Impact
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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Make-A-Wish® Partners with Kansas City's Own GOEX to Fulfill the Wish of One Very Special Young Woman
The Fair Trade Clothing Company Will Provide Opportunity to Create Her Own Custom T-Shirt Brand On August 28th KANSAS CITY, MO (August 25, 2025) — GOEX Apparel, the sustainable clothing brand powered by GO Project, is thrilled to announce they are working with Make-A-Wish® to fulfill a very special wish on August 28, 2025. The Kansas City-based, people-first company will help one young woman get her wish - to start a custom t-shirt brand. “At GOEX, our motto has always been ‘Feel Good. Do Good.' It is an honor to partner with Make-A-Wish® to fulfill a wish for a very special person,” said Jessica Ray, GOEX President. “This isn’t just about fulfilling one person’s wish, but reminding us all to never stop dreaming.” “Make-A-Wish® is honored to grant Kate’s wish to launch her very own t-shirt business,” said Kelsey Zwick, Senior Wish Specialist at Make-A-Wish® Missouri & Kansas. “Her creativity and determination are inspiring, and wishes like Kate’s remind us how powerful hope can be in helping kids find strength and joy during challenging times.” The GOEX Team will guide her through every step of the process, from education on branding, graphic design, and marketing, to actually printing the original designs. At the end of the visit, they will have the website ready to make her first two designs for sale. Profits for those first two weeks will go directly to Kate, providing her with start-up funding for her new custom t-shirt company. GOEX Apparel is a people-first company that connects customers and makers through a simple tee. Each purchase supports fair-wage jobs that lift workers out of poverty and empower families—especially in Haiti, where one worker typically supports six other family members. GOEX also prioritizes sustainability by using eco-friendly materials and evaluating fabrics annually. As a member of the Fair Trade Federation, B Corp, and other ethical organizations, GOEX is committed to transparency, fair labor, and long-term impact. GO Project is a faith-driven nonprofit dedicated to breaking the orphan cycle through the power of community, commerce, and the love of Jesus. Through its family of preventative platforms - CarePortal, GOEX, and Strong Family - GO Project drives innovation and collective impact to strengthen families worldwide. Headquartered in Kansas City, Missouri, GO Project partners with local churches and communities to create sustainable solutions that prevent family breakdown and empower families to thrive. Make-A-Wish® Missouri & Kansas creates life-changing wishes for children with critical illnesses. We are on a quest to bring every eligible child's wish to life, because a wish is an integral part of a child's treatment journey. Research shows children who have wishes granted can build the physical and emotional strength they need to fight a critical illness. Headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona, Make-A-Wish® is the world’s leading children’s wish-granting organization, serving children in every community in the United States and in 50 countries worldwide. The local chapter is headquartered in Ballwin, Missouri, and serves all counties in Missouri and Kansas. Since 1983, the local Make-A-Wish® chapter has granted over 10,350 wishes. For more information about Make-A-Wish® Missouri & Kansas and how you can transform lives, one wish at a time, please visit their website (wish.org/mokan) and connect with them on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.
