Stay ConnectedWhat will it really take to create a more sustainable and equitable future for fashion? Each week, hosts Elizabeth Joy and Stella Hertantyo interview fashion changemakers — from labor activists to slow fashion entrepreneurs — to explore this very question. Hear about topics like greenwashing, garment worker rights, consumer psychology, secondhand fashion, making the most of your closet, and more.
For more, visit consciouslifeandstyle.com and follow @consciousstyle on Instagram.
Copyright: © 2021-23, Conscious Life & Style, LLC
Fashion is rarely focused on fixing real problems for real people. But what if slow fashion did things differently?
The thoughtfulness and attention to quality that is embedded into the slow fashion movement can be harnessed to make genuinely better products that make these options a no-brainer IF brands understand the true needs of their customer.
In this episode, you'll hear from Karen Poirier, founder of Embrago, a bra-alternative that uses a new approach to built-in bust support that can ebb and flow with our changing bodies.
Karen shares what is wrong with most undergarments today — it's not you, it's the clothes (or undergarments)! — and the potential health implications. Plus we discuss the often overlooked technicality to good fashion and how undergarments can add to the mental load for women (and how she is hoping to change that).
We cover a lot of ground in this one, so grab a cozy drink and hit play to dive in!
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🎧 LISTEN NEXT >> EP57: Tips for Starting a Slow Fashion Brand with Selina Ho
🌿 JOIN THE COMMUNITY >> Conscious Fashion Collective Membership
💌 FOR MORE >> Subscribe to Slow Fashion Saturday
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✨ CONNECT WITH KAREN >> embrago.com
Website: embrago.com
Instagram: @embragoclothing
The declining quality of sweaters has been a big discussion in the past year, but is a reality we've been witnessing for the past couple of decades.
But what exactly is so much worse about today's sweaters and what has been going on behind the scenes that's made them so bad? And importantly, how can brands do better? What should we be looking for in a high quality knitwear piece?
We're covering all of this and more in today's Conscious Style Podcast episode with expert knitwear designer and product developer Mari Medina. Mari is the founder of April Knit Studio, a design studio dedicated to creating high-quality knitwear for fashion brands. With an extensive network of trusted suppliers and artisans, April Knit Studio offers brands access to natural materials, enabling the development of knitwear that reflects each brand's unique identity.
In this episode, Mari also discusses what an ethical supplier or artisan partnership looks like, the benefits for both the customer and the brand of keeping the same styles year over year, and the value of harnessing external expertise instead of going at it alone as a brand founder.
🎧 LISTEN NEXT >> EP44: How to Identify High Quality Clothing with Zoe Hong
🌿 JOIN THE COMMUNITY >> Conscious Fashion Collective Membership
💌 FOR MORE >> Subscribe to Slow Fashion Saturday
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🧶 CONNECT WITH MARI >>
Website: aprilknitstudio.com
Instagram: @aprilknit.studio
LinkedIn: April Knit Studio
What is the state of circular fashion today? There has been a LOT happening with circularity in textiles in recent years, which is exciting but also means that it can be tough to keep up with and to discern what the most promising signs of progress actually are.
So in today's episode, you'll hear from Cynthia Power about the state of circular fashion, 5 areas of "invisible progress" in circularity, and what fashion brands should know about implementing circularity into their value chains. Cynthia also speaks to the happiness of repair, illuminating something that doesn't get talked enough about enough — that yes, slow fashion can actually be joyful!
Cynthia Power is the founder of Molte Volte and is an expert in the fields of fashion resale, reuse, repair, recycling and design for circularity. Working in fashion for over 17 years, she spent 6 years at the helm of EILEEN FISHER Renew and two years working on the service provider side at Recurate with dozens of brands. (In fact, you can hear Cynthia speak on behalf of Recurate in episode 27!) Cynthia is also the co-host of the Untangling Circularity podcast.
Hit play to dive in!
LISTEN NEXT >> EP83: What is Circular Fashion Design? with Carmen Gama
FOR MORE >> Join Slow Fashion Saturday: consciouslifeandstyle.com/subscribe
CONNECT WITH CYNTHIA:
Newsletter: moltevolte.substack.com
Molte Volte: moltevolte.com
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/cynthia-power-24963513
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:
STAY IN TOUCH:
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
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)
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)
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:
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:
CONNECT WITH CONSCIOUS STYLE:
📧Newsletter: https://www.consciouslifeandstyle.com/subscribe
🌐Website: consciouslifeandstyle.com
📸 Instagram: @consciousstyle
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:
LINKS:
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📧Newsletter: https://www.consciouslifeandstyle.com/subscribe
🌐Website: consciouslifeandstyle.com
📸 Instagram: @consciousstyle
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!
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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.
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GFA's RESOURCES:
OTHER LINKS MENTIONED:
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CONNECT WITH HOLLY & GFA
🌐 Website: https://globalfashionagenda.org/
📸 Instagram: @globalfashionagenda
💼 LinkedIn: Global Fashion Agenda
📺 YouTube: @GlobalFashionAgenda
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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!
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MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:
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🌐Website: consciouslifeandstyle.com
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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:
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📧Newsletter: https://www.consciouslifeandstyle.com/edit
🌐Website: consciouslifeandstyle.com
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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.
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MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:
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CONNECT WITH CONSCIOUS STYLE:
📧Newsletter: https://www.consciouslifeandstyle.com/edit
🌐Website: consciouslifeandstyle.com
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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.
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PRESENTED BY…
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.
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SHOW NOTES:
https://www.consciouslifeandstyle.com/kenya-wiley
MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:
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CONNECT WITH KENYA WILEY:
🌐 Website: https://kenyawiley.com/
📸 Instagram: @kenyanwiley
💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kenya-wiley-558601b6/
📱 Twitter (X): @KenyaNWiley
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CONNECT WITH CONSCIOUS STYLE:
📧Newsletter: https://www.consciouslifeandstyle.com/edit
🌐Website: consciouslifeandstyle.com
📸 Instagram: @consciousstyle
📹 YouTube: @consciouslifeandstyle
📌 Pinterest: @consciouslifeandstyle
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!
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EPISODE SPONSORS:
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 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.
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SHOW NOTES:
https://www.consciouslifeandstyle.com/isaias-hernandez
MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:
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CONNECT WITH ISAIAS HERNANDEZ:
🌐 Website: https://queerbrownvegan.com/
📸 Instagram: @queerbrownvegan
👍 Facebook: @queerbrownvegan
💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/isaias-hernandez-79a3a5149/
📱 Tiktok: @queerbrownvegan
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CONNECT WITH CONSCIOUS STYLE:
📧Newsletter: https://www.consciouslifeandstyle.com/edit
🌐Website: consciouslifeandstyle.com
📸 Instagram: @consciousstyle
📹 YouTube: @consciouslifeandstyle
📌 Pinterest: @consciouslifeandstyle
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:
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CONNECT WITH US:
📧Newsletter: https://www.consciouslifeandstyle.com/edit
🌐Website: consciouslifeandstyle.com
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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.
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EPISODE SPONSORS:
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 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:
https://www.consciouslifeandstyle.com/mahdiyyah-muhammad
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MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:
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CONNECT WITH MAHDIYYAH MUHAMMAD:
🌐 Website: www.mahdiyyah.co
📸 Instagram: @mahdiyyahofficial
💼 LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/mahdiyyah-muhammad-423942a8/
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CONNECT WITH CONSCIOUS STYLE:
📧Newsletter: https://www.consciouslifeandstyle.com/edit
🌐Website: consciouslifeandstyle.com
📸 Instagram: @consciousstyle
📹 YouTube: @consciouslifeandstyle
📌 Pinterest: @consciouslifeandstyle
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!
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MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:
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CONNECT WITH CONSCIOUS STYLE:
📧Newsletter: https://www.consciouslifeandstyle.com/edit
🌐Website: consciouslifeandstyle.com
📸 Instagram: @consciousstyle
📹 YouTube: @consciouslifeandstyle
📌 Pinterest: @consciouslifeandstyle
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.
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EPISODE SPONSORS:
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 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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CONNECT WITH US!
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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:
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CONNECT WITH DANI:
🌐 Website: www.picnicwear.com
📸 Instagram: @picnicwear
👍 Facebook: @Picnicwear
📱 Tiktok: @picnicwear
***
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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.
***
EPISODE SPONSORS
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 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
***
RESOURCES MENTIONED:
***
CONNECT WITH RIA ANA SEJPAL AND LILABARE:
🌐 Website: https://lilabare.com/
📸 Instagram: @lilabare
***
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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
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
***
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.
***
EPISODE SPONSORS:
Brook 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.
***
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/safia-minney
***
CONNECT WITH SAFIA MINNEY:
🌐 Website: https://safia-minney.com/
📸 Instagram: @safia_minney
🐦 Twitter: @SafiaMinney
***
CONNECT WITH CONSCIOUS STYLE:
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Overconsumption is a major problem in the fashion industry. And secondhand is often advocated for as a solution. But is it possible to overconsume secondhand fashion as well?
This is a loaded question that comes with nuance and obviously, lots of opinions... which makes it perfect for a segment for our Green or Greenwashing series — we love to cover complex and controversial topics in this series!
