Limited Edition: Men's Living Color Tan-Green Crew Tee
Limited Edition: Men's Living Color Tan-Green Crew Tee
Limited Edition: Men's Living Color Tan-Green Crew Tee
Limited Edition: Men's Living Color Tan-Green Crew Tee
Limited Edition: Men's Living Color Tan-Green Crew Tee
Limited Edition: Men's Living Color Tan-Green Crew Tee
Limited Edition: Men's Living Color Tan-Green Crew Tee
Limited Edition: Men's Living Color Tan-Green Crew Tee

Limited Edition: Men's Living Color Tan-Green Crew Tee

$89.00
$89.00
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Size: small

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This is a living color tee. It will darken in color when washed with alkaline soap (becoming more green) and will lighten in color when washed with acidic solutions (becoming more tan). The color change is reversible, simply wash it again. Color change is a natural process of pH reactive transformation that occurs in plants and rare cotton fibers. This item is made with tan-green cotton, the only organic cotton that naturally grows tan-green and can change its color. The color change will not affect any other clothing that it is washed with. Scroll down to learn more. 

Medium-weight jersey with a thicker gauge yarn. Classic crew tee style. Standard men’s sizing.

100% organic heirloom tan-green cotton. No dyes were involved in the making of this item. The tan-green color is the actual color of the fiber from this particular heirloom variety of cotton. These heirloom varieties of cotton have been grown around the world for thousands of years. Not only is the fiber a beautiful color but these plants are more drought tolerant and pest resistant. Using naturally colored cotton eliminates the need for commercial dyes and has a lower carbon footprint.

  • Fabric: 100% organic cotton USA grown

  • Origins: Organic cotton grown in USA, spun + knit in USA, designed + sewn in the San Francisco Bay Area. Entirely USA domestic supply chain

  • Color: Undyed tan-green cotton

  • Questions? We would love to help hello@harvestandmill.com

Living color

Tan-green organic heirloom cotton has the unique ability to alter its pigment, all within its own tan-green color spectrum. The color of this fabric can dynamically switch back and forth between tan and green when it comes in contact with acidic or alkaline substances. Tan-Green is the first and only living color clothing Harvest & Mill has made. This collection is designed to engage your curiosity. We invite you to experiment and reach out with any questions along the way. 

What to expect

We call this color “tan-green” to describe its natural color spectrum. While most clothing fibers have one singular color, this very rare variety has an inherent range of natural colors from tan to green. Most soaps and laundry detergents are alkaline and will cause tan-green cotton to darken in color (becoming more green). Mildly alkaline soap will have a mild darkening affect. Acidic solutions will lighten the color (becoming more tan). You can induce this color change intentionally by using acidic or basic washes. If you don’t like the color change, you can reverse the color back. 

You can wash these items like any other Harvest & Mill items or any other organic cotton clothing. If you get a stain, just wash the item as normal. 

The Science

Pigment change is a natural process that happens with flowers, fruits, vegetables and some plant fibers. PH is the catalyst that drives this incredible transformation. In chemistry, pH is a scale used to describe the acidity (like lemon juice) or alkalinity (like baking soda) of a substance. Most laundry detergents are alkaline although some people use pH neutral detergent or incorporate acidic substances like vinegar into their laundry routine. 

The natural world is remarkably diverse. As sustainable fashion designers, we are inspired by that diversity. Not all organic cotton is white and not all organic cotton is just one static color. We believe that by embracing nature we can discover innovative, ethical and cleaner ways to design and create clothing. This collection is part of our larger work to build a fashion system that is rooted in sustainability.