In 2017, we became the first souvenir apparel company to recognize and begin educating the industry about Polyester microfiber pollution.
Timeline of illustrative studies and Memory Threads’ actions to address:
August 2024 - Memory Threads launches expanded Recycled the Right
Way™ colors with lower price, and 100% Organic Cotton Tee
Company announces six new colors and a new lower price on the Recycled the Right Way T-shirts. Company will also introduce a 100% Organic Cotton T-shirt line offering 14 colors.
August 2024 - Memory Threads announces rebranding
Company announces rebranding to focus on its eco-focused mission and product mix - solely using the Memory Threads name and adding the tag line, Earth-Safe Souvenir Apparel™.
March 2024 - Various - Pub. in The New England Journal of Medicine
“Polyethylene was detected in carotid artery plaque of 150 patients (58.4%)… Patients in whom micro/nano-plastics were detected within the atheroma were at [4.53 times] higher risk for a primary end-point event [heart attack or stroke]”. Source Polyester is polyethylene.
August 2023 - West Trend by Memory Threads introduces Recycled the Right Way™ 100% Recycled Cotton Tee
100% Recycled Cotton creates a closed loop system, requiring no fertilizer, pesticides or irrigation water to produce. (Don’t be fooled by Recycled Polyester)
January 2021 - Univ. of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada study
“We document the widespread distribution of microplastics… across the European and North American Arctic - including the North Pole. Polyester comprised 73% of total synthetic fibres”. Source
June 2019 - University of Newcastle, Australia study
“an average person could be ingesting approximately 5 grams of plastic every week. The equivalent of a credit card’s worth of microplastics.” Source
January 2019 - Rama Devi Women's University, Odisha, India study
“Approximately 2 million tonnes of microfibers are released into the ocean every year… of which 700,000 micro fleeces are released from each garment through domestic laundry.” Source
January 2017 - Memory Threads acquires West Trend
Memory Threads discontinues virtually all polyester from product offering. Becomes West Trend by Memory Threads.
September 2016 - UC Santa Barbara, California, USA study
“When synthetic jackets are washed, on average 1,174 milligrams of microfibers are released from the washing machine. These microfibers then travel to local wastewater treatment plant, where up to 40% of them can enter into rivers, lakes, and oceans. Aquatic organisms throughout the food chain consume microplastics and microfibers both directly and indirectly.” Source
Contact us today to learn about our selection of Earth-Safe Apparel™
THE DISCOVERY THAT STARTED IT ALLIn 2007, Russ heard about a company making carpet fiber out of recycled water bottles and wondered if they could make a fiber soft enough to make a t-shirt. He thought, “We could find a cool surf designer to create a great graphic to print on it and sell it up and down the SoCal coast as our ‘bottle shirt’ and use that to help fund beach clean-up.” At the time, he was COO of a growing nanotechnology start-up so didn’t have the time to pursue the Bottle Shirt idea. Fast forward to 2016 and Russ was looking for a new adventure when he stumbled upon a souvenir apparel company for sale - West Trend. “I can finally make my Bottle Shirt!” he thought. One fateful day in November 2016, he talked with his family about buying West Trend and the idea of his Bottle Shirt. About 30 minutes later, his then 17-year-old daughter came up and said, “Well, Dad, your bottle shirt… it’s kind of a good idea, but actually it’s a REALLY bad idea.” She explained that looking online, she found everyone was making recycled water bottle (polyethylene) shirts. They called them Recycled Polyester. Adidas, Nike, even a professional surfer had a line of Recycled Polyester shirts. But it was a REALLY BAD idea because she found a study from UC Santa Barbara that said each time these recycled polyester shirts are washed, little bits of polyester (plastic) break off and lots end up poisoning our oceans. In fact, it happens with all polyester apparel when it's washed.That was our “Aha” moment! The discovery that sent us down the path. Obviously, we bought West Trend, but we couldn’t make the Bottle Shirt, and we realized in good conscience, we couldn't sell polyester, so we discontinued every polyester style possible, focused on 100% natural fiber apparel and began educating the industry.