In our last newsletter we hosted a competition for YBP t-shirt buyers. We asked them to answer one question: ‘What does your YBP t-shirt mean to you’? We chose 5 of our favourite responses, and awarded them with a free t-shirt, designed by Au Revoir Simone.

We had brilliant entries from people all around the globe. Some of them sharp, funny, amusing, and poignant. We were happy to know that people care about their t-shirts, and that our work over here is very much appreciated.

As stipulated, we will be sharing these responses with you on this page. So, we will now begin posting a new entry each week. We will start with this winning entry, by Ian Aleksander Adams:

What does my YBP T-shirt mean to me?

It’s sort of obvious really, it means I can feel good in the clothes I wear. When I first got my Stars designed shirt, the one with the tiger, I admit that I simply loved the design by the Stars, who had recently put on one of the best live shows I’d ever seen. Getting it through the YBP, though, was part of my awakening to world conscious fashion.

I’m not saying that every person who buys a shirt will spiral into eco-terrorism, but thinking about where the money went from my shirt got me thinking about where the money from my other clothing purchases ended up. I realized I wasn’t satisfied with giving money to the same few major companies every time I made a purchase. Around this time, I started really thinking about my clothes. I bought a pair of Adbusters’ Blackspot shoes. I started supporting local artists who screenprinted designs on found and used shirts. Now, almost everything I own is a combination of handmade art, donation friendly clothes, and secondhand clothing. Not only am I comfortable with a wardrobe I feel is reasonably unique, I also know who my money has supported and feel good about it, instead of worrying about bad working conditions or over consumption.

It may not be saving the world, but it’s a step in the right direction, and at least I can feel comfortable in my own clothes while I figure out what I can save. The Yellow Bird Project is part of that; I’m glad the bands we know and love are helping bring people into the fold, and think about what they buy and wear.

Very Best,
Ian Aleksander Adams