching to organic for a handful of items on your grocery list can help support this movement. Companies like physicoolsports that guarantee 100% organic, 100% fair trade clothing are the future in safer, healthier fashion.

Buy healthy. Buy happy. Buy organic.

Citations:

Image credit:

 - https://physicoolsports.com/

 - https://physicoolsports.com/organic-farming-india.html

 - Development News

EarthHero Staff. “Why Wear Organic Clothing? | Simply Sustainable.” EarthHero, 2018 EarthHero, 20 June 2017, earthhero.com/why-wear-organic-clothing/.

Back in 2011, I knew my aunt and uncle, Shweta Deliwala and Apurva Kothari, to be people who loved food - I’d even say ‘foodies’ for lack of a cooler, less overused word. They were the type of people my 8-year-old self couldn’t bring myself to understand - as a skinny little kid who much preferred to play and dance around the house than sit down for hours (I’m a slow eater, sue me) to chew at an extensive Indian homemade plate. To add to that, I was picky, and would rather just eat a salad with a side of whatever brand of candy was my favourite that month than spend hours subtly remarking (read: loudly whining) about the ingredients in the plate in front of me that didn’t quite appeal to my (not very refined) tastes.

My uncle and aunt, on the other hand, wouldn’t mind eating everything from cheese platters to Goan fish thali to salmon sashimi to ceviche… you name it, they’d probably be open to trying it. But now, they’re living in Goa as vegans who prefer to eat cashew cheese pizza, make almond milk chia pudding, and choose to get protein from soy instead of fish or eggs, while running an all natural, cruelty-free, organic clothing brand. So what changed?
 

Around the time that they were starting physicoolsports, they became a lot more conscious about sustainability, especially when it came to their clothing, products, and packaging. When they moved to Goa, this awareness was magnified by living in a community that maintained a far less wasteful lifestyle than what is common in a city like Mumbai. This prompted them to not only change their lifestyle to be more sustainable to the environment but to be more compassionate when it came to the animals that inhabit said environment as well. Long story short, they began to ease into a vegan diet. 

When I heard about this decision, I must admit, I was kind of skeptical. The concept of veganism to me, at first, seemed a bit idealistic - how was it possible to use so few animal products which have become staples in everyone’s lives, and still not suffer any drawbacks to your body whatsoever? While being a completely cruelty-free society sounds fantastic to anyone who cares about animal rights, when you think about it, it’s bound to be a lot harder than it seems to put this plan into action. Humans consume meat, fish, cheese, yogurt, milk, eggs, and honey - all animal-based products. Designers advertise fashionable leather jackets, wool sweaters, and fur coats that fashion bloggers drool over. Children ogle exhibits of imprisoned and unhappy animals in zoos on family outings. People even use animal heads as decor, that’s the level we’ve gone to! So how is it plausible to expect a species so used to being unabashedly at the top of the universal food chain to change the way they function?

“We are, quite literally, gambling with the future of our planet - for the sake of hamburgers.” ― Peter Singer 

As a vegetarian since birth, the concept of eating vegan didn’t seem so drastic to me by itself - if simply by cutting down on certain foods once you’ve reached the age where you no longer need as much milk or dairy, we could change the number of animals that are harmed in order to obtain these huge amounts of dairy, then it was worth thinking about. I admit, I squirmed at the idea of giving up cheese and ice cream (how does one live without hazelnut ice cream anyway?), though giving up yogurt was something I immediately jumped on, having been a kid who was ever so often forced to polish off a cup of dahi with my lunch (ew). I completely understood the anti-animal cruelty thinking behind vegetarianism (I live it, after all), but I wasn’t sure about the deal within the dairy industry.

Looking into this factor shocked me, so I’d like to bring to light something I myself was under the false impression of. The happy animals we see on milk cartons and advertisements have led to the common misconception that the dairy industry doesn’t cause any harm to cattle and other livestock - simply because we only take the milk that they are ‘producing anyway’. However, the sad truth of the matter is that young male calves are killed regularly while still in the early weeks of life, as they will not produce the same milk as females, and instead take up this milk. So humans kill these newborns because they are taking the milk their mothers are producing for them. It’s entirely possible that not all farmers do this, but, according to The Guardian, it happens so early on in the calves’ lives that the killings go almost entirely undocumented, so we have no idea exactly what number happens per year.

My first thought when I heard about this was, of course, that it was ridiculously inhumane and cruel. I couldn’t believe that people actually would go to such horrible lengths for something so ‘everyday’ as milk. At the same time, I found myself on the fence about what the real problem was - the milk, or the pressure to sell on the people producing it? The root of this issue is obviously in the fact that the dairy industry is in such a demand that farmers are desperate to sell as much as possible. Reducing this demand could be a way to fix the issue - attempting to completely put an end to the dairy industry really doesn’t seem very realistic to me, especially with the number of other industries that rely on its products. But would it even be possible to change what is so normalized now? I have no idea.

Veganism isn’t just about what you eat, though - veganism is a way of living which strives to exclude all unnecessary types of exploitation of animals for food, clothing, entertainment, decor, and other uses.

It’s the other aspects of vegan living that interest me - being against animal testing, animal skin as clothing… that’s all part of a vegan mindset. These are things I have strongly believed in for as long as I can remember, but I never considered it to be aspects of this idea. It made me think about how, even if I can’t really live without binge-watching Netflix with cheesy pizza or the occasional cup of gelato, there are still aspects of my life which are firmly within vegan thinking. Maybe the next step is just to be more conscious about animal cruelty in general?

We crinkle our noses and turn away from videos of slaughterhouses, ask people to refrain from sharing graphic stories of animal cruelty, and I hate hearing about it as much as the next person, but we can’t ignore this problem forever. If everyone decides to stop giving the cold shoulder to the story behind the food on our plates, the coats on our backs, or the animal skin rugs under our feet, how much will it help raise awareness about things that can change said stories, for the better? It is now easier to be cruelty-free that ever - by cutting meat from your diet, buying products that are against animal testing, or just start wearing clothes that help spread this positive message - there are thousands of little ways to contribute, we all just need to take that extra step.

