Not Just a T-Shirt It’s a Lifestyle

Here in North Carolina we are fortunate to have many sustainable enterprises that see beyond simply profit, to an optimistic future that includes people and the planet – the three P’s of sustainable business. One of the brightest stars in the area must be TS Designs, a manufacturer of screen printed t-shirts.

Along with several attendees of a Sustainable NC function that was hosted at TS Designs’ offices near Burlington, I enjoyed a tour of their facilities that was both inspiring and educational.

Tom Sineath, the CEO, who guided 25 of us around the grounds kept reminding people, “we are a t-shirt company,” because very little of what he showed us had anything to do with making, dyeing or printing shirts.

What was patently obvious to all was the unbridled passion that Tom and Eric Henry, TS Designs’ President, both share for their company and their intense desire for it to provide something far deeper than just a return on investment. They’re out to demonstrate that love of business and caring for the wider environment are mutually compatible. And, that by applying some mindful and caring practices which engage the entire staff – like their “square foot gardens” – they can have a positive impact on their community that pays off big. Their mission is really to show that sustainability is the right business model for the present and future.

TS Designs wasn’t always a “sustainable” business. They built a successful business over 30 years ago but then lost 90% of their customers to exports once the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) went into place. But, thanks to a good friend, Sam Moore from Burlington Chemical Company, they were introduced to the ideas of sustainability and triple-bottom-line, or three P’s.

Seeking to be more sustainable led them to invent their patented Rehance® process which results in a brighter, longer lasting print and a far lower impact because they’re not using plastisol like other t-shirt printers. White areas, for instance, are not applied with ink or dye like other companies do. Rather, it is the absence of dye that creates a bright white that doesn’t wear off or fade. They print the designs first then dye the shirts so that the dye is repelled from the print areas. This way the print is in the fabric, rather than on the fabric. And of course, the whole process is water based with no heavy metals, formaldehyde or other toxins.

But, as I said, the tour of the facilities had little to do with that. To start with, Tom told us about how they capture the condensation from both the air conditioning and the ice machine and use that water to flush toilets. We then saw their compost piles outside and how they are using colorful bits of fabric waste as garden mulch. Each of the employees is now given a raised square bed to plant and tend. This is a program they call “square foot gardening.” Watering is only by hand to encourage a mindfulness of the resource and avoid waste.

One of the more surprising features was a giant compost pile, inside of which was buried a water barrel. We pulled out the thermometer, which read 160 Degrees F. They are also experimenting with a greenhouse made as a lean-to on the south side of the building, where they can start plants growing. To moderate the temperature within, there are ventilation flaps that open at a preset temperature and air is pumped in from a smaller compost pile to warm it if needed.

Right next to a patch of square foot gardens is a small recent structure made of Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (AAC) blocks, which are extremely energy efficient and easy for self-builders to work with. This houses a new biodiesel pump station that members of Piedmont Biofuels, which includes many staff, can take advantage of to fuel up. They also have a processing facility where the team turns waste fats from nearby restaurants into 100-300 gallons of automotive biodiesel each week.

Near the front of the building, they have installed a 3-kilowatt solar array that tracks the sun for that little extra bit of efficiency. And they recently put up a 1-kilowatt wind turbine too. When the sun is not shining, the wind is usually blowing, so it offers a nice balance.

Clearly, they have not done all of these projects to increase their financial returns. It is obvious from the look on Tom’s face throughout the tour that he gets a real buzz from all of the sustainability initiatives. Then as I met several of the employees at the plant afterwards, it was plain that they love working at TS Designs. If nothing else, these efforts have created a sense of community within the company that nurtures them and cultivates a spirit unlike any business I have ever seen.

TS Designs with all of these amazing projects have cut their carbon footprint right down and they are aiming at being completely carbon neutral in the near future. But, even deeper things are going on here. They have created an oasis to inspire businesses and individuals everywhere. We are very lucky to have them here in the Piedmont.

TSDesigns is located in Burlington. For more information, see www.tsdesigns.com

It’s Easy Being Green Here in The Triangle

The new series, “It’s Easy Being Green”, running on the Fine Living Network (FLN), was produced right here in the Triangle by Distillery Pictures. We stopped by to talk to Executive Producer Scott Meyers who put the show together.

The affable Scott Meyers may not have been a deep green eco-warrior before the production, but he was clever enough to recognise an important cultural trend. And, he admits that he’s been drawn into being much more green since starting work on the program.

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