It's easy!  With Kindred's new self-service website, ordering custom printed or blank products has never been easier.  

1. Simply select the Made To Order product you desire and complete the product selections including required delivery dates, and place your order directly with us through the website.  

2. From there, a member of our team will contact you within 1 business day to confirm the product details, provide a digital mockup, a detailed invoice and confirm delivery timing.  

3. Once confirmation has been provided by you, your payment will be authorized and we will begin production.  

As with all orders, you will receive notifications via email when your order reaches critical milestones including shipping and delivery tracking information. 

If you would prefer to deal with our team directly during ordering please reach out to team@kindredapparel.com.

Minimum for Apparel is 50 units. 
Artwork colours & placement needs to remain the same to meet the minimum. (ie. 2 designs at 25 units each does not meet the minimum.) You can mix & match cotton colours and sizes.

Minimum for Bags & Accessories is 100 units. 
All bags or accessories must be the same item style and cotton colour with the same print colours & placement. 

Minimum for Wristbands is 100 units. 
Tab shapes, artwork and toggle type should be the same. Variances permitted with larger volume orders.

** Please note that there are limitations to our websites function around complex order combinations. We also service below minimum order sizes occasionally through the partnership of a local print shop in Canada. If you have questions about an order with multiple or small product combinations please reach out to us directly at team@kindredapparel.com

We offer a limited range of blank items available in stock for purchase. Where available, there is no minimum purchase volume required for these items.

The order cost for all our products is calculated from 3 variables:

1. Number of units in the order.
2. Number of colours in the artwork (for each print location).
3. Number of print locations.

Each product listing on our website will allow you to self serve the pricing for your order by adding each of these variables to the product and uploading your artwork. If you would prefer a written quote prepared by our team we'd be happy to send one over asap. Please reach out at team@kindredapparel.com.

4-8 weeks from order confirmation is a typical delivery time frame for average sized orders (50 - 1000 units).

• Please note: delivery time frames are primarily impacted by the production schedule at Joyya and can vary seasonally.
• Delivery date will be confirmed at the time of order confirmation.

Also, don't forget to give yourself time to decided on your bag style, colour and design!

Nope!

No extra shipping charges or set up fees will show up on your order at check out.

Our website pricing calculators will outline the cost for your item + the cost for your print options. All costs associated with completing your order (including shipping on orders over $150 CAD) are included in the per unit price.

After completing your order via the website our team will verify the selections you made via our website match the colours in the artwork that you submitted. You will be contacted within 1 business day with your digital mock up and addtional order documentation to review and confirm before production.

If you are needing additional customizations for your Made to Order product, click here for a brief list of some of the things we can accommodate.

If you would like to discuss any of these options please reach out to our team at team@kindredapparel.com for more details.

We can work with designs with up to 6 colors in a single location, and 8 colours total per item/garment.

No, there are no extra art work charges if you are able to provide your logo or design in an acceptable format and quality.

You can send your artwork in any Photoshop or Illustrator vector formats. Jpeg can be accepted if your file has a 300dpi or higher quality at 100% scale to ensure the best printing.

If you would like assistance with designing your bag, we can assist you. ($50/hr).

We have outlined all the info you need to know about artwork here.

Joyya only does SPOT COLOR SCREEN PRINTING

Additional Details: Screen printing is the process of pressing ink through a stenciled mesh screen to create a printed design. It’s a popular technique used in a whole range of different industries, so even if you've never heard of the term before today, it’s likely that you’ve worn or used a screen-printed product at some point without even realizing. The process is sometimes called serigraphy or silk screen printing, but all of these names refer to the same basic method.

Types of Printing: There are 4 main types of screen printing that are commonly used with fabric. These are Spot Color Screen Printing, CMYK Printing, Direct-to-Garment and Heat Transfer. Joyya exclusively does Spot Color Screen Printing because we find it is usually the best solution for our customers. 

• Spot Color Screen Printing is where an ink specialist uses our eco-friendly water-based pigments to create colors that match each color in your artwork. The PANTONE PMS SYSTEM is used to ensure that colors are accurate, and a screen is made for each color in your artwork, with the colors layered together to create the final image. Pantone screen printing is great for printing 50+ products at a time, with between 1-10 colors.
• CMYK Printing uses 4 distinct inks in different to build a composite image on a fabric, similar to how a typical ink-jet printer mixes ink when printing on paper. The method is great for printing gradients or images with more than 10 colors, but it is limited in its ability to print on darker fabrics, and it is more time-consuming to print.
• Direct to Garment (DTG) printers use a completely different technology to print a t-shirt using a device that looks like a giant ink-jet printer. The technique is great for small runs of a handful of tees, but cost-prohibitive on larger orders. It also typically can't print bags, or other non-standard fabrics.
• Heat Transfer is a process by which a design is printed onto transfer paper and then the ink is thermally transferred from the paper to your fabric using heat and pressure. While it is cost-effective for small orders and great for complex images, it is expensive for large orders. Also the inks sit on top of the fabric and so tend to come off more easily, resulting in a stiffer finish that isn't as long lasting.

