Episodi
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When you hear the term artisan-made, what do you think of? Do you assume that it means ethically made? Do you assume it's a certain aesthetic? Is it old-fashioned or contemporary?
In today's episode, Elizabeth is speaking with Anjali Purohit, founder and creative director of the home and fashion textiles brand Studio Variously to unpack and demystify all things artisan-made.
Anjali has over 20 years of experience in design, working globally with brands like Pottery Barn and Crate & Barrel. Based in the US for 16 years, she collaborates with artisans in India, Nepal, and Peru to create sustainable, handwoven textiles and home goods.
Anjali has won multiple design awards and was Eileen Fisher’s 2019 Artist in Residence, and continues to consult and develop ethical, artisan-made collections.
In this episode, you'll hear Anjali speak to the greenwashing of “artisan-made” goods and what it means for brands and designers to work ethically with artisans. Also in this conversion, the thread of “collaboration” kept coming up in really interesting ways!
Anjali not only talks about the processes of collaborating with artisans in India, but collaborating with her clients — whether that's retail buyers, interior designers, or end-customers — to see what is truly resonating with them.
Think of it as an elegant dance balancing the heritage techniques that Variously's artisan partners work with, the physical realities of natural materials and natural dyes, and also what her ideal client actually wants in their home or wardrobe and importantly, is willing to invest in. She is constantly paying attention to what materials and formats people are excited about and willing to pay for.
This isn't about following every trend, but Anjali has found a beautiful balance of keeping Variously's products relevant while also respecting traditional artisanal practices.
Anjali has been a Conscious Fashion Collective Member with us, so we've gotten to know her work over the past year and a half, and are so excited for all of you to get to know her work + insights now as well!
Iif you're also a slow fashion founder looking for community and resources to support you in your professional and business development, you can join us inside of the CFC Membership here: consciousfashion.co/community
CONNECT WITH ANJALI:
studiovariously.com
@studiovariously
LinkedIn
STAY IN TOUCH:
Subscribe to Slow Fashion Saturday
Join the CFC Membership
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Is it possible to truly balance financial and environmental sustainability in circularity? This week's guest not only believes that it's possible to do both, but has proven it by architecting one of fashion’s most impactful resale programs, Worn Wear (at Patagonia). In this episode, she's sharing her lessons learned on everything from the type of resale model that could be capable of reducing new production to how we can better engage customers in circularity.
Our guest Nellie Cohen spent nearly a decade at Patagonia as the architect of the brand’s precedent-setting and award-winning circularity program, Worn Wear. She holds over 15 years of sustainability experience and is widely recognized as a leading figure within the circular economy movement.
In 2019, she founded her consultancy — Baleen — which is a specialized agency that focuses on circularity design and implementation. Over her career, she has worked with some of the world’s best known brands including Levi’s, Target, lululemon, and DÔEN.
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This is a recording of a conversation that Stella led with Nellie inside the Conscious Fashion Collective Membership community!
If you'd like to join in on future conversations like this, access our entire past session library, unlock our value-packed resource hub, and connect with a changemaking community, join us inside the CFC Membership.
💚 Learn more & join: consciousfashion.co/community
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Episodi mancanti?
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If you've been feeling discouraged, overwhelmed, or isolated on your sustainable fashion journey, it may be a sign to lean into community. In this episode, get tangible tips and encouragement to find or cultivate your own slow fashion community.
The second part of this episode features a replay of Elizabeth's interview on the Ecommerce Maven Podcast, where she spoke about building community around your slow fashion business and creating thriving partnerships.
CONNECT:
📧 Conscious Fashion Collective Newsletter (stay updated on upcoming events, like founder x freelancer mixers!)🌿CFC Membership (private community for sustainable fashion professionals & entrepreneurs)
💌 Slow Fashion Saturday (free newsletter for slow fashion advocates)
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After what's been referred to as a "slow fashion recession", what's next for the movement? How can we come back stronger and make slow fashion so irresistible, that it becomes inevitable?
Those are big questions, but that's what we're exploring in this podcast episode!
I'd love to hear your thoughts & ideas on this too — find me at @consciousstyle on Instagram or email me.
CONNECT:
💌 Slow Fashion Saturday Newsletter
🌱 Join the CFC Membership (community for sustainable fashion professionals & founders)
♻️ Upcycling Workshop
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For our first-ever Conscious Fashion Collective Membership panel discussion, we discussed a topic that is often taboo in the slow fashion space — money! We believe that financial sustainability is essential for creating a more just, and sustainable, fashion ecosystem with thriving businesses that care about people and the planet.
💰 WE DISCUSSED:
Taboos/misconceptions about making money in the slow fashion space,What alternative business models and revenue streams can be successful for slow fashion brands who don’t want to follow the traditional fast fashion trajectory,Slow fashion pricing and forecasting,How freelancers can go about finding clients, retaining clients, and creating a client rotation that allows for financial sustainability,How to diversify your slow fashion skills and develop alternative streams of income/business offerings,And SO MUCH more!This episode was brought to you by…
Conscious Fashion Collective Membership: the global community for sustainable fashion professionals, freelancers, and entrepreneurs.
Doors will be closing to new members on Friday, March 29th as we prepare to add even more value to the membership.
When we reopen, we'll be increasing the price to account for the additional value. If you sign-up this week, you'll lock-in our current pricing for the lifetime of your membership.
