About the Honu & Honu’ea

Honu ‘ea (or Hawksbill Sea Turtle) is the lesser known and far more endangered cousin to the much more common Honu (Green Sea Turtle).  Habitat loss and an increase in predators have had a negative impact on the already endangered Honu’ea  These turtles only nest on a few beaches, and even these are in danger due to increases in trash on those beaches  The trash attract predators and disrupt the nesting of female Honu ’ea.  There are now fewer than 20 annually nesting Honu’ea left, making them critically endangered. 

What is Organic Cotton?

We use a Made-in-USA supplier that blends the rPET with Organic Cotton. Organic Cotton is certified as grown using non-genetically modified plants, which helps sustainability and biodiversity. It is grown without the use of any synthetic agricultural chemicals such as fertilizers or pesticides (except as allowed by the certified organic restrictions).

What is rPET and how is it made?

PET, or PolyEthylene Terephthalate, is a type of plastic resin - a form of polyester. It can be fully recycled, in which case it becomes rPET. Essentially the bottles are collected, sorted and cleaned - then chopped into small fragments, which are then processed into a polyester thread.

How many plastic bottles are recycled into every shirt?

While 50% of every shirt is made out of recycled plastic, the number of bottles in a specific shirt varies depends on the size and type of shirt. Most full sized t-shirts are made with 6-7 bottles in each shirt! Smaller shirts, like the ladies crop top, recycles about 4 bottles.

Every shirt is unique! Since plastic bottles come in many different colors, it is natural for color variations to occur on the shirt. These are not defects, they result from the an environmentally friendly process to make the shirt.

Are the shirts fabricated in the United States?

YES! The blank shirts are made by a reputable manufacturer in New York and hand finished by The Honu Shirt Company in California, using transfer art which is screen printed in Virginia. The Honu Shirt Company, LLC is a minority-owned, family-run, small business. Thank you for your support!