Impact
How to Talk About GOEX Sustainability With Your Customers
A simple guide for retailers Today’s customers care about how their clothing is made. They want to know their purchases support both people and the planet—but they also appreciate explanations that are simple and credible. At GOEX, sustainability isn’t just a label. It’s built into the materials, components, and production choices behind every garment. This guide gives you simple ways to talk about GOEX sustainability in-store, online, or on product pages. 1. Start With the People Sustainability starts with people. Every GOEX garment supports fair-wage jobs in Haiti, helping workers provide for their families and strengthen their communities. When customers choose GOEX, they’re supporting ethical manufacturing and dignified employment.You can say: “Many GOEX styles use recycled materials, including recycled polyester made from plastic bottles.” 2. Recycled Materials Reduce Waste Many GOEX garments include recycled polyester, often made from repurposed plastic bottles.Instead of ending up in landfills, those materials are transformed into durable fabrics designed for everyday wear. GOEX also incorporates recycled materials into small details like labels, trims, and drawcords—because sustainability shows up in the details.You can say: “Many GOEX styles use recycled materials, including recycled polyester made from plastic bottles.” 3. CiCLO® Technology Helps Reduce Microfiber Impact Some GOEX fabrics include CiCLO® technology, an innovative fiber ingredient that helps synthetic materials behave more like natural fibers if they end up in environments like landfills.This allows GOEX garments to maintain the comfort and durability customers expect, while helping reduce the long-term environmental impact of synthetic textiles.You can say: “Some GOEX fabrics include CiCLO® technology, which helps synthetic fibers break down more like natural materials at the end of their life.” 4. Designed for Longevity GOEX garments are designed to last.Instead of fast fashion, GOEX focuses on durability, comfort, and repeat wear—creating garments customers will keep in their wardrobe for years.You can say: “GOEX clothing is made for longevity—designed to be worn again and again.” Quick Talking Points for Retail Staff If you need a short version, here are a few easy talking points: GOEX garments support fair-wage jobs in Haiti. Many fabrics include recycled materials, including recycled polyester. Select styles feature CiCLO® technology to help reduce microfiber pollution. Even small components like labels and trims use recycled materials. Garments are designed for durability and long-term wear. 30-Second Sustainability Explanation If a customer asks about GOEX sustainability, here’s a simple way to explain it: “GOEX focuses on sustainability in three main ways. First, every garment supports fair-wage jobs in Haiti. Second, many styles use recycled materials like recycled polyester and recycled trims. And third, some fabrics include CiCLO® technology that helps synthetic fibers break down more like natural materials. The goal is clothing that’s better for people, better for the planet, and made to last.” Product Description Language (Copy + Paste) Retailers are welcome to use this language in product listings or signage. Short VersionThis garment supports fair-wage jobs in Haiti and incorporates sustainable materials, including recycled components. Select GOEX fabrics also feature CiCLO® technology designed to reduce microfiber persistence. Medium VersionGOEX garments support fair-wage employment in Haiti and incorporate thoughtful sustainability choices, including recycled polyester and recycled trims. Select fabrics feature CiCLO® technology, an innovative fiber ingredient designed to help synthetic materials behave more like natural fibers at the end of their life. Now that you know how to talk to your customers about GOEX, ready to stock up? Get a Quote
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GOEX is B Corp Certified
What does it really mean to be B Corp Certified? As a B Corp, we’re part of a global community of businesses that meet high standards of social and environmental impact. B Corps represent individual businesses that believe we’re all in this quest to create a better world together – that change requires many of us working together. We are proud to be part of this community to work with other social enterprises and our larger community to continue to push for the use of commerce to create positive change for people and planet! B Corp Declaration of Interdependence We envision a global economy that uses business as a force for good. This economy is comprised of a new type of corporation – The B Corporation – which is purpose-driven and creates benefit for all stakeholders, not just shareholders. As B Corporations and leaders of this emerging economy, we believe that we must be the change we seek in the world and all business ought to be conducted as if people and place matter. Through their products, practices, and profits, businesses should aspire to do no harm and benefit all. To do so requires that we act with the understanding that we are each dependent upon another and thus responsible for each other and future generations. B Corps join together in this manifesto: Together, we transform the global economy to benefit all people, communities, and the planet. Together, we lead economic systems change that will realize our vision of an inclusive, equitable, and regenerative economy. Together, we create standards, policies, tools, and programs that shift the behavior, culture, and structure of capitalism. Together, we’re changing the rules of the game so that all businesses have to balance profit and purpose. Together, we’re building a movement of people using business as a force for good. Together, we won’t stop until all business is a force for good. Our social enterprise and transparent supply chain are also verified by the Fair Trade Federation and the Social Enterprise World Forum and certified by B Lab. We want our customers to feel completely confident in our products and our company – in our dedication to care for people and for responsible sourcing. Ready to open a Wholesale Account? Apply Today