Learn more + join us: consciousfashion.co/community
LINKS:
PicnicwearKismet Concept StudioMAHDIYYAHDevintoJacqueline SchumannPicnicwear DejaVu Dress PatternYouTube video: NYC Tailor Aims To Reduce Fast Fashion WasteCONNECT WITH CONSCIOUS STYLE:
📧Newsletter: https://www.consciouslifeandstyle.com/subscribe
🌐Website: consciouslifeandstyle.com
📸 Instagram: @consciousstyle
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Financial sustainability is essential for creating a more just, and sustainable, fashion ecosystem with thriving businesses that care about people and the planet. But how do you go about actually making money in this space, especially when you care about not overproducing? Money-making is a topic that is all-too-often taboo in the slow fashion space, but our panelists Dani Des Roches, Mahdiyyah Muhammad, Jacqueline Schumann, and Aiste Zitnikaite are unpacking their experiences, transparently, in this episode!
Note: This is a recording from a Conscious Fashion Collective Membership panel discussion, so you may hear references to the membership and “CFC". You can learn more about CFC's membership community here: consciousfashion.co/community
💰 WE DISCUSSED:
Taboos/misconceptions about making money in the slow fashion space,What alternative business models and revenue streams can be successful for slow fashion brands who don’t want to follow the traditional fast fashion trajectory,Slow fashion pricing and forecasting,How freelancers can go about finding clients, retaining clients, and creating a client rotation that allows for financial sustainability,How to diversify your slow fashion skills and develop alternative streams of income/business offerings,And SO MUCH more!LINKS:
Conscious Fashion Collective MembershipPicnicwearKismet Concept StudioMAHDIYYAHDevintoJacqueline SchumannCONNECT WITH CONSCIOUS STYLE:
📧Newsletter: https://www.consciouslifeandstyle.com/subscribe
🌐Website: consciouslifeandstyle.com
📸 Instagram: @consciousstyle
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How can fashion take action right now for a net positive future?
From climate and biodiversity to worker livelihoods and fair wages to overconsumption and textile waste, the gaps between where we need to be and where we are right now feel… vast.
But in this episode, we're discussing ways that fashion act right now — like tomorrow — on 5 key pillars that encompass both people and planet. These are areas where the research, and tools are readily available, even for implementing at a large scale.
Ahead you'll hear my conversation with Holly Syrett, the Impact Programmes and Sustainability Director at Global Fashion Agenda (GFA), a nonprofit organization that accelerates measurable impact in the fashion industry.
Perhaps what GFA is most known for is their Global Fashion Summits but they also drive impact through collaborative commitments, impact programs, thought leadership publications and by engaging with policy & advocacy.
Their flagship report — which is freely accessible for all — is the Fashion CEO Agenda. And this year's edition, released at the Boston Fashion Summit, is offering more specific tangible action than ever. I kind of think of it as the no-excuses actionable sustainability playbook for fashion brands.
I was excited to be able to have this conversation with Holly and be able to share it all with you for free because I know that there are so many of you that work in sustainable fashion or aspire to and want to dive deeper into these types of industry insights but they're not always accessible. So enjoy this conversation with Holly!
GET THE TRANSCRIPT
***
PRESENTED BY...
The Conscious Fashion Collective Membership
If you are a sustainable fashion professional or aspiring to transition into this industry, check out our sister platform Conscious Fashion Collective. We have a free career newsletter with jobs and resources dedicated to supporting your conscious fashion career journey.
We also have a membership community where you can access extra jobs, attend career-focused member events and workshops, access tons of time-saving resources, and connect with a like-minded group of fashion changemakers. You can find out more about this membership at consciousfashion.co/community.
***
GFA's RESOURCES:
Fashion CEO Agenda2030 Fashion Sector VisionGFA Policy Matrix: AmericasGFA Policy Matrix for EUGFA's Policy & Advocacy WorkOTHER LINKS MENTIONED:
Open Supply HubArticle: EILEEN FISHER's New CEO Wants You To Buy Fewer ClothesAmerican Circular Textiles***
CONNECT WITH HOLLY & GFA
🌐 Website: https://globalfashionagenda.org/
📸 Instagram: @globalfashionagenda
💼 LinkedIn: Global Fashion Agenda
📺 YouTube: @GlobalFashionAgenda
***
CONNECT WITH CONSCIOUS STYLE:
📧Newsletter: https://www.consciouslifeandstyle.com/edit
🌐Website: consciouslifeandstyle.com
📸 Instagram: @consciousstyle
📹 YouTube: @consciouslifeandstyle
📌 Pinterest: @consciouslifeandstyle
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We have reached the 100th episode of the podcast! For the past 100 episodes, at the end of each episode we have asked our guests the same question: What would a better future for fashion look like, to you?
This question is important, because it sums up exactly why the podcast exists in the first place — to unpack exactly what it will take to cultivate a sustainable and equitable future for fashion.
To celebrate this 100 episode milestone, we decided to mark the occasion by sharing a montage of some of our favorite answers, from guests we have had on the show, over the years. Plus, we are sharing a few listener answers to this question too. And, right at the end, we’ll share our reflections on the topic as well.
