The Cup of Jo Heart Shirt

Love the idea

Maybe the next collab could be with an independent artist that does prints? People could opt to get an actual print on beautiful quality paper mailed to them (if they live in the right area and within their budget). Or, people could do a digital download and have it printed locally. I see this a lot on Etsy, Red Bubble, Society6, and it’s made work by artists from all over the world more accessible to me. Just a thought. :)

I love the look of their easy pant with the shirt. So easy breezy!

I ordered the green one and it arrived yesterday! I love the soft fabric and how light weight it is. I appreciate that COJ collabbed on an item that I’ll be able to wear hundreds of times probably for the rest of my life – it’s that well made and that classic.

I know that I am privileged to be able to afford this shirt. Maybe COJ should consider doing a giveaway to a few readers who submit photos of their best thrift-shopped outfits?

I recently mended a hole in my son’s white school shirt with a tiny red heart on the hem and it looks just like this! I’m growing a little Cup of Jo lover and he doesn’t even know it yet ❤️

Liz I wasn’t clear, I absolutely don’t call that foolishness, I was just meaning that the subgroup of people who care who also happen to be foolish are exasperating.

Brenna, ethical and sustainable consumption is a major facet of environmental protection and workers rights issues, with global implications. I reiterate JJ’s comment that your characterization of these concerns as “foolishness” is privileged and tone deaf.

JJ I think it’s understandable for someone to feel frustrated if they’ve been listening too much to the type of people she’s parodying. It does exasperate me that it seems OK to point out foolishness in some groups but not in others. Many, many people are pushing for important change right now, and a group that big is bound to have some fools in it!

this aint it.

your attempt at satirizing the gentle but thoughtful call in of caring readers for the editors of this blog is both tone deaf and a gross display of privilege. i believe everyone reading coj (including the creators) are aware that there is no ethical consumption under late stage capitalism and requesting more critical thinking into what we buy ( ie the comments on size inclusivity, sustainability) are ways to navigate our choices. this wasn’t funny and it was disrespectful to the readers who did voice concern. accountability is never something to scorn!

Kudos to Joanna on this launch! While the shirt is out of my budget, I can see you thought long and hard about this shirt, it’s a great, versatile beauty.

I want to add that I have worked in the apparel industry for several years and have long wrestled with the affordability or lack thereof of clothes. I have gone through boycotting all fast fashion to only thrifting, to buying expensive, quality items. I’ve also worked on the production side of clothing manufacturing. Here is what I know: there is no perfect way to consume clothing.  

We all have different budgets…not everyone has time to thrift…others need knit t-shirts that can dirty while I need stuff that looks professional. The best thing you alone can do is make thoughtful purchases, wear your clothes as long as humanly possible– get them mended or tailored or pass them along. DO not throw them away.

Also– I no longer believe boycotting fast-fashion is a great thing to do. This is not to negate the terrible environmental and social costs of it. But I often wonder who we’re vilifying when we talk down about fast-fashion. For many, it’s a great place to get functional, professional looking clothing. For others, it’s the only stores who carry their sizes. Further, the garment workers, many of whom are women from marginalized communities, do not want us boycotting those companies. They need these jobs, as terrible the conditions and pay are. Brands also don’t often own their factories so they don’t get a good say in this.  So often the onus for solving these immensely complex problems is put on the consumers, I resent that! I believe the onus is on the big companies who are absolutely loaded and can afford to make more sustainable decisions.

Would love to see members of the COJ team in the new collab shirt. :)

I recently purchased a practically new white Brooks Brothers’ men’s tuxedo shirt for $2 at a thrift store. When the weather cools, I plan to shorten the sleeves, adjust the length of the shirt and figure out the button/stud situation. I looked the shirt up on the Brooks Brothers website and it originally sold for $135, and was made in Maylasia. The workmanship is exsquisite. I found out that a prominent man in the community had died, and his wife donated his clothes to the thrift store, which benefits the volunteer rescue squad. I’m going to embroider a heart on the cuff. If you sew, don’t overlook the men’s department. Their clothes are often better quality.

There are a lot of comments on here about ‘paying for quality’ and a ‘living wage’ etc. Important considerations for sure. But it’s important to remember that while ethically and sustainably made items are often – understandably – expensive, the opposite is not necessarily true. Just because something is expensive does not mean that it is ethically or sustainably produced. There is nothing on this brand’s website as far as I can see to suggest that their clothes are ethically or sustainably produced. They may be ‘based in NY’ but they clearly state that their clothes are made in 7 factories across China. There is no indication that fair trade or living wage conditions apply. The shirts may be 100% cotton but there is nothing to indicate that the cotton they source is sustainably produced. Conventional industrial cotton production is massively unsustainable. And the brand appears to be run by the former CEO of GAP and numerous other mega retail brands. If you like the clothes and you can afford them, by all means buy them, and wear them. But don’t kid yourself that a high price tag means the people who made them are paid a living wage!

I am seeing a lot of talk about ethical fashion so I wanted to share a great resource I have been using – the website (and app) Good On You. It has been an incredible resource to learn more about how to find ethical clothing and their brand lists and rating system has helped me discover some great places to shop when I need something. They are always adding more brands and information to their website. I know this comment isn’t specifically related to the shirt launch but thought I would share!

This is lovely! Congrats on the collaboration and all your hard work :)

I don’t live in the US but I will definitely follow the advice of some commenters on this thread and stitch a heart on one of the shirts I already own. I simply love that idea of wearing your heart on your sleeve and taking it as a reminder to take gentle care of myself :)

This is a solid “Good for you, not for me!”

With three small kiddos, it would be stained in five minutes. I’ll be smudge free when all my boys are grown.

I also couldn’t tell from the site whether this shirt is made in China. Under “Customer Care” is written that most of their products are made across 7 factories in China. Aside from other sustainability practices, there’s no indication that their products are made with ethical labor.

Many commenters are talking about living wage and the true cost of clothing, but there’s no indication that this shirt contributes to that. It could be made in the same factory that makes Target button downs for all we know.

I would have loved a white one but they don’t yet ship to Australia. Maybe next time.

Lovvvvve…, the white shirt!

Should $125 be out of your price range, you could thrift a shirt and sew a little heart on it. It’s all part of the same club and I don’t think anyone who saw you “in the wild” would think “oh that’s not the brand name one” they would think “yay! Cup of Jo! How great was that pasta recipe! Read any good books lately!?”

Yikes! I thought the shirt was a cute idea but was pretty disappointed when I saw the price. I understand that quality clothing is expensive but do feel that promoting this on your site excludes many of your readers. As a teacher, it is definitely out of my price range.

I can’t wait for my green striped shirt to arrive! Pleased to support this lovely collaboration. Cup of Jo has been an inspiration and source of support during this pandemic.

Love the shirt. A wardrobe needs a well made collection of white shirts. Alex Mill’s Daisy Field dress is gorgeous!

Nothing can please everyone, so just wanted to say I appreciate that you’re offering these products and thinking carefully about the companies that make them.

I do not want to spend $125 on a shirt (visions of immediately getting mustard down the front!) but if I did, I’d buy the green one. Reminds me of a shirt I had and loved in college, and the heart message is great.

White

Gorgeous. Green’s my fave.