Joyya's in-house printing team uses exclusively water-based inks for all of thier screen printing. Most apparel decorators tend to use plastisol inks which, as the name indicates, include certain plastics in their composition. While plastisol inks are generally easier to use and are cheaper to print with, they do tend to have a bigger environmental footprint. Water-based inks tend to be better for the environment, especially since we are careful in avoiding using binders, catalysts and other additives that have their own ecological issues. Check out a list of the key chemicals used in our screen printing at the bottom of this article.

We don't want to pretend the trade-offs are straight-forward, and you'll find plenty of arguments for and against using plastisols among screen printers. We won't judge if you think your order is better off with traditional plastisol pigment. While we can't do those jobs in-house, our customer care team will work with you to get your product printed through one of our printing partners. 

Our Printing Inks & Dyes:

Pigment: Joyya uses Pidilite's Texcron Aqueous Dispersion Pigments which are among the top water-based pigment systems used in India. You can check out a comprehensive list of Pidilite's water-based pigments HERE

Base: Joyya uses 2 different brands of base inks depending on the product and other order-specific requirements. Both providers are listed below.

Joyya uses Aquasol Aquaprene White/Clear SD from BALAJI CHEMICALS
We use K2 White/Clear Inks from ZYDEX INDUSTRIES

We often don't realize how challenging creating and communicating color can be. Every human eye is different, and a color can look radically different depending on the material its on, the dyes used, the lighting and even the colors it is next to. In order to ensure that 2 people across the world can discuss colors in a consistent manner, manufacturers use color systems to help them objectively discuss, measure and check colors.

Common color system standards in the industry include PANTONE, CSI, SCOTDIC and COLORO. There are many pros and cons between different color systems. Joyya uses the Pantone color system across all its manufacturing systems given it is the most commonly used system globally. However, there are tools that allow colors be be converted across color systems. 

If you are more familiar with common color codes used in computer software (CMYK, RGB and HEX), these can be matched to a Pantone color using Pantone's free online color conversion database (HERE)

How are Pantone Codes used to communicate fabric colors? Pantone has created the FHI STANDARD in order to communicate colors on textiles. The colors are available in booklets and swatch cards, and provide a consistent standard against which to measure color. Colors printed on textiles have a TCX suffix on them, so Joyya uses TCX codes when discussing all fabric colors. Because TCX books are expensive, sometimes manufacturers will use TPX codes (same colors printed on paper) to get close approximations of color.

The colors are made of up 6 digits:

- The first pair of digits refers to the lightness or darkness of a color
- The second pair specifies the hue - yellow, red, blue, green
- The third pair specifies the chroma level of the color

Combined, the six digits create a consist method for communicating any color across the world.

How are Pantone Codes used to communicate colors for screen printing? Colors look different in different contexts. That is why Pantone has a different system called PMS (Pantone Matching System) for graphic designers. PMS codes are used by our graphic designers and screen printing team to develop mock-ups, check ink colors, and do quality checking on all prints. Our team uses the PANTONE FORMULA GUIDE to check colors on all orders. 

Coated vs. Uncoated PMS colors will either have a C or U suffix to denote if they are a coated or uncoated color. PMS colors marked with a C mean that the color is printed on coated paper for a glossy finish, as you would see in a magazine. This is desirable for sharp and complex designs, as the ink stays on top of the paper, preventing bleeding. Likewise, a U indicates uncoated paper, which has a more porous finish, common on letterhead. Uncoated paper is generally more absorbent of ink than coated, reducing sharpness. For our purposes, we can use either Coated or Uncoated colors, though coated is more common.

To learn more about how we check and match colors and what our color tolerances are, check our this ARTICLE

No.

Exact color matching is an incredibly tricky process, and colors can look different depending on lighting, surface, or even differences in our eyes. Given the subjective nature of color perception, we use the Pantone system to help us communicate and check color. To learn more about the Pantone system, read this ARTICLE.

However, we know that customers want some confidence that what they order will be the same as what they receive. We've described below our color matching promise (which varies by scenario).

Screen Print Colors We us water-based inks in our printing process, and since we mix the pigments ourselves in small batches, we have much more control over the color that is printed. We make a sample proof at the start of every production run to ensure the finished product has the right color and we check our colors using a pantone matching book. 