When it’s so easy to help the world, maybe the question that goes through our minds should not be ‘why?’, but rather, why not?

Citations 

Cover image credit: www.paperlief.com

Image credit:

 - https://vibrantplate.com

 - https://shutterstock.com

Levitt, Tom. “Dairy's 'Dirty Secret': It's Still Cheaper to Kill Male Calves than to Rear Them.” The Guardian, Guardian News and Media, 26 Mar. 2018, www.theguardian.com/environment/2018/mar/26/dairy-dirty-secret-its-still-cheaper-to-kill-male-calves-than-to-rear-them.

A simple tag...

What's in a tag? Nothing yet everything! We need tags, it's a business must. But a throw away tag made from a cheap unethically sourced Nastie? Nope, we are physicoolsports. What if we pay a few more rupees for tags made from swept up factory floor scraps of organic fairtrade cotton?!?! Does that exist?!?!

YES IT DOES!!! We source our beautiful organic cotton tags from Punarbhavaa Sustainable Products. So you don't need to feel guilty for pulling the tag off of your brand new shiny physicoolsports product the second you get home - it's organic cotton, cut it up into tiny pieces and add it to your compost! 

A simple bag...

When you get your organic, fairtrade, vegan cotton physicoolsports clothing, you don't want that in a bag made from high-density polyethylene, low-density polyethylene, or linear low-density polyethylene. You want it in a beautifully soft organic fairtrade vegan cotton bag!

And that's how we package each product you buy from us! What's even better than getting a FREE bonus bag with your new purchase! It's reusable (and cute by the way!)! We've heard from customers that it is the perfect size for a portable speaker, a great lego storage bag, or a storage bag for other bags! Share with us how you use your bag! 

And a box...

If you are ordering your physicoolsports online, we then need to package all of this into a box so it can be labelled and sent on it's merry way! Our boxes are made from recycled material - no new trees were harmed in the making of these boxes. 🌴😎 

But wait, we can still help the planet more...

• Every physicoolsports product is created in Kolkata. They get shipped to us in Goa, in plastic bag lined boxes. 😔We need something sturdy to keep our physicoolsports shiny and new while they are on the way! 

• At this moment, we are still using boxes that need to be taped shut - which means plastic tape. 😭😢We need something that will keep your physicoolsports safe from Goa to you! 

We know that there are alternatives, and we are actively looking into these. A few of our social media followers have shared their plant based alternatives and we are excited to try these out! We want to do better for our planet and will do better! 

Know of something that you think might help us? Leave us a comment here or on our social media pages! 

WHAT WE ALREADY DO:

Our farms are rain-fed & there are no toxic pesticides & fertilisers used; there are no heavy metals in our azo-free dyes & plastisol-free inks; we use organic cloth bags for packaging and our paper hang-tags are made of up-cycled organic cotton fabric waste; our shipping boxes are made of recycled cardboard…we do a lot, but there's still an ecological cost:

• Production - All goods, even sustainable goods, have an ecological footprint. 
• Packing - even though we don’t use plastics, cardboard and paper don’t exactly grow on trees...oh, wait! 
• Shipping - 1545 orders shipped to 61 different countries - imagine the frequent flier miles!

This wasn't sitting right with us, we wanted to do more - this was how we got our start all those years ago!

So the question was: What should we do?

THE ANSWER: LET'S PLANT TREES!

Trees; those beautiful, bountiful, magical things that give us air, shade and so many delicious mangoes. Let's plant so many trees that we create our very own physicoolsports Grove. In fact, let's plant 10,000 trees this year! 

THE NO NASTIES GROVE

We started physicoolsports with full transparency, and we are committed to sharing everything with you - every step of the way. We are increasing our prices (cue the sad music and a slow single tear drop running down your cheek). BUT, you won't be mourning long (you can find your tissue now). We are increasing our prices so that every product you purchase online will include the price of a tree in the physicoolsports Grove! Isn't that tree-mendous?!

We are going to plant a tree for each of the following 3 things: 

• Every online product sold = TREE
• Every new email signup = TREE
• Every single day in business = TREE

Tree, tree, tree, tree! Gimme more treeees!

OUR ACTIONS SO FAR!

We have already planted 7,433 trees in our physicoolsports Grove! We've counted up all the days we've been in business, all the wonderful online actions from #7yearsofnonasties, and all of the new email signups from April 2018! And beginning June 2018, we are also counting every online product sold! How unbe-leaf-able is that! 

Every month, we'll update you on our progress. And if you were one of the amazing people who we planted a tree for during the month, you'll receive an email from our partner, Grow-Trees, to confirm that we did indeed plant a tree just for you in our physicoolsports Grove! You can share this with your friends, family and/or social media followers! Be proud that you support physicoolsports!!

READY TO TAKE ACTION?

Not only will we plant a tree for every online product sold, every new email signup AND every single day we are in business, you can also purchase individual trees. Add 1, 10 or 100 trees to your physicoolsports order and we'll plant those trees in our physicoolsports Grove in your name! So shop today, and make a positive mark on our beautiful Planet Earth!

"The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second best time is now."

From Peru to Namibia, South Korea to Saudi Arabia, Guernsey to Guadeloupe, Uganda to Vanuata - in the last 7 years, we've had website visitors and customers from every corner of the world. Guess the internet truly puts the world in your pocket - inside your mobile phone.

Countries/Regions List of Website Visitors

FYI - this is as per our Google Analytics data. It says we've had visitors from 209 countries, though the UN only recognises 195 countries - ha!

