TSOTM Nov 2023: Deconstruct & Reconstruct

TSOTM Nov 2023: Deconstruct & Reconstruct

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$65.00
Sale price
$65.00
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per 

Our T-Shirt of the Month for November 2023, made of 100% organic cotton by a worker-owned co-operative, and supporting grassroots labour unions in South Asia.

This month's design celebrates the life of Shin Chae-ho (신채호), Korean historian, journalist, novelist, independence activist and anarchist, who was born on 7 November 1880. Shin had been Korea's most prominent journalist, writing for Hansong News and Dae Han Daily, and he drafted the Korean Revolutionary Manifesto put out by the Band of Heroes anti-colonial combat organisation. Shin's writings highlighted the relationship between destruction and creation:

"The revolutionary path begins at destruction, thus opening up new ways for progress. However, revolution does not stop at destruction. There can be no destruction without construction; no construction without destruction… In the mind of the revolutionist, these two are indivisibly linked: destruction, ergo construction". 

These ideas of progress in the form of continuous deconstruction and reconstruction inspired the musician and graphic artist Conny Ochs to create this new design with the slogan "Deconstruct to Reconstruct".

Shin was also well known for his idiosyncrasies. For example he was known to wear, at least occasionally, women's underwear, as he thought it was "beautiful". And when he washed his face, he would always end up splashed with water. When asked why this happened, he responded: "Because I refuse to lower my head for anyone till the day I die!" 

Shin was eventually arrested by Japanese colonial police and was sentenced to 10 years' hard labour for belonging to a secret organisation which led to his death in prison in 1936. He was trying to set up an Oriental Anarchists League with individuals in Beijing and Manchuria, which was also under Japanese occupation.

  • 100% organic cotton, single jersey, 160 g/m², 0% elastane in fabric
  • High-quality water-based print: environmentally and skin-friendly ink certified under the Global Organic Textile Standard
    Unisex fit s
    izes: 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.