DOTM Jun 2026: Carnival Against Capitalism

Our Design of the Month for May 2026, made of 100% organic cotton, and supporting grassroots labour unions in South Asia. 

This design brings us back to the events of J18, i.e. June 18, 1999, when demonstrators shut down London’s financial district in protest against the injustices of global capitalism.

The Carnival Against Capitalism was scheduled to coincide with the 24th summit of the G8 in Birmingham, England and coordinated anti-capitalist demonstrations in forty (!) different countries. It was one of the Global Days of Action called by the People’s Global Action network, which grew out of a series of international meetings initiated by the Zapatista Army of National Liberation (EZLN) in Chiapas, Mexico.

Participants distributed a paper, Evading Standards, expressing their critique of capitalism in the format of the London newspaper, The Evening Standard. There was also a 32-page pamphlet put out titled Squaring up to the Square Mile. It identified the functions and locations of all the institutions, banks and corporate headquarters in downtown London that were integral to the functioning of globalized capitalism. It also listed all the upmarket bars, pubs, and restaurants where London's financial elite would gather to conduct business and network. A 2017 review of the events of June 18, 1999 states i.a. the following:

“Thousands of demonstrators converged at the Liverpool Street train station. Organizers distributed masks in four different colours and the participants broke up into four different marches in order to divide and confuse police; a spontaneous fifth march emerged, as well as a Critical Mass composed of hundreds of bicyclists. The marches converged on the London International Financial Futures Exchange (LIFFE), where they hung banners, set off a fire hydrant to symbolize the liberation of the river beneath London’s streets, adorned the walls with graffiti, disabled surveillance cameras, and set up sound systems for DJs and punk bands to perform. A raucous afternoon of dancing, exuberance, and street fighting followed, during which participants bricked up the front of the LIFFE building, broke in and trashed its ground floor, and nearly succeeded in destroying the London Stock Exchange itself. In response, police attacked the general public with tear gas and horse charges and ran over one demonstrator with a riot van, breaking her leg. Afterwards, participants reflected that they had come very close to occupying the trading floor of the Stock Exchange. This is a reminder to bear in mind that sometimes our crazy plans succeed—and to prepare accordingly.

The events of June 18, 1999 set the stage for the historic demonstrations against the summit of the World Trade Organization in Seattle later that year. This catapulted the anti-capitalist movement—which timid journalists insisted on referring to as “anti-globalization”—into the public consciousness, contributing to the resurgence of anarchism at the beginning of the 21st century. […]

From our vantage point today, the Carnival against Capitalism is striking for its ludic, joyous character. It was confrontational, but it succeeded by drawing people together in lighthearted collective activity, contrasting sharply with the dour violence inflicted by humorless police. Today, when protracted state violence has forced social movements into a combative stance, we would do well to recall the inventive energy of those days—not to lose our way in a grim grudge match with fascists and the state, but to remember that our most important task is to engage with other people by demonstrating a more fulfilling way of living.”

In a perfect match, we were able to win Rio de Janeiro based Tom Pereira to contribute this month’s design in memory of J18. Tom’s name as a tattoo artist is Tint4Preta. He’s the founder of the Tempo Estúdio located in Rio’s north zone and also makes part of Studio da Colina, a tattoo studio exclusively dedicated to Vasco da Gama football club.  

• 100% organic combed ring-spun cotton
• Fabric weight: 5.3 oz./yd.² (180 g/m²)
• Regular unisex fit
• Set-in sleeves
• 1 × 1 rib at collar
• Double-needle topstitch on the sleeves and bottom hems
• Self-fabric neck tape on the inside of the back
• The fabric of this product holds certifications for its organic cotton content under GOTS (Global Organic Textile Standard) and OCS (Organic Content Standard). Stanley and Stella Fair Wair Foundation-made
• Supports grassroots labour unions in South Asia through ExChains and social enterprise dna merch
• Printed in the US individually just for you, with no overproduction or waste
• Global shipping from the US
• Proceeds from this design will be donated to Zapatista solidarity organisations

Size guide