Ethics
Conception
Antidote was born with one simple mission. To bring together the things that we love, and the people that love doing them to create something with a lasting positive impact, both on the community and the planet.
We are not driven by profit, but by passion. Passion for skateboarding, graffiti, music, the great outdoors and everyone out there doing their own thing purely because they love doing it.
Growing up submerged in the thriving underground art, skate and music scenes of Bristol, we blend these influences together to create a visual representation of ourselves and those around us. We also wanted to involve the community that has inspired us and continues to do so to this day. We achieve this by collaborating with, supporting and promoting underground talent and good causes, whether they be skateboarders, musicians, artists or anyone doing something worth shouting about.
Ethos
It was essential to us from the very start that we make use of sustainable resources and minimise our environmental impact wherever possible, with absolutely no compromise on quality, comfort or price. Our garments are made from the highest quality blends of hemp and organic cotton, which are not only often superior in terms of strength and comfort but also less damaging to the environment.
All our eco clothing is produced sustainably and under fair working conditions. This mentality is applied across the entire production process. From the organic farmers right the way through to the 100% organic water based inks used in our printing process. Even the box you receive your order in will be from eco friendly sources, along with any tags and leaflets. We are constantly thinking of new ways to improve efficiency and ensure that all our products are as environmentally friendly as possible.
We strongly believe that we all need to adopt more sustainable lifestyles both on a personal and industrial level if we are to prevent the further destruction of our planet. We're not suggesting that eco clothing alone will solve all our problems, but we do believe that collectively, we have the power to change things for the better. Through being more conscious consumers, deciding what products we buy based on their cost to the environment and dictating the market that way. By being less wasteful and recycling more in our daily lives, by insisting to our governments that we put an end to unethical, damaging and unsustainable industrial practices and by actively pursuing greener and more efficient technologies.
Failure to change our ways could have an absolutely catastrophic effect on our planet. We have already lost vast areas of forest, pumped toxic fumes into our atmosphere, polluted our oceans, killed off countless species and seen some of the devastation that even a slight rise in global temperatures can bring. It isn't too late to act and it is imperative that we do as the alternatives are unthinkable.
Cotton
This plant has a long history of human usage, with its earliest known cultivation dating back to 8000 years ago in Mexico. Today, cotton represents 48% of all textile production.
Negatives
2.4% of the world's crop land is planted with cotton, and yet it accounts for 24% of all insecticides, and 11% of all pesticides sold globally. Not only does cotton use a very high amount of pesticides, but these chemicals often find their way onto food crops, which when ingested can result in serious health problems. In the 1990s roughly half of all cotton workers showed adverse symptoms relating to pesticide exposure.
Of the pesticides commonly used on cotton:
- 30% contain suspected or proven carcinogens
- 35% are banned for usage in the European Union
- 43% contain endocrine disruptors
Due to bad water management and irrigation systems, water run off is a big problem in many parts of the world. The pesticides, fertilisers, and soil sediments that find their way into other water systems have a damaging effect on the surrounding wildlife. Evidence shows that run off like this damages biodiversity and decreases fertility in animal populations. There are also documented cases where pesticide run off has been responsible for the deaths of hundreds of thousands of fish, even in situations where pesticides were applied properly. Another effect of run off is eutrophication, whereby fertilisers that contaminate rivers, wetlands and lakes cause a sudden growth of algae which disrupts the biological equilibrium and can kill fish.
Aside from the health risks, there are also considerable economic disadvantages conventional cotton farming brings to developing countries. Whilst richer nation's farmers' receive healthy subsidies for farming cotton, the growers in poorer countries do not and as a result simply cannot compete on the same level . This results in them losing a significant amount of trade. Up to 60% of the production costs associated with farming cotton are agricultural chemcials. A reduction in the dependancy on these no matter how small will mean increased profits for farmers.
Positives
Organic cotton farming can eliminate these negative environmental effects as well as bringing substantial benefits to the farmers and workers involved. It is also possible to achieve similar yields to conventionally grown cotton crops. Further benefits of organic growing include creating more jobs for local people and providing more opportunity for education. As mentioned earlier, the pesticides used are toxic and because they are often some of the farmers' most valuable possessions it is not uncommon for them to be stored in the home. This can lead to contamination of food and is a danger to family members.
Organic cotton (and organic crops in general) also leave the soil in a better condition than if pesticides were used. They considerably reduce soil erosion, have a thicker topsoil depth and contain a higher level of organic matter.
