fashion -

The Birds and the Tees

You consider yourself pretty socially conscious. You recycle when you take out the trash. You sign petitions. You drive a hybrid car (or at least know someone who does).

But when it comes to putting your money where your mouth is, you somehow end up with a new pair of shoes instead of donating to the charity du jour.

Wouldn’t it be nice to do good and look good?

My Windup Bird T-shirts can help you do both. Named for Haruki Murakami’s novel The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle, the simple, unisex designs are screen-printed on comfy (sweatshop-free) American Apparel tees. A portion of the proceeds are donated to Global Exchange, a progressive environmental and humanitarian organization based in the Mission.

Philanthropy gets even easier (and cheaper) if you sign up for a subscription: You get a new shirt every month and make the world a better place without having to leave the house.

But then no one would know how good you look.


Available at Rabat, 4001 24th Street, at Noe Street (415-282-7861); R.A.G., 541 Octavia Boulevard, between Hayes and Grove Streets (415-621-7718); and online at mywindupbird.com.