And we want to hear YOUR thoughts on this topic as well. DM Elizabeth over at @consciousstyle on Instagram with your thoughts and takes on this topic or to request a future topic you want to hear covered.
***
SUBSCRIBE TO THE CONSCIOUS EDIT:
https://consciouslifeandstyle.com/edit
***
LINKS MENTIONED:
Article: "The trouble with secondhand: it's becoming like fast fashion"
Graphic: Linear Economy vs. Recycling vs. Circular Economy
Podcast: More Creativity, Less Consumption with Alyssa Beltempo
Podcast: Building a Better Secondhand Fashion System with Emily Stochl
***
Fashion industry players — like big brands and their billionaire owners — have to be held accountable for their impact on our environment and on the people involved with making their clothes.
Independent journalists can play a crucial role in this accountability, since they can provide a critical outsider's look on what's happening in the industry, such as ascertaining if a fashion brand's sustainability claims are legitimate or not. And it's also a role that comes with a lot of responsibility.
One of the sustainable fashion journalists that both Stella and I have immense respect for is Sophie Benson. If you're subscribed to our weekly newsletter, The Conscious Edit, you know that I often share articles written by Sophie in those Saturday emails. So it's exciting to have her on the show this week.
In this episode, Stella is interviewing Sophie to discuss her journey and her insights as a journalist in the sustainable fashion space. For more on sustainable fashion journalism as a career path, check out Sophie's Conscious Career Chat on Conscious Fashion Collective.
***
THIS EPISODE WAS BROUGHT TO YOU BY...
Brook 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.
***
Looking for the convenience of grocery and product delivery to your doorstep, but not a fan of the wasteful packaging? Enter in: The Rounds.
This closed loop, two-way logistics network offers a zero waste delivery process by delivering your essentials with refillable containers in a reusable tote bag and picking up the empties for you — mostly by e-bike — to clean and reuse them.
See if The Rounds is offering services near you or get on their waitlist.
Use the code CONSCIOUSLIFE to get 1 month free and $10 off your first order!
***
SHOW NOTES:
https://www.consciouslifeandstyle.com/sophie-benson
***
RESOURCES MENTIONED:
***
CONNECT WITH SOPHIE BENSON:
🌐 Website: https://sophiebenson.com/
📸 Instagram: @sophiebenson
🐦 Twitter: @SophieBenson_
***
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🌐Website: consciouslifeandstyle.com
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📌 Pinterest:
When we talk about sustainable and ethical fashion, we often think about the future — at least I do: we ask every guest that comes onto this show what a better future for fashion looks like to them!
But I also see immense value in looking to the past. To see where we came from so we understand how we got here and what solutions could actually be effective in bringing about change.
So I was intrigued to read the book Worn, A People's History of Clothing, (bookshop affiliate link) to understand this history more deeply — and it did not disappoint. I learned so much from this book and I knew I had to get the author, Sofi Thanhauser (@Yesfutureyes) onto the podcast.
And here we are today, Sofi is joining me to talk about some of the key themes covered in the book: like how the industrial revolution spurred mass-production in fashion — and not just from the standpoint of technology — how the rise of advertising helped enable the rise of fast fashion, the toxic shocking history of rayon, the factors that enabled synthetics to dominate garment production, and what we can learn from successful labor movements as we advocate for change in the fashion industry.
This season of the podcast is focused on fashion's role in our climate crisis, but we don't take a super narrow view of that theme and I think this episode shows a lot of the overlaps between workers in fashion and the industry's environmental impacts. We see how lack of worker rights and low wages connects to overproduction, how lack of worker safety is connected to the continued production of toxic synthetic materials, how advertising covers up the realities of how our clothes are made and enables fast fashion to continue to thrive.
***
We also will be continuing our Green or Greenwashing ending segment in this episode. This week Stella and I will discuss our thoughts on the trend of climate-change ready clothing — do we really need clothes that are, quote: designed for the apocalypse? Are they filling a need or just getting us to buy more stuff. Stay tuned until the end to hear our thoughts on that.
*****
EPISODE SPONSORS:
Brook 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.
***
Looking for the convenience of grocery and product delivery to your doorstep, but not a fan of the wasteful packaging? Enter in: The Rounds.
This closed loop, two-way logistics network offers a zero waste delivery process by delivering your essentials with refillable containers in a reusable tote bag and picking up the empties for you — mostly by e-bike — to clean and reuse them.
See if The Rounds is offering services near you or get on their waitlist.
Use the code CONSCIOUSLIFE to get 1 month free and $10 off your first order!
***
SHOW NOTES:
https://www.consciouslifeandstyle.com/sofi-thanhauser
***
RESOURCES MENTIONED:
*Bookshop affiliate link
***
CONNECT WITH SOFI:
🌐 Website: https://sofithanhauser.com/
📸 Instagram: @yesfutureyes
***
CONNECT WITH CONSCIOUS STYLE:
📧Newsletter: https://www.consciouslifeandstyle.com/edit
🌐Website: consciouslifeandstyle.com
📸 Instagram: @consciousstyle
📹 YouTube: @consciouslifeandstyle
📌 Pinterest: @consciouslifeandstyle
Want to work in sustainable fashion but not sure how to begin or how to transition from what you do now? Or maybe you work in sustainable fashion now, but you're ready for a bit of a change. In this episode, I'm sharing my sustainable fashion career and entrepreneurial journey and the lessons I learned along the way.
FIND JOBS IN SUSTAINABLE FASHION:
Conscious Fashion Collective Job Board
HIRE FREELANCERS OR PROMOTE YOUR SERVICES:
Check out the Sustainable Fashion Freelancer Directory
ACCELERATE YOUR SUSTAINABLE FASHION CAREER JOURNEY:
Join the Conscious Fashion Collective Membership
***
MORE EPISODES YOU MIGHT LIKE:
EP6: My Sustainable Fashion Journey
EP62: Conscious Entrepreneurship and Crafting with Saskia de Feijter
Fashion has a major waste crisis. Circularity — along with slowing down production — can be an antidote, if done right. But what does real circular fashion look like in practice? What would it look like to have a true systems approach to circular design and circular fashion?
Today Stella is interviewing Carmen Gama, the Director of Circular Design at Eileen Fisher, which is a company that has been leading the way on many circular fashion practices. Carmen Gama also founded a B2B circular service called MAKE ANEEW which you'll hear a lot about in this episode.
Carmen Gama shares what circular design means in practice and how brands can create their own post consumer waste reduction supply chains.
If you're curious to hear more about what it's like to be a circular designer, and how you might be able to explore this career path, you can read a Conscious Career Chat with Carmen on Conscious Fashion Collective
Also in this episode, we are continuing with our Green or Greenwashing series. This week, on the theme of circularity, Stella and I are unpacking the claims around recycled polyester. Very curious to hear your takes on this controversial fabric as well over on Instagram!
***
EPISODE SPONSORS:
Brook 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.
***
Looking for the convenience of grocery and product delivery to your doorstep, but not a fan of the wasteful packaging? Enter in: The Rounds.
This closed loop, two-way logistics network offers a zero waste delivery process by delivering your essentials with refillable containers in a reusable tote bag and picking up the empties for you — mostly by e-bike — to clean and reuse them.
See if The Rounds is offering services near you or get on their waitlist.
Use the code CONSCIOUSLIFE to get 1 month free and $10 off your first order!
***
SHOW NOTES:
https://www.consciouslifeandstyle.com/circular-fashion-design
***
CONNECT WITH CONSCIOUS STYLE:
📧Newsletter: https://www.consciouslifeandstyle.com/edit
🌐Website: consciouslifeandstyle.com
📸 Instagram: @consciousstyle
📹 YouTube: @consciouslifeandstyle
📌 Pinterest: @consciouslifeandstyle
Elizabeth speaks with Ayesha Barenblat, CEO of the global advocacy nonprofit organization Remake about the 10th Anniversary of the Rana Plaza Factory Collapse in Bangladesh to discuss what has changed in fashion since — and what has not.
They talk about the impact of the Bangladesh Accord on Fire & Building Safety, what's next for the Accord 10 years on, and how Remake is continuing to hold brands accountable.
***
Also in this episode, we're introducing our Green or Greenwashing segment where we (Elizabeth and Stella) share our thoughts on if a sustainability claim in the fashion industry is green or greenwashing.
This week, we explore the decision of an online resale platform to ban fast fashion from their site. Should resale sites really ban fast fashion? We'd love to hear your thoughts over on Instagram!
***
EPISODE SPONSORS:
Brook 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.
***
If you're looking for a sustainable — yet affordable — option for kids clothing that doesn't sacrifice quality or style then you'll want to check out the kids resale store, Bounce Mkt. This online (and in-person) store is a hub for gently used children's clothing.
As a children's resale store, Bounce Mkt makes selling your kids' gently used clothes and shoes and finding preloved kids items super simple.