Since an industry-grade spectrometer is cost-prohibitive, we use PANTONE COLOR MATCH CARD, as well as a visual inspection by our trained QC team to ensure our prints are close to the desired pantone.

A few important notes on print colors:

 - When printing on dark vs. light fabric, a color can look very different (see CHUBB ILLUSION)
 - When printing a pattern with many overlapping colors, the overlapping lines might have slight color blends
 - When printing on jute, colors can be more variable. That is because the loose-knit jute is highly absorbent and takes on color differently across the width of the fabric. 

Cotton Fabric Colors Our cotton fabrics are dyed on the roll and delivered to our warehouse. We work with our dye houses to ensure that products are dyed as close as possible to our desired color. When layering fabric prior to cutting, we use both visual checks and the Pantone Color Match Card to ensure that the fabric color matches our spec. 
That being said, any fabric will have slight shade variation across the roll. Short of checking color on every square-inch of a roll of fabric (an impossible task), we must operate on the basis that there will be some shade variation in the length of a roll. To mitigate this issue, we batch our cutting lots in such a way that all components of a bag or tee are cut from the same part of the fabric. This ensures shade consistency within any single tee or bag.

A few important notes on dyed fabric:
- We use shade matching to reduce color variation within a product
- you can learn more about how our tees fabric is dyed HERE

Natural Cotton & Jute

Natural, undyed fabric will tend to have the most color variation. This is because the color of the fabric comes directly from the plant or cotton bud. While combing reduces impurities in the fabric the fabric will have a natural color that will vary from batch to batch. Part of the appeal and natural look of undyed fabric is the organic shade variation in the fabric. Therefore, a natural cotton or jute product will always have a higher degree of color variation.

Color is a complicated topic and its something we know you care about. If you have more questions regarding our color matching process, or have any concerns about an order you have placed or received, contact us at team@kindredapparel.com.

All orders over $150 include the cost of shipping to anywhere in Canada within standard urban delivery regions. If you are located in a remote rural location we may reach out about any necessary shipping surcharges for your remote area.

When your order shipped you should have received and email from us that included your tracking information. Can't find your email? Start by checking your junk box or promotions folder. Still can't find it? Email us at team@kindredapparel.com and we will help you out!

We work with clients both large and small from coast to coast. Kindred works with any customers located in Canada wanting to source Joyya's products.

Yes! If you are you a Canadian customer and need your order shipped globally to a distribution warehouse or event location we can arrange that for you.

Our product pricing already includes shipping to anywhere in Canada, however please note that an additional shipping surcharge may be necessary if shipping outside of Canada is facilitated for you.

If you've place an order through this website for wholesale or in stock orders, your order should ship with in 2-3 business days and you will have it in your hands in no time! You will be sent a tracking code via email automatically as soon as your order is prepared for shipping.

Due to the custom nature of these products, We are not able to refund customized products.

We take quality control seriously and we hope that you are always 100% delighted with your order.  We would ask that you complete an inspection of your order within 7 days of receipt and if there is a quality issue with your order, please notify us at team@kindredapparel.com with details and photographs of the issue.  Kindred's customer care will work with you to find a resolution to the issue.

Please view our full length return and shipping policies page for both online retail purchases and made to order custom printed products.

If you need to return a stock order, we can return the order and issue a refund according to our return policy.

Please view our full length return and shipping policies page for online retail purchases.

Yes, we are currently located in Manitoba, and previously called Victoria BC home. Kindred does not have a physical store front and operates mainly online. We have been in operation since 2009!

Our complete product range is manufactured and printed by the fabulous staff at Joyya. Kindred is proud to be their official distribution partner in Canada for the last 15 years. Joyya is based in Kolkata India, and works to employ a community of women facing the reality of extreme poverty with a commitment to Fair Trade wages, and ethical sourcing practices. Read more about Joyya here.

Joyya was established in 2001 to manufacture quality jute bags whilst also providing intervention and employment to women who had been trafficked into prostitution in Kolkata, India. They now employ over 175+ women who manufacture our export quality bags, t-shirts & accessories. 

All Joyya products are sold to benefit the communities they work in. They operate 4 factories across their different communities, which range in size from a small team of 10-12 people, to a larger building housing multiple production units (over 100 people). Joyya's factories handle all the steps from cutting and sewing product, to getting it printed and packed.

There are times where due to capacity constraints, Joyya partners with like-minded manufacturers to complete orders. This is an essential part of their sustainability as a business, and we will always let you know if any part of your order needs to be outsourced. To learn more about why outsourcing is so important to Joyya, please read on in our FAQ.

