NEW YORK, April 21, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Anvil Knitwear, a sponsor of Earth Day New York, announced that the company is launching an organics education program.

(Logo:  http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20100520/NY07835LOGO )

"While many understand the importance of, say, eating organic foods, they don't always see why their apparel choices are just as important. We consider it both a challenge and an opportunity, and to a certain extent our mission, to teach everyone we can about the importance of sustainability and organic farming in the apparel industry," said Anthony Corsano, CEO of Anvil Knitwear, Inc.

As part of the organics education program, Anvil has developed new TrackMyT lesson plans available on anvilcsr.com. TrackMyT.com, which Anvil developed in 2009, is an interactive website that chronicles the environmental impact of a shirt from seed to store. These new lesson plans create a fun learning experience that emphasizes the importance of choosing organic. Updated lesson plans cover everything from how cotton is grown on farms, to what role insects play in agricultural processes.

Anvil's use of digital media appeals to kids and adults alike and aligns with Anvil's commitment to being an environmentally and socially responsible company. To tell Earth Day's story, Anvil created Shirt Scan®, a Smartphone app that delivers multimedia content, such as photos and videos, through a quick response (QR) code. Anvil-produced Earth Day New York hats, bags and t-shirts contain a special QR Code, which, when scanned with Shirt Scan®, unlocks exclusive Earth Day content to be updated throughout the day with Anvil and EDNY multimedia content, as well as content featuring attendees of EDNY festivities.

Earth Day presents both a challenge and an opportunity to teach everyone about the importance of sustainability and to be introspective about apparel business practices, given multiple environmental challenges the industry faces. For instance, many cotton farms use pesticides that are highly toxic and can wipe out entire ecosystems of plants and animals when those pesticides permeate the air, water and soil. This is just part of the reason Anvil Knitwear is committed to making products from organic cotton, transitional cotton, and recycled plastic bottles.

As the largest buyer of U.S.-grown organic cotton and transitional cotton, Anvil works closely with American farmers to promote the organic cotton market with the AnvilOrganic® t-shirt line. In addition, Anvil recently launched the "Double It!" campaign, an initiative to double the domestic acreage of organic cotton by providing a financial incentive to traditional cotton farmers, so that they are able to realize the environmental benefits of organic cotton farming. Supporting farmers' transition means fewer pollutants will make their way into the water supply and threaten forms of human, animal and plant life. Anvil produced a digital short, "A Message From Earth: Organic Matters," as part of its commitment to doubling the production of organic cotton in the U.S.

Anvil Knitwear is a leading manufacturer of innovative, high-quality, apparel and accessories, with a proven record in engaging in responsible business practices. Most recently, Anvil became a member of the fast-growing Business for Innovative Climate & Energy Policy (BICEP) coalition, a Ceres group of major American companies committed to working with businesses and policymakers to advance more responsible, low-carbon, energy-efficient business practices.

About Anvil Knitwear

Anvil Knitwear, Inc., a century old apparel brand, is a leader in the sustainable apparel industry with its AnvilOrganic® and AnvilSustainable™ brands. Anvil has been ranked by the Organic Exchange as the world's sixth-largest organic program for two years and it is the largest domestic purchaser of U.S.-grown certified organic cotton. Anvil offers 17 affordable eco styles made from a variety of fibers such as certified organic cotton, transitional cotton, recycled cotton, and recycled PET bottles and blends in addition to over 70 traditional styles. For more information, please visit www.anvilknitwear.com, www.anvilcsr.com, www.shirtscan.com and www.trackmyt.com.

SOURCE Anvil Knitwear, Inc.