Impact
The GOEX Haiti Factory is Finally OPEN
Hi GOEX Family - Wow - the last 18 months have been a journey. That’s probably a pretty big understatement, actually. This has been a year and a half full of ups and downs, tears and celebrations. Eighteen months of juggling and pushing and apologizing and figuring it out. But as we mentioned in this update from June, we are committed to leaning in and supporting families no matter how challenging. And we couldn’t do any of it without you! Thank you for your flexibility, for your support, for your belief in us through delay after delay. And with that, we are THRILLED to share that as of this week, we are sewing in Haiti again! Our incredibly talented team is back to cutting and sewing the garments you and your clients love. For those of you who joined us in the middle of the last year and a half, get excited! You will soon start to see the Made in Haiti labels reappearing in our garments. When you look at those tags, I hope you will see the smile on a face that cares deeply about the quality of the garment. They care because it gives them the ability to care for their family through the dignity of their own work. Making your garments is an incredible sense of pride for our team members. They know they’re exceptionally talented, they are paid well for their skills and they persevere through incredible odds to work. They are remarkable and we are honored to partner with them! We also shared in June that our team will return to work with not only fair wage jobs, healthcare and lunch each day but will have the opportunity to participate in Strong Family, our signature family strengthening program. Setting up Strong Family involves a trained social worker (whom we employ at the factory all of the time for employee support) as well as a modest pool of funds for incentives as members progress through the program. For the next two weeks, we’re offering you the opportunity to purchase our exclusive Grand Opening tee and all of the proceeds will go to the employee incentive fund. We hope you’ll take advantage of this opportunity to both celebrate with us and to invest in the team in this way. This is not charity, this is empowerment at its best! Thank you again for your support. And for your patience. You all mean everything to us and your kindness fills us with both humility and gratitude. Stay tuned for scenes from the factory and opportunities to keep celebrating as we celebrate Fair Trade Month in the absolute best way we could imagine! Jessica RayExecutive Director, GOEX
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GOEX Apparel Creates Sustainable Tee With CiCLOⓇ Technology to Reduce Microplastic Pollution
We define our tees as ‘A Better Shirt for A Better World.' In each detail, we choose the best for people and the planet – from a low carbon footprint to fair wages to sustainable fabrics and trims. We want to create the absolute best tee on the market. When we learned about CiCLO® Technology, we were using recycled poly in our tri-blend and some fleece. We know CiCLO® Technology represents a major step forward in sustainability and are so excited to introduce this fiber in our line. Environmentally-Friendly Fiber Polyester and nylon break down naturally with CiCLO® Technology, a patented textile ingredient. Integrating CiCLO®'s active ingredients with recycled or virgin polyester or nylon during melt extrusion creates pathways attracting naturally occurring microorganisms. This process leads to the complete decomposition of CiCLO® fibers, leaving only natural elements behind. Prolonged exposure to moisture and microorganisms activates the disintegration process, ensuring fibers and fabrics maintain their durability and performance. Our signature fabrics are knit, dyed and finished in South Carolina using U.S. fibers, supporting the U.S. textile industry and maintaining high standards of quality and consistency. Our original goal of setting a new standard for caring for people through dignified work in Haiti remains at our heart, but manufacturing has diversified to include the Dominican Republic and the U.S. Our customers appreciate that every garment is woven with care for people in the U.S. and in developing economies close to home. While other manufacturers chase the lowest-cost fabrics and labor at the sacrifice of quality and human dignity, GOEX believes there’s a better way and wants to help change perceptions of what a simple tee represents. Reducing Pollution According to research from the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, only 2% of those employed in the global apparel industry earn a livable wage. Depending on how far you reach into the supply chain, the industry employs a mind-blowing 100 million to 300 million people. Added to the human rights challenges, the fashion industry is also the planet’s second-largest polluter, just behind oil and gas. Significant microplastic pollution is caused by synthetic fibers that constitute 65% of the global textile market. Up to 18 million microfibers per cycle are released by washing machines. Textiles shed these plastic microfibers during manufacturing, use, and care. Once these microfibers enter the environment, their minuscule size prevents recapture. These microfibers, like most plastics, persist indefinitely unless manufacturers incorporate CiCLO® Technology. While we encourage more restrained approaches to fashion such as purchasing fewer items and wearing them for longer, we all know that the basic tee isn’t going anywhere. It’s the most beloved item in every wardrobe, and studies show we will each get at least two more every year. If our world is going to produce billions of tees each year, we believe those tees should be made in a way that supports people with dignified work and cares for the planet by reducing harmful synthetic textiles that exist in our soil and water forever. This partnership with CiCLO® Technology makes that goal more possible than ever before. When you purchase your next custom apparel from GOEX, you can feel confident you’ll get a quality product crafted in the most conscious way possible.