(Sorted by number of visitors)

1. India
2. United States
3. United Kingdom
4. Australia
5. Germany
6. Canada
7. France
8. Russia
9. Netherlands
10. Brazil
11. New Zealand
12. Portugal
13. United Arab Emirates
14. Spain
15. Sweden
16. Singapore
17. Saudi Arabia
18. Italy
19. Japan
20. Poland
21. Switzerland
22. Indonesia
23. Pakistan
24. Belgium
25. Ireland
26. Malaysia
27. Denmark
28. Austria
29. Norway
30. Hong Kong
31. Thailand
32. Philippines
33. Finland
34. Turkey
35. Israel
36. Ukraine
37. Qatar
38. Mexico
39. Czechia
40. South Africa
41. China
42. Kuwait
43. South Korea
44. Vietnam
45. Bangladesh
46. Greece
47. Taiwan
48. Sri Lanka
49. Iran
50. Estonia
51. Nepal
52. Iraq
53. Romania
54. Maldives
55. Egypt
56. Croatia
57. Chile
58. Argentina
59. Kenya
60. Bahrain
61. Peru
62. Oman
63. Nigeria
64. Colombia
65. Hungary
66. Slovenia
67. Luxembourg
68. Angola
69. Slovakia
70. Algeria
71. Puerto Rico
72. Morocco
73. Bulgaria
74. Barbados
75. Cambodia
76. Lithuania
77. Mauritius
78. Venezuela
79. Ghana
80. Latvia
81. Costa Rica
82. Lebanon
83. Serbia
84. Trinidad & Tobago
85. Ecuador
86. Afghanistan
87. Jamaica
88. Syria
89. Uganda
90. Iceland
91. Malta
92. Myanmar (Burma)
93. Jordan
94. Cyprus
95. Guatemala
96. Libya
97. Bolivia
98. Réunion
99. Tunisia
100. Yemen
101. Dominican Republic
102. Uruguay
103. Albania
104. Bosnia & Herzegovina
105. Panama
106. El Salvador
107. Tanzania
108. Sudan
109. Senegal
110. Honduras
111. Kazakhstan
112. Macedonia (FYROM)
113. Zambia
114. Ethiopia
115. Laos
116. Zimbabwe
117. Bahamas
118. Cayman Islands
119. Monaco
120. Nicaragua
121. Sint Maarten
122. Armenia
123. Georgia
124. Guadeloupe
125. Mozambique
126. Botswana
127. New Caledonia
128. Bermuda
129. Jersey
130. Belarus
131. Curaçao
132. Fiji
133. Moldova
134. Bhutan
135. Côte d’Ivoire
136. Guam
137. Namibia
138. Palestine
139. Paraguay
140. Brunei
141. Grenada
142. Rwanda
143. Turks & Caicos Islands
144. Azerbaijan
145. Congo - Kinshasa
146. St. Lucia
147. French Polynesia
148. Belize
149. Cameroon
150. Guernsey
151. Macau
152. Sierra Leone
153. Somalia
154. American Samoa
155. Caribbean Netherlands
156. Haiti
157. Papua New Guinea
158. Seychelles
159. U.S. Virgin Islands
160. Antigua & Barbuda
161. Benin
162. Isle of Man
163. Madagascar
164. Malawi
165. Suriname
166. British Virgin Islands
167. Burkina Faso
168. Djibouti
169. Mongolia
170. Uzbekistan
171. Kosovo
172. Andorra
173. Dominica
174. Gibraltar
175. Kyrgyzstan
176. Liberia
177. Martinique
178. Vanuatu
179. Aruba
180. Burundi
181. French Guiana
182. Gambia
183. Montenegro
184. Congo - Brazzaville
185. Cook Islands
186. Faroe Islands
187. Gabon
188. Guinea
189. Guyana
190. St. Kitts & Nevis
191. St. Martin
192. Niger
193. South Sudan
194. Chad
195. Tajikistan
196. Timor-Leste
197. Tonga
198. St. Vincent & Grenadines
199. Anguilla
200. Curaçao
201. Cape Verde
202. Greenland
203. Liechtenstein
204. Lesotho
205. Mali
206. Northern Mariana Islands
207. Mauritania
208. Montserrat
209. Swaziland

Countries List of Customers

(Sorted by number of orders)

1. India
2. United States
3. Australia
4. United Kingdom
5. Germany
6. Canada
7. New Zealand
8. Netherlands
9. France
10. Sweden
11. Spain
12. Poland
13. Belgium
14. Denmark
15. Ireland
16. Japan
17. Norway
18. Finland
19. Switzerland
20. Italy
21. Singapore
22. Israel
23. United Arab Emirates
24. Austria
25. Czech Republic
26. Estonia
27. Indonesia
28. Portugal
29. Mexico
30. Bahrain
31. Malaysia
32. Russia
33. Taiwan
34. Brazil
35. Greece
36. Hong Kong
37. South Africa
38. South Korea
39. Kuwait
40. Latvia
41. Luxembourg
42. Maldives
43. Slovakia
44. Thailand
45. Croatia
46. Cyprus
47. Guadeloupe
48. Guernsey
49. Iceland
50. Iran, Islamic Republic Of
51. Mauritius
52. Namibia
53. Oman
54. Peru
55. Philippines
56. Qatar
57. Saudi Arabia
58. Sri Lanka
59. Turkey
60. Uganda
61. Vanuatu

So let's get straight to it and hear from our designer, Shweta, about Dunes - our latest collection. 

What's the origin of the theme of Dunes?

The concept for the Dunes print came about while I was at a yoga retreat last year. It was an art meditation technique that I practiced while I was there, which stayed with me much after the retreat. The technique was very simple, drawing lines across the page in *one breath*.

It took me a couple of days to fill up the entire page, and the result was beautiful! My breathing pattern were translated into rhythmic waves that imitated sand dunes.

That's an amazing story for the design! Did you have an inspiration for this particular pattern and technique?