***
SHOW NOTES:
https://www.consciouslifeandstyle.com/rana-plaza-10th-anniversary
***
RESOURCES MENTIONED:
***
CONNECT WITH REMAKE & AYESHA:
🌐 Website: https://remake.world/
📸 Instagram: @remakeourworld
🐦 Twitter: @remakeourworld
***
CONNECT WITH CONSCIOUS STYLE:
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🌐Website: consciouslifeandstyle.com
📸 Instagram: @consciousstyle
📹 YouTube: @consciouslifeandstyle
📌 Pinterest: @consciouslifeandstyle
How can we make sustainable fashion more culturally and politically relevant? Fashion's environmental and social impact often gets overlooked by the climate movement and by governments, though this is slowly starting to change.
Similarly, the conversations around sustainable fashion don't often feel aligned with mainstream media and culture. But there is a massive opportunity to harness the power of mass media and celebrities or artistic talent, to drive change in the industry.
In this episode, Stella interviews Samata Pattinson, CEO of RCGD Global — formerly Red Carpet Green Dress — to explore how we can drive the sustainable fashion conversation forward and expand it to wider audiences.
Samata also shares how she brought in fashion to decision-making spaces at COP27, what role celebrities play in the sustainable fashion movement, and more
I found this conversation super inspiring, and it was a reminder that each of us, every single one of us — belongs in this movement, and has a unique place here.
P.S. If you're searching for where you might fit in in the movement through your career, I'd definitely recommend checking out our free ebook on Conscious Fashion Collective on 101 Careers in Sustainable Fashion.
***
EPISODE SPONSORS
Fair trade fashion brand Passion Lilie partners with 5 different artisan groups in India to create their beautifully printed dresses, jumpsuits, and a variety of other clothing and accessories.
As a Fair Trade Federation member, Passion Lilie ensures that their partners are paying living wages to their makers, offering a safe and healthy work environment, and are investing in the overall wellbeing of the artisans. The brand also uses durable natural fibers and non-toxic dyes for their collections.
Conscious Fashion Collective Job Board
Want to start or grow a career in sustainable fashion? Find your next career opportunity on Conscious Fashion Collective's Job Board. (Or if you are hiring, submit your job opening!)
You can also sign up for the Conscious Fashion Collective job newsletter to get career opportunities delivered to your inbox, plus upcoming events.
***
SHOW NOTES
https://www.consciouslifeandstyle.com/samata-pattinson
***
RESOURCES MENTIONED:
***
CONNECT WITH RCGD GLOBAL & SAMATA:
🌐 Website: https://www.rcgdglobal.com/
📸 Instagram: @redcarpetgreendress
📸 Instagram: @iam_samata
📱 Tiktok: @rcgdglobal
👍 Facebook: @RCGDGlobal
🐦 Twitter: @RedCarpetGreenD
***
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🌐Website: consciouslifeandstyle.com
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📌 Pinterest: @consciouslifeandstyle
The fashion industry has an outsized carbon footprint. But many fashion brands have been making promising statements about their carbon emissions reduction or carbon neutrality goals.
How does the actual progress and supply chain action match up to these goals, though? It can, frankly, be difficult to discern.
But in today's episode, we're going to unravel the tangled web of confusing greenwashing and claims and dig into the nitty gritty of where fashion actually stands on climate action today.
I (Elizabeth here!) spoke with Rachel and Erdene of the climate and environmental advocacy organization Stand.Earth. The team at Stand just released their 2023 Fossil Free Fashion Scorecard, ranking 43 influential fashion brands on their progress towards decarbonization in their supply chain.
In this episode, we talk about this scorecard, discuss where fashion stands now on climate action, and what brands need to do in order to reach their climate goals.
***
THIS EPISODE WAS BROUGHT TO YOU BY...
Fair trade fashion brand Passion Lilie partners with 5 different artisan groups in India to create their beautifully printed dresses, jumpsuits, and a variety of other clothing and accessories.
As a Fair Trade Federation member, Passion Lilie ensures that their partners are paying living wages to their makers, offering a safe and healthy work environment, and are investing in the overall wellbeing of the artisans. The brand also uses durable natural fibers and non-toxic dyes for their collections.
***
Conscious Fashion Collective Job Board
Want to start or grow a career in sustainable fashion? Find your next career opportunity on Conscious Fashion Collective's Job Board. (Or if you are hiring, submit your job opening!)
You can also sign up for the Conscious Fashion Collective job newsletter to get career opportunities delivered to your inbox, plus upcoming events.
***
SHOW NOTES
https://www.consciouslifeandstyle.com/stand-earth-fossil-free-fashion
***
TRANCRIPT:
***
CONNECT WITH STAND.EARTH:
🌐 Website: https://stand.earth/
📸 Instagram: @stand.earth
💻 LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/stand.earth/
👍 Facebook: @stand.earth
🐦 Twitter: @standearth
***
CONNECT WITH CONSCIOUS STYLE:
📧Newsletter: https://www.consciouslifeandstyle.com/edit
🌐Website: consciouslifeandstyle.com
📸 Instagram: @consciousstyle
📹 YouTube: @consciouslifeandstyle
📌 Pinterest: @consciouslifeandstyle
In recent years, there's been an exciting increase in sustainable fashion legislation and reforms working to clean up this industry — from garment worker protections against wage theft to supply chain due diligence to greenwashing enforcement.
In today's episode, Stella interviews author, educator and activist Elizabeth Cline to dive into all things fashion legislation: historical context, what's going on now, why it matters, and how you can get involved. Plus hear about:
+ Why we need to move away from the binary of individual versus collective action
+ How historic changes in the law have influenced the fashion industry
+ The role of fashion legislation in creating a more equitable fashion future
+ And how investing in the lives of garment workers is part of the overlooked solution to fashion's climate impact
***
SHOW NOTES
https://www.consciouslifeandstyle.com/elizabeth-cline
***
CONNECT WITH ELIZABETH CLINE:
🌐 Website: www.elizabethclinebooks.com
📸 Instagram: @elizabethlcline
🐦 Twitter: @elizabethlcline
***
CONNECT WITH CONSCIOUS STYLE:
📧Newsletter: https://www.consciouslifeandstyle.com/edit
🌐Website: consciouslifeandstyle.com
📸 Instagram: @consciousstyle
📹 YouTube: @consciouslifeandstyle
📌 Pinterest: @consciouslifeandstyle
Right now, are you dressing for the person you are, the person you fear, or the person you want to be?
Not even sure how to answer that question?
Today's guest — fashion psychologist Shakaila Forbes-Bell — is breaking it all down for us. Shakaila wrote the book Big Dress Energy and in this episode she's talking about how you can harness your own big dress energy and dress for your best self.
We're also talking about:
(P.S. Shakaila was on the show before too in episode 24 discussing the psychology behind what and why we buy!)
***
EPISODE SPONSORS
wearwell is your destination for finding vetted sustainable and slow fashion brands that suit your personal style.
Whether your style leans minimalist or maximalist, preppy or rocker chic, classic or bold, or you just love your basics and athleisure, you'll want to check out online conscious marketplace, wearwell at shopwearwell.com. (You can use the code CONSCIOUS20 for 20% off your first order.)
***
Conscious Fashion Collective Job Board
Want to start or grow a career in sustainable fashion? Find your next career opportunity on Conscious Fashion Collective's Job Board. (Or if you are hiring, submit your job opening!)
You can also sign up for the Conscious Fashion Collective job newsletter to get career opportunities delivered to your inbox, plus upcoming events.
***
SHOW NOTES
https://www.consciouslifeandstyle.com/shakaila-forbes-bell-big-dress-energy
***
CONNECT WITH SHAKAILA:
🌐 Website: fashionispsychology.com
📸 Instagram: @shakailaelise
📗 Book: Big Dress Energy : How Fashion Psychology Can Transform Your Wardrobe and Your Confidence
🎙️ Podcast: Big Dress Energy: The Podcast
***
CONNECT WITH CONSCIOUS STYLE:
📧Newsletter: https://www.consciouslifeandstyle.com/edit
🌐Website: consciouslifeandstyle.com
📸 Instagram: @consciousstyle
📹 YouTube: @consciouslifeandstyle
📌 Pinterest: @consciouslifeandstyle
How can we cultivate our authentic personal style in a trend-focused, overconsumption-driven world? What would it mean to truly democratize fashion — as in not the fast fashion co-opted use of the term, but genuine style democracy?
And how can fashion move beyond using diversity as a buzzword to create a holistically inclusive and intersectional sustainable fashion future?
In this episode, Stella Hertantyo is interviewing ethical stylist Natalie Shehata to explore all of these questions and more.
(P.S. Stella also interviewed Natalie for a piece on Conscious Fashion Collective about how to become a sustainable stylist!)
***
SHOW NOTES
https://www.consciouslifeandstyle.com/natalie-shehata-ethical-stylist
***
EPISODE SPONSORS
wearwell is your destination for finding vetted sustainable and slow fashion brands that suit your personal style.
Whether your style leans minimalist or maximalist, preppy or rocker chic, classic or bold, or you just love your basics and athleisure, you'll want to check out online conscious marketplace, wearwell at shopwearwell.com. (You can use the code CONSCIOUS20 for 20% off your first order.)
***
Conscious Fashion Collective Job Board
Want to start or grow a career in sustainable fashion? Find your next career opportunity on Conscious Fashion Collective's Job Board. (Or if you are hiring, submit your job opening!)
