Our Mission
Canadian goods by people that care
At Last Shot Apparel, we exist for two main reasons: our care for the planet and our commitment to humanity. Did you know that over 92 million tons of textile waste ends up in landfills each year? That's the equivalent of a dump truck unloading clothing every second, much of which is made from synthetic fabrics that will never biodegrade. Additionally, the fashion industry often suffers from poor labour conditions. We are here to provide a sustainable alternative, prioritizing eco-friendly materials and ethical manufacturing practices that respect both people and the environment.
What makes us different?
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We pay a competitive wage
- Our facility is located in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
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Our fabric comes from Canadian fabric brands
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We offer lifetime repair warranty (*see policies)
There's a human and environmental cost to clothing
The garment industry faces severe exploitation, including forced labor, low wages, long hours, and denied workers' rights. Workers, from cotton pickers to factory employees, often earn as little as $3.00 an hour and lack essential benefits. The fast fashion model drives companies to cut costs, leading to subcontracting with unverified suppliers and perpetuating these abuses. Child labor affects an estimated 170 million children in this sector, compounding human rights violations and environmental hazards. Urgent systemic change and accountability are needed in the industry.
IMPACTS OF TEXTILE WASTE
THE STATS
92 million tons of fabric waste is produced each year
That is the equivalent of a 1 tonne dump truck releasing a load in our landfills every second
"Many of our old clothes, donated to charities, end up in rotting textile mountains in West Africa.This is a story about how our waste is creating an environmental disaster" - ABC
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VIEW DOCUMENTARY HERE
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Discarded fabric contributes to the 92 million tons of waste produced by the fashion industry each year.
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According to the United Nations Environment Programme, the fashion industry is responsible for over 10% of the world's carbon emissions - more than the shipping and international flights combined.
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The average American throws away 70 lbs to 80 lbs of clothing every year.
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The fashion industry remains the second largest industrial polluter,
second only to oil.
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It's estimated that humans are using natural resources 1.7 times faster than ecosystems can regenerate. In other words, consuming 1.7 Earths.
Want to learn more? Visit our blog or reach out and we will be happy to connect!
The Environmental Affects of The Clothing Industry
The Clothing Industry: Safety and Human Rights Violations
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Fast Fashion refers to the clothing brands who outsource manufacturing of their garments with speed and cost at the forefront of their decisions. Often this means the health of humans and our planet is disregarded.
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In the mid 90s, the United States was producing 95% of their clothing. Today, they produce around 2% (Ndubisi & Nygaard, 2018). This shift came after the World Trade Organizations amended trade agreements, significantly reducing quotas on clothing (Taplin, 2014). Now, the three largest clothing manufacturers are China, India and Bangladesh.
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The industry boom that these countries faced required them to lower production cost and increase production time. We continue to see little industry regulations. Therefore, fair wages and workplace health and safety fall through the cracks.
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The Rana Plaza disaster of 2013 provides an example of human rights and workplace safety violations that come from poor regulation. Rana Plaza was an 8-story factory that collapsed, killing over 1000 workers. The plaza collapsed due to structural flaws. "While businesses in the building’s lower floors had immediately closed when structural cracks were discovered a day earlier, thousands of factory workers were forced — either directly by their superiors, or indirectly by the pressure to earn a day’s wage — to return on the day of the collapse, despite many of them raising concerns" (Holland, CNN Report, 2023).
The Team
“If I have seen further, it is by standing on the shoulders of giants.”– Isaac Newton
We are thrilled to have some of Canada's best seamstresses and expert designers on our team. Our shop is based in Edmonton, Alberta.
All of our employees are paid a competitive wage and work in a safe, healthy and fun working environment.
Founder and CEO
SEAMSTRESSES | DESIGNERS | CUTTERS
Based in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
THE COMPANY
STANDARDS, STRUCTURE AND GUIDELINES
Advisory Board
Marketing
Ryan Saunders
Ryan has over 25 years of professional experience managing some of Canada’s favourite brands like Kit Kat, Haagen-Dazs and Tide at Nestle and Procter & Gamble. Ryan has held various roles up to the VP level with P&L responsibility for portfolios over $400million in revenue and accountability to lead large cross-functional teams in a variety of distribution channels. Ryan now leads his own private equity venture looking to acquire and actively manage small businesses that could benefit from his extensive management experience and network.
Operations
James Gibbins
James Gibbins has journeyed from the rugged terrains of Alberta's fallow fields, where the only 'web' was probably a spider's, to the intricate webs of HTML, and beyond into the realms of artificial intelligence. Someone who's equally comfortable with the quiet hum of a computer as they are with the roar of a helicopter overhead and the crackle of a fire under control.