I liked the idea of sand dunes (sand dunes translated well into the concept of space & time which in turn related to the concept of meditation) So I started researching patterns created in sand dunes and came across the work of American artist, Tracie Cheng. Her work was not only inspiring, but it also helped me integrate my drawings with my clothes.

The prints look great! Tell us more about the new silhouettes and the fabrics too - what's new this time?

Everything! This collection we have all new styles for women. No repeats!

The silhouettes are mostly one-size-fits-all, anti-fit shapes to allow for easy, casual wearing as well as accommodate more body shapes.

And we have a lot more variety in fabrics too - Single Jersey, Slub, Voile, Yarn dyed checks, Swiss Dot! 

    . 

(Featured above are the Nyiri, Aliciella and the Mojave dresses from the collection, all featuring brand new fabrics - still 100% organic & fairtrade cotton, of course.). 

That's a whole lot of new! How did you choose the colour palette for this collection?

Since the silhouettes are mostly anti-fit, I went with clean, neutral colours that were easy to wear. Keep it simple, sistah!

(Read more about the overall design philosophy of making classic, timeless pieces here)

How was the production process in Kolkata this time? Did you have to change/evolve any of the designs during sampling?

The production process was particularly challenging this time for a couple of reasons. The print & the print placement were both unconventional and required a lot of iterations with the printing team at Rajlakshmi (our factory).

It took a lot of hours at the printing table to get the placements right and sustainable for production. Even after all that, we had to drop the printed shirt for men (sorry, guys!) as it was too tricky going into production.

    . 

(ps: If you're new around here, physicoolsports is a completely transparent brand and we share all our supply chain info - see it here.)

Thanks for sharing, Shweta!

Well, what are you waiting for - go take a look at the Dunes!

It's been 6 years since we started this little "project" of ours. 6 years of organic, 6 years of fairtrade, 6 years of working with cotton farmers, 6 years of getting to know all of you (btw, have we told you lately that we love you?)! 

But we can't help wonder - after 6 years, do you really know us?

Here are 6 things that you probably didn't know about physicoolsports:

1. We are India's FIRST Fairtrade licensed clothing brand

That's right - we're #1! When we started out, there were several fairtrade producers (farmers & factories) in India but we were the first to get a Fairtrade License as a brand selling in India. 

We've been 100% organic and fair trade since day 1 (April 11th, 2011) - 6 years and counting! 

2. We're a REALLY small team!

We are a lean, mean, motley crew of 4 people. Yep, you heard right - just 4!

We are a family-owned, couple-run business with Apu & Shweta at the helm. 

• Shweta is our creative head, handling ALL design and production. (Read her design philosophy).
• Niyati lovingly packs all our e-commerce orders & manages the inventory.
• Priyanka handles all our Ops & Customer Service (she's our newest member - she just joined us last week!)
• And me, Apu - I handle the biznessy & techie stuff, the sales & the yak yak, and claim to be dreaming up new visions for the company so I can sleep some more.

ps: We are actively looking for a 5th crew member to head up our Marketing & Social Media digital madness so if you know someone who'd be a good fit, please ask them to email us at [email protected].

We miss everyone who's been part of our journey so far (special shoutout to Diti, Ruth, Amrita, Felix, Anushka, Nilofer, Christina, Vishal, Maeve, Ruta, Asja, Yashika, Chris, Jayanth...oh boy, this list is long and they're already cueing the play-off music to get me off-stage...) 

3. We don't compete; we collaborate.

We want to create a movement for ethical fashion to help put a stop to farmer suicides in India.

That's our raison d'etre; our mission; our purpose!

And we need more people to join us to achieve this. Together, we can.

Here are a few things we've done to help grow this movement:

• Helped launch other competing brands! We have directly helped at least half a dozen ethical fashion brands around the world and consulted 100+ aspiring brand owners on how to go about it. For us, it's not about getting a bigger piece of the pie but sharing the pie recipe! If you want ANY help, just ask - really! (Ask here: [email protected])
• Co-founded The Green People of India in collaboration with other Indian organic cotton t-shirt brands which later grew into a wider community of "green" businesses.
• We are joining an international group of brands to provide more stability and support to our cotton farmers co-op (Chetna Organic) as part of a global coalition called ChetCo (read about it on Forbes.com) - super excited about this!
• We are an active part of the Fashion Revolution Day movement and were the country co-ordinators for India when it launched. We continue to be a part of this amazing global campaign (hey - come for our movie screening on April 24th in Goa! Email us for details - [email protected])

4. Have you met Doug?

Did you know we started and run a non-profit project too?

Did you know that it's kinda, sorta, really super-duper awesome??

It works with women from the cotton farming community of Maharashtra, India (from the regions that have the highest number of farmer suicides) to give them a reliable, secondary income AND create awareness of the agrarian crisis in their region. It's working!

It's called Once Upon A Doug.

5. A Global Goan Business

Recently, we shifted our base to the lovely beach town of Goa (it's lovely but...) and we love being local + global. Being online means we've reached all corners of the planet - literally! Don't believe us? Here's a list of countries that we've shipped to in 6 years:

1. Australia (that's like all the way down there!)
2. Austria
3. Bahrain
4. Belgium
5. Brazil (that is literally the other side of the planet from us!)
6. Canada
7. Czech Republic
8. Denmark
9. Estonia
10. Finland (up top!)
11. France
12. Germany
13. Hong Kong
14. India
15. Indonesia
16. Ireland
17. Israel
18. Italy
19. Japan
20. Kuwait
21. Latvia
22. Luxembourg
23. Malaysia
24. Maldives
25. Netherlands
26. New Zealand (down low)
27. Norway (up top again!)
28. Peru (how did they even find us!?)
29. Poland
30. Portugal
31. Qatar
32. Russia
33. Saudi Arabia
34. Singapore
35. Slovakia
36. South Africa
37. Spain
38. Sweden (one of our faves!)
39. Switzerland
40. Taiwan
41. Thailand
42. Turkey
43. United Arab Emirates
44. United Kingdom
45. United States

That's 45 countries that have received some physicoolsports loving, and we love that! Though our focus has always been to kickstart a consumer movement in India for ethical fashion, it's humbling (and quite a high!) to know that we're catching people's attention around the world.