You can also sign up for the Conscious Fashion Collective job newsletter to get career opportunities delivered to your inbox, plus upcoming events.
***
CONNECT WITH NATALIE:
🌐 Website: www.natalie-shehata.com
📸 Instagram: @nattystylist
📸 Instagram: @tommiemag
***
CONNECT WITH CONSCIOUS STYLE:
📧Newsletter: https://www.consciouslifeandstyle.com/edit
🌐Website: consciouslifeandstyle.com
📸 Instagram: @consciousstyle
📹 YouTube: @consciouslifeandstyle
📌 Pinterest: @consciouslifeandstyle
Have you ever felt like you're stuck on a fashion trend-mill? That the process of getting dressed is more frustrating than it is creative or joyful? That you're unsure what to wear so you just default to what's trending? I've been there!
But in this episode, Nina Gbor of Eco Styles is sharing:
*****
EPISODE SPONSORS
wearwell is your destination for finding vetted sustainable and slow fashion brands that suit your personal style.
Whether your style leans minimalist or maximalist, preppy or rocker chic, classic or bold, or you just love your basics and athleisure, you'll want to check out online conscious marketplace, wearwell at shopwearwell.com. (You can use the code CONSCIOUS20 for 20% off your first order.)
***
Conscious Fashion Collective Job Board
Want to start or grow a career in sustainable fashion? Find your next career opportunity on Conscious Fashion Collective's Job Board. (Or if you are hiring, submit your job opening!)
You can also sign up for the Conscious Fashion Collective job newsletter to get career opportunities delivered to your inbox, plus upcoming events.
*****
SHOW NOTES:
https://www.consciouslifeandstyle.com/nina-gbor-fashion-trendmill
*****
CONNECT WITH NINA GBOR:
🌐 Website: www.ecostyles.com.au
📸 Instagram: @eco.styles
👍🏻Facebook: @eco.styles.au
***
CONNECT WITH CONSCIOUS STYLE:
📧Newsletter: consciouslifeandstyle.com/edit
🌐Website: consciouslifeandstyle.com
📸 Instagram: @consciousstyle
📹 YouTube: @consciouslifeandstyle
📌 Pinterest: @consciouslifeandstyle
In this episode, Stella Hertantyo interviews fashion analyst and trend forecaster Mandy Lee (who you might know as @oldloserinbrooklyn on social media) to explore:
+ Fashion trends and the trend cycle,
+ The role of trend forecasters,
+ What microtrends and niche trends are,
+ How to find amazing secondhand gems,
+ The dynamic between following trends and finding your personal style,
and so much more!
*****
EPISODE SPONSORS:
wearwell is your destination for finding vetted sustainable and slow fashion brands that suit your personal style.
Whether your style leans minimalist or maximalist, preppy or rocker chic, classic or bold, or you just love your basics and athleisure, you'll want to check out online conscious marketplace, wearwell at shopwearwell.com. (You can use the code CONSCIOUS20 for 20% off your first order.)
***
Conscious Fashion Collective Job Board
Want to start or grow a career in sustainable fashion? Find your next career opportunity on Conscious Fashion Collective's Job Board. (Or if you are hiring, submit your job opening!)
You can also sign up for the Conscious Fashion Collective job newsletter to get career opportunities delivered to your inbox, plus upcoming events.
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https://www.consciouslifeandstyle.com/mandy-lee-trend-forecaster
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Sustainably-minded stylist Sophie Strauss shares advice on how to do a responsible closet audit.
Plus Sophie and I discuss:
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EPISODE SPONSORS
wearwell is your destination for finding vetted sustainable and slow fashion brands that suit your personal style.
Whether your style leans minimalist or maximalist, preppy or rocker chic, classic or bold, or you just love your basics and athleisure, you'll want to check out online conscious marketplace, wearwell at shopwearwell.com. (You can use the code CONSCIOUS20 for 20% off your first order.)
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Conscious Fashion Collective Job Board
Want to start or grow a career in sustainable fashion? Find your next career opportunity on Conscious Fashion Collective's Job Board. (Or if you are hiring, submit your job opening!)
You can also sign up for the Conscious Fashion Collective job newsletter to get career opportunities delivered to your inbox, plus upcoming events.
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SHOW NOTES:
https://www.consciouslifeandstyle.com/sophie-strauss-personal-stylist
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🌐 Website www.sophiestraussstyling.com
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You've heard of personal style, but what about soul style?
In this interview with soul stylist Kerry Wilde, we're exploring topics like:
Hit play to uncover what soul style is all about!
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Sign up for the mending workshop: Intro To Visible Mending With Darning
(use code "podcast" for 50% off!)
Check out the Conscious Fashion Collective Job Board
Subscribe to CFC Job Newsletter
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SHOW NOTES:
https://www.consciouslifeandstyle.com/soul-style-kerry-wilde
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CONNECT WITH KERRY WILDE:
🌐 Website kerrywilde.com
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This is your sneak peak into Season 5 of the Conscious Style Podcast! Hit subscribe so that you don't miss any of the upcoming episodes.
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Career Interview with Fashion Psychologists
Career Interview with Slow Fashion Stylists
In this special short series, Conscious Questions, Stella and Elizabeth dive into some of the most talked about and ask questions in the sustainable fashion space. Today, we're talking about a big one: overconsumption.
There were 100 billion items of clothing produced in 2014, according to the Ellen MacArthur Foundation. But that was before the rise of ultra fast fashion giants like Shein. So that number is likely much larger today!
And global fiber production increased to a record 113 million tonnes last year, according to the Textile Exchange. That figure has almost doubled in the last 20 years and is expected to further increase to 149 million tons by 2030. Yikes!
So who or what is to "blame" for this rapid rise of overconsumption and overproduction? We're sharing some perspectives in this episode.
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READ THE TRANSCRIPT
https://conscious-style-podcast.simplecast.com/episodes/72-whats-driving-overconsumption-in-fashion
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Is slow fashion always more expensive? Do you really have to spend more money to be part of the slow fashion movement?
What goes into the price of a responsibly made garment? And are expensive, luxury fashion brands more sustainable or ethical?
There is a lot to unpack in part 4 of our Conscious Question Series, so hit play and dive in!
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READ THE TRANSCRIPT
https://conscious-style-podcast.simplecast.com/episodes/71-is-slow-fashion-more-expensive
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So you've learned about the issues in the fashion industry, become passionate about slow fashion, and want your friends and family to join the movement too.
But how do you talk to your friends or family or anyone in your life about slow fashion without feeling like you're sounding judgmental or critical?
It's a tough balance — but in today's episode Stella and I are sharing some tips and talking about our experiences for what's worked — and what hasn't!
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ARTICLE VERSION:
https://www.consciouslifeandstyle.com/how-to-talk-about-sustainable-fashion/
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In this Conscious Question episode, Stella and I dive into if fast fashion resale programs are really circular or just greenwashing (and why we think so), how can we tell if a fashion brand's resale program is a genuinely sustainable effort, and what some red flags are to look out for.
Hit play to dive in!
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ARTICLE VERSION:
https://www.consciouslifeandstyle.com/fast-fashion-resale/
TRANSCRIPT:
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Can fast fashion brands ever be sustainable? If someone is going to buy from fast fashion, is it better to shop from these conscious or eco-capsule collections? And what is the deal with fast fashion's sustainability ambassadors?
Should minor improvements from Big Fashion brands still be celebrated since these brands have such a large impact, footprint, and huge buying power?
And when we're trying to make better choices, how can we tell if a fashion brand is greenwashing?
Hit play to hear Stella and Elizabeth's perspectives on fast fashion's sustainability efforts.
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ARTICLE VERSION:
https://www.consciouslifeandstyle.com/can-fast-fashion-be-sustainable/
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The more the sustainability market grows, the more we see greenwashing.
Greenwashing is basically, when a company puts forth a false or exaggerated impression or completely misleading impression about how their products or their practices are environmentally friendly.
We know fast fashion brands are notorious for greenwashing. But today's episode with Milos Vranes of Green Eco Dream is a broader take on greenwashing that applies to more beyond fashion.
Hit play to hear Milos and my takes on how to spot and avoid greenwashing.
FULL SHOW NOTES & TRANSCRIPT:
https://www.consciouslifeandstyle.com/tips-to-spot-greenwashing/
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Can Big Fashion — fashion with a capital F — ever exist without exploitation of the planet and the humans and other living beings on it?
The more we dive into Fashion's perils, and how deep rooted these issues are, the more unlikely this seems.
In this episode, four members of Fashion Act Now — Sara Arnold, Sandra Niessen, Sam Weir, and Cindi Clark — are joining us to explain why they believe that we need to dismantle, decentralize, monolithic Fashion system and what kind of clothing systems could take its place.
Join us in this season finale of this podcast.
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This episode was brought to you by Green Eco Dream, a sustainably-minded marketplace with eco-conscious alternatives for your health, home, beauty, and on-the-go needs.