Enjoy listening to these visionary — yet practical — answers. Hopefully they’ll give you some food for thought and reflection points for your own relationship with fashion. And thank you for tuning in to celebrate 100 episodes with us!
***
MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:
Podcast Episode: EP10: Building a Better Secondhand Fashion System with Emily StochlPodcast Episode: EP82: Rana Plaza 10 Years Later: What’s Changed and What Hasn’t? With Ayesha BarenblatPodcast Episode: EP66: Defashioning and Creating a Pluriverse of Clothing Systems with Fashion Act NowPodcast Episode: EP22: Colonialism, Consumerism, and Changing the Fashion Industry with Aja BarberPodcast Episode: EP77: What Democratizing Fashion Is Truly About with Natalie ShehataPodcast Episode: EP54: Slowing Down Media with Kestrel JenkinsPodcast Episode: EP81: How We Can Expand the Sustainable Fashion Conversation with Samata PattinsonPodcast Episode: EP24: The Fascinating Psychology Behind Fashion and Consumption with Shakaila Forbes-BellPodcast Episode: EP79: Sustainable Fashion Policy and Collective Action with Elizabeth ClinePodcast Episode: EP20: How We Can Make Mending Mainstream with Josephine Philips of SojoYuhanne Natividad’s (podcast editor) contact details: LinkedIn***
CONNECT WITH CONSCIOUS STYLE:
📧Newsletter: https://www.consciouslifeandstyle.com/edit
🌐Website: consciouslifeandstyle.com
📸 Instagram: @consciousstyle
📹 YouTube: @consciouslifeandstyle
📌 Pinterest: @consciouslifeandstyle
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As you might have noticed, we are just one episode away from the 100th episode of the podcast! We're starting the celebrations early and changing up the usual format with this episode. Instead of interviewing a guest, this week we’re sharing 10 lessons we’ve learned from 100 episodes of the podcast that features interviews with some of the most inspiring changemakers in the fashion industry.
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MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:
Online Platform: Conscious Fashion CollectiveOnline Community: Conscious Fashion Collective MembershipPodcast Episode: EP79: Sustainable Fashion Policy and Collective Action with Elizabeth ClinePodcast Episode: EP96: Choosing Hope Over Climate Doomism with Isaias Hernandez Podcast Episode: EP50: Why Fast Fashion Is So Addictive with Zainab MahmoodPodcast Episode: EP24: The Fascinating Psychology Behind Fashion and Consumption with Shakaila Forbes-BellPodcast Episode: EP56: Style Psychology and the Drivers of Consumption with Dr. Dion Terrelonge Podcast Episode: EP77: What Democratizing Fashion Is Truly About with Natalie ShehataPodcast Episode: EP81: How We Can Expand the Sustainable Fashion Conversation with Samata PattinsonPodcast Episode: EP73: How To Uncover Your Soul Style with Kerry WildePodcast Episode: EP17: More Creativity, Less Consumption: Sustainable Stylist Tips from Alyssa BeltempoPodcast Episode: EP51: How To Find Joy In Your Closet Again with Stylist Sam WeirPodcast Episode: EP80: Where Does Fashion Stand On Climate Progress? A Conversation with Stand.EarthPodcast Episode: EP90: Rethinking Traditional Supply Chains with Ria Ana Sejpal of LilabarePodcast Episode: EP29: Compostable Clothing, Natural Dyes, and Localizing Fashion Systems with Lydia Wendt of California Cloth FoundryPodcast Episode: EP54: Slowing Down Media with Kestrel JenkinsPodcast Episode: EP94: Can Slow Fashion Businesses Scale Without Encouraging Overconsumption? With Mahdiyyah MuhammadPodcast Episode: EP92: From Extractive to Regenerative Fashion: Slow Growth, Climate Beneficial Fibers, and Cooperative Models with Laura Sansone of New York Textile LabPodcast Episode: EP38: How Custom Collaborative is Paving the Way for a Better Fashion Future with Ngozi OkaroPodcast Episode: EP20: How We Can Make Mending Mainstream with Josephine Philips of SojoPodcast Episode: EP57: Tips for Starting a Slow Fashion Brand with Selina Ho of ReclosetedPodcast Episode: EP58: The History of Fast Fashion with Sara IdacavagePodcast Episode: EP85: A People’s History of Clothing with Sofi ThanhauserPodcast Episode: EP22: Colonialism, Consumerism, and Changing the Fashion Industry with Aja Barber***
CONNECT WITH CONSCIOUS STYLE:
📧Newsletter: https://www.consciouslifeandstyle.com/edit
🌐Website: consciouslifeandstyle.com
📸 Instagram: @consciousstyle
📹 YouTube: @consciouslifeandstyle
📌 Pinterest: @consciouslifeandstyle
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Is it green... or just greenwashing?
This week, we’re sharing a recap of a few Green or Greenwashing topics we covered this season! Green or Greenwashing is a segment on the podcast where we evaluate if a certain sustainability measure is more green or whether it veers into more of the greenwashing territory. These Green or Greenwashing segments were previously published at the end of some prior episodes.
The first segment we are resharing is whether third-party resale sites should ban fast fashion after a decision from Vestiaire Collective to do so. Then we will move into a recording where we discuss whether we really need "climate adaptive clothing". Finally, we evaluate if recycled polyester is truly circular.