Note: Joyya works to ensure all thier systems are standardized across all orders, but specific processes may vary in the case of highly customized orders.

Joyya believes employment is a key factor in impacting their local communities and so they try to be transparent about who they employ. To learn more about some of thier hiring principles, check out this ARTICLE.

We try and update these statistics regularly, but if you would like a real-time update on our hiring metrics, email us at team@kindredapparel.com

Our Workforce in India: The staffing levels below are as of April 2021

Production - 115
Logistics - 7
Procurement - 9
People Care - 6
Administration - 14
Total = 151

When Joyya commit's to participating in a community, they look at how their business can make a positive impact at both an individual and communal level. While their charitable work focuses on capacity building in the community, our business intends to be an Economic Engine for transformation

The 4 Components of Economic Impact: Joyya wants their business to focus on doing what businesses can do uniquely well. Their impact areas are split into 4 categories. For each category, they look at certain indicators to help them assess thier level of impact.

1) Provide Economic Stability
- Increase the average wage level for their staff
- Increase the number of jobs they offer
- Increase the entry-level wage for the lowest level job

2) Realize Economic Potential
- Increase internal promotion
- Facilitate successful external job placements
- Develop deep professional training for ALL staff

+ Joyya ensures that every staff member (regardless of seniority) has at least 2-hours each week towards personal development and training

3) Create an Economic Canopy
- Support local businesses in their procurement
- Invest time, training and funds in local small businesses
- Help shape and improve the economic identity of a community

4) Donate Developmental Assistance
- Invest in measuring the economic health of a community
- Fund developmental projects in a community
- Donate time and talent to projects in our community.

As Joyya grows, they will look to publish both baseline and year-over-year performance against each of these areas for each community in which they operate.

Want to learn more about Joyya? Visit their website to keep reading: www.joyya.com

Joyya is about seeing communities transformed, and they define communities as a group of people belonging to a place. So, when they talk about transformation, it’s more than simply people’s lives. Joyya also wants to see the places they inhabit transformed and restored.

Joyya staff have the privilege of living with communities that inhabit the outskirts and margins of India. These are places where clean water, clear air and good soil are not guaranteed. They are rights that Joyya's communities must fight for. Joyya wants to be in solidarity with their communities, and see these places restored.

If we’re honest, we has a long way to go in that goal.

Joyya is a young company in an industry traditionally known for poor labor and environmental practices. It is difficult to change attitudes and hearts of ourselves, our suppliers and our customers. But we believe it can be done.

In the first ten years Joyya's existence it was about proving that a business for the poor and marginalized can work, and Joyya wants their next chapter to be about proving they can indeed transform.

It’s in that spirit that Joyya has announced thier Good Earth 2035 vision. Thier vision entails committing to:

Good Air:

• Reaching Net-Zero Carbon emissions by 2035, across thier supply chain.
• Investing in energy-efficient machinery across all production processes.
• Regular air-quality audits across all thier factories.

Good Water:

• Reaching Net-Zero waste water generation by 2035.
• Investing in on-site water treatment systems for run-off.
• Tracking total water usage across all facilities with usage reduction targets.

Good Ground:

• Continued commitment to provide organic cotton and jute products globally.
• Ensure 100% of material waste passes through multi-stream recycling.

Joyya knows they have a lot to do to reach their vision. When they started, people said you can’t build a profitable business in a red-light area, slum or rural village. Perhaps it’s tempting to believe you can’t build an Earth-friendly one either. But they've surrounded ourselves with like minded local, national and international businesses and a SUPPLY CHAIN FROM ALL OVER INDIA that believes we can see change in this life time

However, as someone once said about reaching the moon – We do these things not because they are easy, but because they are hard.

Joyya wants to ensure their products are good for both people and planet. They believe it is important to be accountable and responsible with how they operate, and they work with various certification bodies to ensure they are constantly improving in this critical area of performance. The list below comprises the main certifications Joyya carries. Click on the links to learn more about their various certifications and assessments. You can also learn about their Good Earth 2035 vision HERE. You can view their certifications HERE.

1) Raw Material Certifications

Joyya sources cotton and jute from a number of different factories, mills and suppliers. The list below contains their most common fabric suppliers along with their accreditations. Joyya also completes regular audit checks of their suppliers as part of their commitment to WFTO operating principles. Check out a blank sample form at the bottom of this article.

