HanesBrands, Winston-Salem, N.C., recently announced the kickoff of its Crop to Campus initiative, a third-party behind-the-scenes look at what goes into a responsibly made T-shirt.
HanesBrands invited three university students to follow the supply chain of its ComfortWash apparel line and experience each step along the way, from a cotton farm in eastern North Carolina, to a yarn-spinning facility in Tennessee, to its state-of-the-art cut, sew and dye facilities in El Salvador, according to the company. The mini documentary “Crop to Campus” will debut Oct. 8, with a virtual event in conjunction with RiverRun International Film Festival.
The project began in 2019 as HanesBrands researched how its commitment to sustainability measures up with millennials. The company invited three college students to assess its supply chain, giving them full access to its facilities, people and processes. The students were seniors at the Wilson College of Textiles at North Carolina State University, one of the preeminent textile programs in the country.
“We have always had a strong CSR program, and responsible manufacturing has always been a huge priority for us,” says Chris Fox, vice president of corporate social responsibility for HanesBrands. “But while we are confident in how we manufacture, how we treat our employees, and how we support communities where we do business, we wanted to hear from some of the best, brightest and toughest CSR critics on the planet: college students invested in the health and success of our planet and our people.”
The students featured in the documentary film, now graduates, are Mamie Trigg of Austin, Texas, Katy Powers of Charlotte, N.C., and Sydney Parker of Lexington, N.C.
“The idea was to let the students immerse themselves in the experience and let them share their perspective via social media,” says Michael Johnson, director of marketing for Hanes Activewear. “But we quickly realized, from their excitement and energy that documenting the experience in a larger way could be a great story in itself.”
Johnson reached out to documentary filmmaker Rod Murphy to follow the students from Crop to Campus. Murphy, based in Asheville, N.C., has won 14 awards for his first four documentary feature films.
“This was a great project primarily because of the openness of everyone involved, and no topics were off the table,” said Murphy. “As seniors the students came into this project at a crossroads where they are passionate about textiles and apparel, but deeply concerned about fashion’s impact on the future of the planet.”
In addition to RiverRun International Film Festival, excerpts from Crop to Campus will be shared on social media in short episodes throughout September and October. The film can also be viewed as part of special-event viewings that will include discussion panels with the filmmaker and students. For information on virtual viewings, click here. — D.S.