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Personalized to Perfection—Now With Embroidery!
We are SO excited to announce that GOEX now offers embroidery in house! In our typical thrifty fashion, we actually bought equipment from a lovely lady in our community who was retiring and selling her gently used machines. They’ve been serviced for best in class quality and our team has been busy learning and practicing. We are thrilled to bring this service in house for quality control, turn time management and, eventually, adding to our team. Read on for additional information on embroidery and click here to get a quote! Why choose embroidery? Premium and Professional AppearanceEmbroidery creates a raised, textured, and three-dimensional look that reflects sophistication and professionalism. This makes embroidered garments particularly suitable for corporate environments, uniforms, and upscale branding. Color RetentionThread colors in embroidery remain vibrant and do not fade or crack over time, unlike some decorations that may degrade with repeated washing. Material VersatilityEmbroidery works well on a variety of heavier and structured materials such as polos, jackets, hats, and backpacks, providing crisp and clean designs even on thick fabrics. Small Batches and PersonalizationEmbroidery is used for both small and large orders and allows for easy personalization, such as adding names or initials, making it popular for unique, custom items. It’s worth noting that the cost will be higher for small orders. Tactile and Visual AppealThe three-dimensional effect of embroidery adds a unique tactile and visual texture to garments, enhancing their perceived value and attractiveness. How will the design process work for embroidery? Create a GraphicJust as with screen print, send as much information as you have available to assist our art team with proofing your design. If you have a graphic, please provide a vector file. Choose ColorSelect your colors from our stock thread chart. We’re happy to order a color we do not stock. The fee is $25 per color if we need to order thread. File PreparationAfter you approve your proof, the design is converted into a digital file using specialized software—a process called digitization. This file contains instructions for the embroidery machine, detailing stitch counts and types, sequences, and color changes. The fee for digitization is $40 per design – this is a one time fee that will not apply to reorders. Stitch it OutOnce the art is prepped, it’s time to watch your design come to life. It’s worth noting that embroidery does take longer than screen print, especially for large or complex designs, so turn time will be about a week longer than for print. Again, we’re SO excited to bring this service to you directly from our production facility. We hope this blog has helped answer your questions, but please reach out with any additional questions or request a quote today!
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GOEX + The Good Tee: A New Fair Trade Partnership
GOEX and The Good Tee Announce New Partnership GOEX Becomes Exclusive Wholesale Distributor in the U.S. and Canada Kansas City, MISSOURI—GOEX and The Good Tee are excited to announce that GOEX will become the exclusive wholesale distributor of The Good Tee’s 100 percent organic cotton products in the United States and Canada. This partnership will be effective October 2024, adding The Good Tee’s trusted, sustainably sourced apparel to GOEX’s growing collection of fair trade, eco-conscious clothing. While The Good Tee will continue to sell directly to consumers through their website, GOEX will handle all wholesale orders, including blank and custom options. This partnership aligns with the shared commitment of both brands to providing ethical, sustainable fashion made with care for people and the planet. “We’re thrilled to bring The Good Tee’s high-quality organic cotton basics to our wholesale clients,” said Jessica Ray, Executive Director of GOEX. “The addition of these 100% organic cotton pieces strengthens our collection of sustainable apparel, providing even more choices for those seeking ethical, fair trade fashion.” The Good Tee's organic cotton products are known for their exceptional quality, certified sustainable practices, and commitment to fair trade. With this new partnership, wholesale customers in the U.S. and Canada can look forward to ordering these beloved basics through GOEX, with stock available by the end of December 2024. Interested wholesale clients are encouraged to contact their GOEX sales representatives for more information on orders and custom options. Stock will be available for sale at the end of October. About GOEX GOEX uses a simple tee to connect the customer and the maker. Our customers sustain fair wage jobs that liberate workers from poverty and empower them in their families and communities. We prioritize sustainability, evaluating materials annually to ensure the use of eco-friendly options like OEKO-TEX® ECO PASSPORT certified fabrics and Fair Trade labels. As a Fair Trade Federation Verified organization and a member of B Corp, the Fair Labor Association, and