6. The Bottomline: Happiness!

We're not here for the money (though it helps); we're not here for the fame (it's fleeting); we're not here for anything but happiness. Happiness for us and for our farmers and factory workers and supporters and customers - all of us.

We believe happiness comes from Purpose.

Sure, pleasure & passion are sweet too but it's purpose that is the wind in our sails.

We've drafted our mission accordingly. Here it is, scribbled on a whiteboard many moons ago but still standing tall in our office as a daily reminder of why we do what we do. (click the image to open our Instagram account).

Conclusion:

We'd like to leave you today with these 3 things to ponder on:

• a movement for ethical fashion
• a clothing brand that you will love
• an invitation for you to join the above.

Join us, won't you?

We've waxed lyrical about our new adopted home state before. Goa's beaches, lush greenery and sweeping vistas have certainly permeated our designs and provided gorgeous photoshoot locations. Those squeezed-on-the-spot juices and fish thalis aren't half bad either.

But what's it really like to run our business here?

Here is what our fresh-from-the-city, starry-eyed dreams imagined our life would look like when we first came to these shores:

6am: Waking up to the sound of birds and church bells, we roll out of bed for a relaxed morning of reading and a freshly-brewed cuppa.

8am: Yoga. Ahhh. S-t-r-e-t-c-h. 

10am: Making healthy Pinterest-worthy breakfasts to eat on our veranda, and generally soaking up the beauty of the day like nothing short of a Disney princess singing to a squirrel.

11am: Reach work – but no emails just yet! Let's crack on with some big-picture project stuff. You know, the things that make your heart thump a bit louder and get you all fired up. Booyah!

1pm: Before you know it, it's lunch hour. Where shall we go today? Eva Cafe, then dip our toes in the sea? Bean Me Up, and finish with the best raw vegan desserts under the tropical sun? Baba Au Rhum for some french baked goods? Artjuna for Middle-eastern? Nah, let's go to the local haunt, Vinayak - family owned, delicious Goan food, located on the edge of a paddy field. And hey, there's totally time to stop for a tender coconut on the way back.

(Photos: The yoga shala, the verandah & the lovely Eva cafe)

2-4pm: We'll get down to correspondence emails and work with the team to make sure everything's running like clockwork across the business. Chai? Go on then.

4-6pm: And then, having totally shown our work diaries who's boss, it's time for an ocean swim. Oh, unless it's an Ultimate Frisbee day. But that's on the beach too, so not far to go to cool off our feet after the workout. Not far to the bar for a feni and Limca, either. When in Goa...

6pm-zzz: What's the number one rule? No work after sunset! We like our evenings free to switch off, meet friends, cook at home, have a drink, sleep early. After all, those squirrels will need serenading tomorrow too.

(Photos: Miles of beaches, paddy fields and sunsets)

Well.

That's the dream. Here's the reality.

We might do early morning yoga every day for a month. And love it! But then we're out of town travelling and eek... the habit slips.

We spend much longer hours in the office dealing with small issues, erratic internet connections, customer service, chasing down the Fedex guy, running out of boxes. There's a lot of firefighting! Because we're a small business and that's just how it works – but with some extra Goa madness thrown in. All that can mean less time to work on the 'big picture' view because dropping all the other things being juggled just isn't an option. Hey look, the neighbours’ cow is in our yard again.

Lunch gets skipped. We get sucked into our computers and suddenly... oh no... it takes effort to go to the beach! It's something we really have to remind ourselves to do for our own sanity – it's such a short season and a bookend to the day that is so relaxing when we make it a priority. But oh, the internet just went down again. And where is that Fedex guy?!

(Photos: The new office, the commute & where's the Fedex guy!?)

So our reality can look a little different. But you know what – it's worth it.

We work longer hours, but they're still more peaceful somehow. Not having to commute or stress out over traffic means we don't start and end the day feeling super hassled. For us – though we know it’s different for everyone – a long day in Goa still beats a half day in the city, hands down!

Moving not just ourselves but our stock to Goa has also been hugely rewarding. There's already been so much to learn and enjoy about bringing our warehouse back in-house: we love being able to add more of a personal touch, to take on special requests and improve order turnaround time. As a brand focused on sustainability it's also been fun to hunt out reusable packaging – are you the lucky customer whose big physicoolsports order turned up in a Parle G biscuits box?!

Outside of work, we've also been blessed to find an awesome community here. Goa has a great crowd of socially-conscious people, and because the group is smaller it's way more interactive and great for getting to know folks. A little effort to shut down the laptop on time is rewarded with a reliably fun social scene: Monday night is reserved for cultural & social night at 6 Assagoa, Tuesday evenings is movie night at Tamarind with Wall Fly...and the list goes on. Plenty to choose from...or plenty to skip to find that inner JOMO.

So, if we knew 'back then' that cycle rides down to the sand and leisurely big-picture dreaming would have to budge over just a tad for a bit more real life, would we still make the move?

No question. This is home now. It might not be rose-tinted, but it's still sunny as heck.

Update 2022: A lot has changed since we first published this article but we're still calling Goa our home. Our flagship store is in the beautiful little village of Assagao in North Goa, see here, our office is right next door. Come visit us to shop 100% organic cotton clothing, made in India. 

On a recent bright Bangalore morning, our autos crawled and jolted through the infamous city gridlock to reach the Fairtrade India office in Shivajinagar.

Yes, we were there to ooh and ahh over all their latest certified Fairtrade goodies. Yes, we were in great need of their recommendations for the best nearby dosa on offer (MTR on Commercial Street – heaven!).