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Our Obsession with Quality
At GOEX, our core values are Courage, Humility and Excellence. These values mark all of our decisions and interactions, although different aspects move to the forefront in different seasons. For example, we’ve shared a lot about courage over the past months as our team worked to get our new factory open in Haiti despite all of the challenges they had to overcome. And in the midst of challenges, sometimes we have to make decisions to sacrifice aspects of one value to support another. That has definitely been the case as we navigated supply chain over the past 20 months. From stock outages and sewing inconsistencies to late deliveries and adjusted orders, we have definitely practiced a lot of humility as we worked with you to navigate these challenges. We are incredibly grateful for the way you adapted with us and accepted less than excellent service in order to help us support the ultimate goal of returning to production in Haiti – in support of our amazing team there. We want you to know that this return to production in Haiti is not just because we love that team and want to provide jobs for them, but also because they are incredibly talented. While we have so appreciated the factories that have stepped in to keep garments flowing over the past months, the sewing quality and delivery schedules just haven’t been the same. And so, as we move forward into 2026, we are excited to feel like it’s possible to double down on our commitment to excellence. What do we mean by this? FabricsIn 2024, our fabric supplier in the Carolinas closed their doors. We quickly shifted to Clover Knits, but it’s been challenging to get colors matched and production moving smoothly. We are finally in a good rhythm and have shipments scheduled out for the next 14 months with fabric flowing to meet your needs. They are securing our Ciclo yarns for us by the container load now, which ensures consistent quality and availability – as always, though, if you have a large order planned, the earlier you pick the tee color, the more sure we are that we can guarantee stock! While we could have shifted our fabric production offshore, we are committed to high-quality USA-made fabrics that support jobs in the American textile industry. This short supply chain lowers our carbon footprint and provides high transparency. Stay tuned for a virtual tour of Clover in 2026. If you’ve never seen what’s involved in fabric production, you’re in for a treat! StockWe have consistently run our business 30-40% under our ideal stock levels for the past 16 months. We know many of you have felt this, and we are grateful for the shifts you’ve made in order to continue to support us. You’ve patiently waited for back orders, changed colors, and accepted delayed shipments. We can’t promise that will never happen again, but we can promise that our team is hard at work and is producing three times as many garments per day as we’ve received from other factories. We are not sharing production with other brands anymore – we can simply focus our team on making our garments. This is such an incredible boost to our production planning and our ability to serve you with excellence! SewingWith production consolidating back into our captive factory, we are no longer subject to different sewing techniques in different facilities. Machines are all configured the same way, patterns are cut the same way, and all production is managed by the same person. This will dramatically increase consistency across all garments. Additionally, our team in Haiti is simply the best in the business at sewing t-shirts – they have the tools they need and the support of management to produce excellent garments! We know you will begin to see the little differences smooth out. There’s still an acceptable, tolerable difference in garment manufacturing, but you will definitely see that it’s barely noticeable as we move into new deliveries. CustomizationLess chaos in the supply chain also sets our customization team up for better success. Less shifting of schedules and last-minute deliveries allows better preparation and fewer errors. In addition, we continue to refine processes, increase training, and add checkpoints in order to deliver the most consistent and high-quality graphics possible. If you have questions about a print process or how best to achieve a look, please let us know – we would love to help you achieve your goals. Our team is full of creative solutions and can-do attitudes. :) Thank you for letting us be part of your events, stores, and memories. If you have questions about any of the above or if there are ways we can better serve you with excellence, please reach out to hello@goex.org – a real person will answer! We are beyond excited for 2026 and the promise of amazing impact for both people and planet to come over the next months! Thank you for being part of the story!
