Thirsty Clothing

The challenge

A 10-pack of basic T-shirts from H&M (fast fashion) costs €60 while one basic T-shirt from Patagonia (sustainable fashion) costs €50. The majority of eco brands charge similar amounts, the average is around 37-45 Euro for a single plain T-shirt. Sustainable products became a luxury that only people with higher incomes can afford. Another recurring issue is the lack of appealing designs, most eco-friendly garments sold are plain and boring. There are not many alternatives available for people who want to express themselves and stand out by the clothes they are wearing. Sustainable fashion is simply not "sexy". On top of that, the fashion industry is overproducing and therefore polluting our planet. According to the data, 92 million tonnes of textile products end up in landfills*. *Igini, M. (2023, February 17). 10 Concerning Fast Fashion Waste Statistics. Earth.Org. https://earth.org/statistics-about-fast-fashion-waste/

The solution

Thirsty is a sustainable clothing brand designed for environmentally conscious people who like to stand out. We are storytellers, through our collections, we spread social and environmental awareness. The first collection tells the story of the Aral Sea, one of the world's biggest environmental tragedies caused by humans. The second one spreads awareness about the indigenous people of Greenland Inughuits, overlooked by modern society. As our customers claim, our products are a great conversation starter. Thirsty Clothing's collection = a museum exhibition for fashion. Just like how museum exhibits tell stories through carefully curated items, Thirsty Clothing uses each design and collection to tell a unique story and convey a message about sustainability and ethical fashion that aims to raise social and environmental awareness. Additionally, we are thirsty for: - producing textiles made from eco-friendly and quality materials - manufacturing in a sustainable manner through a business model based on launching pre-orders (limiting overproduction) - offering more affordable prices than competitors - raising social and environmental awareness around the globe through our collections - making a positive contribution to people in need by donating 5% of every garment sold to Just a Drop - an NGO we partnered with to support sustainable water solutions worldwide - ensuring safe working conditions in the sewing rooms we collaborate with (all of the products are made in Poland) -delivering by bike in Tilburg and Warsaw - ensuring circularity through a take-back programme and turning T-shirts into tote bags So far, we shipped our products to 10 different countries, having clients from 25 nationalities. We founded the company in Tilburg and within a year we have launched two collections with the third one on the way. Currently, we are working towards implementing new materials and new solutions to potentially disrupt the sustainable fashion industry and differentiate ourselves in the market. We aim to take more control over the value chain and increase transparency and allow for customization to meet the unique needs of our customers. Additionally, we are expanding our operations to a B2B market where we provide sustainable merchandise to businesses, universities, student associations and others. Learn more about us here: https://thirsty-clothing.com/