Have a question that needs answering?
What kind of t-shirts do you use?
How do I know which size to order?
What sorts of payment do you accept?
What do I do if my order is missing?
How do I return/exchange items or request a refund?
Which charities do you support and how much money goes to the charities?
What's the difference between sales and profit?
Why do different portions go to different charities?
We currently use a range of high quality, sweatshop-free t-shirts. T-shirts are 100% cotton and semi-fitted, and we use organic and fair trade cotton where possible (this is noted on individual product pages). The best way to care for our t-shirts is a cold wash with EcoStore or similar phosphate free laundry powder, and hanging them inside out to airdry.
These t-shirts are pre-shrunk so there will be minimal shrinkage. The womens t-shirts are slim fitted and longer in body length (no midriff showing!). These t-shirts are made in LA (United States) and printed locally in New Zealand.
| WOMENS | S |
M |
L |
XL |
XXL |
| Size (NZ/UK/AU) | 8-10 | 10-12 | 12-14 | 14-16 | 16-18 |
| Chest (cm) | 76-81 |
81-86 |
91-97 |
102-107 |
112-117 |
| Chest (inches) | 30-32 | 32-34 | 36-38 | 40-42 | 44-46 |
| Waist (cm) | 64-66 | 69-71 | 76-81 | 84-89 | 91-96 |
| Waist (inches) | 25-26 |
27-28 |
30-32 |
33-35 |
36-38 |
| MENS | S |
M |
L |
XL |
| Chest (cm) | 86-91 | 97-102 | 107-112 | 117-122 |
| Chest (inches) |
34-36 |
38-40 |
42-44 |
46-48 |
| Waist (cm) | 76-81 | 81-84 | 84-86 | 91-97 |
| Waist (inches) |
30-32 |
32-33 |
33-34 |
36-38 |
| INFANTS | 0-3 mths |
3-6 mths |
6-12 mths |
12-18 mths | 18-24 mths |
| Weight (kg) | 0-3 | 3-7 |
7-10 |
10-12 |
13-14 |
| Weight (lbs) |
0-6 |
7-15 |
16-22 |
23-27 |
28-30 |
| Chest (cm) |
30 |
36 |
41 |
46 |
51 |
| Chest (inches) |
12 |
14 |
16 |
18 |
20 |
| Length (cm) |
25-40 | 43-61 | 64-71 | 74-79 | 81-86 |
| Length (inches) |
10-16 |
17-24 | 25-28 |
29-31 |
32-34 |
| KIDS | 2 years |
4 years |
6 years |
| Weight (kg) |
14-15 | 16-19 | 19-20 |
| Weight (lbs) | 31-34 |
35-41 | 42-45 |
| Height (cm) |
81-91 |
91-102 | 102-109 |
| Height (inches) |
32-36 |
36-40 |
40-43 |
| Chest (cm) |
53 |
56 |
58 |
| Chest (inches) | 21 | 22 |
23 |
These organic cotton t-shirts are not treated with any chemicals, so please allow a shrinkage of up to 5 percent over repeated washes. If you wash and dry them at lower temperatures, the shrinkage will be less.Note that the women's t-shirts are waist length / short so you may need a size up. These t-shirts are made and printed in India.
| WOMENS | S | M |
L |
XL |
XXL |
| Size | 8 | 10 | 12 | 14 | 16 |
| Chest (inches) | 28-30 | 30-32 | 32-34 | 36-38 | 38-40 |
| Waist (inches) | 23-24 | 25-26 | 27-28 | 30-32 | 34-36 |
| Length (cm) | 53 | 54 | 55 | 57 | 5 |
| MENS | S |
M | L |
XL |
| Chest (inches) | 34-36 | 38-40 | 42-44 | 46-48 |
| Waist (inches) | 30-32 | 32-33 | 33-34 | 36-38 |
| Length (cm) | 68 | 70 | 72 | 74 |
Please allow up to 6 percent shrinkage with warm/hot washes and tumble dries.
| WOMENS | XS |
S |
M |
L |
XL |
| Size (NZ) | 8 | 10 | 12 | 14 | 16 |
| Chest (cm) | 40 | 42.5 | 43.5 |
45 |
48 |
| Length (cm) | 62 | 64 |
65 |
66 |
67 |
| MENS | S |
M |
L |
XL |
| Chest (cm) |
46 |
51 |
56 |
61 |
| Length(cm) |
69 |
74 |
79 |
81 |
We accept payment by credit card or direct credit (bank deposit) into our New Zealand bank account. Direct credit payment is our preferred method for our New Zealand customers. During the checkout process, you will be asked if you would like to pay via credit card or direct credit.
