Thirty-five materials and what each one is actually made of
Material first. What a product is made of decides what can be printed on it, what it costs and what can be certified.
Thirty-five materials are described here, from the obvious ones such as cotton, glass and steel to the ones that need a second look: regenerated polyester, coffee ground bioplastic, bagasse fibre, hemp and ocean plastic. For each one the page gives the composition, the surface, the decoration methods it accepts and the certification that applies to it.
Material is where the cost and the environmental claim meet. Recycled polyester carries a GRS chain of custody, which is auditable. Ocean plastic is traceable to a collection programme, which is a narrower and harder claim. Regenerated leather carries none of the usual textile certifications, and a buyer who asks for recycled leather on a brief needs to be asked what they mean by it.
Italian production adds a dimension that is not on the label. Como silk, Faenza ceramics, Murano glass and Maniago steel are made in districts where the processing itself is the tradition, and the price reflects the making rather than the material. All of them are specified here so the difference is visible before the quote.
Thirty-five materials
One page per material, covering the composition, the decoration limits and the certificate that sits behind it.
- Alpaca wool
- Anodised aluminium
- Aluminium
- Bagasse fibre
- Bamboo fibre
- Bamboo
- Corn starch bioplastic
- PLA bioplastic
- Canvas
- Ceramic
- Coffee grounds bioplastic
- Recycled cork
- Cork
- Borosilicate glass
- Glass
- Hemp
- Jute
- Leather
- Linen
- Merino wool
- Ocean plastic
- Organic cotton
- Recycled PET
- PLA bioplastic
- Recycled aluminium
- Recycled cotton
- Recycled glass
- Recycled paper and cardboard
- Recycled polyester
- Recycled wool
- Regenerated leather
- Regenerated polyester
- Silicone
- Steel
- Oak
Frequently Asked Questions
Which material should we choose for a shirt?
It depends on how often it is worn. For a shirt worn weekly, a mid-weight cotton. For one worn at a single event, a lighter polyester or a cotton blend.
Can we get a certificate with the order?
Yes, for materials covered by GOTS, GRS, FSC or OEKO-TEX, collected from the producer during qualification.
Do you supply recycled content as standard?
No. Recycled and certified content is specified on request, because it changes both the cost and the certification.
Tell us the item and the material you have in mind
Send the item, the material you want and the quantity. We reply with the options, what each one certifies and the cost difference between them.