by Mitch Kraft
As a competitive runner for over 10 years and a veteran of many road races, I know first-hand that as the running community we are very supportive of each other and of good social causes. I recently started working with Purnaa, an amazing company in Nepal equipping marginalized people with fresh starts and fulfilled lives through garment manufacturing. Purnaa’s line of Custom Print Gear is the perfect merchandise for racing gear and helps make a positive difference in the world. As a running community, we have a great responsibility to consider how our purchases affect the world when we order gear for races.
Align Your Merchandise with Your Cause
Many road races are set up to support a good cause. Have you considered that our race t-shirts could also help or hinder that cause? A lot of people don’t know where their t-shirts are produced. Sadly, many garments in today’s industry come from sweatshop factories that exploit workers in unsafe working conditions. When we choose Purnaa Custom Print Gear, we can have confidence in our merchandise being sourced ethically. Because of Purnaa’s transparent supply chain, we know exactly where our t-shirts are made and how the workers are treated. If the money from our race is used to help others and make the world better, shouldn’t our t-shirts do the same? I believe we can make an even bigger impact through racing than just the funds raised from our entry fee donations. We can also empower people who have escaped from exploitation, who were once marginalized and discriminated against, but who are now living better lives because of dignified work making ethical gear. Partnering with Purnaa Custom Print Gear allows us to support two great causes at once!
Do Good for People
Purnaa is a fair trade guaranteed factory. All of the people at Purnaa are paid a living wage and are given a safe place to work. We believe in treating people with dignity and giving them the opportunity for fresh starts and fulfilled lives. Purnaa creates jobs to help those who need it most. We believe in giving opportunities to people who may have never been given the opportunity for a job before. Purnaa trains them in job skills and in life skills, such as reading, writing, budgeting, and healthy lifestyles. When you buy from Purnaa, you help support the mission of empowering marginalized people to have a successful future. What an amazing concept to have intertwined into every racer’s race day story.
Do Good for the Environment
Runners understand the importance of protecting the environment. We know that the best places to run have clean, fresh air, and a great view. Living and running over the last year in a city with pollution problems, I have seen the real need to protect the environment at all levels of the supply chain. When we source our race t-shirts from Purnaa’s Custom Print Gear we help care for the environment as well. All of Purnaa’s products are made from certified organic cotton, which means it is grown without the use of harmful fertilizers or pesticides. Methods of farming organic cotton have a low impact on the environment and use sustainable farming and production processes. Our organic cotton is dyed using a low-impact fiber-reactive dye, this means that they use less water and heat, and produce less harmful water than standard chemical dyeing processes.
After purchasing ethical merchandise, we can race with the peace of mind that we are raising awareness for our cause while wearing gear that is good to the people who made it, and good for the environment we love. Join us in helping make your event match your values and take another positive step into the good world we are all striving to create. Let your purchase reflect what matters to you.
Choose ethical and sustainable. Choose Purnaa Custom Print Gear.
Check out more details about Purnaa's Custom Print Gear collection: