Thu 8 Apr 2010
Time to (green)Wash your Socks
Posted by 4thwall under Environmental, media
[2] Comments
I guess Hanes has taken a hint from eTrade, and realized that it too can make exceedingly annoying commercials surrounding the fact that babies can’t talk, but we can MAKE THEM TALK with computers:
So what’s the message here? If you don’t buy Hanes EcoSmart® socks and/or undershirts, the children of the world (or your local mall) will descend upon you like Hitchcockian birds, wielding their Nerf Element EX-6 Action Kits or Longstrike CS-6 shooters. Well thank you, Hanes. Never have I felt so heartfelt about my environmental mission, so connected to future generations who will be taking up the tote-bag of progress once I give up my spirited eco-quest. Or not.
Save this child and this sapling by buying more underwear
While I see the merit in buying 55% recycled socks over socks not made using old materials, I’m going to have to pull the good ‘ol LtAG greenwashing buzzer of bunk. Take a jaunt around Hanes’ new online environmental site, “HanesGreen.com,” and judge for yourself. But to me, this is yet another attempt by a gigantasaur company to make consumers think big business cares about the environment, and to get people to save the environment by consuming more.
But wait…maybe I am being to harsh! It seems that Hanes is giving out a free t-shirt if you buy 3 packages of Hanes green products! And the t-shirt says “Earth” on it, so I can remind others what planet I helped save!
Come on, Hanes. Think of how much shipping material, packaging, and fabric will be used in this promo that wouldn’t have used before. Think of that ugly t-shirt which will never be worn by anyone past Earth Day 2010. Think of the children, Hanes- just like you taught us. But this time, think of the real children.
Who wrote this one? Dana Variano is a screenwriter, director, and new media strategist. She is the founder of Where’s My Sled? Productions, and is currently working as Web Content Manager/Producer for a housing nonprofit. Read more from this author
you make some interesting point. It seems rediculous if Hanes corp actually cared about the environment. but this will help them make money, which is their job, not to save the environment. Do you have any stats on how much more eco friendly these new shirts are or are you just talking out of your ass?
The exact stats on the socks are nowhere to be found on Hanes’ website, but they say:
“Our EcoSmart® polyester fiber is made from recycled plastic bottles, and our EcoSmart® cotton yarn contained in some of our socks is made directly from textile cutting waste.” Innocuous and definitely not the stats transparency I need.