Longo’s new eco-friendly uniforms support Free The Children

For the past few months, employees at Longo’s stores have been slipping into something more eco-friendly.

Now, some 4,000 staff at the chain’s 25 Toronto-area supermarkets are sporting shirts made from bamboo viscose and organic cotton–all provided by Me to We Style, an eco-apparel maker linked closely with the charity Free the Children.

The new uniforms are part of a deal between Longo’s and Me to We Style, whose environmentally friendly apparel is made in Canada and stamped with the Global Organic Textile Standard, meaning it’s certified organic cotton.

Longo’s tested the uniforms at some of its stores earlier and has now provided all store staff with both a polo shirt and long-sleeved shirt from Me to We Style.

Since Me to We plants a tree for every garment it sells, supplying Longo’s will see some 9,000 trees planted in development communities that are supported by Free the Children. Further, the clothing company says it has also saved 3,000 pounds of pesticides from being used in the manufacture of cotton.

Me to We Style was co-founded by Canadian brothers Craig and Marc Kielburger, who also oversee Free the Children. Marc Kielburger founded the charity to fight child labour in 1995 when he was just 12 years old.

Me to We Style, based in Toronto, gives half its annual profits to Free the Children.

Longo’s has lent its support to Free the Children as well, sponsoring the annual event We Day, as well as We Scare Hunger food drive.

"Choosing an eco-friendly apparel provider was the natural option for us," Anthony Longo, president of Longo's, said in a release. "As a family-owned business, we are committed to positively impacting the community, our team members and our customers, and are proud to outfit our team members in Me to We Style, an organization that shares in our values.”