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FULL SHOW NOTES & TRANSCRIPT:
https://www.consciouslifeandstyle.com/fashion-act-now
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We know that we need to dramatically slow down fashion. And this season of the podcast has been dedicated to exploring just how we might do that. But what happens to the people who make our clothes?
Stella Hertantyo is back in the host seat to explore this topic with Mousumi Sarangi, Fair Wear Foundation's Country Manager in India and the Regional Coordinator of Gender.
Fair Wear Foundation is a nonprofit organization and multi-stakeholder initiative, connecting factories, workers, trade unions, NGOs, brands, and other fashion industry influencers.
There's a lot to unpack in this episode — hit play and let's get into this layered discussion.
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This episode was brought to you by Green Eco Dream, a sustainably-minded marketplace with eco-conscious alternatives for your health, home, beauty, and on-the-go needs.
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FULL SHOW NOTES & TRANSCRIPT:
https://www.consciouslifeandstyle.com/fair-wear-foundation
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Jasmin Malik Chua, Sourcing and Labor Editor at Sourcing Journal, joins us to discuss the role that journalists can play a role in sorting out the greenwashing and moving the needle forward on the sustainable fashion conversation. Jasmin also shares how the narrative around sustainability in fashion has shifted dramatically in recent years, if recycled polyester is truly "circular", how the rapid pace of media is impacting journalists, and so much more.
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This episode was brought to you by Green Eco Dream, a sustainably-minded marketplace with eco-conscious alternatives for your health, home, beauty, and on-the-go needs.
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FULL SHOW NOTES & TRANSCRIPT:
https://www.consciouslifeandstyle.com/jasmin-malik-chua
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Know that it's okay to grow slow — in fact in might even be better for you or your business in the long term. Here's why.
*This was a last minute episode so we didn't have time to put together the transcript before publishing as we normally do! Please contact us if you would like a transcription of this episode.
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How can we let go of hustle culture as a small business owner? How do we set boundaries when we absolutely love what we do and we believe it's making an impact? Is it possible to leave social media as a small business owner? How do we manage our time (and NOT work all of the time!) when everything feels so urgent?
We're talking about it all in this episode, which is part 2 of my conversation with Saskia de Feijter — the founder of Ja Wol and the host of the podcast, A Smaller Life.
If you haven't listened to part 1 — which is episode 62 — you might want to go back and do that first, since we referenced some things that we talked about in part one in this episode.
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This episode was brought to you by Green Eco Dream, a sustainably-minded marketplace with eco-conscious alternatives for your health, home, beauty, and on-the-go needs.
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FULL SHOW NOTES & TRANSCRIPT:
https://www.consciouslifeandstyle.com/hustle-culture-sustainable-entrepreneur
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In this episode, I'm chatting with Saskia de Feijter who is the founder of Ja Wol and the host of the podcast, A Smaller Life.
We'll be starting off the conversation chatting about conscious crafting and then shifting into conscious entrepreneurship, and the challenges and considerations of growing a small, mindful values-based business.
And this is actually just part one of our conversation. Part two will be published next Tuesday. Hit subscribe so you don't miss it!
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This episode was brought to you by Green Eco Dream, a sustainably-minded marketplace with eco-conscious alternatives for your health, home, beauty, and on-the-go needs.
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FULL SHOW NOTES & TRANSCRIPT:
https://www.consciouslifeandstyle.com/conscious-entrepreneurship
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Late last year, the realities of fashion’s waste crisis in the Atacama Desert made headlines. You might have seen some of them:
"The fast fashion graveyard in Chile's Atacama Desert", or "Chile's Atacama Desert: Where Fast Fashion Goes to Die" or maybe "Chile's Desert: dumping ground for fast fashion's leftovers".
In this episode, we're hearing from Angela of Desierto Vestido and Laura from SumOfUs to go beyond the headlines to discover what led to this waste crisis decades before it grabbed the attention of the media and how things have been faring after the news stories died down…
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This episode was brought to you by Green Eco Dream, a sustainably-minded marketplace with eco-conscious alternatives for your health, home, beauty, and on-the-go needs.
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FULL SHOW NOTES & TRANSCRIPT:
https://www.consciouslifeandstyle.com/fashion-waste-atacama-desert
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Anna Bienias — the Living Wage Coordinator at Clean Clothes Campaign — shares why living wages are an essential element of a more just slow fashion future. In this episode, guest host Stella Hertantyo asks Anne about:
Hit play to find out what it takes to achieve living wages for garment workers in the fashion industry.
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This episode was brought to you by Green Eco Dream, a sustainably-minded marketplace with eco-conscious alternatives for your health, home, beauty, and on-the-go needs.
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FULL SHOW NOTES & TRANSCRIPT:
https://www.consciouslifeandstyle.com/living-wages-clean-clothes-campaign/
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What does co-creation look like in fashion? And how could brands genuinely collaborating with artisans help shift the imbalanced power dynamics in the fashion industry?
That's what we're exploring in this episode with Niha Elety, a sustainable fashion advocate, designer, and the founder of Tega Collective.
Hit play to join us as we go behind the scenes of Tega Collective, and find out why and how Niha created the brand.
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This episode was brought to you by Green Eco Dream, a sustainably-minded marketplace with eco-conscious alternatives for your health, home, beauty, and on-the-go needs.
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FULL SHOW NOTES & TRANSCRIPT:
https://www.consciouslifeandstyle.com/niha-elety-tega-collective
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Fashion historian and educator Sara Idacavage is exploring the origins of mass-produced clothing and the forces that gave way to the fast fashion industry as it stands today.
Hit play and join us in this important conversation as we explore how history influenced the present-day fashion industry and how we can take notes from decades past to help address current issues in fashion.
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This episode was brought to you by Green Eco Dream, a sustainably-minded marketplace with eco-conscious alternatives for your health, home, beauty, and on-the-go needs.
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FULL SHOW NOTES & TRANSCRIPT:
https://www.consciouslifeandstyle.com/history-fast-fashion/
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In this bonus episode, Conscious Style Podcast guest host Stella Hertantyo is breaking down 7 alternative sustainable fashion business models that could help create a better future for fashion.
READ THE ARTICLE:
https://www.consciouslifeandstyle.com/sustainable-fashion-business-models/
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Have you ever thought about starting your own slow fashion brand? But you were concerned that the market is too saturated or you don't have enough funding or design expertise or a formal degree to make it happen?
Maybe you just don't even know where to start? Or perhaps you're just curious about what it takes to start a slow fashion brand.
Well, then this episode with Selina Ho — the founder and CEO of sustainable fashion consultancy Recloseted — is for you.
Hit play to learn all about starting a slow fashion brand.
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This episode was brought to you by Green Eco Dream, a sustainably-minded marketplace with eco-conscious alternatives for your health, home, beauty, and on-the-go needs.
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FULL SHOW NOTES & TRANSCRIPT:
https://www.consciouslifeandstyle.com/starting-sustainable-fashion-brand
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Hear from fashion psychologist Dr. Dion Terrelonge about style psychology and the forces driving us to (over)consume. In this episode, Dion talks about:
Hit play to hear all of Dion's insights!
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This episode was brought to you by Green Eco Dream, a sustainably-minded marketplace with eco-conscious alternatives for your health, home, beauty, and on-the-go needs.
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FULL SHOW NOTES & TRANSCRIPT:
https://www.consciouslifeandstyle.com/dion-terrelonge-fashion-psychologist
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Stella Hertantyo is back as a guest host for this episode to interview Monica Boța Moisin of Cultural Intellectual Property Rights Initiative to explore how we can challenge cultural misappropriation and work towards cultural sustainability.
Monica and Stella will explore the deeper causes of cultural misappropriation in fashion and discuss how cultural intellectual property can help sustain ancestral crafts and traditional knowledge, while slowing down fashion too.
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This episode was brought to you by Green Eco Dream, a sustainably-minded marketplace with eco-conscious alternatives for your health, home, beauty, and on-the-go needs.
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FULL SHOW NOTES & TRANSCRIPT:
https://www.consciouslifeandstyle.com/monica-moisin-cultural-intellectual-property-rights/
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In this episode, Kestrel Jenkins — host of the Conscious Chatter podcast — is sharing her thoughts on slow media. Kestrel also shares:
Hit play to join this conversation on slowing down media.
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This episode was brought to you by Green Eco Dream, a sustainably-minded marketplace with eco-conscious alternatives for your health, home, beauty, and on-the-go needs.
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FULL SHOW NOTES & TRANSCRIPT:
https://www.consciouslifeandstyle.com/kestrel-jenkins-conscious-chatter
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In this episode, we'll be exploring a new approach to production with Sally Lim, the co-owner of 2°EAST. Sally is sharing:
Hit play and join us as we peel the layers of what transparent production looks like.
Note: this episode was made as part of a partnership with 2°EAST. But it's not a promo episode — it's still as educational, inspirational, and useful as the rest of the Conscious Style Podcast episodes (hopefully!) are for you.
FULL SHOW NOTES & TRANSCRIPT:
https://www.consciouslifeandstyle.com/sally-lim-2-degrees-east
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Uncover lost textile histories with Karen Baker — a researcher and ethnographic fiber artist — in this episode. You'll also hear Karen talk about:
Hit play to uncover the impact of restorative textile history in building a better fashion future.