Another benefit of organic cotton is that it has the ability to empower women. In many developing nations farmers use loans in order to purchase chemicals and equipment. These loans are generally only awarded to men. Through organic farming, dependancy on these loans is greatly or in some cases completely removed, meaning women would have the opportunity to farm freely which in turn would have other positive knock-on effects for the community.
All our organic cotton T Shirts are certified organic by the Global Organic Textile Standard and are certified Fairwear. They are farmed and produced ethically and sustainably using 100% renewable energy sourced from wind and solar power. The carbon footprint of our organic cotton T shirts is 90% lower than that of conventionally produced T Shirt. Our ethical commitments don't stop there either. Even our printing process uses organic, water based, non-toxic inks and all waste is filtered, monitored and is disposed of responsibly. All other waste is recycled wherever possible. These high standards are why our printer is the only one in the world to be certified by the Soil Association.
Hemp
Hemp is one of the fastest growing, most versatile and useful crops on the planet and has been used by humans for over 6,000 years. It thrives without the use of pesticides or herbicides making it very environmentally friendly and less costly to grow than other crops. The plant is not detrimental to the soil (but in fact beneficial) and it grows well in most climates. Hemp is a sustainable crop and has tens of thousands of applications across many industries; from building materials and textiles to foods and cosmetics.
This amazing plant has been one of the most important and widely used resources in human history. If hemp were more widely used in industry today it really could make a significant contribution to the conservation of the planet and its people. Through helping curb deforestation, reducing the use of chemical fertilisers and pesticides, purifying the soil and cleansing the air as well as helping feed and clothe the world's booming population.
█ - Climates suitable for growing hemp.
Today, over 30 countries grow hemp for all manner of uses. China is the worlds biggest exporter of hemp textiles. In Europe, major producers include; France, Romania, Germany, UK, Hungary, Switzerland, Spain, The Netherlands and Italy. Other notable hemp producing countries are Canada, India, Russia, Nicaragua, Australia, Egypt, Korea and Thailand. Federal law in the USA does not distinguish between industrial hemp varieties and varieties grown for medicinal/drug purposes. As such, hemp can only be grown with a permit from the government - which is near enough impossible to obtain.
Uses
Building Materials
Hemp fibres can be used to strengthen concrete and make many other materials for construction and insulation purposes. 'Hempcrete' building blocks have improved strength and flexibility, making them less prone to cracking.
Clothing
Hemp fibre is one of the strongest and most durable natural textiles on earth. Hemp clothing retains its shape well and due to its porous nature it allows the fabric to breathe, keeping the wearer fresh and cool in the summer, and warm in the winter. It is also hypoallergenic, meaning it is unlikely to cause any irritation or allergic reaction to the skin.
Cosmetics
Hemp seed oil can be used in a range of cosmetics, and is great for moisturising and hydrating the skin as well as reducing the appearance of wrinkles.
Composite Materials
Hemp bast can be combined with other materials to produce new strong and light composite materials for use in many applications. For instance, fibreglass, hemp fibre, kenaf and flax is used to make composite panels for vehicles.
Fuel
Hemp is an excellent source of clean burning biofuels due to its high cellulose level, rapid growth rate, ease of cultivation and low needs for pesticides.
Food
Hemp oil is an extremely well balanced food source containing many fatty acids. Whole hempseeds are protein rich and its amino acid profile is almost 'complete' when compared to other sources of protein. Hempseed is a good source of calcium and iron, while whole hempseeds are a great source of phosphorous, zinc, magnesium, copper and maganese. Hemp oil can be consumed frequently without the danger of developing a deficiency or imbalance.
Paints
Hemp can be used to make natural, non-toxic paint, varnish and detergent.
Paper
Hemp paper is stronger, finer and longer lasting than wood-based papers. As hemp is a very fast growing crop it is a much more sustainable alternative, as well as producing more pulp per acre than timber. Hemp paper is more resistant to decomposition and does not turn yellow with age.
Water & Soil Purification
Hemp can be used to cleanse soil and water of impurities. Planting hemp actually binds and aerates the soil deep down and as such can be used to reclaim the land in areas that experience drought and/or flooding.
Weed Control
Due to its height, dense foliage and rapid growth, hemp is a very effective and widespread method for eradicating unwanted weeds in farming.
