Bookstore Sells 'Green' Apparel and Supplies

August 31, 2007

By Ryann Doyle

The George Mason University Bookstore on the Fairfax Campus is now carrying eco-friendly and socially conscious clothing from edun LIVE, a clothing line whose entire manufacturing process, from growing the cotton to shipping the product, occurs in sub-Saharan Africa.

Rebecca Rinker, senior communication major, checks out "The Green Book" and models a edun LIVE, eco-friendly T-shirt in the Johnson Center bookstore. Photo by Evan Cantwell

Cotton is one of Africa's greatest natural resources. It is grown there, but often it is exported overseas to be processed. With this model, Africans don't get to realize any of the benefits of this natural resource. That’s where Edun LIVE comes in and uses a “grower to sewer” approach. This means that every step of the T-shirt supply chain will occur in sub-Saharan Africa. The process creates local jobs, enhances skills transfer and fosters trade on the ground —elements crucial to ensure a base for a stable and long-term apparel industry.

So students can rest assured that the Mason-imprinted T-shirts not only look and feel good, but also help to build financial stability in Africa.

"This a great opportunity for Mason fans to buy imprinted shirts from a sustainable source," says Jack Smith, bookstore general manager.

In addition to the edun LIVE clothing, the bookstore is carrying a line of products that are eco-friendly. Notebooks and index cards made from recycled paper and energy efficient light bulbs for residence hall rooms or offices are available for purchase. Also on display are eco-friendly books on different ways to live a little "greener."

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