Edun Live: Changing The World One T-Shirt At A Time
Ana Zawacki
Issue date: 3/3/10 Section: Features
Have you ever wondered where your
clothes come from? Where and how they
are made? Most students are unaware of the
ethical problems behind the manufacturing
of clothing,
but one Miami
University studentrun
organization
has a solution:
T-shirts. Edun Live
is the high-end,
ethical fashion
line created by U2
front man Bono
and his wife.
In 2006, an ambitious group of Miami entrepreneurship students pitched an idea to the company: bring Edun Live to college campuses. Soon after, their pitch became a reality.
Edun Live on Campus is a student-run, socially conscious T-shirt company that customizes in 100 percent Made in Africa T-shirts that are ethically crafted and produced. They sell the shirts to student organizations and Greek chapters.
Today, Edun Live has expanded to more than 12 college campuses across the United States, promoting economically conscious choices through clothing. According to the Edun Live Web site, a typical non-organic T-shirt is treated with a third of a pound of pesticides. This method of nonorganic farming and the complications that are associated with the use of pesticides lead to 20,000 human deaths each year across the world. All T-shirts manufactured by Edun Live are made with either transitional organic cotton or fully organic cotton. That means they're free of pesticides and chemicals.
"As simple as it may seem, our vehicle for changing the world is a T-shirt," says senior Danny Sauter, president of the Miami University Edun Live on Campus chapter. "It's a better shirt for a better world."
Edun Live is already seeing results in Africa.
"The 20th baby was just born HIV free as a result of a new health initiative largely made possible by Edun," Sauter says. "Choosing Edun Live directly supports this."
The T-shirts provide employment opportunities in Sub-Saharan African countries.
"(Edun Live) pays premium wages to workers in developing countries who are seeking a hand-up, not a hand-out, to lift themselves out of poverty," Sauter says. "Our program supports organic farming, health initiatives and community education programs."
Sophomore Brian Cash, vice president of marketing for Miami's chapter, is excited to help raise awareness about Edun's cause through events like Blake Mycoskie's speech.
Mycoskie, CEO of TOMS Shoes, came to Miami Feb. 24 to speak about social entrepreneurship and making a difference simply by making a purchase. Edun brought Mycoskie to campus because for every shoe sale TOMS Shoes makes, it will give a new pair of shoes to a child in need.
"Speaking about the mission of TOMS shoes will hopefully ignite something in everyone and serve as a catalyst for change on this campus and in the world," Cash says.
The overriding goal of members of Edun Live on Campus is to infl uence customers, mainly Miami students, to think twice before they purchase products.
"We hope to make them aware that their simple purchase can change lives," Sauter says. "And also can result in some incredibly amazing looking T-shirts that they will feel great about buying."
In 2006, an ambitious group of Miami entrepreneurship students pitched an idea to the company: bring Edun Live to college campuses. Soon after, their pitch became a reality.
Edun Live on Campus is a student-run, socially conscious T-shirt company that customizes in 100 percent Made in Africa T-shirts that are ethically crafted and produced. They sell the shirts to student organizations and Greek chapters.
Today, Edun Live has expanded to more than 12 college campuses across the United States, promoting economically conscious choices through clothing. According to the Edun Live Web site, a typical non-organic T-shirt is treated with a third of a pound of pesticides. This method of nonorganic farming and the complications that are associated with the use of pesticides lead to 20,000 human deaths each year across the world. All T-shirts manufactured by Edun Live are made with either transitional organic cotton or fully organic cotton. That means they're free of pesticides and chemicals.
"As simple as it may seem, our vehicle for changing the world is a T-shirt," says senior Danny Sauter, president of the Miami University Edun Live on Campus chapter. "It's a better shirt for a better world."
Edun Live is already seeing results in Africa.
"The 20th baby was just born HIV free as a result of a new health initiative largely made possible by Edun," Sauter says. "Choosing Edun Live directly supports this."
The T-shirts provide employment opportunities in Sub-Saharan African countries.
"(Edun Live) pays premium wages to workers in developing countries who are seeking a hand-up, not a hand-out, to lift themselves out of poverty," Sauter says. "Our program supports organic farming, health initiatives and community education programs."
Sophomore Brian Cash, vice president of marketing for Miami's chapter, is excited to help raise awareness about Edun's cause through events like Blake Mycoskie's speech.
Mycoskie, CEO of TOMS Shoes, came to Miami Feb. 24 to speak about social entrepreneurship and making a difference simply by making a purchase. Edun brought Mycoskie to campus because for every shoe sale TOMS Shoes makes, it will give a new pair of shoes to a child in need.
"Speaking about the mission of TOMS shoes will hopefully ignite something in everyone and serve as a catalyst for change on this campus and in the world," Cash says.
The overriding goal of members of Edun Live on Campus is to infl uence customers, mainly Miami students, to think twice before they purchase products.
"We hope to make them aware that their simple purchase can change lives," Sauter says. "And also can result in some incredibly amazing looking T-shirts that they will feel great about buying."
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