the Social Enterprise Alliance, we are dedicated to transparency, integrity, and fairness in every aspect of our business. Our ongoing commitment to fair wages and benefits ensures our U.S. and Haiti teams can care for their families, stay healthy, and plan for the future. About The Good Tee The Good Tee, launched March 2020, is on a mission to be a positive example of responsibly made fashion basics and to humanize the fashion industry. Made from Fairtrade organic cotton and certified eco-friendly dyes, our t-shirts are fully traceable from farm to warehouse. We celebrate all the good humans in the supply chain that make our products, so you can understand the positive impact you make. As a certified B Corporation, we aim to be a force for good. For media inquiries, please contact Nate Williams, Director of Marketing, The Global Orphan Project. Email: nate@goproject.org or (816) 536-8333.
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Another Update: What's Next For GOEX
Hi GOEX Family – First of all, THANK YOU for showing up for our team in amazing ways! With the match we announced, you all have given more than $27,000 to care for our families in Haiti as they endure unimaginable challenges. 100% of your generous gifts are going directly to our employees and their families. We sent the first allotment of money this week and employees are receiving bank transfers as we speak – truly life-giving funds! If you would like to contribute to this ongoing need, click here! So, an update… As of today, really nothing has changed. There is a council in place that is tasked with appointing an interim Prime Minister who is tasked with getting the country to a free and fair presidential election. But much has to happen between now and then. An international force is still possible but nothing is imminent and the general population in Port au Prince continues to suffer under gang violence and economic disintegration. Right now, in Port au Prince, no ships are coming to port with desperately needed supplies and no planes are flying in or out. Today American Airlines announced another delay to reinstated flights – from 4/17 to 5/5. Time will tell. Because of ongoing uncertainty, we have made the extremely difficult decision to shift production to the Dominican Republic for the summer with the goal of reopening in Haiti this fall. This decision was weighty but in order to remove pressure from the team in Haiti and give our partner in the DR the ability to coordinate production, we had to commit to a plan. The factory we’re using in the DR shares our values of fair wages and employee empowerment. When you look a GOEX garment over the coming months, whether sewn in Haiti, the USA or the Dominican Republic, you can be assured of the same USA fabrics, the same commitment to quality and the same commitment to caring for people through the dignity of work. If you want to learn more, we are excited to announce the first of a series of virtual Q&As with GOEX leadership! Join us Wed, April 30th at 2:30 pm central to ask questions and learn more! Click here to register and receive a link. And save the date for May 29th for our second virtual Q&A as we answer your questions about sustainable fabric sourcing! As always, we can only do this work because of your support. Thank you for caring! Best, Jessica Ray
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Haiti: A Message From the General Manager of Our Factory
It breaks my heart to have to write another devastating update on where we stand today. The recent months have been the most challenging I've ever faced, to say the least. I am somewhat at a loss for words, because the Haiti we call home is suffering more than ever. Our team made every last effort they could to make it to the factory every day under extreme struggles they are all facing. We are so sad to have to temporarily pull the plug until we can safely receive everyone through our doors. The sad part is, they would do anything to work and would come at all costs. Unfortunately, we had to think of their safety and the vulnerability of our facility. This week I had to leave my country and my home behind unwillingly. I feel blessed that I had this opportunity because most do not, but it doesn't change the fact that I am completely devastated. I choose to still be hopeful, because I know we can heal. I refuse to believe we cannot come back from this. In the meantime, my family and I are safe. Our employees are safe. This is all we can ask for for now, and hope for better days. I am confident that my next update to you all we will be in a better place. One day at a time ❤️*********************** If you would like to contribute to our efforts to provide necessities to our team that is still in Haiti while our factory is shut down you can do that through our parent non-profit organization The Global Orphan Project https://goproject.org/goex-donate/
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Haiti Update
