"Changing the world one t-shirt at a time."

Los Angeles, California – The socially and politically conscious apparel producers at Clothing of the American Mind are proud to announce the launch of their first ever organic, environmentally- friendly t-shirt. Emblazoned with the clever and culturally relevant “Stop Wars” design, this ultra-soft, comfy new shirt is sure to be a very popular item this fall. Clothing of the American Mind hosted merchandise stalls at the massive September 24th anti-war demonstrations in downtown Los Angeles and Washington, DC, where the company debuted this new design and sold several hundred shirts in a matter of hours.

Deeply committed to social and political responsibility, Clothing of the American Mind (COTAM) first made an impact in 2004 with its simple yet provocative “Vote” t-shirt, worn by everyone from Vanessa Kerry to Hilary Swank. Owned and operated by two progressive female activists, Caitlin Blue and Carly Miller, the grassroots company certainly walks the walk when it comes to its own mission, production practices and profits, a portion of which is donated directly to the most active, highly regarded progressive organizations. “We’re promoting and encouraging social responsibility and political consciousness in the lives of everyday citizens,” which, Blue and Miller say, can be as simple as putting on a t-shirt. Clothing of the American Mind is more than just another Bush-bashing t-shirt line: it’s a way of life.

Clothing of the American Mind’s new “Stop Wars” t-shirt, like all of its others, is sweatshop-free and made in the United States; it’s also made with certified 100% organic cotton. Organic crops are more sustainable as they take less of a toll on the earth’s air, water and soil. These shirts are produced with zero pesticides, colored with low-impact reactive dyes and biodegradable detergents and are fully preshrunk in the dye process. Printed with the revolutionary REHANCEâ Apparel Technology, “Stop Wars” is one of the most sustainable, responsible, high quality t-shirts available. (Rehancing embeds the design in the fabric fiber; with conventional screenprinting, the image sits on top of the fabric, which can feel sticky or unnatural.) Finally, these are Fair Trade products; all workers involved in the production process are paid a living wage.

Clothing of the American Mind, the first name in hip, cool political tees, enables customers to wear their dissent with pride and style. The business is dedicated to tastefully promoting, supporting and articulating progressive values, such as electoral reform, reproductive rights, environmental protection, civil rights, world peace and diplomacy, with fashion savvy. Born in 2004, Clothing of the American Mind has become the official clothier of the politically disgruntled around the globe, helping to bring informed dissent back in vogue. The dedicated clientele feel as righteous as they look, knowing that a percentage of each purchase goes toward assisting forward-thinking organizations, including MoveOn.org, Progressive Democrats of America, Amnesty International, Gold Star Families for Peace, the Democratic National Committee and many other reputable causes.

Clothing of the American Mind was an official endorser of the massive anti-war actions planned by the A.N.S.W.E.R. Coalition and United for Peace & Justice in Los Angeles and Washington, DC on September 24th. Approximately 250,000 activists from more than 200 cities around the country converged in what was the largest pro-peace outpouring since the invasion of Iraq in March 2003, and one of the largest since the Vietnam era. In both LA and DC, Clothing of the American Mind stood in solidarity while helping to spread a message of peace. And with the chic new “Stop Wars” tee in tow, many of these dedicated progressives happily outfitted themselves in COTAM gear.

In the summer of 2005, the company hosted sales booths at the 25th Annual Sunset Junction Street Fair, the 21st Annual Abbot Kinney Festival and participated in the music and arts festival Six Degrees in LA’s bourgeoning downtown area. August saw COTAM in Texas standing in solidarity with Cindy Sheehan, Gold Star Families for Peace, Military Families Speak Out, Veterans for Peace and other progressive contingents and military families at Camp Casey, adjacent to President Bush’s Crawford ranch. There, representatives were instrumental in erecting and maintaining the Arlington West memorials. Currently, Clothing of the American Mind is providing direct aid to those affected by Hurricane Katrina via monetary and personal contributions and aid as well as the donation of hundreds of brand new shirts for children as well as adults.

Clothing of the American Mind is also instituting collaborations with various like-minded organizations, including Think BLUE Dems, Sustainable Style Foundation and After Downing Street. The company is often featured on Los Angeles’ Air America affiliate, KTLK AM 1150, and our April 2005 “Fashion 4 Change” event promoting fair trade was highlighted in the latest issue of FashionMANNUSCRIPT West.

Among Clothing of the American Mind’s supporters are many well-known activists and celebrities, including David Arquette & Courteney Cox Arquette, Matthew Broderick, Sheryl Crow, Jamie Lee Curtis, Kristin Davis, Ellen DeGeneres, Tom Hanks, Arianna Huffington, Diane Lane, Debra Messing, Natalie Portman, Anne Ramsay, Mark Ruffalo, Cindy Sheehan, Hilary Swank, Marisa Tomei, Amber Valletta, Reese Witherspoon, Evan Rachel Wood, Howard Zinn and countless others. Earlier this month, Alan Ball, creator of HBO’s Six Feet Under, appeared in the series’ audience favorite episode introduction wearing our “This Child Left Behind” shirt.