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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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GOEX Haiti Grand Opening
GOEX Apparel was born in 2012 from the acknowledgement that all around the world families are breaking down because they do not have the resources to care for their children. These parents make a heartbreaking, conscious decision to give up their children to institutions they believe can better provide for them. In building or supporting orphanages instead of strengthening families, our parent organization was not breaking the orphan cycle but was instead, unknowingly, contributing to it. The good news is that humility is a core value and so we owned and learned from our mistakes. We still invest in care in times of catastrophic family breakdown, and always will, but day in and day out we believe in strengthening families so they can care for their own children with the love and purpose only family can provide. And we are dedicated to living out this mission in the hardest of places and the hardest of times – in refugee camps in Africa and the Middle East, in HIV communities in India and in the gang-ridden neighborhoods of Port-au-Prince, Haiti. Even in these places – especially in these places – where families are facing unimaginable challenges, we believe they still have opportunities to flourish when equipped with skills, enveloped by neighbors, and supported by a local church. And so, despite all odds, we are both excited and humbled to update that in July we are creating jobs, fresh and anew, in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. We’ve been asked several times if this is a good idea. We believe it’s a great idea. Why? Because people want to come to work now more than ever. In hard or scary places, traditional models of charity, which do not break the orphan cycle and often perpetuate it, are not coming to the rescue. And, realistically, the Haitian people do not want to live that way anyway. They desire the dignity and respect that comes from the work of their own hands to provide for their families and empower them to give back within their communities – they want to be generous to those around them. This is how they define flourishing. Our new GOEX factory stands behind high walls with increased security. We have done all in our power to provide physical safety. But we want to invest in more than the physical safety of our team – we want to invest in their futures. This new factory will also open with a version of Strong Family adapted for the workplace to build redemptive connections that unlock their potential while teaching micro-skills that increase the capacity of our employees to care for their families and hope for the future. We want our team members to build lives and achieve their dreams. We want them to flourish! We know this approach works in Haiti. Even amidst the extreme suffering, our local-church-based Strong Family ministry has flourished. We have grown our work in Haiti, with 928 families (who collectively have 3,248 children) using Strong Family to care for themselves and each other through their own work and connection. One of our core values is Courage. Our team members in Haiti are courageous to the extreme. They inspire us! When times are challenging, we do not run away. We lean in, we support our local leaders, and we move forward with thoughtful, prayerful but courageous moves that support and empower families. Now more than ever, the people of Haiti need this kind of support. Trillions of dollars in aid have not moved the needle. But, we believe, strong, empowered families can make a difference and build a better future. To all of you in the GOEX family who love the people of Haiti, thank you for never shrinking back!
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What is Strong Family?
At GOEX Apparel, our purpose is to sustain fair wage jobs that liberate workers from poverty and empower them in their families and communities. We sustain those jobs by selling garments. But how do we make sure our employees are truly liberated from poverty and do not remain one medical bill away from everything falling apart? How do we not just pay them fairly but invest in them so their families can truly flourish? The answer is an action-oriented framework that unlocks the God-given potential in children, families, and communities called Strong Family. Keep reading to learn more! Family Breakdown The essential cell of civilization is the family, but they are breaking down all over the world. When families break down, communities break down, societies break down, nations break down. Poverty crushes families, resulting in millions of children suffering and flooding into generationally destructive systems. We believe the best approach to truly solve this crisis must happen at the family level, one at a time, focusing on empowerment and long-term sustainability. The Heart of Poverty Definitions of poverty have largely focused on material and financial stability; however, the more we research, the more we learn that poverty is far more complex and encompasses powerful social and psychological challenges as well. A landmark research project by World Bank called Voices of the Poor captures the core truth: chronic social, economic, and emotional suffering pushes people to the margins of society, causing a devastating loss of self-worth and belonging in the process. Feelings of inferiority and shame ostracize people from community, strip them of their dignity, and cause dangerous isolation. The dispiriting, demoralizing, destabilizing loss of dignity is the very heart of poverty. The Heart of FlourishingCommonly accepted academic definitions of “flourishing” focus on outcomes largely related to material and financial stability. However, when listening to families experiencing poverty in a variety of cultural contexts, we learned their definition of “flourishing” greatly differs from typical outcomes-based definitions. Their responses were remarkably similar and incredibly eye-opening. Families largely define flourishing as the process of helping others in need - serving families in distress - even as they are experiencing need and distress in their own lives. This is how families who have been pushed to