FAQs
About Sharp Minds
Why do you use organic cotton yarn from India, why not from Australia?
We would love to use Australian cotton but unfortunately 99% of Australia cotton is exported. The only way to change this is to create local demand and hopefully, if we are successful, we can change this in the future. In the meantime we have used the next best option available to us, which is GOTS certified organic yarn from India.
Where is the organic cotton fabric made?
The organic cotton yarn is knitted into fabric and dyed in Melbourne. Both these steps happen under ISO9002 quality standards and, more importantly, subject to Australian environmental and fair work laws.
Where are the Societee t-shirts made?
The Societee t-shirts are made in Sydney including the printing and finishing. We use Magna Colour eco-friendly water-based inks for all our prints. All workers that make our Societee t-shirts are covered by Australian fair work laws.
Why did you name your t-shirts Societees?
We believe our t-shirts are made to benefit society, so hence the name. By wearing our Societees you are supporting the ethical and sustainable manufacture of t-shirts.
Why are your Societee’s priced competitively with less ethical and sustainable brands? What’s the catch?
There are some things that only small business can do. Large companies typically have shareholders and have a duty to return value to their shareholders. This usually means that the companies’ directors must make decisions to maximise profit. One way to maximise profit is to have low cost of goods, which is why many companies manufacture in countries with low minimum wages, poor work conditions and poor environmental protection laws. Sharp Minds is a small business with no shareholders to appease, so we can choose to have a high cost of goods in order to focus on ethical and sustainable practices. Unfortunately, most small businesses also fail because they don’t have the vast resources of a large company. We thank you for helping us change the world, one t-shirt at a time and hope that we can succeed in our mission with your support.
I love what Sharp Minds is trying to do, how can I help?
We need you to be our advocates! If you feel comfortable, please post an Instagram picture of yourself wearing your Sharp Minds t-shirt and include the hash tag #SharpMindsAustralia.
Products
Why don’t you have a men’s and women’s collection of t-shirts?
One of our values is to be conscientious and accepting and this means not gender stereotyping our t-shirts. Choose the fit that makes you happy and don’t worry about the gender!
Why do you only have flat coloured t-shirts?
We had to start somewhere, so we started with the most commonly worn item of clothing in the world. We will have limited edition printed t-shirts to augment our collection of basic t-shirts. Keep an eye on our website or follow us on Instagram @ SharpMindsAustralia to see when these become available.
I have some great ideas for a t-shirt print. Are you interested?
We would love to put your design into production and credit you as the designer. Send us an email at info@sharpminds.com.au with your ideas.
Will you ever offer more than t-shirts?
We would like to expand to other items with socks being high on the priority list. If we can be successful with our Societees then the sky is the limit!
We would love to have a bulk order of Societees with our own print or company logo. Can you do this and what would it cost?
Please email us at info@sharpminds.com.au and we will do our best to accommodate your request.
We would love to range your Societees in our retail shop. Will you supply us at a wholesale rate?
Please email us at info@sharpminds.com.au with the details and we would be interested in the opportunity as long as it fits with our Mission and Values.
Ordering, shipping and delivery
Why is it that the quantity I select automatically changes?
We produce our t-shirt’s in small batches to reduce waste. The downside of this is that we only have a limited amount of stock available at any given time. Our inventory management automation prevents you from being able to order a quantity more than what we have in stock, so this is why you may have your quantity adjusted downward.
What are your delivery fees?
We have free delivery on orders over $100. For more details check out our Shipping & Delivery page.
Why do you only ship with AusPost?
We believe that AusPost has similar values to ours, so we support them with our business.
What do I do with my packaging?
We only use AusPost for our shipping and the good news is that your AusPost satchel can be recycled using the REDcycle program. Check www.redcycle.net.au for your nearest drop off location.
How do I return my t-shirt?
We offer free 30 day returns. Check out our Return & Refund Policy for the details.