We had the honor of being one of the few companies invited to the exclusive Gildan and UTT European conference. Only 13 companies from various screen printing sectors across Europe were invited, with just three from the band merch production industry. Got to know that only companies considered to have a significant role in shaping the future of the European market were selected. We are delighted they recognize this potential in us.
We loved every moment of the day.
Leaders Among Leaders
In the morning, we had a private discussion with the leaders of UTT and Gildan, focusing on garments and industry trends. Our new favorite is Gildan Softstyle Midweight, which has incredibly soft fabric and fantastic cut. We absolutely love it and highly recommend it to you.
Gildan
We learned incredible facts about this giant. While aware of their market-leading role, we didn’t know Gildan is the largest manufacturer in the textile industry worldwide. Their sustainability efforts are also impressive, with 32% of their energy coming from renewable and low-carbon sources. It’s no surprise they made it to the Corporate Knights’ Top 100 most sustainable companies list.
Their factories are enormous, with over 25 000 workers in some. They have their own solar power plants and biomass facilities. These biomass systems burn agricultural, factory, and process waste to cover nearly half of their energy needs. This process is carbon neutral as it prevents harmful GHG emissions. They also use innovative biological wastewater treatment systems, producing water so clean it can be consumed and supports biodiversity. Imagine it as connecting a bunch of Olympic-sized pools. At the end, they produce water that is cleaner than what initially entered, and they have even seen crocodiles living in it.
UTT
UTT is one of Europe’s largest wholesale companies offering a wide range of textile and promo products. They have been one of our primary garment suppliers from the beginning, and we simply love them. Besides being very kind and professional, their service is incredibly fast, so without them, we couldn’t be this lighting quick. Thanks to them, we don’t have to keep a huge inventory in our workshop, as we receive anything we order from them within 1-2 days.
We also got a glimpse into the company’s future. If we thought their warehouse was huge, we can now multiply that by about four, as they are working on massive-scale developments.
Coldplay Concert in VIP
Besides the many useful insights, the two companies also focused on giving us awesome experiences. We met incredibly inspiring people, the Corinthia Hotel was beautiful, and the food was divine.
And if that wasn’t already fabulous enough, they invited us to Coldplay’s concert in the VIP box, which was sensational. Our jaws dropped at the show Chris Martin and his band put on. The entire concert was an emotional rollercoaster: we cried, laughed, and constantly found ourselves mesmerized by the visuals and the sound.
Regarding sustainability, the band also places great emphasis on this throughout the tour. They used a kinetic stage that generated energy from movement and planted a tree for every ticket sold, totaling 5 million trees. The energy needed for the concerts came from renewable sources, and they reduced their waste production. Overall, they decreased their CO2 emissions by 47% compared to the previous tour, so hats off to them.
Thank you, Gildan and UTT, for the invitation. It was a tremendous honor and an unforgettable experience.