GET THE TRANSCRIPT
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Article: Vestiaire Has Banned Fast FashionArticle: Vestiaire Collective’s ‘Fight Against Fast Fashion’ stepsArticle: What Is Extended Producer Responsibility in Textiles — and What’s Missing From Current Policies?Article: Clothes for the “apocalypse”: How to design for a climate crisisResource: Market Analysis and Insights: Global Recycled Polyester Fiber MarketWebsite: Textile Exchange's 2025 Recycled Polyester ChallengeResource: Made-By Environmental Benchmark for FibresArticle: The destructive, symbiotic relationship between the beverage and fashion industriesArticle: Are clothes made from recycled materials really more sustainable?Report: “It’s As If They’re Poisoning Us”: The Health Impacts of Plastic Recycling in TurkeyResearch Paper: An underestimated threat: Land-based pollution with micro-plastics
MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:***
CONNECT WITH CONSCIOUS STYLE:
📧Newsletter: https://www.consciouslifeandstyle.com/edit
🌐Website: consciouslifeandstyle.com
📸 Instagram: @consciousstyle
📹 YouTube: @consciouslifeandstyle
📌 Pinterest: @consciouslifeandstyle
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Policy is an important lever in creating a better, more sustainable, and equitable fashion system. But if we only focus on policy that explicitly talks about the fashion industry and sustainability, we may be missing some opportunities.
In today's episode, I'm chatting with fashion policy expert Kenya Wiley.
Kenya is sharing behind the scenes on the processes behind legislation and regulation — and even explaining the difference between the two terms — and some of the current policies in the works that could involve fashion that the fashion industry isn't talking about. These could be potential needle movers to cleaning up fashion, but aren't being taken advantage of right now.
Kenya is also discussing the much-anticipated Green Guides from the Federal Trade Commission to help reduce greenwashing, what recent US Supreme Court decisions mean for the fashion industry, a funding opportunity for sustainability-minded fashion organizations, and more.
Find the transcript here.
***
PRESENTED BY…
Osei-Duro
Osei-Duro is a slow, artisan-made sustainable fashion brand based in Ghana using handmade textile techniques to create contemporary garments that are true works of art.
Their colorful, bold-printed clothing is hand-dyed and sewn in Ghana by small-scale artisans and manufactured to support the local apparel industry. And they have extended sizes, with many styles going up to 4X.
Osei-Duro's clothing is made with care — and the people behind these garments treat each other with the same care and respect. The small business pays full-time wages for a 4-day work week and offers numerous benefits including full health insurance and maternity coverage.
Get 20% off site wide by using the code CONSCIOUSSTYLE20.
***
SHOW NOTES:
https://www.consciouslifeandstyle.com/kenya-wiley
MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:
Online Community: Conscious Fashion Collective MembershipNewsletter: Fashion Law and Social Justice NewsletterOnline course: Fashion Policy and Justice (Note: listeners can take 50% off with code JUSTICE50; contact Kenya directly for the 80% off student discount)Podcast Episode: EP79: Sustainable Fashion Policy and Collective Action with Elizabeth ClineInformation Resource: 2023 Farm BillInformation Resource: SEC Climate Disclosures RuleInformation Resource: The Recycling & Compostability Accountability Act***
CONNECT WITH KENYA WILEY:
🌐 Website: https://kenyawiley.com/
📸 Instagram: @kenyanwiley
💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kenya-wiley-558601b6/
📱 Twitter (X): @KenyaNWiley
***
CONNECT WITH CONSCIOUS STYLE:
📧Newsletter: https://www.consciouslifeandstyle.com/edit
🌐Website: consciouslifeandstyle.com
📸 Instagram: @consciousstyle
📹 YouTube: @consciouslifeandstyle
📌 Pinterest: @consciouslifeandstyle
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After learning about climate emotions, and seeing climate doomism proliferated in the media, Stella knew she wanted to have Isaias on the show to unpack this and understand how it's connected to the fashion industry.
In this episode, Isaias Hernandez (who you might also know as @queerbrownvegan on social media) unpacks the complexity of climate emotions and the harms of climate doomism narratives, and discusses why “evidence-based hope” is essential for reorienting action and working towards equitable solutions for the fashion industry - and how we can all cultivate this hope in our own lives.
Hit play to dive in!
***
EPISODE SPONSORS:
Osei-Duro
Osei-Duro is a slow, artisan-made sustainable fashion brand based in Ghana using handmade textile techniques to create contemporary garments that are true works of art.
Their colorful, bold-printed clothing is hand-dyed and sewn in Ghana by small-scale artisans and manufactured to support the local apparel industry. And they have extended sizes, with many styles going up to 4X.
Osei-Duro's clothing is made with care — and the people behind these garments treat each other with the same care and respect. The small business pays full-time wages for a 4-day work week and offers numerous benefits including full health insurance and maternity coverage.
Get 20% off sitewide by using the code CONSCIOUSSTYLE20.
Kotn
Kotn is a slow fashion brand that's taking transparency to a new level with their fully traceable supply chain.
The brand sources the cotton for their collection directly from over 2,000 smallholder cotton farmers in the Nile Delta in Egypt and ensures living wages and fair working conditions along every step of the way, from seed to final stitch.
Each piece from Kotn is made ethically and transparently with natural materials — like long-staple Egyptian cotton, recycled cotton, and linen — by people earning living wages.