CHETNA ORGANICS - COTTON FARM

Chetna works with small and marginal farmers towards improving their livelihood options and making farming a sustainable and profitable occupation. Chetna work with farmers from the rainfed regions of Maharashtra, Odisha and Andhra Pradesh covering around 43,500 acres. From 234 farmer members in 2004 to around 35,852 in 2014, Chetna’s strength has been collective action and the fair supply chain. Chetna assists and works to improve farm productivity, promote food security, get better prices for their crops and invest in health, education and business infrastructure within their communities. A self elected association: the Chetna Organic Farmer Association (COFA) has been established with the assistance of staff and support agencies. COFA as a platform not only helps farmers to voice concerns, share space in the textile supply chain and understand its complexities, but also helps farmers to have a better negotiation position.

Ethics and certifications:

- Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS)
- FLOCERT (FLO ID 4018)

RAJLAKSHMI COTTON MILLS (RCM)

RCM was set up in 1934 in Kolkata, West Bengal. They combine high quality tailoring with a fair deal for farmers and workers, RCM use mostly organic and Fair Trade cotton as well as other sustainable fibers such as Tencel, Modal and Linen. The cotton is certified by Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS), FLO-Fairtrade and Fair Trade-USA.

RCM sources its cotton from Chetna Organic Cotton. RCM orients its production around sustainability; it is certified under the Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) and reuses 50 percent of its waste water. This is achieved by  collaborating with dye houses and installing reverse osmosis machines. Sludge is converted into fertilizer and fabric scraps are taken from the cutting tables and recycled to produce paper.

RCM management and staff collaborate with a local NGO to calculate a living wage for employees every six months, and ensure that the lowest paid workers are paid above this rate. Wages are verified by independent third party audits to ensure compliance with Fair Trade USA standards. In addition, 10% of RCM shares have been gifted to the Chetna farmers, so the farmers now receive a share of RCM profits.

Ethics and certifications:

- Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS)
- FLOCERT (FLO ID 4512)
- SA 8000
- ISO9001:2000
- OEKOTEX100

SSV TEXTILES (SSV)

SSV provides the cotton sheeting and canvas used in many Joyya bags. The company was launched in 2011 in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu. The mill specializes in organic, non-organic, BCI and OEKO TEX fabrics.

Ethics and certifications:

- Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS)
- Global Recycled Standard (GRS)
- Organic Content Standard (OCS)
- Better Cotton Initiative (BCI ID 10030
- OEKOTEX100

T.T. TEXTILEWINGS (TTT)

TTT is a Kolkata-based provider for cotton sheeting and canvas used in many Joyya bags. The company was launched in 1994 and specializes in certified fabrics including Jute, Cotton and Polyester.

Ethics and certifications:

 - Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS)
 - Global Recycled Standard (GRS)
 - FLOCERT (FLO ID 42351)

GLOSTER LIMITED

Gloster is a world leader in providing certified, ethical jute fabric. With over 64 years of management experience in manufacturing and selling jute, the organization is a leader in ethical production. Gloster relies on the triple bottom approach, whereby they believe that the long term value of business is inherently dependent on social, environmental and financial performance of the company. This statement by the company gives an overview of key initiatives in this area. TEST

Ethics and certifications:

 - Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS)
- FLOCERT (FLO ID 25971)
- SA 8000:2014
- ISO9001:2015
- OEKOTEX100

2) Production Certifications

Our main production processes involve cutting, sewing, printing and packing products. For the past decade, our focus has been (a) ensuring we source from ethical and accountable manufacturers and (b) to develop our own systems to be a world class model on how to do business that is good for people and places. 

If we’re honest, Freeset has a long way to go in that goal. We’re a young company in an industry traditionally known for poor labor and environmental practices. It is difficult to change attitudes and hearts of ourselves, our suppliers and our customers. But we believe it can be done. Our early days were about proving that a business built on people from difficult and at-risk communities can work. We want our next chapter to be about proving they can indeed transform.

Ethics and certifications:

 - World Fair Trade Organization Certified Member
 - A+ Ethical Fashion Grade from Baptist World Aid (2019)

Joyya's business focuses on a holistic transformation of individuals and communities (read more HERE). A core part of their impact is through creating sustainable employment for those at-risk or marginalized in our community, who struggle to get employment elsewhere. Given there are limited job's, they want to ensure they are thoughtful in deciding WHO gets a job.

A Few Key Principles

1) Differentiating between "Impact Jobs" and regular jobs

Given the communities Joyya works in, there are certain jobs they cannot always fill locally. Joyya wants to recruit the best possible IT, HR, Finance, Marketing and Operations talent and find people who share our vision and culture. While they do search in their local communities, Joyya also knows they need to expand the pool. For these jobs where experience and talent are a must, Joyya looks for the best available candidate, regardless of where they live. 

