WEAR FISH TO PROTECT FISH

Tropical Waters is a t-shirt and clothing brand by Andrew Bates, an ocean lover who has fished the tropics his whole life. Born and raised by the ocean, Drew creates clothing that combine his love of fish and colourful tropical lifestyles.

Tropical Waters is created on Larrakia Country in the Northern Territory of Australia, using only the best and most sustainable fabrics and methods.

Responsibility to the planet

At Tropical Waters the environment is our top priority.

Everything we do in design and manufacturing must be conscious and contribute to improving ethical standards and meaningful impacts in the clothing industry.

We use our t-shirts to raise awareness and directly support the protection of oceans and marine species from debris, plastic, and coral bleaching to name but a few environmental issues close to our heart.

Our t-shirts are made from organic cotton with Global Organic Textile Standard certification. We use local printers who share our values and do small print runs to meet demand and avoid waste.

We strive to create timeless pieces that will be worn often and over many years.

By taking part in activities like picking up litter and planting trees, learning and talking to others, we’re making our world a happier, healthier place to live.

Our motto is, wear fish to protect fish.

Conscious packaging

We are committed to packaging that has minimal impact and is as environmentally friendly as possible. We sell Tropical Waters exclusively online and at Parap Markets, so we’ve forgone the classic swing tags and individual garment bags. To make the journey from our studio in Darwin to your home, each Tropical Waters order is wrapped in recycled tissue paper and then carefully packaged into biodegradable mailing satchels that will break down naturally in your home compost. We’re doing our best and always looking for new ways to ensure we’re having the lightest environmental impact.

Product care

Organic cotton t-shirts are different from conventional cotton t-shirts. They’re a far superior product that is more breathable, durable and gentle on the skin, with more benefits for the environment, farmers, and consumers. Whereas conventional cotton is hastily grown, harvested and treated with pesticides, genetically modified organisms, and chemical softening agents that wear off quickly.

Organic clothing is simple to take care of, just wash in natural soap and cold water and hang out to dry – easy peasy!

Vinegar is a great eco-friendly alternative to detergents and bleach. Add half a cup of distilled white vinegar into the washing machine’s detergent compartment and it will help degrease clothes and give whites a little extra shine. Just don’t pour vinegar directly onto clothes - using a dab of vinegar to treat stains is fine, but dousing your clothes in vinegar can be too abrasive.

Our care suggestions are created to maintain the quality and therefore extend the life of our clothing, and to also make as little impact on the environment as possible.