So, I ordered some new products for ghia. I’ve found a couple of fair trade companies that provide awesome products at very affordable prices. That’s a hard thing to do when avoiding unethical manufacturing processes (sweatshops, child labor, etc.).
I’ve been trying to expand my inventory of items appropriate for guys. While ghia carries tons of cute dresses and jewelry, we also have a some great button-down shirts for men that get lost in the girlyness.
In an effort to appeal to the guys, I stocked a really cool hemp wallet that I think has lots of earthy appeal.
I also ordered a hemp t-shirt that was on clearance. I could tell it had a design on the pocket area, but the catalog picture was so small that I couldn’t tell what it was. Since it was on clearance, I thought I would take a chance and see if it turned out to be another product that would be great for guys.
So this t-shirt arrives. And it’s all hemp-y and earth-y feeling. And I look at the design on the upper left corner, and it says “Santa Cruz Hemp.” What on earth is that? It’s not some crazy fringe group, is it? Plus, there’s a little tag on the seam of the shirt with a certain leaf emblem on it. Surely this is just to show the material used in the shirt and not meant to advocate any illegal practices. ‘Cause I AM DEFINITELY NOT ADVOCATING THAT.
The next week I receive some new men’s western shirts that I had ordered. I gushed over these in the catalog. They are super-cool and seem to be well made. Plus, they have this cool leaf embroidery on the front to give them that Western feel. Wait, leaf design? When I looked at the shirts in the catalog I totally didn’t comprehend that these awesome shirts were embroidered with a hemp leaf motif.
[sigh]
I’m pretty sure I’m going to be banned from the East Nashville Crime Prevention meeting now. Maybe I should move my store into the old Marivuana Hempalot store on Shelby Street. I definitely DON’T plan to take these shirts to the event I’m doing at an elementary school this weekend.
If you know any stoners who like fair trade clothing, though, send ’em my way.
Hee hee. This is actually quite amusing. It’s good that you aren’t versed in the hempalot ways. I wish I could help you with the unloading of them, but I don’t think I know any stoners anymore.
Hey, the shirt looks great! 🙂 I’m sure someone will snap it up!
This post left me in giggles – good luck unloading the shirts.
The faint thread of sarcasm woven through your post was refreshing. Maybe you can sell those items on eBay.
I believe Santa Cruz Hemp is a clothing line, that might have changed their name or gone out of business. Santa Cruz is a small oceanside town south of SF CA and is really “hip”
As for the “leaf”. Well Hemp and Marijuana are completely related. Hemp is a variety of MJ that does not produce the “flower” that is smoked by “stoners”. You will find lots of Hemp items that sport this leaf.
But I do see your trepidation.