However, for jobs where they know it is easier to develop and train people, Joyya wants to hire locally. These "Impact Jobs" are jobs Joyya thinks they can use to provide employment for someone who would not get employment elsewhere. These range from entry-level jobs like cleaning, to jobs that require modest training (e.g. sewing, printing, cutting, packing). Where possible, we also try to recruit supervisory or clerical jobs from these communities.

2) Impact Jobs must be for those living in a Target Community

Poverty, addiction and exploitation are massive issues in almost every community in India. Joyya wants to consolidate their impact to make a generational change, and so they focus on a handful of communities. Currently Joyya focuses on 4 communities, and to the best of their ability, try to maximize employment from these neighborhoods

3) Impact Jobs must balance need and aptitude

Joyya wants a job to be a real job and a not a hand-out. Therefore, they are often looking for those people who just need some training and structure to see a big improvement. They know skill development matters and want to create good incentives to ensure people continue improving even after they start working for Joyya.

However, they also know that sometimes the neediest among us will have limited ability to improve. Sometimes Joyya knows they need to give a job to someone just because they really need it, and they may not be the best at it, but they will be good enough, and it will mean the world for them.

Its a balancing act and they don't always get it right, but Joyya thinks their approach is sound. Joyya works with their social work and neighborhood engagement teams to understand which people need jobs and would benefit most from working with them. They use training programs to identify skill level and potential. And after taking it all in, they make a hiring decision and hope they get it right.

So why does Joyya hire so many women?

Joyya's goal is to create jobs for ALL people in need (men and women). They are thankful for the amazing men who are a part of their team at every level of the organization. Joyya needs them and they need more people like them. However, there is no denying Joyya employs a lot more women than men. This is the outcome of a few dynamics at play in their community.

1) Women tend to be more vulnerable

Gender discrimination is a reality in Joyya's communities. Keeping girls in school is a challenge, and most local companies prefer to hire men for most jobs. The simple fact is that it is hard for women in their community to get dignified stable employment. Most women either run small food shops and stores, or work as cooks and cleaners. While there are opportunities for educated women, the jobs for low-skill women is limited at best. Therefore, Joyya finds the need to be more prevalent among women in their community, and tend to hire more women as a result

2) Employing women has a larger developmental impact in at-risk communities

It might feel controversial to some, but study after study has shown that the societal benefits of employing women is massive, and is often the key to broader social improvement. Studies by multiple developmental and government agencies and private firms have shown that improving inclusion of women in the workforce has ripple effects on school enrollment, health, safety and overall income inequality. Joyya has listed some useful studies from major aid agencies below. Even anecdotally, their experience has shown that income earned by women is more consistently reinvested into the household in the form of school fees, improved diets, home repair and retirement savings. 

- IMF: EMPOWERING WOMEN IS SMART ECONOMICS
- IFC: INVESTING IN WOMEN'S EMPLOYMENT: GOOD FOR BUSINESS, GOOD FOR DEVELOPMENT
- MCKINSEY & CO: HOW ADVANCING WOMEN'S EQUALITY CAN ADD $12 TRILLION TO GLOBAL GROWTH

With the billions of tees sold globally, it can be hard to tell them apart. What makes one tee feel soft with a great fit, and another feel rough. A lot of what makes a tee great is the fabric it is made from.  All of Joyya's tees are made from either 100% Organic Cotton or from a 60-40 Polycotton Bi-Blend.

100% Organic Cotton
Joyya's organic cotton is a ring-spun single-knit jersey fabric. The cotton fabric is GOTS certified and traceable to the farm level. To learn more about their certifications click HERE.

Most of Joyya's cotton tees are made using 160 GSM (grams per square meter) cotton. For their white tees, they use a slightly heavier 180 GSM cotton.

60-40 Polycotton Bi-Blend
Joyya's bi-blend fabric is made with 60% GOTS organic cotton and 40% recycled polyester. The tees provide a different feel while still being eco-friendly and sustainable.

Why does Joyya use Ring-Spun Cotton?
Most cheap tees are made using carded open end cotton, which is a cheaper production process that results in a heavier and scratchier tee. Ring spun cotton is made using a circular knitting process that results in a softer retail quality t-shirt. Even if you're just buying some tees for a company event, they don't think you should have to compromise on quality, so they ensure EVERY tee they make is made from Ring-Spun Fabric. 

Printing on Ring-Spun Cotton?
Joyya tees are made to be printed on. Whether you want them printed by Joyya and shipped to you ready to go, or if you want to use some of our blanks and print them at home or your local printer, we know that we want the graphics to look good on your tee. One of the benefits of Ring-Spun cotton is that the finer fabric is easier to print on. Especially as many local shops print small orders using DTG (Direct to Garment) printers, we want to make sure Joyya tees are easy to use. The thinner and tightly wound cotton provides a much flatter surface for the prints to come on and set evenly.