But more than that, it was a fantastic opportunity to catch up with our close compadres in this movement for change we feel so passionately about, and to plan out some ideas for bringing even greater awareness of Fairtrade to consumers here in India.

The foundations of Fairtrade involvement in India are deep: for many years, there has been success in exporting selected agricultural material to established fair trade markets in Europe and the US. But what about the domestic market? What about the potential for real, large-scale impact and a movement for consumer change that would enable more and more farmers to switch to lifesaving fair trade and organic practices? It was this conviction that led both physicoolsports and Fairtrade International to join with activists from across India for a dynamic grassroots exploration of how best to start involving domestic consumers in the movement and no longer concentrating purely on exports from the country.

Refresher course: What does Fairtrade mean?

What exactly does fair trade mean? Fair trade is about better prices, decent working conditions, local sustainability, and fair terms of trade for farmers and workers in the developing world.

By requiring companies to pay sustainable prices (which must never fall lower than the Fairtrade Minimum Price or Cost of Sustainable Production), fair trade addresses the injustices of conventional trade, which traditionally discriminate against the poorest, weakest producers. It enables them to improve their position and have more control over their lives. In addition to fair prices, producers are paid an extra Fairtrade Premium which can only be spent collectively; this dialogue has been transformational in bringing people together to fund projects that benefit the whole community – from water resource management to healthcare, education and training.

A growing movement - Fairtrade India

For us at physicoolsports and our buddies at Fairtrade India, creating awareness and a sense of responsibility towards our farmers in India has always been a high priority. You can make such a difference through your shopping choices. Fairtrade India started out working with a handful of brands (physicoolsports was proud to be India's first Fairtrade licensed clothing company!) and in the years that have followed there has been an increasingly excellent uptake from young businesses in the fields of cotton, tea, spices and rice.

Consumer engagement with the movement is really growing.

• The Fairtrade Towns initiative has come to India, kicking off with Pondicherry and Auroville. The concept of Fairtrade Towns can set the whole community's imagination off and there's been so much to collaborate on with Fair Trade Forum - India and the World Fair Trade Organisation too. Kotagiri in the Nilgiris is also lining up to play a big role, recently becoming the first township in South Asia to have the Town Panchayat pass a motion in favour of fair trade.

• Schools and universities have long been an important ground for Fairtrade internationally and it's super encouraging to see engagement at this level in India too. Institutions in Mumbai, Hyderabad and Bangalore are leading the way, with Christ University in Bangalore focusing on fair trade, specifically issues of cotton farming and sustainable fashion, for their social action week last year.

 How to get involved?

• Start Here! Well the fact you're right here on physicoolsports.com is a good sign ;) If you're in the market for some 100% certified Fairtrade Organic cotton goodness we can help you out!
• There's More! But we're not just about shameless promo – we are huge advocates of buying second hand, swapping clothes with friends and taking excellent care of your wardrobe so it really lasts. We love to support other brands too and Fairtrade India also certifies Do U Speak Green, Samtana and the super cute baby-wear company Sense Organics.
• Join the Revolution! Connect with Fashion Revolution India to stay up to date with all the latest ethical fashion happenings in the country and beyond.
• Switch! Consider making some easy switches in your grocery shopping too. From tea to rice and spices like turmeric and pepper, Fairtrade India advises on where you can easily pick up these items – lots of them are available online in additional to stores in major cities. We have it on good authority that Fairtrade chocolate is also coming soon in India!

• Too cool for school? Getting your school or office involved is a really great way to make a big difference with a small change. Just think about how much tea and coffee is consumed every day, and the impact you could have as an institution if that was all Fairtrade! How about a bake sale with certified ingredients? A tuck shop? Getting the PTA's support in schools? Remember, you VOTE WITH YOUR WALLET!
• Suit Up! If your business gifts branded t-shirts or has staff who wear a uniform, would you consider switching to fairly traded cotton? We'd love to help advise you on how to do so. 
• Lastly, watch out for official events. This very weekend, there's an online gaming championship in Bangalore in partnership with Zomato and Fairtrade India – for real! Check out the Facebook event here. And come November, there are big plans for a week of special events focusing on the Power of You (and you and you and you!) from the 21st to 27th. YOU really can make a big impact on the lives of marginal farmers and their whole communities by making simple, small changes in your life.

Buy a regular t-shirt, or regular rice, or regular tea, and you support the current industry. Buy organic and Fairtrade and you support a change. You don't need to alter your lifestyle to help. Do what you normally do, wear what you like to wear - just make informed decisions and choose well.

Look good, feel good, and do physicoolsports.  

Read up, read up!

• Seed to Stitch: Sustainability in Indian Fashion in Verve Magazine
• See what the Fairtrade Premium has done for this farming community who helped grow cotton for India’s largest t-shirt, and read more about Fairtrade Premium usage on the Fairtrade India website
• We all have the power to end modern slavery in the fashion industry by People Tree founder Safia Minney in Huffington Post UK
• Indian apparel makers try on ethical supply chains for size from Reuters

Big thanks to Abhishek Jani of Fairtrade India for sharing his thoughts and plans with us for this blog post, and for many of the awesome images in this post.

For an hour and a half we nudge through city traffic, marvel at classic yellow taxis crossing the iconic Howrah Bridge, and make our way into the industrial suburbs where eventually, the Rajlakshmi Cotton Mills compound emerges as a peculiar kind of oasis. Oh, it's still busy and chaotic here – very much so. But in a sea of nearby chimneys puffing pollutants into the sky, Rajlakshmi is noticeably different. It's the fair trade, organic powerhouse where physicoolsports garments come to life – and there's even real-life Palmae in keeping with our current collection on site!

Every visit to the factory is a super valuable opportunity to work directly with garment technicians on our samples and designs, and we always come with a looooong to-do list that somehow gets even longer before it gets shorter again. So what have we been up to this time?

