There’s a certain clarity that comes with seeing something in its purest form.
In my world—the world of classic menswear—there’s always been a lot of talk about authenticity: real craftsmanship, honest materials, and true heritage. But in this current landscape dominated by marketing spin and overprocessed trend cycles, genuine purity is rare, which is why Unbleached Apparel caught my eye and wormed its way irreversibly into my psyche.
Late last year, while doing my usual scouring of the internet for up-and-coming brands, I noticed something refreshing about their website. It feels like a 2020s version of a factory site—no flashy branding, false sense of urgency, or unnecessary embellishments, just a simple Shopify storefront offering raw, natural fiber garments photographed in natural light. Without a focus on aesthetics, there was a notable conviction behind it. Maybe it’s just me, but this lack of polish often reflects a belief in the clothing as it is, with as little interference as possible. And in Unbleached Apparel’s case, with a reverence for the natural state of the fiber itself.
I wanted to learn more. I needed to understand what drives someone to dedicate themselves to this kind of bizarrely singular pursuit in an industry where even the idea of “sustainability” is often just a buzzword. So, I reached out.
A New Yorker through and through, Chance Landesman grew up in Park Slope, Brooklyn—a community where environmental consciousness is a given, even if it isn’t always fully realized. Chance’s father, a lifelong nature enthusiast, instilled in him an early awareness of the planet’s fragility. His grandfather and great-grandfather were both painters, the latter immigrating from Germany in 1904 to paint murals for the St. Louis World's Fair. These seeds took root, and by high school, Chance had already developed an entrepreneurial streak, making and selling T-shirts adorned with his own artwork.
His fascination with unbleached textiles started, fittingly, with a pair of work pants—vintage Carhartt painter’s pants, to be specific. At the time, he wasn’t thinking about the process behind them; he just liked how they looked. But as he wore them, he started connecting the dots. The fabric’s unprocessed state meant less chemical treatment, which meant stronger fibers, better wear, and a lower environmental impact. That realization sparked something bigger. He began searching for other undyed garments, slowly building an appreciation for the beauty of textiles left untouched.
By 2022, with a network of suppliers under his belt, he was ready to take things further and officially launched Unbleached Apparel. The premise was simple: create clothing as close to its natural state as possible, stripping away unnecessary processing—no dyes, no bleach—just pure, raw fibers.
The Case Against Dye and Synthetics
As a consumer, the biggest hurdle with unbleached apparel is the lack of dye. I had a lot of questions: What’s wrong with dyed clothing? Aren’t natural dyes safe? Without color, what sort of world do we live in? How do we convey joy or a personal sense of style?
It’s easy to assume that natural dyes—derived from plants, minerals, and insects—are a sustainable alternative to synthetic colorants. But for Landesman, the issue is more complex. Natural dyes require fixatives, some of which can be environmentally problematic, and even then, the color isn’t truly permanent. “They can bleed onto other clothes, onto furniture,” he explains. “Even if you use a fixative, the dye isn’t always stable. That’s not practical for a lot of people.”
Beyond that, dyeing is one of the most pollutive aspects of the fashion industry. Dye pollution accounts for up to 20% of all water contamination globally, with synthetic dyes (including indigo) and dye stabilizers seeping into waterways, harming ecosystems and making clean water scarce in manufacturing regions. Even products marketed as 100% organic cotton can, and nearly always do, contain synthetic parts, including dyes, dye stabilizers, finishes, sewing thread, trims, and woven labels—meaning they still contribute to the problem.
Then there’s the issue of microplastics, which are scientifically proven to negatively impact respiratory, digestive, endocrine, neurological, developmental, and immune system functions. About 35% of all microplastics in the ocean come from washing synthetic clothing, and between 200,000 and 500,000 tons of microplastics from textiles enter the ocean each year. Fast fashion has obviously exacerbated the problem, as cheaply made synthetic garments shed microplastics at an even higher rate and are discarded after only a few wears. Landesman’s approach—focusing on undyed, natural fibers—offers a meaningful counterpoint to this perpetual cycle of waste and pollution.
A Natural Palette
For those like me who feel they can’t do without color, naturally occurring colored fibers—like Foxfibre cotton and natural variations of wool and linen—are beginning to offer a rich, organic spectrum that adds depth and uniqueness to each garment.
Sally Fox is a pioneering figure in the world of sustainable textiles, best known for her development of Foxfibre, a brand of naturally colored cotton. In the 1980s, Fox set out to create an alternative to chemically dyed cotton, focusing on preserving the integrity of the fiber while offering a more environmentally conscious option. She’s spent years cultivating and perfecting cotton strains that naturally grow in rich shades of brown, green, and red, eliminating the need for synthetic dyes and their associated environmental impact. Foxfibre’s unique cotton not only provides a more sustainable textile option but also highlights the beauty and complexity of natural color.
Undyed Clothing Ages Better
One of the strongest arguments for Unbleached Apparel is longevity. If indigo denim is prized for how it fades and molds to the wearer over time, what about undyed textiles? Landesman makes a compelling case for their superior durability.
“With a classic bleached white T-shirt, you might get sweat stains after just a few wears. And every wash dulls that bright white, so it starts looking dingy pretty quickly,” he says. “An unbleached shirt, on the other hand, lasts for hundreds and hundreds of wears. It hides stains better, and the fabric itself is more resilient.”
If you’re not convinced, I’d implore you to go to any thrift store, and you’ll find countless garments that have yellowed, grayed, washed out, or gone threadbare with time. And those are the lucky ones that haven’t ended up in landfills yet. An undyed cotton tee, in stark contrast, will maintain its natural color indefinitely.
Where to Start
For those curious about dipping their toe in but unsure where to begin, Landesman recommends starting with the basics.
“T-shirts are the gateway drug,” he says. “A natural white tee is such a staple. It’s one of the easiest things to wear and a perfect way to see the benefits of undyed clothing firsthand.”
He also suggests socks and underwear as easy entry points—small investments that allow you to test the waters without overhauling your entire wardrobe.
To be clear, Landesman isn’t demanding a complete lifestyle shift. Even he acknowledges that most people won’t abandon dyed garments altogether. Instead, the goal of Unbleached Apparel is to carve out space for a different kind of consumption—one that prioritizes longevity, material integrity, and an honest reckoning with fashion’s environmental toll on our health.
So good. We need to restore our natural t shirt options.