Joyya's bags come in both cotton and jute. To learn more about jute fabric click HERE. Joyya's uses 100% GOTS certified organic cotton in every bag. To learn more about their certifications click HERE. When you are setting up your order, you may get to choose between Canvas and Sheeting. So the 1st step is deciding which fabric you  need.

Sheeting vs. Canvas Cotton sheeting is a thinner fabric that is lightweight and durable. It is commonly used for for promotional events, or for lightweight totes (e.g. grocery bags). 

Sheeting Specs:
- Weight: 145 GSM
- Density : 60 x 60
- Yarn Type: 20 x 20

Cotton canvas is a thicker fabric that holds its shape better (especially on bags with gussets). It is also used in Joyya's Aprons, and crossbody bags.

Canvas Specs:
 - Weight: 310 GSM
 - Density : 60 x 60
 - Yarn Type: 20 x 20

Ok, I know which fabric I want. What are my other choices?

There are a few more choices when choosing fabric. The main decision is whether the fabric is combed or uncombed, and whether it is raw or washed. To simplify the process for you, when you order online we use certain default choices, but if you would like to discussing a different spec, contact us at team@kindredapparel.com

What are the defaults?

Fabric Type Natural Cotton Dyed Cotton Sheeting Combed & Washed Uncombed, Washed & Dyed Canvas Combed & Washed Uncombed, Washed & Dyed

Combed vs. Uncombed Combed cotton is a softer version of regular uncombed cotton. It’s made by further treating the cotton after it’s been picked, then spun into yarn. Because of the work that is added to the cotton, combed cotton tends to be noticeably smoother and shinier when the cotton is undyed.

Joyya uses combed cotton for all undyed fabric since the fabric has a glossier color. However, some customers prefer to use uncombed cotton to get a rougher and more "natural" texture. Once cotton is dyed, the difference between combed and uncombed is less noticeable, and so Joyya uses uncombed cotton when dyeing the fabric.

Raw vs. Washed Washing is a process by which cotton fabric is relaxed to make it feel softer. While raw cotton will gain a softer texture over time, washing cotton results in a softer fabric right away. Joyya washs all their fabric by default, but there are times when customers will want to use raw, natural cotton for their product. If so, just let us know!

Joyya's bags come in both cotton and jute. To learn more about cotton fabric click HERE. Joyya's uses ethical jute in every bag. To learn more about their certifications click HERE. Joyya jute bags come in both laminated and unlaminated jute. The jute is a plain weave with a 14 x 15 strand count (strands per square inch).

What is Jute? The term jute originated from the word ‘jhuta or jora’ from the Oriya language. Oriya is an old Indian language that is now only spoken by only 4.2% of the Indian population. When Britain colonized India the term stuck and it is now used through out Great Britain and its colonies. India is the world’s largest producer of jute and it is where all our bags start out. Jute is a more refined version of the typical hessian fabric, it offers a higher quality product and a softer finish. This makes jute the perfect material for producing our natural bags.

Hessian and burlap are the terms used for a more rustic and coarse fabric, whereas jute is the most refined and high quality version. This is why jute is more commonly used to produce natural bags, despite the fact hessian seems to be the most popular word on the street. So all those hessian bags you’ve collected on the back of your door are more likely to have a jute origin!

How is Jute grown? Jute is a natural fiber that is traditionally farmed in similar conditions to organic farming. The jute plant is rotated, while NO pesticides or fertilizers are used in the growing process and nothing is Genetically Modified. Jute is mainly grown in West Bengal (India) and grows fully in 4-6 months.

What is Laminated Jute? Natural jute is a loose-weave flexible fabric with a dynamic texture. However, when a bag needs more stiffness or needs to be water-tight, a thin layer of laminate is applied to the back of the jute. Joyya uses laminated jute in its Shopper bags and pouches. When times comes to discard the bag, the PP layer can be removed which leaves a completely biodegradable Jute bag.

Fair trade has been defined as an organized social movement and market-based approach to alleviating global poverty and promoting sustainability. Fair trade’s strategic intent is to deliberately work with marginalized producers and workers in order to help them move from a position of vulnerability to security and economic self-sufficiency. It also aims at empowering them to become stakeholders in their own organizations and actively play a wider role in the global arena to achieve greater equity in international trade. 

You can read more about the 10 Principles of Fair Trade on the WFTO website.

Factories and products certified “Fair Trade,” empower the consumer to choose products made under fair conditions.

