T-shirt weather is finally here!

Tee’s are a staple item in everyone’s wardrobe, especially during the warmer season. You can dress them up with heels and a skirt, or dress them down with jeans and sneakers. Either way It is probably the only type of garment in your closet that you can get away with wearing to both the gym and a bar (just hopefully not the same one.) This spring/summer season, why not sport a graphic tee for a good cause? Or keep it cropped and on trend, or, just go for the simple perfection found in a classic solid tee.

The Cause: Creative Growth for Everybody

The clothing brand Creative Growth for Everybody is a unique line of t-shirts with artwork created by artists from The Creative Growth Arts Center, a non-profit organization for adult artists with developmental and physical disabilities.

Having won its place in magazines including Sports Illustrated’s swimsuit issue, where the brand was seen on the lovely back of model Michelle Vawer, on top of celebrity endorsement both on screen (see Channing Tatum in the “Wallet” shirt amongst the action of 21 Jump Street) and off (Drew Barrymore above), Creative Growth for Everyone is the must have T-shirt collection of 2012.

Wadding into the mainstream, the brand recently collaborated with teen-preffered retailer Urban Outfitters, featuring the work of Creative Growth artist, Aurie Ramirez, who creates ink and watercolor works inspired by glam rock, punk, and candy. Look out for the brand’s 2012 collection titled, “The Misunderstood,” out this June; with Scarlett Johansson as the collection’s official spokesperson, cool hunters the globe across will be after a tee from this one.

The Difference: Shared

“Not your typical t-shirt line” is the best way to describe Shared — a company that gives back to the community with significant portion of profits donated to various charities. By actively participating in social responsibility, Shared hopes to set an example and encourage others to follow. A brand that is striving to change the world one perfect t-shirt at a time, the brand has extended its love to Canada’s beloved Hudson’s Bay Company with a recent collection of limited edition t-shirts for the national department store’s Heritage line, available at HBC stores in Toronto, Vancouver and Montreal. Those living or visiting Toronto, can also find the line at the Drake Hotel General Store, while shoppers outside of Canada can browse the line via drakegeneralstore.ca, or contact [email protected] for more information on how to snag the line.

The Trend: Lifetime Collective

Founded in 2002 by Reid Stewart and Trevor Fleming, The Lifetime Collective began as a collaborative group of artists and friends. The inspiration for the clothing line comes from the places that surround us such as the community we live in, the places we travel to and the people that we encounter. More than a “brand of lifestyle,” Lifetime is defined by the changes that occur and the creative ways we adapt. In fact, the theme of Lifetime should be, “a work in progress,” as it is ever-changing and far from finished, a dream never fully realized. In the spirit of interactivity, the Lifetime Collective is reaching out to their customers with it’s weekly Tweetin’ for Tees contest. To be entered, just snap a candid of whatever you’re doing, tweet the picture at @LFTMCollective with the hashtag: #showusyourtees, and keep your fingers crossed; the winner receives a Lifetime t-shirt of their choice.