Is Sustainable Apparel More Expensive? The Truth Behind the Price Tag
Is Sustainable Apparel More Expensive? The Truth Behind the Price Tag
I get this question all the time. And honestly, it's the wrong question.
The right question is: compared to what?
Apples to Apples
Here's the thing - you can't compare a Kastlfel tee to a $3 promotional shirt made from open-end cotton and call that a fair fight. That's like comparing a craft beer to a can of generic light and asking why one costs more. They're not the same product.
Our tees are built like retail brands build theirs. Longer staple cotton. Ring spun. Combed. Enzyme finished for a soft hand. More time in design and fit. More complex sewing construction. Side seams. Taped shoulders. Reinforced neck. These details matter because they determine how long the shirt lasts and how often someone wants to wear it.
So, when you compare us to who we should be compared to - Patagonia, Howler Brothers, TenTree, Prana, Vissla - we're at price parity or below. For a product that's certified from farm to shelf.
How We Keep the Price Competitive
We don't use middlemen. We go to the source.
We know our farmers. We know our spinners. We know our knitters, dyers, and sewers. We built the supply chain first, then designed products within it. That's the opposite of how most brands work, and it's why we can do what we do at the price we do it.
Yes, organic cotton and recycled polyester cost more than conventional materials. The dyes cost more. Certified facilities cost more. All in, we're paying roughly 20% more than if we cut corners.
But here's where it gets interesting - because we cut out the agents, brokers, and middlemen that most brands rely on, that 20% premium disappears. We end up at the same price point as comparable retail brands, but with full transparency and third-party certifications they often can't match.
The Value Your Customer Actually Gets
Now let's talk about what that price buys.
First, comfort. When someone touches a Kastlfel tee, they know immediately. The hand is soft. The water-based print is light - no heavy plastisol sitting on top of the fabric. It feels like something you want to wear, not something you got handed at a trade show.
Second, durability. Better construction means more wash cycles. More wash cycles mean lower cost per wear. The most sustainable shirt is the one that becomes someone's favorite - the one they reach for every week, not the one that ends up at Goodwill after three washes.
Third, the story. And this is where it gets real for your corporate clients and retail locations.
The data we capture - the water saved, the bottles diverted, the chemicals eliminated - that's not marketing fluff. It's measurable impact that aligns with their sustainability initiatives. When their board asks, "what are we doing about ESG?" or their customer asks, "where does this come from?" - they have an answer. A real one.
That alignment isn't a nice-to-have anymore. It's becoming table stakes.
The Bottom Line
Are we more expensive than a bargain-bin promotional tee? Yes.
Are we the same price or less than the retail brands we compete with? Also, yes.
And the product is better. The story is better. The data is real. The customer gets something they're proud to sell and the consumer gets something they're proud to wear.
That's not a tradeoff. That's a win-win.
Jerry