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This episode was brought to you by Green Eco Dream, a sustainably-minded marketplace with eco-conscious alternatives for your health, home, beauty, and on-the-go needs.
Check out Green Eco Dream's collection of low waste, low impact clothing care essentials.
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FULL SHOW NOTES & TRANSCRIPT:
https://www.consciouslifeandstyle.com/fiber-artist-karen-baker
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In this episode, Sam Weir — a professional slow fashion stylist and the founder of one-on-one sustainable styling service Lotte is sharing:
Hit play to find out how you can be a part of the slow fashion movement by simply loving what you already own!
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This episode was brought to you by Green Eco Dream, a sustainably-minded marketplace with eco-conscious alternatives for your health, home, beauty, and on-the-go needs.
Check out Green Eco Dream's collection of low waste, low impact clothing care essentials.
***
FULL SHOW NOTES & TRANSCRIPT:
https://www.consciouslifeandstyle.com/sustainable-stylist-sam-weir
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The impacts of fast fashion have been well documented — awareness of the industry's destruction of the environment and exploitation of people around the world has never been higher.
Yet, we are continuing to see a rise in fast fashion consumption. In fact, when you look at ultra-fast fashion brands like Shein, fast fashion has only gotten cheaper, faster, and bigger.
We're in the midst of a climate crisis. So why can't we stop buying so many cheap clothes?
What makes this fast-fashion habit so particularly hard to break? Well, that is what we're going to be talking about today with our guest: Zainab. In this episode, she'll be breaking down:
Hit play and join us in exploring just how fast fashion brands are "using every trick in the book to get us addicted"...
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This episode was brought to you by Green Eco Dream, a sustainably-minded marketplace with eco-conscious alternatives for your health, home, beauty, and on-the-go needs.
Check out Green Eco Dream's collection of low waste, low impact clothing care essentials.
***
FULL SHOW NOTES & TRANSCRIPT:
https://www.consciouslifeandstyle.com/zainab-mahmood-fast-fashion
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Could social enterprises offer a blueprint for how fashion can start to center people above shareholder profits?
Well, this is the question that will be explored in today's episode hosted by Stella Hertantyo with guest Simone Cipriani of the Ethical Fashion Initiative. Simone covers so many important topics, including:
Hit play to find out how social enterprises can shift fashion’s future.
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This episode was brought to you by Green Eco Dream, a sustainably-minded marketplace with eco-conscious alternatives for your health, home, beauty, and on-the-go needs.
Check out Green Eco Dream's collection of low waste, low impact clothing care essentials.
***
FULL SHOW NOTES & TRANSCRIPT:
https://www.consciouslifeandstyle.com/simone-cipriani
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The current fashion system puts profits above people and the planet. But what if we could flip this on its head and get fashion to actually put human and ecological health first?
Well, that's exactly what a wellbeing economy for fashion could do — otherwise known as a "Wellbeing Wardrobe".
Commissioned by the European Environmental Bureau, Wellbeing Wardrobe is an in-depth report that identified ways that fashion could participate effectively in a post-growth future to work in the interest of the common good.
In this episode, you'll hear from three members of the research team at the Institute for Sustainable Futures at the University of Technology Sydney:
Hit play and find out how we can all participate in this change and what a healthier future for fashion could look like.
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This episode was brought to you by Green Eco Dream, a sustainably-minded marketplace with eco-conscious alternatives for your health, home, beauty, and on-the-go needs.
Check out Green Eco Dream's collection of low waste, low impact clothing care essentials.
***
FULL SHOW NOTES & TRANSCRIPT:
https://www.consciouslifeandstyle.com/wellbeing-wardrobe
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When we think about slow fashion, there's a lot of tactical advice out there and this is all important and vital to talk about. But a long-term sustainable approach to conscious fashion goes beyond the actions we see at the surface and involves creating a new mindset around what we buy and own.
In today's conversation, I am going to be chatting with slow fashion content creator Jessica Harumi about:
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This episode was brought to you by Green Eco Dream, a sustainably-minded marketplace with eco-conscious alternatives for your health, home, beauty, and on-the-go needs.
Check out Green Eco Dream's collection of low waste, low impact clothing care essentials.
***
FULL SHOW NOTES & TRANSCRIPT:
https://www.consciouslifeandstyle.com/jessica-harumi/
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Cheap clothes come at a cost to the environment, to the people working across the fashion supply chain, and maybe even to fast fashion consumers too.
In this episode, we are going to explore all of the hidden — the true — costs of fast fashion.
This is the first episode of season 4, which will be focused on dramatically slowing down fashion and envisioning what a post-growth or degrowth future for fashion would look like.
Before we get into all of the ways we can slow down fashion though, I wanted to talk about what is wrong with fast fashion. So hit play for a deep-dive into fast fashion's environmental impacts and social impacts.
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This episode was brought to you by Green Eco Dream, a sustainably-minded marketplace with eco-conscious alternatives for your health, home, beauty, and on-the-go needs.
Check out Green Eco Dream's collection of low waste, low impact clothing care essentials.
***
FULL SHOW NOTES & TRANSCRIPT:
https://www.consciouslifeandstyle.com/why-is-fast-fashion-bad/
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What will it really take to create a more sustainable and equitable future for fashion? Join me, your host Elizabeth, as I interview changemakers in the fashion industry to explore this very question.
Every Tuesday on the Conscious Style Podcast, you'll hear from guests from labor activists and organizers to slow fashion entrepreneurs and designers to ethical fashion authors and creators to fashion psychologists and sustainable fashion stylists, who are diving into all of the questions you've been asking about conscious fashion.
Listen to the trailer to get a preview of what to expect in this show.
FIND ALL TRANSCRIPTS & SHOW NOTES HERE:
In this episode, we're going to get a glimpse into the world of supplier factories in fashion.
You'll hear from Arjen Laan, the CEO of Pactics, a sustainability-minded manufacturing company focused on building longer-term partnerships with conscious brands instead of short-term sales.
Arjen is sharing his perspectives, from a supplier side of things, on audits, certifications, and even compliance legislation.
He's also talking about:
There are a lot of great insights in this episode that gave me some really important food for thought when it comes to how we can really build a better future for fashion. I hope you learn from this conversation, too!
FULL SHOW NOTES & TRANSCRIPT:
https://www.consciouslifeandstyle.com/fashion-brand-supplier-partnerships
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Investing in high-quality clothing is something we talk a lot about in the slow fashion space. But how can we actually tell if a garment is high quality or not?
In this episode, we are going to be learning all about quality garments from one of the most in-demand fashion design instructors in the industry, Zoe Hong.
Zoe has over half a million subscribers on YouTube. But in case you're unfamiliar with Zoe's work, Zoe drew upon her years as a fashion designer, illustrator, and instructor at one of the world’s most prestigious fashion universities, to build one of the largest online fashion education platforms!
In this interview, Zoe is sharing:
Hit play to find out how you can make better (and more sustainable) choices the next time you're shopping for clothing.
FULL SHOW NOTES & TRANSCRIPT:
https://www.consciouslifeandstyle.com/identify-high-quality-clothing
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Imagine if, the next time that you were shopping, you could find fashion labels on every garment or pair of shoes or handbag that were as in-depth as the nutrition facts that we see on our food packages.
What if when we looked at a product's tag, it didn't just say where it was made and which fibers it was composed of, but shared if the makers of that garment or pair of sandals or handbag were making living wages and working in good conditions? Or if you could see the carbon footprint and ecological impact of a pair of sneakers and how that stacked up compared to other sneakers that were on the shelf?
Today we are going to envision that future with Matt Stockamp, the Sustainability Lead at an ethical fashion brand you might have heard of, Nisolo.
Hit play to find out how this project can help push for better transparency in fashion.
FULL SHOW NOTES & TRANSCRIPT:
https://www.consciouslifeandstyle.com/sustainability-facts-label
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Selina Ho of the slow fashion consultancy Recloseted is addressing some of the biggest questions and most talked about topics in the conscious fashion space today, like:
Hit play to tune in to all of this and more!
FULL SHOW NOTES & TRANSCRIPT:
https://www.consciouslifeandstyle.com/selina-ho-recloseted
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Hear from Trisha Bantigue, the CEO and co-founder of Queenly — which is the leading online marketplace and search engine for pre-loved formalwear — about building an authentically inclusive fashion business.
In this episode, Trisha is also sharing:
Hit play to tune in to all of this and more!
FULL SHOW NOTES & TRANSCRIPT:
https://www.consciouslifeandstyle.com/trisha-bantigue-queenly/
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Amanda McCarty, the host of Clotheshorse and an experienced buyer in the fast fashion industry, is giving us an inside look at the practices used by the fast fashion industry and revealing the realities of working for fast fashion corporations.
You'll hear about:
Hit play to hear Amanda pull back the curtain on the fast fashion industry!
FULL SHOW NOTES & TRANSCRIPT:
https://www.consciouslifeandstyle.com/amanda-mccarty-clotheshorse
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In this episode, I'm sharing the most transformative resources on my personal conscious fashion journey in an effort to share useful resources that you can turn to on your own path.
