When we founded Green Label Organic: Sustainable Threads more than Seventeen years ago, ‘green’ was still just a color in the minds of most people on the planet. Before long, organic and natural food industries began to blossom as more people grew concerned about their personal well-being and the health of our planet. This growing awareness was the beginning of the "Green" revolution.

GLO Climbs the Green Revolution Ladder

My years of experience in sourcing and manufacturing in the conventional clothing industry taught me that traditional clothing is not environmentally beneficial. My partner, Rain Lipson, and I set out to generate accessible forms of sustainable, eco-friendly clothing when we started Green Label Organic (GLO) in 2005. We were dedicated to making organic cotton clothing, particularly T-shirts, that were created in the most environmentally sustainable and socially responsible way that we could. As the green wave started to build, we helped forge new American-made supply chains. We had a reliable source of certified organic cotton and a sweatshop-free manufacturing supply chain firmly in place.

Supply Chain Disruptions Hit Sustainable Clothing Movement Hard

In 2005, no one outside of the manufacturing world even thought about "Supply Chains.” Today, however, we are all too familiar with that phrase. As organic cotton became the next "must-have" thing, the industry began to explode with energy, enthusiasm, and supply. We had to work hard to meet increasing demand. Just before the pandemic, the industry became concerned that demand issues would create "holes" in organic certification processes. Fortunately, several new initiatives and certification processes were launched to protect the consumer and the industry from greenwashing.

The global pandemic sent every aspect of supply chains, including organic certifications, into a tailspin. The industry is still trying to recover. At GLO we rely on GOTS certification, as we believe GOTS is the best organic certification organization overall to secure what we stand for across the board; certified organic cotton fiber, responsible production practices, and a safe, sweatshop-free working environment. At GLO, we have always believed that when it comes to organic cotton and fair working conditions, "walking the walk" was a whole lot more important than "talking the talk." It's far more difficult to walk that walk than ever before, but we do the best we can every day.

The Future of Green Label Organic

As we begin our 18th year, GLO continues to evolve. At the height of the pandemic three years ago, we transitioned from a wholesale-centric business to a "Direct to Consumer'' focused brand. We have overcome numerous hurdles as we navigated how to make our extensive catalog of designs available to our growing fan base without the support of retail holders. Thanks to a fantastic new garment printing technology, we will soon be able to offer nearly all of our most requested designs directly to you! 

Stay informed as our direct-to consumer designs become available by subscribing to the GLO Insider Email List and following us on social media!

About the Author

George Lipson is the Co-Founder of Green Label Organic. He is an apparel professional with more than 40 years of industry experience. In addition to establishing two companies of his own, George held management positions in apparel design, manufacturing, merchandising, and production. Specializing in the development of the “Great American T-Shirt,” George was a merchandiser and designer of merchandise for prominent American and British Rock ’n Roll bands like The Grateful Dead, The Beatles, and Led Zeppelin.

In 2005, George and his wife, Rain, a passionate environmentalist and organic grower, set out to make an impact on the sustainability of apparel production. During George's many years in the clothing business, he witnessed firsthand the complete lack of regard for the environment at every level of apparel production. George and Rain are committed to amending the incredible amount of pesticides, toxic dyes, and harsh chemicals used in apparel, particularly t-shirt, production. George and Rain launched Green Label Organic: Sustainable Threads in 2005 and were one of the first companies dedicated to making structural changes, using organically grown cotton, and insisting upon sweatshop-free goods.