Get 15% off sitewide from June 20th to August 31st, 2023 by using the code CONSCIOUS15.
***
SHOW NOTES:
https://www.consciouslifeandstyle.com/isaias-hernandez
MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:
Online Platform: Conscious Fashion CollectiveOnline Community: Conscious Fashion Collective MembershipVideo: Is it too late to save the planet? Evidence based hope vs climate doomism with Elin KelseyPodcast Episode: EP88: What Is Regenerative Fashion? With Safia MinneyWebsite: DessertoWebsite: The Or FoundationWebsite: Elin KelseyArticle: What is the Climate Scale?Article: New York therapists see surge in eco-anxiety as smoke fills skies: ‘Every client addresses it’Article: 12 Materials Of The Future That Could Change The Face Of FashionResource: The United Nations’ Sustainable Fashion Communication Playbook***
CONNECT WITH ISAIAS HERNANDEZ:
🌐 Website: https://queerbrownvegan.com/
📸 Instagram: @queerbrownvegan
👍 Facebook: @queerbrownvegan
💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/isaias-hernandez-79a3a5149/
📱 Tiktok: @queerbrownvegan
***
CONNECT WITH CONSCIOUS STYLE:
📧Newsletter: https://www.consciouslifeandstyle.com/edit
🌐Website: consciouslifeandstyle.com
📸 Instagram: @consciousstyle
📹 YouTube: @consciouslifeandstyle
📌 Pinterest: @consciouslifeandstyle
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Carbon neutral. Net zero. Carbon positive. You may have been seeing more and more claims like these lately from companies, including fashion brands. But in today's Green or Greenwashing episode, we’re diving deeper, beyond the surface of these claims, to see if they really can be trusted. Many of these carbon neutrality claims are asserted based on the company purchasing carbon offsets.
This episode was inspired by the UK watchdog, Advertising Standards Authority, recently banning advertisements that claim products are carbon neutral through using offsets due to a growing concern that these claims are misleading consumers.
This isn’t just about the fashion industry, but in case you missed it: many fashion brands are using these sorts of claims, especially as global awareness grows around fashion's environmental impact, including its carbon emissions.
You may have seen various estimates of fashion's contribution to global carbon emissions ranging from 2 to 10 percent. The Apparel Impact Institute’s latest report puts that number at 1.8 percent. *Note: In the audio, I misstated that it was Textile Exchange's report!
The reality is that the majority of fashion brands do not disclose their full emissions. Fashion Revolution's 2023 Transparency Index found that less than half (43 percent) of brands publish their annual value chain carbon emissions. So we're at the basics here. Over half of brands aren't even telling us what their carbon emissions are.
When Fashion Revolution says “value chain”, they mean the full supply chain. So not just the corporate offices, but how these brands make their clothes.
Many factories involved with textile production and garment and footwear production are still reliant on fossil fuels, like coal. About two-thirds of textiles are fossil fuel-derived synthetics like polyester. Brands are reliant on polluting shipping methods, and some — especially fast fashion brands — use the speedy but very carbon-intensive shipping method of air freight.
So fashion should absolutely be talking about reaching carbon neutrality and decarbonization. But the question is: should their method of using carbon offsets be celebrated?
Let’s get into the episode!
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SHOW NOTES:
https://www.consciouslifeandstyle.com/carbon-offsetting
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MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:
Celebrate with us! Record a short voice message to be included in our 100th episode by August 10, 2023.Join The Community: Conscious Fashion Collective MembershipArticle: Is Carbon Offsetting Fashion’s Excuse To Emit?Article: Adverts claiming products are carbon neutral by using offsetting face UK banArticle: What is the Paris Agreement?Article: What is a Renewable Energy Certificate (REC)?Podcast Episode: EP80: Where Does Fashion Stand On Climate Progress? A Conversation with Stand.EarthReport: Taking Stock of Progress Against the Roadmap to Net ZeroReport: Unlocking the Trillion-Dollar Fashion Decarbonization OpportunityReport: Environmental Claims in Advertising Qualitative Research ReportWebsite: Stand.Earth’s 2023 Fossil Free Fashion Scorecard***
CONNECT WITH US:
📧Newsletter: https://www.consciouslifeandstyle.com/edit
🌐Website: consciouslifeandstyle.com
📸 Instagram: @consciousstyle
📹 YouTube: @consciouslifeandstyle
📌 Pinterest: @consciouslifeandstyle
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How can we reimagine the traditional role of fashion designers in a world filled with fashion waste? And how can we rethink our primary role as consumers in a way that allows us to become contributors to collective well-being instead?
It’s no secret that we live in a world with far too much clothing. If we are to work towards a more sustainable fashion industry, we need to unpack the ways that fashion brands and designers can pivot away from the mainstream business model of take-make-waste and embrace alternative sustainable fashion business models that limit waste. And our mindset as consumers plays a pivotal role in this too.
In this episode, we hear from Mahdiyyah Muhammad who is a sustainable fashion designer, circular fashion strategist, and educator. We’re talking about the realities of designing, building a business, and engaging with fashion and style in our current fashion system where all we need is less — less resource extraction, less consumption, less clothing waste, less focus on passing trends, and less exclusivity.
