When buying merch at gigs, I always try to find out whether they have fair trade or organic options. At least in Germany, many smaller bands from the emo and punkrock scene already offer sustainable band merch. But what I really can’t understand is why so many of the bigger bands don’t seem to care about it. I almost never see major bands selling sustainable merchandise.

The textile industry accounts for 10% of global CO2 emissions. But it’s not just about carbon emissions — cotton production is responsible for 14% of the global insecticide market and 5% of the pesticide market. To produce a single cotton T-shirt, 2,700 litres of water are required — that’s enough to meet one person’s drinking needs for 2.5 years.

If you’re like me and want to create sustainable band merch, I can help. Here are some things to consider to make your merch more eco-friendly:

Organic Cotton / Organic Wool

The production of organic cotton uses 90 % less fresh water than conventional cotton farming. Additionally, CO2 emissions are reduced by 46%. Organic clothing also avoids chemical-synthetic pesticides, making it a much better choice for the environment.

Recycled materials

Using recycled polyester (rPET) can reduce CO2 emissions by 70%. Additionally, the need for new resources is reduced, lessening the overall environmental impact.

Sustainable Band Merch Producers

If you’re looking for sustainable merch suppliers, here are some commonly used options:

• Stanley/Stella
• B&C
• Flexfit (not all of their products, so check first!)

Here are some fair trade and organic labels to look out for, when buying clothes:

• Naturtextil
• GOTS
• Made in Green
• Der Blaue Engel
• bluesign
• EU-Ecolabel
• Fairtrade
• Fair Wear Foundation

Sustainable Printing Service

You can also seek out a printing service that does more than just print. Some providers use vegan, pollutant-free, and heavy-metal-free inks while also compensating for their production and shipping CO2 emissions.

One example in Germany is Canata, a printing service committed to sustainability.

Think Differently with Sustainable Band Merch

Let’s be honest — no matter how fair and organic our merch is, it still has a significant environmental impact. So, we need to rethink our consumption habits, too. Buying and selling less is still the best way to reduce our environmental footprint. Try to produce only the amount of merch you really need — or better yet, find other creative (that’s what we do, right?) ways to offer sustainable merchandise.

For example, upcycling! Wear Your Music makes bracelets from old guitar strings. It’s a brilliant way to repurpose materials and create something unique.

Sustainability in band merch isn’t impossible — it just requires some thought and creative solutions.