'It's reconcili-action': Orange t-shirts honour the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation

With Friday marking the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, many people in schools and workplaces are wearing orange shirts to honour Indigenous history and pay tribute to those who died in the residential school system.

The founder and owner of the Muin Clothing Company, Derek Lewis, has joined forces with Nova Scotia clothing maker Stanfields to create orange t-shirts that give back to Indigenous communities.

“For me, with the advent of the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, it offers us a chance to look at how to start implementing truth and reconciliation in our daily lives,” Lewis tells CTV Atlantic during an interview on CTV Morning Live Thursday.

Lewis is encouraging Atlantic Canadians to spend some time on Friday reading up on the 94 Calls to Action issued by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.

He’s focused on the 92nd Call to Action, which is focused on business reconciliation.

“[It’s about] making sure Mi’kmaq have a seat at the business table, and of course, sit at the head of it,” Lewis said.

The orange t-shirts sold by Muin are set to be sold at local shops in Halifax, as well as at the Sipekne'katik Treaty Truckhouse located at the Halifax Waterfront.

After devoting three years to the project, Lewis says the closest creation to his heart is an orange t-shirt with a porcupine quill on it, something his grandmother made a living by selling.

Another design, the snow owl, represents health and healing.

“This is a from-the-ground-up custom project. This wasn’t just something we had sitting on the shelf. We worked together, worked on the design, I picked out the colour that I wanted --- more of a burnt orange --- fashion forward, a good cut, light-weight,” he said, noting that Stanfields was “an amazing ally” in the process.

Most importantly, Lewis hopes others are inspired by the partnerships he forged to help see the orange t-shirts come to fruition.

“I really hope people enjoy them and know that they are wearing a shirt that is true reconciliation,” he said. “That’s not just reconciliation, it’s reconcili-action.”