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What is Fair Trade NOT?
It’s Fair Trade Month! During October you’ll see a lot of content from Fair Trade brands talking about the good they do in the world and all the benefits of ethical making. We completely agree with all of the good that Fair Trade Enterprises are doing. This work is incredibly important in showing a better way. But, there’s also a lot of confusion in the market around ethical products so we decided to take a different approach as we begin this month and share what Fair Trade is NOT. Give BacksA lot of companies highlight their charitable giving. You make a purchase and a percentage of the sale is given to a cause. Charitable giving is a great thing and we are all for a culture of generosity. But if that generosity is built on the backs of makers who are not paid fair wages for making the product in the first place, it’s not ethical and definitely not fair trade. And, these give backs are almost always a percentage of profits - given after all other costs and allocations are accounted for. Charitable PromotionsA lot of charitable organizations have stores where you can shop to support the mission. Similarly to Give Backs, just because the end purchase supports charitable work, if the maker wasn’t paid fairly, it’s not fair trade. Buy One, Give OneIf you watch the documentary Poverty, Inc, you saw the story of Toms Shoes unpacked in detail. This is probably the most famous example in modern history. But selling a low end product at a premium in order to give goods away instead of purchasing from local makers is a prime example of the opposite of fair trade. Fair Trade works to uplift communities and build economies through the dignity of work. A Guilt-Driven PurchaseNo fair trade business wants you to buy out of guilt or pity. Our customers are partners in this work of sustaining dignified employment that empowers the maker. We want to provide you with a product you will love facilitating a purchase you will feel great about. When you wear a GOEX tee, we want you to feel great (& comfy!) in it as well as feeling great about it. Only HandicraftsThe origins of fair trade are rooted in the handicrafts industry but in the modern day, there are products available in almost every category. You can find extremely high quality and high design goods in decor, giftables, apparel and more. Dependent on a Consumer PurchaseThis is probably the simplest way to determine if a product is ethical - does the good require a purchase by the consumer? If so, it’s not fair trade! Fair Trade goods care for people and planet throughout the supply chain. By the time the item gets to a store shelf, the good has already occurred. Fair Trade businesses still need consumers to purchase the goods in order to keep the cycle going - a purchase today sets up orders for the makers tomorrow. It’s a powerful, pay-it-forward model. This type of good is always preferable to one that is dependent on low costs up supply chain in order to give charitably at the end if/when a consumer chooses to purchase. To ensure a purchase is ethical, take time to ask questions. Look for marks verifying supply chain standards and educate yourself as to what those marks mean. As always, have a question? Reach out, we’d love to answer it! hello@goex.org
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Why Fair Trade Matters: Beyond a Purchase
In an industry where only 2% of 300 million textile workers earn a livable wage, your purchasing decisions have power. At GOEX, we believe fair trade isn't just a verification—it's a commitment to human dignity and environmental responsibility that transforms lives.
