Originally from Normandy, he created the PangoLin brand, organic linen t-shirts<

“My credo: local, comfortable and sustainable. Laurent Gallo, 36, originally from Pont-Audemer (Eure) now living in Aix-les-Bains (Savoie), has set himself a new challenge: making organic linen t-shirts. “The t-shirt is the best-selling item of clothing in the world. While it often displays logos and optimistic messages, it carries in its fibers all the contradictions of the era of disposables and globalization,” he underlines.

He spent 13 years at Adidas

After working 13 years for Adidas, Laurent Gallo wanted to get out of this system of overconsumption. "The drifts and socio-economic impacts being more and more significant, the desire to give more meaning to our ways of consuming made me want to act", he explains.

Naturally, the Rislois turned to flax:

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He joined the cooperative society of collective interest, LINportant in Evrecy (Calvados). A few days ago, he was able to talk with Hervé Morin, the president of the Normandy Region, who came to support the cooperative society project.

This "t-shirt in the right direction", as presented by Laurent Gallo, will be available for men and women (from XS to XXL) in six colors (blue, white, burgundy, khaki, black and camel). It is already possible to pre-order on the crowdfunding platform Ulule ('A t-shirt in the right direction'). “The campaign started a few days ago and will end on May 23. The objective of one hundred units has already been exceeded, but I hope to reach 1,000 t-shirts,” announces the designer, who hopes to sell 3,000 pieces over the year after the launch of his website.

Several labels

At what price will it be sold?

The first t-shirts can be delivered in June.

The entrepreneur wanted the flax to be produced organically. “The AB label guarantees a healthy production method that respects natural balances. Thanks to crop rotation, the production of organic flax is also a healthy diet and a sustainable reduction in pesticides,” he says. This t-shirt will also have the Guaranteed French Origin label (most of the added value is produced on French soil) and the Global organic textile standard label (Gots – respect for the environment during all stages of production) .

From flaxseed to t-shirt, all – or almost – manufacturing steps take place in France. “The yarn we use is 'wet spun' by a company in the North. The last European spinning mill is located in Poland”, emphasizes Laurent Gallo. From 2022, four spinning mills are to open in France, including two in Normandy. “This will save us from going to Poland. Our t-shirts will travel less than 4,000 km while cotton t-shirts will travel 44,000 km,” he continues.

Initially, the t-shirts will be sold via the website (www.pango-lin.fr) but Laurent Gallo hopes to open test stores at the end of the year so that "consumers can touch the material ". If organic linen t-shirts find their audience, Pont-Audemérien could develop other products: linen or hemp jeans, dresses, tank tops for women or accessories.

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