So, hit play to hear 7 resources that I have either learned the most from or that have shifted my mindset around slow, conscious, and sustainable fashion most profoundly.
Looking for more resources? Grab your free 10 page Google Doc full of sustainable fashion resources (books, documentaries, podcasts, courses, etc.) by signing up for the Conscious Edit newsletter at consciouslifeandstyle.com/edit!
FULL SHOW NOTES & TRANSCRIPT:
https://www.consciouslifeandstyle.com/sustainable-fashion-resources
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Custom Collaborative is a New York-based nonprofit transforming the apparel industry economics for low-to-no income women and immigrant women.
In this episode, you're going to hear from Custom Collaborative’s founder and Executive Director, Ngozi Okaro.
Ngozi advocates for a fashion industry that honors both planet and people. In this episode Ngozi talks about:
If you know someone else that you think would also get something out of this episode, you can grab the share link on your podcast app and send it their way.
FULL SHOW NOTES & TRANSCRIPT:
https://www.consciouslifeandstyle.com/custom-collaborative-ngozi-okaro/
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Is it possible to preach the values of sustainability while still promoting consumption?
This is the question posed by a recent article in The New York Times titled, "The Moral Quandary of ‘Slow Fashion’ Influencers". The piece explored what it is like navigating the nuanced world of working with brands — and making a living — while also advocating for sustainability and reduced consumption.
And a lot of what was in this article and what some of the creators said in this piece really resonated with me. Being an influencer or creator in the sustainability space comes with a lot of complexities and challenges, and my personal journey is no exception.
In today’s solo episode, I will be talking about how I navigate balancing my values while sustaining a media platform and business. I'll be talking about:
This is a bit of a different topic than usual, but I think it's an important one. And I hope that this episode will be useful for any of my fellow creators or entrepreneurs out there.
If you know someone else who would find this content helpful, grab the share link in your favorite podcast app for this episode, and send it their way.
If you want personalized advice, learn more about my creator consulting services.
FULL SHOW NOTES & TRANSCRIPT:
https://www.consciouslifeandstyle.com/sustainable-influencer-challenges/
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https://www.consciouslifeandstyle.com/edit
CREATOR CONSULTING SERVICES:
https://www.consciouslifeandstyle.com/contact/consulting-services/
In this episode, you are going to get a behind-the-scenes look at one element of Conscious Life & Style as a business and you'll get to meet a member of the team!
My partnerships manager, Abigail Davidson, and I will be talking about all things sustainable brand and influencer (or creator) partnerships.
Abigail has a boutique agency, ADH Management, where she helps conscious creators increase their income and save them time through brand partnerships management and content optimization.
In this episode, Abigail is going to talk about:
Click play to dive into this conversion with Abigail!
And if you know a conscious creator or a friend that owns a brand and wants to learn more about influencer marketing, share this episode with them if you think they'd get something out of it.
FULL SHOW NOTES & TRANSCRIPT:
https://www.consciouslifeandstyle.com/sustainable-influencer-brand-partnerships/
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I receive questions through Instagram frequently, often I get repeat questions, and I feel like a podcast is a perfect place to answer them, elaborate more on the question, and give you in-depth responses.
So today on the podcast it’s going to be a Q&A solo episode. Yup, just you and me!
In this episode, I will talk about:
If you have a question that you would like me to address in a podcast episode, or invite a guest on to address, you can send me a DM on Instagram @consciousstyle.
Make sure you are subscribed to this podcast so that you don't miss those future Q and A's!
FULL SHOW NOTES & TRANSCRIPT:
https://www.consciouslifeandstyle.com/what-to-do-with-unwanted-clothes/
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https://www.consciouslifeandstyle.com/edit
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What is the difference between stylists and style coaches? Today on the podcast we are going to learn a bit more about style coaching with personal style coach, Elyse Holladay.
Elyse is on a mission to help women transform their relationship with clothes and show up fully as their authentic selves.
In this episode, Elyse is going to talk about:
I hope you enjoy this conversation with Elyse as much as I did — if you know someone who would find this episode on the power of style and running a values-based business interesting or useful, share this episode with them!
FULL SHOW NOTES & TRANSCRIPT:
https://www.consciouslifeandstyle.com/personal-style-coaching/
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So, when you hear the word marketing, what do you think of?
Do you think of glitzy advertisements with photoshopped models that make us feel we're not enough? Greenwashing campaigns from fast fashion brands that tell us we can buy our way to sustainability? Perhaps sales emails telling us the latest and greatest discounts & doorbusters?
Well, I don't believe that marketing has to look this way.
So, today on the show, we're talking about marketing, and how to do it more mindfully. Because as it stands now, it doesn't exactly have a great reputation!
In this episode, I am talking with Natalia Gomez of Green Studio Marketing. With over 8 years of marketing experience, Natalia offers ethical content marketing services for conscious entrepreneurs.
You're going to hear Natalia talk about:
If you have any takeaways or thoughts on what we talk about in this episode, we'd love to hear them — you can find me on Instagram @consciousstyle and Natalia is over on @green.studiomx.
And if you know a small brand owner, share this episode with them if you think they'd find it helpful or interesting!
FULL SHOW NOTES & TRANSCRIPT:
https://www.consciouslifeandstyle.com/ethical-marketing-authentic-content/
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Do you want to know what it takes to launch a conscious fashion brand and how to do it in a more sustainable and affordable way?
Whether you're a fashion designer who wants to launch a label, an aspiring sustainable fashion entrepreneur, or just someone curious about this whole process (like me!) you will get a lot out of this episode.
In this episode, I interviewed Shannon Lohr, the founder of Factory45, an online sustainable fashion startup school that has been trusted by over 500 Fashion entrepreneurs since 2014. Shannon has worked with aspiring designers from all over the globe to launch and grow their brands in a way that is better for people and the planet.
You are going to hear Shannon talk about:
If you have an entrepreneurial friend or a designer friend looking to start a label, perhaps you can share this episode with them in case they would find it useful!
FULL SHOW NOTES & TRANSCRIPT:
https://www.consciouslifeandstyle.com/how-to-start-sustainable-fashion-brand/
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When we think about sustainable fashion, we often think about the supply chain of a garment: the fabrics, dyes, and worker rights along the way. But increasingly, the reverse supply chain of clothes — i.e. the secondhand supply chain — is also becoming part of the sustainable fashion conversation.
To dive deeper into this topic, I interviewed Kampala-based filmmaker Nikissi Serumaga, who I have been wanting to speak to for months, and I was so humbled and excited that she agreed to come on this show.
Nikissi is the creator, director, and co-host — along with Bobby Kolade — of VINTAGE OR VIOLENCE, a six part limited podcast series that explores the world of secondhand clothing from a Ugandan perspective.
In this episode, you'll hear Nikissi share:
FULL SHOW NOTES & TRANSCRIPT:
https://www.consciouslifeandstyle.com/secondhand-clothing-trade-vintage-or-violence/
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This is the second season finale of the podcast!
As you probably know by now, the focus of this season is circular fashion and in the past 15 episodes or so, we've talked about secondhand, swapping, renting, slowing down production, repairing and mending, recycling and upcycling, and beginning in last week's episode, composting and building soil-to-soil circularity.
We will be continuing that conversation today and also discussing regenerative fashion and regenerative agriculture a bit more. I am going to be interviewing Nishanth Chopra, who is the founder of Oshadi Collective, an initiative that is re-creating a circular and regenerative seed-to-sew-supply chain that is rooted in ancient Indian agricultural practices and artisan heritage.
Oshadi is truly breaking molds and boundaries and re-imagining a better fashion future that can uplift rather than degrade; regenerate rather than destroy; celebrate rather than exploit.
And so I was so humbled that I had the opportunity to talk with Nishanth all about Oshadi's seed-to-sew supply chain and discuss their approach to regenerative fashion, and circularity, and building a more equitable fashion supply chain. Nishanth had some really interesting points about minimum wages and living wages in this interview that really got me thinking...
I actually did this interview a few months ago, but I decided to leave this episode for the very end of this season because Oshadi is just doing so many incredible things that provide a great blueprint for what a more positive fashion system could look like.
I thought it would be fitting to end the second season with an inspirational episode, so I hope you enjoy it! (And don't forget to leave a rating and/or review in Apple Podcasts if you're liking the show so far.)
FULL SHOW NOTES & TRANSCRIPT
https://www.consciouslifeandstyle.com/regenerative-fashion-oshadi-collective/
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Oshadi is a regenerative fashion initiative, mindfully building a seed-to-sew supply chain in rural India.
Originally founded by Nishanth Chopra in 2016 as a womenswear label, Oshadi now is involved in every element of the production process, from growing the cotton, to printing and dyeing, to weaving and spinning.
Rooted in ancient Indian agricultural practices and artisan heritage, at the heart of Oshadi is a 50-acre regenerative cotton farm and a simple ethos: to give back more than they take.
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When you think about the best end of life for clothing, we may think of recycling or upcycling those clothes. But what if we could compost them?
What if our clothes could return to the soil from where the fibers to make that clothing was grown? It might sound like a far off dream — especially when we consider that most clothing today is made from synthetic fabrics (i.e. plastic fibers like polyester) — but there are actually a few brands working to make fully compostable clothing a reality.