We use PayPal to process credit card payments. You can read about how PayPal safeguard buyers here.
If you choose direct credit, an email will be sent to you after you have confirmed your purchase. The email will have your order number, total amount to be deposited, as well as our bank account details. Orders will not be sent off until the full amount has been cleared into our account.
Please complete your direct credit on the same day, as it may take up to two extra days for a bank to clear payments. If payment is not received in this time, your order will be cancelled, returned to our available stock and you will be notified of this.
Order receipts are automatically generated and sent to your email address. Please make sure your email application or provider accepts emails from orders (at) thehinitiative.com and info (at) thehinitiative.com so that you can receive the order receipt and we can keep you updated about the status of your order. Or, better still, add us to your address book! : )
Credit card details that you provide during online payments on this website are protected by a secure and encrypted connection and communicated directly to the bank. We do not have access to any sensitive credit card information during this process. Unless you provide your credit card details directly to us, thehinitiative does not have access to or store customers credit card information.
We deliver within New Zealand and to Australia, Japan, Singapore, North America (includes Canada), and UK. Please note that we can only deliver to physical addresses (office or home). We are not able to deliver to Post Office (P.O.) boxes, vacant premises, care of (c/-) addresses, hotels or motels (even if temporarily residing there).
Feel free to contact us if you live outside the above countries, as we may be able to arrange special delivery.
Orders are charged a flat rate of NZ$5, for up to 5 t-shirts. Orders are delivered via CourierPost and deliveries are covered by insurance. Note that all deliveries can be tracked and traced by the courier service.
All international orders are charged a flat delivery rate and delivered via International Air mail. Delivery charges include handling, standard packaging and insurance.
Australia NZ$10 per order, for up to 5 t-shirts.
East Asia, North America, UK and Europe NZ$20 per order, for up to five t-shirts.
We will notify you via email once your order has been processed and dispatched.
Please allow about 1 to 2 working days for the processing and delivery of your order. Note that all deliveries can be tracked and traced by the courier service.
Australia and South Pacific
Please allow 5 to 10 working days for the processing and delivery of your order.
East Asia, North America, UK and Europe
Please allow 10 to 14 working days for the processing and delivery of your order.
If your order does not arrive at its destination within the estimated delivery time, please email us at orders at thehinitiative.com so that we can place an enquiry with the courier service (each nationwide delivery is trackable) or with the postal service (for international orders). This process requires you to respond to us to enable us to replace your order. Please also remember to double check your delivery address when you place your order with us!
Please let us know at orders at thehinitiative.com within 5 days of receiving the order, providing your reasons and/or exchange requirements. Note that we will not refund because of a change of mind and we are unable to exchange or refund used, laundered or customer damaged goods.
We will then email you a Return/Refund form, and if stock permits, reserve the necessary item/s for you if you are exchanging your item/s for something else.
Please fill the form out and post it with the unused, unwashed, resalable item/s in a secure and waterproof postal bag within 3 days of receiving the Return/Refund form. The cost of delivery for returns or refunds back to us is not refundable, but we will gladly cover the cost of delivering replacement items to you.
Please allow up to 5 working days for exchanges or refunds to be processed once we receive them. We will endeavour to keep you updated on the status of your exchange/refund.
Note that refunds will be made via your original payment method. For example, if you paid via credit card, a refund will be put onto your card. If you paid via direct credit, we will require your bank account details to transfer the refund across to you.
If you have any queries regarding returns or refunds please feel free to contact us.
thehinitiative currently supports Wellington City Mission, Mental Health Foundation of New Zealand, World Vision New Zealand and Royal New Zealand Plunket Society. More info about them and how much goes to them can be found in our About section.
In short, giving a percentage of sales is more than giving a percentage of profit.
Why? Here's a very, very basic crash course in accounting terms:
Profit is the monetary surplus left after deducting wages, rent, cost of raw materials, bank fees, etc.
On the other hand, sales come through the door first, before expenses and costs are deducted off them. In theory, sales revenue should be a lot more than profit, because to make a profit, you need higher sales revenue!
The portions depend on (a) whether there are formal arrangements in place between thehinitiative and the charity, and (b) if so, the terms of the arrangements.