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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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Introducing CiCLO® Biodegradable Polyester In Time for Earth Day
Earth Day is a powerful reminder of our responsibility to protect the planet, and at GOEX Apparel, we’re committed to making a difference through the fabrics we choose. In January 2024 we started talking about a big step forward in our commitment to care for the planet – Ciclo polyester. One of the most exciting innovations in sustainable textiles, CiCLO® biodegradable polyester is a breakthrough that addresses the environmental challenges posed by traditional synthetic fibers. All of our eco-triblend and fleece fabrics now contain CiCLO® polyester! Why Synthetic Fibers Are a Problem • Microplastic Pollution: About 35% of microplastics entering the ocean come from synthetic materials, primarily polyester and nylon. • Landfill Waste: Every day, 44 million pounds of synthetic textiles are sent to U.S. landfills, where conventional polyester can persist for centuries. • Global Impact: With synthetic fibers making up 60% of global textile production, the scale of potential pollution is massive. How CiCLO® Biodegradable Polyester Works CiCLO® technology is a patented additive blended into polyester and nylon during manufacturing. This creates countless biodegradable spots in the fiber, allowing naturally occurring microorganisms to break down the material when it enters environments like landfills, seawater, soil, or wastewater treatment plants. Unlike traditional synthetics, which can last for hundreds of years, CiCLO®-enabled fibers biodegrade much faster—often within a few years under the right conditions. In independent lab testing, CiCLO® fibers biodegraded at the same rate as cotton! (So don’t worry, your tee won’t dissolve in your washing machine!) Key Environmental Benefits of CiCLO® • Accelerated Biodegradation: Third-party laboratory studies using internationally recognized ASTM test methods show that CiCLO® polyester biodegrades at greatly accelerated rates compared to conventional polyester in anaerobic landfill conditions, seawater, and wastewater sludge. • Reduces Microfiber Persistence: When fabrics made with CiCLO® shed microfibers, those fibers behave more like natural materials (such as cotton or wool) and do not persist in the environment indefinitely. • Non-Toxic and Safe: CiCLO® fibers are non-toxic to marine life and are certified safe by ECO PASSPORT by OEKO-TEX®. • Maintains Performance: Fabrics with CiCLO® maintain the same durability, functionality, and recyclability as regular polyester, ensuring no compromise on quality or longevity. • Supports Circularity: CiCLO® can be used with both virgin and recycled polyester, helping to close the loop and reduce reliance on virgin resources. Why Choose CiCLO® for Earth Day and Beyond By choosing eco-friendly fabrics made with CiCLO® biodegradable polyester, you’re helping to: • Reduce the long-term environmental impact of synthetic textiles. • Prevent microplastic pollution in oceans and waterways. • Support a more circular, sustainable apparel industry. At GOEX Apparel, we believe that every choice matters. This Earth Day, let’s celebrate progress and keep pushing for a cleaner, greener future—one innovative fabric at a time! Learn more about all of our sustainable fabrics on our site!
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Say No To Fast Fashion
Why Should We Say No to Fast Fashion? In April we’re offering 15% off retail pricing on our Say No to Fast Fashion collection – our fair trade tee and new notebook made of recycled textile waste. Read on to get inspired to take up the cause! According to the World Bank, 700 million people across the globe live in extreme poverty earning less than $2 per day by definition. Researchers across organizations have agreend that less than 2% of workers in the global fashion industry earn a livable wage, most earn less than $2 per day putting them in the 700 million in extreme poverty. Estimates of global garment workers vary from 100 million to 300 million depending on if you count the entire supply chain or just those in garment factories. Whichever number you choose, apparel is a major contributor to poverty even though the employees typically work long hours 6-7 days per week. This is not a work ethic problem or even a lack of job opportunities problem – this is a value proposition problem. Consumers do not perceive clothing to have the same value as other items. Inflation statistics are very telling – while the overall CPI in the US rose 13% from 2020 to 2024, apparel prices rose only 7%. This is driven largely by fast fashion which keeps prices low by sacrificing quality of fabrics and fit creating garments only meant to be worn a couple of times and then discarded. Prices may seem low but the cost per wear is increasing rapidly. Read on to learn more about the harmful effects of fast fashion and why we should all say no! Fast fashion has significant adverse effects on the environment, labor conditions, and consumer behavior. Here are a few of those effects. 1. Environmental Degradation Water Pollution and Waste: The fast fashion industry is responsible for 20% of global wastewater due to dyeing and textile treatment processes. Factories often discharge untreated water filled with toxic chemicals into rivers and oceans, particularly in developing countries like Bangladesh and India.Carbon Emissions: Fast fashion contributes to 10% of global carbon emissions—more than aviation and maritime shipping combined. This is exacerbated by the use of synthetic fabrics derived from fossil fuels, which are energy-intensive to produce and non-biodegradable. Add shipping to that and the total is even more shocking. 