Our T-Shirt of the Month for November 2024, made of 100% organic cotton by a worker-owned co-operative, and supporting grassroots labour unions in South Asia.
This month it is dedicated to the centenary of the great sardine workers’ strike in Douarnenez on the Brittany coast, France, in November 1924. Penn Sardin literally means “Sardine Head”, a name given to the local women sardine cannery workers.
Douarnenez was the first sardine port in France. In 1924, the town had twenty-two canneries, plus a can factory, 2,000 workers, 5,000 fishermen.
Canning factory workers were the least paid in France. Despite a law passed in 1919, women workers worked 10-hour days, had no bonus for overtime, and worked nights, which was supposedly illegal. In the winter of 1924, 2100 people, including 600 women, demonstrated against their wage of 80 cents an hour and the fact that they had to go to the factory at any time day or night, whenever a shipment of sardines was delivered.
The November 1924 strike was the beginning of a mobilization that lasted several months in the region. The strikers, mostly women, marched with the slogan "Pemp real a vo!" (Five reals it will be!). Joséphine Pencalet, who belonged to the Douarnenez metalworkers' union, took part in the strike. Her name in Breton, Penn kalet, meant "hothead" or "stubborn".
The gendarmes repressed the strikers and called in scabs, and the mayor, Daniel Le Flanchec, who had publicly supported the revolt, was suspended from office. The workers were joined by sailors and occupied the streets, the town was blocked, and the conflict was covered by the media.
On 6 January 1925, the factory owners gave in to the workers' demands.
Design created by Berlin based Brazilian tattoo artist, Caetano Calomino.
- 100% organic cotton, single jersey, 160 g/m², 0% elastane in fabric
- High-quality water-based print: environmentally and skin-friendly inks certified under the Global Organic Textile Standard
- Unisex fit sizes: S - M - L - XL - 2XL – 3XL - 4XL - 5XL
- Made with dignity by the worker-owned Humana Nova cooperative
- Supports grassroots labour unions in South Asia through ExChains
- Learn more about our 'T-Shirt of the Month' collaboration with dna merch here
- Printed individually just for you, with no overproduction or waste
- Global shipping, from France
Please make sure to carefully choose your size by checking the size chart below.
Width: Measured 2cm (1in) beneath the sleeves across the shirt
Length: Measured from the highest point of the shoulder to the bottom end of the shirt
| S | M | L | XL | 2XL | 3XL | 4XL | 5XL | |
| Width (in) | 19 | 21 | 22 | 24 | 25.5 | 26.5 | 27.5 | 33.0 |
| Length (in) | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 31.5 | 32 | 29.0 | 33.5 |
| Width (cm) | 48 | 53 | 56 | 60.5 | 64.5 | 68 | 70 | 84 |
| Length (cm) | 71 | 74 | 76.5 | 79 | 80.5 | 82 | 74.5 | 85 |
When will I receive my t-shirt?
Printing of each T-Shirt of the Month will take approximately one week after being ordered. The shirts will then be shipped from France, and delivery should take up to one week for Europe, and up to 2 weeks for the rest of the world.
In the unlikely event that shirts from Humana Nova are out of stock, design will instead be printed on an organic t-shirt from fairwear foundation leader Stanley & Stella instead.