#TODO

• Checking up on current orders for physicoolsports and white label work for other brands around the world. We arrange custom printing of our bunny-soft t-shirts for organisations and NGOs including brand new designs for Reality Gives in Mumbai. We've just sent a shipment by sea to the good folks at Toddy in the Maldives (so cool!) and packed up tees for the Happy Startup School's summer camp in the UK (more on that soon – we're heading there next week).

• It's full steam ahead for the physicoolsports fall collection and we're buzzing around like busy worker bees (hint, hint) to get that finalised and in your hands before you know it. With just a tad of last-minute scrambling to finalise fabrics and get samples ready for our photoshoot, we're confident that you'll love the pieces as much as we do! The fall collection is (almost literally) the bee's knees!

• We're also investing a lot of time prepping for future collections and expanding our range even further. Kids wear for sure! Accessories, you bet! New prints and fabrics? Sooner than you think.

• Lunching! There's no way we can't mention it. The piping hot rotis and tasty subzis served up at the factory are a true highlight in long days otherwise fuelled by coffee and lemon tea. Y-U-M.

A lot to squeeze into a week! But it's so inspiring to be around all the fabrics and the processes, both old (expert screen printing) and new (precision cutting with LASERS!).

#REDUSE-REUSE-RECYCLE

We carefully choose our super-soft cottons from the excess stock left from other brands' orders. It's more sustainable, saves water and money at both the farming and processing ends of the production chain, and ensures nothing goes to waste. It also allows us to stay on trend and have so many more fabric choices than if we had to order huge volumes of our own made-to-measure fabrics. All that to say, the fabric stores are always a treasure trove for us. There are now three dedicated warehouses for fabrics, packed floor to ceiling throughout - all organic, all fairtrade. A designer's dream!

#GROWTH

As our week at Rajlakshmi draws to a (somewhat hectic) close, we can't help but marvel at the growth we've seen here since our relationship with the producers first began. The factory itself has expanded hugely, onto numerous different sites. The number of people employed here - under safe, fair trade conditions - has naturally shot up too. Cotton consumption has grown significantly, with Rajlakshmi cementing its place as a majority buyer of Chetna Organic’s fair trade, organic cotton grown across Maharashtra, Odisha and Andhra Pradesh (from 234 farmer members in 2004 to around 35,852 in 2014!)

#MOVEMENT

We've loved seeing more product diversity emerge at the factory too, from home furnishings to activewear and generally an increase in younger, more urban design brands. With our goal to create a consumer movement for fair trade in India, we're particularly excited to see more Indian brands starting to produce their garments here (Check out Stretchery for some great organic yoga/activewear).

#LIGHTHOUSE

While exports have been strong for a long time, we were the first domestic fairtrade brand to work with Rajlakshmi; five years on there are four more Indian brands with lines in production, including some we were able to connect directly with our supply chain. This is one of our core tenets at physicoolsports: "to be a lighthouse" to other brands wanting to join the ethical fashion movement by being transparent and helpful. We don't compete, we collaborate. Here's the recipe - let's make a bigger pie together, shall we?

Things are looking good for the scaling up of the movement. Ethical fashion is growing in India and it’s a privilege to spend these crazy weeks right on the floor of the fashion revolution.

#BYEBYE

As they say in Kolkata, "aabar dekha hobe" - see you soon!

The Creative Vision

Palmae is about summer. Salty hair, sandy toes, balmy days and breezy nights under the stars. As designer Shweta explained in our previous post, this collection’s soul lies in an afternoon nap in a shady palm grove, swaying gently in a hammock while dappled sunlight falls lazily through shifting gaps in the canopy of leaves above.  

This theme of shadows, tranquillity and dappled light was something we wanted to carry through into the photoshoot. Having gone with a very beachy, Goan look when shooting our previous Mineralistic collection, we wanted to stay near the palm and beach theme but not so literally this time, and instead fixed on a resort-like feel.

The Location

Settings don't get much more ideal than Eva Cafe! The limestone-y white walls and turquoise doors of this small beach-front delight in Anjuna, north Goa, have a Greek island vibe that perfectly captured the resort vacation look we wanted for our shoot. With textural backgrounds and natural light a-plenty, we were really able to play around with incorporating the dappled light effect right into the photos, while the rustic beachy decor lent a cool and cosy edge.

With an incredible healthy menu and unparalleled ocean views, we recommend Eva Cafe to everyone! Menu highlights for us are the Green Shakshouka and a delicious smoothie with banana and tahini. You must visit if you’re in the area. And if you’re not - why not?! Get on with that road trip!

Follow Eva Cafe on Facebook here. Thanks for having us, guys!

The Team

Can we say Dream Team? Yes we can! The creativity and talent at work in this shoot was a joy to be part of. With top-notch in-house styling and direction from Shweta, allow us to introduce you to the rest of the crew.

Our models

That long wavy hair and dreamy stare. That man-bun and those guns. Yep, we’re crazy about our models for this collection. Thank you Milica and Prathamesh for bringing our vision to life!

Watch out for Milica’s band, The Emms. She’s an amazing singer!

Follow Prathamesh on Instagram for insane gym motivation.

Hair and make up

Even beautiful people need hair and make up for a photoshoot. Our models’ look was brought perfectly into line with the physicoolsports vibe by the wonderful Anjali Noronha of Li’l Red Door salon in Goa. Seeking a natural look that kept the focus on the clothes, Anjali steered away from heavy make up and overly styled hair to create a “casual, on-the-beach kinda vibe” that we loved.

Check out Li’l Red Door on Facebook.  They’re the best.

Photography

Last but very far from least. Martin Prihoda, a legend among photographers! Born in Canada, Martin is currently based in the ‘quaint, quiet little town of Mumbai’ (as well as in Goa) and alongside stunning high-level fashion and advertising work, he’s also involved in a lot of awesome social and environmental projects.