But, as you will hear from Mahdiyyah, to make this happen, we need more community. Cultivating community is essential for sharing resources and ideas, and creating meaningful connections, as well as making the slow fashion movement more accessible and inclusive.
***
EPISODE SPONSORS:
Kotn
Kotn is a slow fashion brand that's taking transparency to a new level with their fully traceable supply chain.
The brand sources the cotton for their collection directly from over 2,000 smallholder cotton farmers in the Nile Delta in Egypt and ensures living wages and fair working conditions along every step of the way, from seed to final stitch.
Each piece from Kotn is made ethically and transparently with natural materials — like long-staple Egyptian cotton, recycled cotton, and linen — by people earning living wages.
Get 15% off sitewide from June 20th to August 31st, 2023 by using the code CONSCIOUS15.
Juliemay
Juliemay offers a natural alternative to the synthetic-heavy lingerie market. They use GOTS-certified organic pima cotton as their main fabric, line all of their products with Mulberry peace silk’ and do not use harsh chemicals in production.
The brand is accredited by AllergyUK to be friendly for people with allergic reactions to synthetic fibers and who have sensitive skin. This is something that I have become personally really interested in since I started to experience psoriasis after wearing synthetic undergarments myself a few years ago.
Additionally, Juliemay has bras for a wide range of circumstances, like post-surgery bras or bras that offer back support. Juliemay also supports several environmental and social impact nonprofits.
Use the code SOCIAL15 for 15% off at Juliemay!
***
SHOW NOTES:
https://www.consciouslifeandstyle.com/mahdiyyah-muhammad
***
TRANSCRIPT
MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:
Online Platform: Conscious Fashion CollectiveOnline Community: Conscious Fashion Collective MembershipOrganization: Fashion Takes ActionPodcast Episode: EP17: More Creativity, Less Consumption: Tips from Slow Fashion Stylist Alyssa BeltempoPodcast Episode: EP83: What is Circular Fashion Design? With Carmen GamaPodcast Episode: Black Material Geographies: Colonialism’s Afterlife & Upcycling FashionDatabase: Upcycle Web DirectoryWebsite: Threads of HabitArticle: 7 Alternative Sustainable Fashion Business Models Changing the Status Quo***
CONNECT WITH MAHDIYYAH MUHAMMAD:
🌐 Website: www.mahdiyyah.co
📸 Instagram: @mahdiyyahofficial
💼 LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/mahdiyyah-muhammad-423942a8/
***
CONNECT WITH CONSCIOUS STYLE:
📧Newsletter: https://www.consciouslifeandstyle.com/edit
🌐Website: consciouslifeandstyle.com
📸 Instagram: @consciousstyle
📹 YouTube: @consciouslifeandstyle
📌 Pinterest: @consciouslifeandstyle
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What if fashion brands put garment workers first? What if a fashion brand set the prices they pay to their suppliers based on ensuring workers were making a living wage, rather than negotiating the prices as low as possible to maximize profits?
This is part of implementing more responsible purchasing practices — purchasing practices meaning not how the consumer buys something, but how the brand purchases their orders from their suppliers, since most brands do not produce their own clothes.
The reality is that right now the system is set up with the wrong incentives. For example, Buyers at many fashion brands receive bonuses if they achieve larger margins with their orders they purchase from their suppliers — larger margins meaning they pay their suppliers less, and thus the supplier will have less money to pay their workers fairly or invest in sustainability initiatives like transitioning to clean energy.
So we need a paradigm shift. True systems change.
And one proposal for doing so is worker-centric pricing, which Stella and I are going to dive into in this episode!
>>> TRANSCRIPT
*****
MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:
Sustainable Fashion Career Platform: Conscious Fashion CollectiveCommunity: Conscious Fashion Collective MembershipArticle: What If Fashion Prices Put Garment Workers First?Doc: Worker-Centric Pricing ModelOrganization: Union of Concerned Researchers in FashionInstagram: Aja BarberPodcast Episode: EP71: Is Sustainable Fashion Always More Expensive?Podcast Episode: EP60: Living Wages for Garment Makers with Anne Bienias of Clean Clothes CampaignPodcast Episode: EP45: Are Better Brand-Supplier Relationships The Missing Link to Ethical Fashion?***
CONNECT WITH CONSCIOUS STYLE:
📧Newsletter: https://www.consciouslifeandstyle.com/edit
🌐Website: consciouslifeandstyle.com
📸 Instagram: @consciousstyle
📹 YouTube: @consciouslifeandstyle
📌 Pinterest: @consciouslifeandstyle
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What if designers could go all the way back to the source of the fibers their garments are made from? Many of fashion’s favorite fibers — and our favorite garments — begin on farms. From cotton to wool, hemp, and linen. But, often, designers are so far removed from the places where these fibers are produced. Bringing designers back to the source would result in greater transparency and traceability in fashion that would allow designers to make choices that are kinder to people and the planet.
The fast fashion system thrives on building one, uniform, global fashion system that requires a lack of transparency and traceability to continue perpetuating its profit-seeking harms. On the other hand, a more equitable future of fashion will comprise multiple regional and local textile systems that are each in tune with the contexts of local communities.
But what will it take to get there, in practice? Well, in today’s episode, Stella chats with Laura Sansone, who is passionate about creating regional and regenerative textile systems. Laura is an Assistant Professor of Textiles at Parsons School of Design and she is the creator of New York Textile Lab (@nytextilelab) a design and consulting company that supports environmentally responsible textile methods and bioregional systems of production.
