If ever you were sceptical about Auroville launching a line of dirt tees as a fun concept, all you have to do is read the print that comes with the product.
For starters, the product specs state that the shirt “has been hand dyed with genuine dirt from Auroville in a process that has been researched extensively for decades. Each shirt is a truly unique masterpiece.”
Once, you own one of these dirt shirts, there are pretty useful tips on their use:
“Pull over your head when feeling cold,” it says before helpfully clarifying that “usually the big hole is down, the middle sized hole is for your head and the two small ones with the sleeves attached are for your arms.”
“Some people believe the neck label is supposed to be inside and at the back while wearing the shirt but this is not compulsory. Feel free to follow your creative impulses.”
The caring for your AV Dirt Shirt section is a laugh riot as well asking users, for instance, to not dry the shirt over campfires or volcanoes.
“The colour is very fast. However, should over the years some fading take place we recommend that you wash the shirt less often until you can return to Auroville during monsoon and roll with the shirt in a puddle which will restore and enhance the design”.
But, guess what? Gecko! actually packs a tiny sachet of red earth along with the product for those who want to darken their tees or to touch up the fabric when the colour begins to fade.