Incidentally, Martin and his family have been supporters of physicoolsports from our early days in Mumbai when we had a stall at the Farmer's Markets in Bandra!

Having Martin shoot physicoolsports campaign was a dream come true - aren’t the images fantastic?

Martin’s website is www.martinprihoda.com - go see his other work!

So that's a wrap. It takes months of effort to get each collection out and we're privileged to have the support of all these wonderful folks to make our ethical, sustainable clothes look as good as they do on our website. Muchas gracias, you lovely people!

Summer.

Hair gets lighter. Skin gets darker.

Water gets warmer. Drinks get colder.

Music gets louder. Nights get longer.

Life gets better.

A few little words with a great big impact.

Summer. Isn't it bliss?

Come sneak behind the scenes of the design process for the Palmae collection with our in-house designer Shweta Deliwala, who has spent the last few seasons expertly steering physicoolsports from being your fave organic t-shirt company to a fully fledged (and fully excellent) ethical fashion brand.

Over to Ms Deliwala!

Inspiration

The poem above really sparked the creative flame for this launch. We wanted to capture the essence of summer, to create an easy to wear collection that spoke of vacations and resorts, cruises and sunsets and sand between your toes.

Living in Goa has of course been a major inspiration and the ever-present palm trees rustling overhead became a key design feature.

The design process

The Print

Imagine an afternoon nap in a shady palm grove, swaying gently in a hammock. The dappled sunlight falls lazily through shifting gaps in the canopy of leaves, while a soft breeze stirs the air. That's our Palmae print. It's the shadows, the tranquility, the filtered light through tall trees. We toyed with paying homage to Goa's rice fields in the print too, but the right blend of graphics and scale never emerged.

The shadowy palm design became really versatile though; it looks almost like smeared paint up close, while the leaves emerge from a distance. It creates a really textural surface for the clothes without being too loud or too obvious.

The Palette

Our Palmae colour palette is subdued, very relaxed and organic but I've also thrown some colour in, especially for the women's pieces. With the whole look being around summer and vacations, the bolder colours reflect what you might see in the sky as the sun sets around you. For the guys, coconut shades of earthy green and off white combine with dark grey and sky blue.

The Silhouettes

For guys I've kept it very simple: a minimalistic collection of basics that can fit into any wardrobe for the summer. Each piece is easy to pair with existing neutrals like linen pants, casual trousers or bermuda shorts. Layer them with a shirt over the top, or even a light jacket to keep the breeze off you on that cruise.

For the ladies, I've created easy to wear silhouettes, comfortable pieces that look almost freeflowing but when worn, drape beautifully on all body types. There's texture in a lot of the materials, like a slub in the cotton, which create a play in the way the light reflects off the fabric. The varied collection includes a beachy printed day dress, a shorter, bias-cut dress with a really unique drape, a maxi dress (with pockets!) in brick and mauve shades just perfect for lounging, and two tops in a range of neutral colours to throw on over your bikini or wear with jeans.

Classic, timeless pieces that fit into your wardrobe whatever your mood, whatever the trend and whatever the season – though of course, we favour eternal summer!

 So there’s Palmae in the words of its creator.

And now, it’s over to you.

Show these pieces how you do summer.

Chuck a tee in your beach bag.

Wrap one of the scarves in your hair on that bike ride.

Take a dress from breakfast to beach to bar.

And sit under a tree and watch that dappled light.

Oh, summer.

physicoolsports started out five years ago as a t-shirt company, honing our style and fairtrade production chains with a few classic shapes that were always nipped and tucked to perfection.

“No choking necklines, no zombie sleeves” - you know how we roll.
And then we wanted more. And so did you!

From baby clothes to sweatshirts, underwear and dress shirts, you guys have requested it all, and we’ve been testing and developing all kinds of samples from our Goa HQ. Did you know that physicoolsports kids’ tees are now available (exclusively) at the ‘Out of India’ store in Mumbai International Airport’s T2 terminal?  Go see next time you pass through.

Right now we’re gearing up to launch our third collection as a true clothing brand, and we’re thrilled with how the existing dresses, skirts and button-down shirts have struck a chord with you all so far. While our newest goodies are being unpacked onto the warehouse shelves just waiting to go live, we asked our in-house designer extraordinaire Shweta to take us through the design philosophy that she based this, and all physicoolsports collections around.

We want physicoolsports to be a timeless, classic brand, with pieces that fit into your wardrobe, your mood and your palette at any point in the year.

No matter what the trend is, no matter the colours and styles that magazines are promoting as the last line in temporary chic - our garments stand the test of time. Sometimes loud prints can be too relevant to one season, making them date fast and become tricky to wear the next season, hence our printed designs are subtle and muted.

No fast-fashion throwaways. We are onboard the #30wears ethical shopping train, and then some!

We set our standards early on with the non-choking necklines and non-zombie sleeves and we’re not about to compromise on our comfort levels!

From breakfast, to the beach then the bar (and a whole lot in between) our breathable organic cotton fabrics and flattering cuts are kind to your body.

Meanwhile subtle design features like the hint of a modern cocoon shape, slub textured cotton or unusual drapes in just the right places knock out some effortless style points.

By staying true to our design language, physicoolsports pieces naturally go well together. Layer them up! The tee goes with the shirt which goes with the skirt which goes with the wrap which goes with the dress and on and on! Ladies, don’t be afraid of styling up a guys’ button-down shirt with a knot at the waist and some awesome statement jewellery. Gents, throw a unisex wrap around your neck over the tee, or keep the breeze off by adding a shirt on top.

We don’t make pieces that are so wacky they can only be worn once or on their own. Our collections are perfect for minimalists, capsule wardrobe fans and serial outfit repeaters alike. And perfect for you. Definitely you.

And one last feature?
Of course: physicoolsports clothing is always 100% organic. And always 100% fairtrade.

Because it matters!