TRANSCRIPT AVAILABLE HERE
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EPISODE SPONSORS:
Kotn
Kotn is a slow fashion brand that's taking transparency to a new level with their fully traceable supply chain.
The brand sources the cotton for their collection directly from over 2,000 smallholder cotton farmers in the Nile Delta in Egypt and ensures living wages and fair working conditions along every step of the way, from seed to final stitch.
Each piece from Kotn is made ethically and transparently with natural materials — like long-staple Egyptian cotton, recycled cotton, and linen — by people earning living wages.
Get 15% off sitewide from June 20th to August 31st, 2023 by using the code CONSCIOUS15.
Juliemay
Juliemay offers a natural alternative to the synthetic-heavy lingerie market. They use GOTS-certified organic pima cotton as their main fabric, line all of their products with Mulberry peace silk’ and do not use harsh chemicals in production.
The brand is accredited by AllergyUK to be friendly for people with allergic reactions to synthetic fibers and who have sensitive skin. This is something that I have become personally really interested in since I started to experience psoriasis after wearing synthetic undergarments myself a few years ago.
Additionally, Juliemay has bras for a wide range of circumstances, like post-surgery bras or bras that offer back support. Juliemay also supports several environmental and social impact nonprofits.
Use the code SOCIAL15 for 15% off at Juliemay!
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SHOW NOTES & LINKS:
https://www.consciouslifeandstyle.com/laura-sansone
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🌐Website: consciouslifeandstyle.com
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What is it like to work as a designer for a fast fashion brand? And what is it like to build your own sustainability minded small fashion brand, from circular design practices to figuring out your pricing?
That's what we're getting a glimpse into in this episode with Dani Des Roches, designer and founder of the upcycled brand Picnicwear, recognizable by its groovy 60s/70s aesthetic, bold and playful use of color, and most notably its use of vintage towels as its primary material.
Before that, Dani attended the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York City and was behind the scenes as a sweater designer for household names like Urban Outfitters and Express.
Feeling dissatisfied with the industry, Dani started her own B2B design studio, Kismet Concept Studio and of course her Direct to Consumer brand, Picnicwear, which creates high-quality pieces using 95% pre-existing materials.
In this conversation, Dani is giving us a look under the hood of the operations at big fashion brands and sharing what she thinks we should all know about how these brands operate.
She's also getting transparent about her own journey building a small slow fashion business.
If you want to learn more from Dani, Dani is leading a Circular Fashion Design Workshop that we're hosting over at Conscious Fashion Collective.
It will be an educational and interactive event for designers, industry professionals, sewists, and sustainable fashion advocates wanting to learn more about sustainability in fashion.
You'll learn how brands and designers can use circularity as a foundation for design, what a holistic approach to circular apparel design looks like, and tangible strategies to integrate circularity into apparel production and post-consumer reverse supply chain.
Hope to see you there!
>> Get tickets for the circular design workshop led by Dani here!
Or join the Conscious Fashion Collective Membership to attend for free.
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SHOW NOTES:
https://www.consciouslifeandstyle.com/dani-des-roches
MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:
Event: Finding Creativity In Circularity — Circular Apparel Design WorkshopClotheshorse InstagramInterview with Selina Ho***
CONNECT WITH DANI:
🌐 Website: www.picnicwear.com
📸 Instagram: @picnicwear
👍 Facebook: @Picnicwear
📱 Tiktok: @picnicwear
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CONNECT WITH CONSCIOUS STYLE:
📧Newsletter: https://www.consciouslifeandstyle.com/edit
🌐Website: consciouslifeandstyle.com
📸 Instagram: @consciousstyle
📹 YouTube: @consciouslifeandstyle
📌 Pinterest: @consciouslifeandstyle
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What is the process like to create a regenerative conscious fashion label? What does it mean to create long-term partnerships in a localized supply chain that are beneficial for people? Or to make clothes that are beneficial for the earth?
In this episode, Stella interviews the founder of slow fashion brand LilaBare, Ria Ana Sejpal, about building a Kenyan fashion brand, rethinking traditional supply chains, and the value of building long-term relationships with the people involved in them.
Plus they cover how Ria measures the impacts of the garments LilaBare creates and how size-adjustable gender fluid clothing can make sustainable fashion more inclusive.
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EPISODE SPONSORS
KotnKotn is a slow fashion brand that's taking transparency to a new level with their fully traceable supply chain.
The brand sources the cotton for their collection directly from over 2,000 smallholder cotton farmers in the Nile Delta in Egypt and ensures living wages and fair working conditions along every step of the way, from seed to final stitch.
Each piece from Kotn is made ethically and transparently with natural materials — like long-staple Egyptian cotton, recycled cotton, and linen — by people earning living wages.
Get 15% off sitewide from June 20th to August 31st, 2023 by using the code CONSCIOUS15.
***
Juliemay
Juliemay offers a natural alternative to the synthetic-heavy lingerie market. They use GOTS-certified organic pima cotton as their main fabric, line all of their products with Mulberry peace silk’ and do not use harsh chemicals in production.
The brand is accredited by AllergyUK to be friendly for people with allergic reactions to synthetic fibers and who have sensitive skin. This is something that I have become personally really interested in since I started to experience psoriasis after wearing synthetic undergarments myself a few years ago.
