February
2003
Animal
Rights Stuff: It’s not Just a T-shirt!
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API’s
Nicole with baboon buddy |
With dozens of hip designs to choose from, animal rights
activists who wear their causes on their sleeves no longer have an excuse
for being unfashionable.
Owned and operated by activist Leslie Craine, Virginia-based Animal
Rights Stuff is message-wear for men, women and kids, in all sizes,
shapes and colors, for all sorts of animal issues. What’s really
great is the women’s T-shirts and tank tops are designed to fit
the female body—no knee-length, potato-sack tents passed off as
Tees here! Another cool thing is that animal activists (some of them
Satya contributors!) model the clothes.
For fur-wearers, flash them the little fox captioned by: “Fur
Trim: is still fur and still cruel so don’t buy it thank you.”
(Women’s fitted Tee in hot pink, blue or white, $17.95; or baseball-style,
$18.95.) There’s a similar one for leather-wearers: a Holstein
with “Leather stinks. Animals are not fabric. Wear your own damn
skin. Thank you.” (Women’s Tee in white, lime or aqua; and
baseball-style.)
For those who don’t “get” the problem with vivisection,
try the “Against Animal Testing” baseball Tee (white body;
black sleeves): a cute blue rat is accompanied by a quote from Harriet
Beecher Stowe—“It’s a matter of taking the side of
the weak against the strong, something the best people have always done.”
(Can you think of a clever come-back to that one?)
If someone asks if you eat fish after telling them you’re veg,
you can keep “Against Fishing” handy—a happy fish
encircled by: “Fish are vertebrates. They have a central nervous
system. Fish feel pain. Hooking and suffocating them is cruel.”
The black and green ink on an aqua T-shirt is a pretty combo, and very
eye-catching (other colors available).
If you’re somewhat skeptical about all this, Bruce Friedrich of
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals swears by his “Ask
me why I’m vegan” Tee (blue ink on white), which he says
is the “most effective message Tee I wear by far.”
For a more subtle tact, check out the cool vegan “logo”
wear: a selection of simple designs of the V-word—white block-letters
in a small oval on a black tank is a Satya favorite. Another
fave is the minimalist “Bunny Hugger” with a pink bunny
wedged between green letters. Since it’s mid-winter, the soft
long-sleeve version in black was practically fought over. Bunny huggers
can get them in T-shirts and tanks too; and be sure to check out the
kids’ version—too cute!
Stepping up the style is the new v-neck, army-green “AR: Animal
Rights” soccer Tee, featuring a slick oval logo in black ink (unisex
$24.95). Add one of the messenger bags—black or gray with the
AR logo ($17.95), or black with the word vegan stitched in yellow ($21.95)—and
you’ll really be stylin’.
T-shirt prices range from $16 to $19 (plus shipping). Be sure to look
through the “Clearance” section where T-shirts are going
for $10. A portion of all sales are donated to a different nonprofit
animal group each month. AR Stuff is currently featuring original color
prints by activist and artist Amanda Moeckel, including the heart-wrenching
“Fear”—depicting two caged, terrified little monkeys
($21.95).
While Animal Rights Stuff gets an A-plus for the variety of designs
and messages and high marks for overall mission, and while some of the
shirts are labeled “Made in America,” none are indicated
as sweatshop-free. For Tees that raise awareness about animal cruelty
and promote a compassionate lifestyle, how they were made and by whom
should be a concern. The people who make Animal Rights Stuff are animals
too.
Order online at www.animalrightstuff.com
or call (703) 860-9633. —C.C.
