69 | SME Business Elite Supplement 2020 9 | Q1 2020 Nov19028 An Ethical Alternative Ethically driven, eco-friendly and politically conscious, THTC stands out from the crowd for its consistent, bold statements through clothing. Recently, we caught up with THTC to find out about their enduring appeal. Pioneers in ethical streetwear, THTC was originally designed to bring hemp textiles to the high street and offer consumers an alternative to the wasteful exploitative brands that overwhelm our lives. Twenty years after selling their first t-shirt, the company is still going strong, having been labelled the UK’s most ethical independent streetwear label. The clothing is created in small, family-run factories in Eastern China, with a fair wage guaranteed. This is because hemp is now being grown and developed into textiles in The USA, Canada, Nepal and Romania. However, Chinese hemp fabrics are by far the finest quality, especially for garments such as t-shirts. Now supplying customers with everything from hoodies to socks, all made from hemp, organic cotton or recycled plastic fibres, THTC has slowly changed the face of ethical clothing, transforming the market into something relevant for today’s generation. With designs inspired by hip-hop culture, as well as environmental activism such as plastic pollution, over-fishing and human rights, the team at THTC has never steered towards what they see as safe, rather what they see as right. Partnering with charities including the World Land Trust, Refugee Community Kitchen and the Born Free Foundation, THTC has been able to donate up to 35% of t-shirt designs to these charities amongst others, and 15% of the sales of the King David tee goes to World Land Trust to protect endangers rainforest. In turn, these THTC’s partnering charities promote and raise awareness to their supporters. Word of mouth from celebrity supporters have played a huge part in the success of the business, acting as unpaid support and endorsement for THTC’s products. Ironically, the use of hemp and fair labour is not the only USP that sells the t-shirts, but also part of the reason THTC has not become a mainstream brand. The cost of producing these high-quality hemp clothes is up to 10 times higher than many of the cheaper t-shirts from the high street. As awareness and demand rises, as it has over the last twenty years, the industrial production of hemp should increase to match demand, decreasing costs overall. THTC has been a mainstay of the sustainable scene for two decades now and is still as relevant as ever. As it continues to appeal to those wanting a product built on the back of ethical business practice, we’re sure that THTC will thrive over the next twenty years. Contact Details Contact: Gavin Lawson Company: THTC Web Address: www.shop.thtc.co.uk Telephone: 020 8630 9001 Dynamite MC Sarah Lampty Wilf Scolding Photography Credit: Radski Studio
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