The Pirates' white cotton rally towels with a "Raise the Jolly Roger logo serve not only as a take-home gift from their philanthropic arm, but as a symbol of the organization’s efforts to promote sustainability and a green-conscious ballpark," according to Joyce Gannon of the PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE. The towels -- made of 100% certified organic cotton -- were first given away by the team in '13 "to mark Earth Day." About 11,000 fans ages 14 and under "received the eco-rally towels at a Sunday afternoon game in April that year." Veterans, children with disabilities and other special guests of Pirates Charities for games at PNC Park now get "seats in a premium suite, a special spread of munchies and their own rally towel to keep as a souvenir." The team last year and this season "ordered 1,000 towels to give" to these guests. The tag on the Pirates’ rally towel "carries the slogan for the team’s environmental initiative, 'Let’s Go Bucs. Let’s Go Green,' which includes recycling and energy conservation efforts throughout" the ballpark. California-based PeopleTowels, which supplies the towels, is "actively seeking similar deals with nonprofits and other sports organizations, and has partnered with the West Coast Conference of college athletic teams, which put its logo on the eco-rally towel as a team championship promotion" (PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE, 5/5).
