Why We Use Organic Cotton at dewerstone

At dewerstone, we’ve always believed that what you wear should reflect what you stand for. And for us, that starts with the fabric.

We screen print a lot, whether that's t-shirts, hoodies, or sweatshirts - both for ourselves and for other brands that share our values. We do that right here in the heart of Dartmoor National Park. That means we don’t just choose organic cotton because it’s better for the planet. we choose it because we feel the difference - on our hands, in our lungs, and in the air around us.

From Garage to Dartmoor: A Screen Printing Journey

When we first started out, we were printing tees in a garage on the edge of Dartmoor. From there, we moved to a warehouse in Ivybridge. Now, our screen printing studio sits in Princetown, at the very heart of Dartmoor National Park, Devon.

We’ve always been the ones at the end of the factory process. Most brands get their garments delivered bagged, boxed, and ready to ship. But for us, the final step happens right here. We work directly with the fabric. That hands-on connection gives us a unique perspective, and a strong opinion, on the materials we choose.

What Happens When You Work With the Fabric

You learn a lot the first time you print 100 t-shirts in a row. Amplify that by 12 years, that's a lot of t-shirts and a lot of time spent with the fabrics we use.

In the early days, we experimented with a wide range of materials, some better than others. One thing became obvious, fast: the less processed the fabric, the better it was to work with.

Print 100 low-quality cotton tees or hoodies, and you’ll see the difference. Fibres break down. Lint fills the air. It coats the press, the floor, even your lungs. You can see the fibres in the air, and feel them when you take a breath.

Now print 100 organic cotton garments, and it’s a different experience entirely.

The fibres are longer and stronger. They stay together. The air stays clearer. It’s not just a cleaner product, it’s a mega contribution to a healthier working environment.

And while there’s plenty of data to back that up, the truth is: we didn’t need a study to tell us. Our lungs told us first.

Why Organic Cotton Is All We Use

With the exception of the occasional experimental run, we’ve only ever used organic cotton for our own t-shirts, hoodies, and sweatshirts. Because we know what it’s like to work with the fabric.

And when you know how it feels here, in Dartmoor, you start thinking about how it feels for the people working with it elsewhere in the supply chain.

We know our suppliers’ teams aren’t breathing in pesticides or handling chemically treated fibres. We know our decision to use organic cotton protects more than just us.

Our happiness working with the fabric is their happiness working with the fabric.

A Thought to Leave You With

Next time you buy a t-shirt, ask yourself:

If it’s not made from organic cotton; why isn’t it?

Who made that decision?
Who chose for their team to handle fabric grown with pesticides and soaked in chemicals?
Did they have to? Or was it simply the cheaper choice?

We think, in most cases, the answer is overwhelming, profit.

Which makes you wonder:

Is profit more important than the shirt on your back?