Joyya is committed to providing fair, living wages and a healthy working environment for all employees. Wages are well above the national minimum and all staff receives training, health care, child care, and savings and retirement plans. Joyya is a member of the Fair Trade Federation, a U.S-based network of fair trade businesses, as well as memebers of the WTFO.

Your jute bag is going to need a periodic clean. So, how can you wash the bag and make sure it retains its shape and the print remains vibrant?

HAND WASHING:

Small products using untreated natural jute do not fare well in machine washing. Products like tote bags and zippered pouches should be handwashed to prevent loss of structure and shape.

• Fill a sink or basin with cold water. Make sure you do not use hot water as it may lead to the fabric’s shrinking
• Add a small amount of mild detergent. You should use a liquid variety to avoid deposits
• Leave the item in the basin for five minutes. Watch the fabric to make sure it does not fray or come apart
• Stir the material with your hands gently
• Rinse the item in the sink under running cold water, making sure you do not twist or squeeze the cloth;
• When you take the item out of the basin, make sure you do not wring it – it may cause damages to the structure, together with creases. You can gently haul the excess water.

STAIN REMOVAL - SPOT CLEANING:

Its best to remove stains BEFORE you wash your jute bag. You can use the process below to remove minor spots and stains.

• Use a wet sponge to blot the stain away (do not rub) and remove excess moisture with the help of a dry towel
• If you have to deal with difficult stains, you can use an oxygen-based stain remover. Gently test the product on the inside of the tote bag to see how the fabric behaves in the presence of the substance. If everything goes well, you can leave the oxy stain remover to do its job for a few minutes. Rinse off the excess substance with a wet towel and then handwash the item.
• Use a mixture of soda and water to remove stains. Apply a layer of paste made of baking soda and water on the stain and leave it a few minutes

ODOR REMOVAL:

Baking soda can be used to odors from your jute bags and other items.

• Fill a spray bottle with a mixture of water and baking soda
• Spray the item with the mix (make sure you do this outdoors) and leave the item to aerate for a few hours. Then turn it inside out and spray again. The best strategy is to remove odors and stains with baking soda when the outside air is warm, and the sun can dry the bag fast;
• In case you have some stubborn odors to deal with, treat the product with lemon juice (spray the fabric with lemon juice and leave the product outside in fresh air to dry). However, be careful to not use too much since acidic treatments risk damaging the fabric.
• Let the bag dry in fresh warm air to avoid the development of mildew; lay the product on a flat surface; you can also remove excess moisture by placing your bag in between two thick towels.

When it comes to using stain removers and other cleaning products make sure you read the products’ labels. If the manufacturer offered specific instructions on cleaning and maintenance, make sure you follow them!

MACHINE WASHING:

We don't typically recommend machine washing your jute bags since the spin cycle can warp the bag and also cause shrinkage. However, if you do want to machine wash, make sure the print is color-fast (dab the area with a white cotton fabric soaked in water) and make sure you use cold water on a very gentle cycle. However, our recommendation is to not take that risk unless you are absolutely sure it will work.

Special thanks to TOTE BAG FACTORY for these washing instructions

Your cotton tote bag is going to need a periodic clean. So, how can you wash the bag and make sure it retains its shape and the print remains vibrant?

SPOT CLEANING:

Spot cleaning is the best way to clean up small stains and marks on your bag. If you have a stain remover spray, use the instructions on the product to help you clean the localized spot. If you don't have a stain remover, you can use baking soda mixed with a little warm water. Create a paste and apply it to the spot and leave it for 5-10 min, and then wipe it off.

Alternatively, you can soak the affected area in a solution of wine vinegar and warm water for 2 hours and then rinse with fresh water.

HAND WASHING:

If you need to wash the entire bag, we recommend handwashing your tote using regular laundry washing powder and lukewarm water. Gently scrub your bag and try to avoid scrubbing printed areas as this can impact the print finish.

MACHINE WASHING:

We don't typically recommend machine washing your tote bag since the spin cycle can warp the bag and also cause shrinkage. However, if you do want to machine wash, make sure the print is color-fast (dab the area with a white cotton fabric soaked in water) and make sure you use cold water on a low-spin cycle. This will minimize issues with shrinkage, warming and color fading.

WIPE CLEAN:

If you’re cleaning a recent mark a simple wipe clean with hot water and soap will do the trick.

STEAM CLEANING:

Steaming your cotton bag is a great alternative to washing. Steaming will remove any creases, will clean long term discoloration, and may help to remove stubborn stains from your tote bag. By adding some essential oil or scented antibacterial liquid to your steamer you can also remove any unwanted smells. 

Special thanks to BIDBI.CO.UK for these washing instructions