Hi GOEX Family – I’ve waited 21 days to post an update on what’s happening in Haiti. Thank you to all of you who have reached out with kind words and prayers for the team. I was hopeful that I could share something different from the following… I know we’ve communicated in the past that gangs control most of Port au Prince. I know we’ve also shared that our team continues to work despite the danger because that work is life-giving for them and their families. However, Monday we made the hard decision to close our factory for the next 30 days and then reevaluate the situation. Why? Why now versus other times over the past two years? As many of you may have seen in the news, on Thursday, February 29th, the gangs that hold control over different parts of Port au Prince united their forces with the stated goal of forcing the resignation of the unelected Prime Minister. They attacked police stations, the airport, the port and many other businesses and institutions. The Prime Minister has agreed to resign as soon as a transitional government is in place but attempts to install that government have stagnated. This leaves the country in an incredibly unstable place as gang members continue to loot businesses and destroy property. The streets are simply not safe. The port and airport remain closed leaving us with no way to get goods in or out of the country. The good news is that we have a lot of stock in Kansas City and our print shop is running at full speed to fulfill your orders. We appreciate your patience as we navigate a few out-of-stock items. We do have fabric in the works in South Carolina and we’re sewing some styles in the United States to cover current programs. (We will be in communication with affected customers regarding those items as we will not be able to offer our standard discounts on items sewn domestically.) So, how can you help? Keep those orders coming! As I said, we have over 200,000 garments in Kansas City ready to print for you. Those sales continue to support Haiti! Give to GOEX via The Global Orphan Project, our non-profit parent organization. 100% of your donations over the next two weeks will go to support our team in Haiti. Primarily, these funds will allow the team to support their families while they cannot work. We need $300 per day to support the cutting team, sewing operators and support staff. And we need to cover four weeks! All donations to this fund are tax deductible. If you’re a praying person, please keep praying for Haiti. The people there need what literally feels like a miracle. They need safety and security and a new government that wants to govern for the good of the people and not for personal gain or power. They need to go to work and school without fear. This quote came from a fellow business in Haiti and we couldn’t agree more: "Now is not the time to give up hope. To the contrary, now is the time to work harder than ever to create change." Thank you again to all of you for your ongoing support of our mission to change lives through the dignity of work. We cannot do any of this without you and we are SO grateful. --Jessica Ray Executive Director, GOEX
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A New Year in Haiti
Happy January GOEX Family! It’s been awhile since we sent out a Haiti update but today we want to celebrate with you because the team is back at work! At the end of each year we close the factory for about three weeks as required by Haiti law. Employees are paid for vacation time and we send them off with a holiday gift bag of special food items to celebrate the season with their families. This year that time off has been extended because we were not able to move a container of fabric from port due to security concerns. However, we are excited to share with you that this past Saturday morning the container was delivered safely to the factory! After customs inspection employees unloaded it yesterday and today we had navy triblend on the cutting table! To most apparel companies, this isn’t a big deal – fabric and garments come and go almost every day. But as security in Haiti has eroded over the past months, it’s become increasingly difficult and risky to move containers back and forth between the factory and the port. It’s also difficult to get messengers to move paperwork around Port au Prince as needed for clearance. Logistics isn’t generally the most fun part of doing business but it’s extremely difficult for those of us who work in Haiti. Nevertheless, because of our love for and dedication to, the amazing men and women who sew your garments, we keep at it! We have shipped garments and fabric via smaller air shipments for several months but that was not a sustainable, cost-effective solution. That makes us even more grateful that we were able to move the fabric and get the team back to work. All of this was happening while I was in Atlanta at a trade show with the Haiti Artisan Collective The support from this amazing group of brands is sweet and life-giving. I am so thankful for all of the men and women giving of their time and talents to bring Haitian-made products to market. And I am equally thankful for the amazing and generous customers who support us. Cheers to 2024 and to creating and sustaining even more jobs in Haiti! With love and gratitude,Jessica
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