Additionally, Juliemay has bras for a wide range of circumstances, like post-surgery bras or bras that offer back support. Juliemay also supports several environmental and social impact nonprofits.
Use the code SOCIAL15 for 15% off at Juliemay!
***
SHOW NOTES:
https://www.consciouslifeandstyle.com/ria-ana-sejpal-lilabare
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RESOURCES MENTIONED:
Podcast: EP88. What Is Regenerative Fashion? with Safia MinneyPodcast: EP31. The Reality of the Secondhand Clothing Trade with Nikissi SerumagaPodcast: EP61. Behind Fashion’s Waste Crisis in the Atacama DesertPodcast: EP29. Compostable Clothing, Natural Dyes, and Localizing Fashion Systems with Lydia Wendt***
CONNECT WITH RIA ANA SEJPAL AND LILABARE:
🌐 Website: https://lilabare.com/
📸 Instagram: @lilabare
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CONNECT WITH CONSCIOUS STYLE:
📧Newsletter: https://www.consciouslifeandstyle.com/edit
🌐Website: consciouslifeandstyle.com
📸 Instagram: @consciousstyle
📹 YouTube: @consciouslifeandstyle
📌 Pinterest:
@consciouslifeandstyle
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Fashion's returns are a massive waste and emissions issue. In fact, 23 million returned garments were sent to a landfill or incinerated last year in the UK, and returns caused 750,000 tons of CO2 emissions just in the UK fashion industry alone, according to The Institute of Positive Fashion's report: Solving Fashion's Products Returns.
Generous free returns policies from brands and retailers have also helped fuel the trend of buying clothes to wear just once or only for a social media post and then return them.
However, the days of these free return policies may be coming to an end. Zara, Boohoo, Uniqlo, and Next have all recently announced return fees.
These brands are likely making the decision to implement return fees for financial reasons, but what are the implications for sustainability?
In this Green or Greenwashing segment, Elizabeth and Stella explore the nuances of fashion's product return fees.
LINKS MENTIONED:
Giveaway! Win 3 books written by previous Conscious Style Podcast guests.
Report: Institute of Positive Fashion Solving Fashion Product Returns Report
Article: How the end of free returns will change the way we shop by Sophie Benson
Subscribe: Conscious Edit Newsletter
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It's time for an urgent shift in fashion. And not just towards a path of doing less bad, but of bringing positive change. Not just less harmful fashion. Not even just more sustainable fashion. But building a regenerative fashion future.
Recently I read the book Regenerative Fashion: A Nature Based Approach to Fibres, Livelihoods, and Leadership*, by Safia Minney. And this book could not have come at a better time for me. I was feeling discouraged and overwhelmed by the weight of it all and the stories and changemakers highlighted throughout this book was the inspiration that I needed.
So I am super grateful that I was able to have the author, Safia Minney — who has been a disruptor in the fashion space for decades — onto the show. You may know Safia Minney as the founder of fair fashion brand People Tree, or you may know her as an activist, consultant, thought-leader, or author of books like Slave to Fashion and Slow Fashion.
In this episode, Safia Minney discusses the themes of her latest book on regenerative fashion, including regeneratively grown fibers and decarbonization, but also regenerative leadership and regenerative relationships, the importance of revitalizing artisan crafts and textile traditions, why living wages and a just transition are central to regenerative fashion, and how our current economic systems are completely at odds with a livable future. Hit play to dive in!
*Bookshop.org affiliate link
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ENTER THE PODCAST BOOK GIVEAWAY HERE
If the link is not clickable in your podcast player, here is the URL: https://view.flodesk.com/pages/6490c7a33b413b66d0ce7727
Giveaway closes July 6 at 4pm CDT. Winner will be announced in July 8th's newsletter.
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EPISODE SPONSORS:
Brook ThereBrook There creates organic cotton bralettes, underwear, and slip dresses ethically cut and sewn by their team in Massachusetts. Their GOTS-certified organic cotton is even milled and dyed domestically in the US too.
Brook There has a beautiful range of colorways — from ballet pink to bright orange to versatile neutrals, which are all colored using low-impact fiber reactive dyes.
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KotnKotn is a slow fashion brand that's taking transparency to a new level with their fully traceable supply chain.
The brand sources the cotton for their collection directly from over 2,000 smallholder cotton farmers in the Nile Delta in Egypt and ensures living wages and fair working conditions along every step of the way, from seed to final stitch.
Each piece from Kotn is made ethically and transparently with natural materials — like long-staple Egyptian cotton, recycled cotton, and linen — by people earning living wages.
Get 15% off sitewide from June 20th to August 31st, 2023 by using the code CONSCIOUS15.
***
SHOW NOTES:
https://www.consciouslifeandstyle.com/safia-minney
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CONNECT WITH SAFIA MINNEY:
🌐 Website: https://safia-minney.com/
📸 Instagram: @safia_minney
🐦 Twitter: @SafiaMinney
***
CONNECT WITH CONSCIOUS STYLE:
📧Newsletter: https://www.consciouslifeandstyle.com/edit
🌐Website: consciouslifeandstyle.com
📸 Instagram: @consciousstyle
📹 YouTube: @consciouslifeandstyle
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