Have you ever stopped to think how many people it takes to make the clothes you wear? How many ‘hands’.... lives.... families are invested in the t-shirt you throw on to the gym or even your Sunday best? When we set out to make a Christian clothing brand, our eyes were opened to the intimate process of manufacturing. When we began, we had the end user in mind, the person who would wear it to communicate the gospel and, for sure, the person who would see it on them. But what about the eyes that see it BEFORE it gets to your doorstep?
You may have read the scripture we stand on, Psalms 107:2, “Let the redeemed of the Lord tell their story..” but we also love the New Living Translation:
“Has the LORD redeemed you? Then speak out! Tell others he has redeemed you from your enemies.”
We here at Redeemed Society believe that we are here to tell EVERYONE about the REDEMPTION of Christ. That isn’t limited to the wearer but to every pair of eyes and hands that touch the garment. They are touching our testimony. And I know what you're thinking: So, what does that have to do with Sustainable Manufacturing??
Have you ever received a ‘good’ message in the wrong environment? Imagine an overbearing boss who passive-aggressively pressures you to work overtime and weekends but then preaches about the importance of work-life balance. Or maybe you have experience with grief or loss, and someone sends you Christian ease telling you, “God doesn’t give more than we can bear...” I also know many Christians who struggled to hear the good news because they viewed the fruit- the hypocritical life of a preacher. No matter the scenario, a good message in the wrong place doesn’t stick. It’s not supposed to.
Scripture (Matthew 13) tells us in the Parable of the Sower about the seeds of the word of God. Every word used to communicate the gospel is a seed that will be planted in the hearts of the receiver. In the Parable of the Sower, the farmer throws seeds on different heart conditions/mediums: hard path, stony ground, thorny ground, and good soil. It’s one of my favorite parables, and I encourage you to read it when you can. A brief summary: out of all the paths sown, only on one medium does the seed not even stand a chance:
“As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up.” (Matt 13:4 NIV)
“When anyone hears the word of the kingdom [regarding salvation] and does not understand and grasp it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is the one on whom seed was sown beside the road. (Matt 13:19 AMP)”
The message of hope in the toughest circumstances can be food for the birds, the evil one. And the enemy, from whom we have been REDEEMED like in our core verse, is crafty, and he will use anything and anyone to not only steal the seed before it sticks but also to make the ground as HARD AS POSSIBLE. That is why we believe that to give seed its best chance, not to be sown in factories that are sweatshops and that have poor working environments without fair wages, sustainable and ethical manufacturing sets up the best soil possible. Showing we care about how our clothing is made keeps us from being hypocritical preachers. From the hands that touch the tags with scripture to the screen printer, we want to give seeds the opportunity to grow.
The 100-hands mindset is that it takes 100 pairs of hands to make one garment. To the best of our ability, we want 100 opportunities to testify about the hope Christ has given us. When you purchase a shirt, it has already been sharing a testimony long before you put it on. This Earth week, join us as we try to set new standards for responsible manufacturing in Christian clothing. Caring for the environment includes being mindful of every soil on our planet, the one on the ground and in our hearts.
Be filled with Christ’s love,
Nureya Monroe
Founder
Read more about our commitment to sustainability here.