the margins define the very heart of their own flourishing. Measuring FlourishingThe Child Status Index (CSI) was developed at Duke University to objectively and holistically assess an individual’s general well-being across 6 domains. It is currently used in 20+ countries and is designed to be accessible across cultural, ethnic, and educational backgrounds. In collaboration with the creators of the CSI, the Strong Family team adapted the assessment to measure human flourishing in children, adults and entire family units across 8 domains. This evaluation provides a baseline measurement of a family’s current vulnerability and tracks their progress toward flourishing. These domains are: Food & Nutrition, Shelter & Care, Protection, Wellness & Health Care, Psychosocial, Education & Skills Training, Spiritual Health, Financial/Economic Literacy. The last several years of results have documented that 96% of participants improve in at least 6 domains and 76% improve in all 8! Where Does the Work Begin? On day one, each family is given their first task – to draw a Dream Board and hang it in the most prominent place in their home. Almost without fail, the first dream they create is about their children – enough money to send their kids to school or to care for their health and provide sufficient meals – little things we often take for granted. Often, for the first time, a child realizes they are their family’s #1 dream! Most Strong Family participants achieve this first dream within 18 months – then they dream bigger adding another and another dream board as they visually track their accomplishments. The Dream Board is not just a fun activity, there is science behind its effectiveness. The part of the brain that controls decision-making (the Limbic Brain) has no capacity for language. However, emotion and decision-making are processed in the same part of the brain and have catalytic influence on one another. Try it yourself! Next time you make a personal goal, don’t just write it down, draw a depiction of your life after achieving that goal and see if it increases your action! This Works! Traditional deficit-based approaches to poverty alleviation rely on outside forces to assess problems and provide solutions. Strong Family focuses on family and community-based solutions built on the leveraging of assets already available. Backed by years of research and science across cultures and agencies, we have witnessed the long term effectiveness of this approach to not just making sure kids have enough to eat but to making sure that families and communities can flourish in the long term without ongoing charitable support. This work restores dignity and empowers families. This is generational change that keeps children out of systems and with families that love them and want to care for them and for their neighbors! Strong Family is active in 6 countries – Haiti, Uganda, Congo, Ethiopia, Lebanon and India - with over 9,800 families currently participating. If you’d like to more information on Strong Family, please email info@strongfamily.org.
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Soft Shades for Summer
Soft pastel shades, including our newest additions Light Pink and Orange Sorbet are key in 2025’s fashion color palette, especially as we’re now in warmer months. These hues offer a serene and approachable aesthetic that works well across different demographics. This is a shift from the neons we’ve seen the last few years. Why the Trend is Shifting These season, there’s been a noticeable movement away from the bold, high-energy neons and bright colors that dominated fashion, toward more subdued, gentle pastel shades. This shift can be attributed to several factors: Desire for Calm and Comfort: After a period of global uncertainty and high stress, consumers are gravitating toward colors that evoke tranquility, peace, and comfort. Sustainability and Mindful Living: Pastels are often associated with natural and organic aesthetics, aligning with the growing trend toward sustainability and mindful consumption. Digital Fatigue: The saturation of bright, digital colors in online spaces has led to a craving for softer, more soothing visuals in the real world. Seasonal and Cultural Influences: Pastels are perennial favorites for spring and summer, but their popularity is now extending year-round as people seek a sense of renewal and optimism. Styling Pastels To create stylish, balanced outfits with pastels, consider these color pairings: With Neutrals: Pair pastel pink, blue, or lavender with white, beige, or gray for a clean, modern look. With Other Pastels: Mix different pastel shades—such as mint green with soft peach or baby blue with lilac—for a harmonious, playful ensemble. With Earth Tones: Combine pastels with muted browns, taupes, or olive greens for a grounded, nature-inspired outfit. With Dark Accents: Add depth by pairing pastels with black or navy for a sophisticated contrast. With Metallics: Soft pastels look elegant with silver, gold, or rose gold accessories for a touch of glamour. Pastels are for everyone! No matter who you are, the move toward pastels reflects a desire for calm, comfort, and mindful living. Pastels appeal to a wide range of people, from trend-conscious youth to professionals and families, and can be beautifully paired with neutrals, other pastels, earth tones, dark accents, or metallics for versatile, stylish looks.
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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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Latest Update on Manufacturing in Haiti
It’s been a bit since we provided an update on manufacturing in Haiti. As we value transparency, we want to keep you in the know. Even better, we have some exciting news to share!
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Transparency in Pricing Decisions
Many of you have been in contact with your sales rep about the price increase we’re taking effective May 1st, but we wanted to share some more context, as budgets are tight and every dollar matters. We also know many companies are currently taking increases and blaming tariffs that don’t actually apply to them or that were reversed. Rest assured, we are not one of those companies!
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