2. Textile Waste Landfill Overflow: Approximately 85% of all textiles are discarded each year, with most ending up in landfills or being incinerated. Globally, consumers generate 92 million tons of textile waste annually, a figure projected to rise to 134 million tons by 2030.Microfiber Pollution: Washing synthetic garments releases 500,000 tons of microfibers into the ocean annually—equivalent to dumping 50 billion plastic bottles into the sea. 3. Exploitative Labor Practices Low Wages and Unsafe Conditions: Less than 2% of garment workers globally earn a livable wage. Many work up to 16 hours a day in unsafe environments for as little as $2 per day, particularly in countries like Bangladesh and Vietnam.Child Labor and Forced Labor: The industry employs millions of children in low-skill roles, often under coercive conditions. Forced labor is also prevalent, with workers subjected to wage theft, gender-based violence, and hazardous chemical exposure.False Claims Related to the Above: Brands like Shein and Temu are masters at hiding their labor practices. They contract factories to produce who contract all of their labor paying them by the piece. The brand can then claim people make decent wages but don’t unpack that they earn those higher wages only by working 10-12 hours per day 7 days per week. 4. Consumerism and Psychological Impact Throwaway Culture: Fast fashion promotes a “disposable” mindset by encouraging frequent purchases of low-quality garments that are quickly discarded. This cycle fosters overconsumption while diminishing the perceived value of clothing.Social Pressure: The industry leverages influencer culture and social media to create an insatiable demand for new trends, leading consumers to feel dissatisfied with their existing wardrobe. These impacts highlight the urgent need for sustainable alternatives such as slow fashion, which prioritizes ethical labor practices and environmentally friendly materials. So how is GOEX setting an example in the apparel industry of how to do things differently? Our fabrics are made in the USA and our garments are sewn in the Caribbean or in the USA. This means higher environmental standards than found in developing nations and a low carbon footprint from very short shipping lanes.All of the polyester used in our garments is either recycled or, after recent changes, made with Ciclo. Ciclo polyester biodegrades like cotton in ocean water or a landfill meaning harmful microplastics do not live forever in ocean water or soil like with conventional or even recycled fibers.Protecting and empowering people throughout our supply chain is our top priority. Every supplier we partner with shares our values in caring for people and planet. We want you to be absolutely confident in these claims. To that end, this year we opted into an additional customs review on each import checking that our supply chain is free of risk for human trafficking or child labor.We use quality fabrics and produce quality garments. We actually want you to wear your garments over and over again and use high quality, made in America fabrics to ensure it will look great wash after wash. Please join the movement to say no to fast fashion. Grab your tee and notebook and start telling others!
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Details Matter . . .To You and To Us
Details Matter When it comes to the apparel you wear we know you details matter, which is why our mantra of, "A Better Shirt for A Better World" is more than just a slogan. We care about details in every aspect of garment construction.The Neckline: The neckline of our tee is secured with a cover-stitch detail. This helps to keep the neck looking smooth and even wash after wash. Our competitors opted out of this detail to save cost. Sleeve Finishing: Our sleeve hems are finished with a method known as a clean finish. This means that the seam in the back of the sleeve is folded up into the hem. This gives the sleeve a smooth finish all along the hem. It is a more expensive operation than our top competitor's sleeve finish.Stitch Condensing:The stitching on the inside of our garments gets closer together at the end of a seam. This is called stitch condensing which helps secure the seam and keep hems from unraveling during washing. The competitor garment just overlaps at the end of the seam which is less secure and makes the garment less durable. Labeling:Our garments come with two eco-friendly labels. A Tear-Away size tag at the neckline and a side seam label with care and content information. This means that if you re-label your shirts with your brand info you will still have the care and content information in the side seam along with the Fair Trade Federation logo. Our competitor's garments have just one tag, so re-labeling becomes more complex.Fit:When compared to the leading competitor, our tee is slightly wider and longer, especially in the bigger sizes. Our sleeves are also a little looser. Our competitors have adjusted their sizing down over time in order to save on fabric and reduce their manufacturing cost while charging the consumer the same price. In conclusion, when you choose GOEX Apparel you are choosing a better shirt with quality details.
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