One of the brands making significant headway in this realm is California Cloth Foundry. This small slow fashion brand believes in creating a healthy wardrobe the natural way using botanical ingredients that we could consume and avoiding all petroleum-based fibers, treatments, and dyes.
Not an easy feat in today's fossil fuel-addicted fashion industry. So, to dive into how California Cloth Foundry is doing all of this, I sat down with founder and designer Lydia Wendt.
In this conversation, Lydia is sharing:
Lydia is also going to talk about how California Cloth Foundry is going beyond doing less bad and investing in creating a positive fashion system. And Lydia is going to share some interesting reflections on her previous experiences working in big fashion and why she decided to create a local and traceable supply chain for her label — and how sourcing locally and producing slowly allows California Cloth Foundry to produce is a sustainable way.
**If you're enjoying this podcast so far, a rating on Apple Podcasts can go a long way in helping this content reach new audiences and also helping me get more amazing guests on this podcast. So thank you in advance for taking a moment to do that!!
FULL SHOW NOTES & TRANSCRIPT
https://www.consciouslifeandstyle.com/compostable-clothing-natural-dyes/
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There are quite a few barriers to secondhand shopping, from perceptions about limited styles to the issue of smells. And this episode will cover all of these obstacles and more. But sizing is one of the most common obstacles that comes up, especially for those shopping for plus sizes.
So, in this episode, I'm chatting with Mya Price, the founder of the plus size vintage boutique, More Than Your Average.
More Than Your Average has colorful one-of-a-kind vintage pieces, and if you've spotted their Instagram, you know that Mya has some seriously impressive vintage styling skills!
In this interview, Mya is sharing:
FULL SHOW NOTES & TRANSCRIPT
https://www.consciouslifeandstyle.com/plus-size-vintage-more-than-your-average/
WATCH THIS INTERVIEW ON YOUTUBE (coming soon):
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIKaxSd78Hqa8XA6cQf8tvg
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For this episode, I had the pleasure of speaking with Cynthia Power, an expert in brand resale programs. Cynthia currently helps brands build and optimize their resale programs at Recurate, a full-service recommerce partner for brands, whose clients include Mara Hoffman and RE/DONE. Before that, Cynthia worked as the Director of Eileen Fisher's take-back and resale program. And as you may know, Eileen Fisher has been a major trailblazer in the brand resale space.
Cynthia is also an avid thrifter and self-proclaimed vintage fanatic herself, so she has a lot of great insight into the secondhand fashion space.
In this episode Cynthia is addressing topics like:
Cynthia is also addressing some of those big difficult-to-answer and hotly debated topics, like:
Let's dive into this conversation with Cynthia to get the answers to all of these questions, and more.
Quick reminder: If you enjoy this conversation, make sure to hit subscribe or follow on your favorite podcast app! so that you don't miss future conversations like this one.
FULL SHOW NOTES & TRANSCRIPT
https://www.consciouslifeandstyle.com/fashion-resale-recurate/
WATCH THIS INTERVIEW ON YOUTUBE (coming soon):
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIKaxSd78Hqa8XA6cQf8tvg
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To celebrate 10,000 downloads and thank you all for subscribing and tuning in to the show, I have a very special bonus episode for you today.
As you may know by now, this season of the podcast is all about circular fashion. But home goods actually have a LOT in common with fashion.
First off: a lot of home goods are made with textiles: meaning they too can be made from linen and cotton, recycled materials, or virgin synthetic oil-based fabrics like polyester.
And interior design has always evolved over the years. But also just like the fashion industry, it has been following faster and faster trend cycles. And this is due in part to furniture and home goods getting cheaper, both in price — and quality.
But, another similarity that home furnishings and decor has to fashion, is that we can follow a lot of the same principles for conscious home as we can for conscious fashion.
And in today's bonus episode, I'm chatting with a secondhand and sustainable home expert to teach us all about how we can decorate and design our homes more mindfully: Nina Verduin of Homebody, which is a slow living interior design studio.
Nina started Homebody to show how to intentionally style beautiful, cozy homes that encourage us to slow down, let go of stuff, and make conscious decisions.
In today's episode, Nina is sharing:
FULL SHOW NOTES & TRANSCRIPT
https://www.consciouslifeandstyle.com/secondhand-home-nina-verduin-homebody/
WATCH THIS INTERVIEW ON YOUTUBE:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIKaxSd78Hqa8XA6cQf8tvg
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With so much talk about circularity in the fashion industry today from big fast fashion brands, circularity has been co-opted and greenwashed.
These brands are using mass produced recycled polyester clothes to advertise their sustainability credentials with no mention of fair wages or safety for workers. They're using take-back programs as a way to continue to overproduce and encourage overconsumption. They are advertising textile recycling technology as a silver bullet solution that will solve all of the industry's problems.
Does this mean that circular fashion is a lost cause? That circularity is meaningless?
Well, I still have hope for the concept, especially when I look at small, conscious brands that think about every single stage of their process. Brands like Anne Mulaire.
In this episode, I'm chatting with Andréanne Mulaire, the founder of Anne Mulaire, about how this label is building a truly circular fashion business model that is also ethical and local.
Andréanne will be telling us about her brand's intentional production practices to minimize leftover inventory, as well as their innovative zero waste design processes, tailoring and mending services, and the upcoming launch of their resale program.
Andréanne is of Ojibwa / French Métis ancestry so she's also going to talk about how she continues to explore her Métis heritage through her brand and about the designs in Anne Mulaire's Heritage Collection.
FULL SHOW NOTES & TRANSCRIPT
https://www.consciouslifeandstyle.com/indigenous-circular-fashion-brand-anne-mulaire/
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How can we slow down fashion, get more use out of clothes, but also have clothes that fit us — literally and figuratively speaking — at the current point in our lives?
Well, that's something that clothes swapping is ideal for! Swapping allows us to responsibly re-home our existing garments that no longer suit us while being able to access different pieces that would fit us better, size wise, color wise, style wise or otherwise.
Swapping is a great way to extend the lives of clothes, so I knew that I wanted to cover this topic in our second season all about circular fashion and slowing down consumption.
In this episode, I am chatting with Nicole Robertson about all things swapping. Nicole is the founder of Swap Society, an online clothing swap shop for women and kids making it easy — and affordable — to switch up your wardrobe more sustainably.
Nicole is sharing:
FULL SHOW NOTES & TRANSCRIPT
https://www.consciouslifeandstyle.com/clothes-swapping-swap-society/
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Have you ever wondered what really drives consumption? What the motivations are — on a psychological level — that drive people to consume.
Can psychology help explain this rapid increase in consumption that we've seen in recent years and help us understand why it's so difficult to shift towards more conscious consumption habits?
And then on the flip side of that, how could we potentially use behavioral psychology to help us communicate about sustainable fashion in the most effective way possible?
These are big questions that I am definitely not qualified to answer but our guest is! I'm talking with Shakaila Forbes-Bell, a published Fashion Psychologist, writer, consultant, and owner of FashionisPsychology.com, a platform dedicated to making academic research into Fashion Psychology more accessible.
Shakaila is also going to explore:
FULL SHOW NOTES & TRANSCRIPT
https://www.consciouslifeandstyle.com/fashion-consumer-psychology/
WATCH THIS INTERVIEW ON YOUTUBE:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIKaxSd78Hqa8XA6cQf8tvg
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Is fashion rental actually sustainable? Are there ways to make it more sustainable? This episode is a deep dive into the various elements of the fashion rental system.
In this episode, I'll also interview Eshita Kabra-Davies, the founder and CEO of the world's first social fashion rental app, By Rotation.
Eshita is sharing:
FULL SHOW NOTES & TRANSCRIPT:
https://www.consciouslifeandstyle.com/renting-clothes-sustainable/
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In this episode, I'm chatting with the one and only Aja Barber, a sustainable fashion thought leader, consultant, writer, and new author. Her debut book is called Consumed, The Need for Collective Change: Colonialism, Climate Change, and Consumerism.
Aja is sharing:
Aja is also breaking a lot of the myths perpetuated by fast fashion brands, like that shopping fast fashion is improving the economies in other countries, that sweatshop jobs are at least better than no jobs, or that these brands really have no control or awareness of the exploitation happening in their supply chains. She's also diving into why Depop (or any other secondhand site) isn't to blame for the reduced quality standards and higher prices at thrift stores.
FULL SHOW NOTES & TRANSCRIPT
https://www.consciouslifeandstyle.com/consumed-colonialism-consumerism-aja-barber/
WATCH THIS INTERVIEW ON YOUTUBE (COMING SOON):
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIKaxSd78Hqa8XA6cQf8tvg
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What are the connections with overconsumption and the rise of fast fashion with social media and influencer (and haul) culture?
In this episode, Lily of Imperfect Idealist explores how social media influences consumption and why overconsumption + overproduction are such big problems in fashion.
Lily also shares:
FULL SHOW NOTES & TRANSCRIPT
https://www.consciouslifeandstyle.com/overconsumption-fashion-imperfect-idealist/
WATCH THIS INTERVIEW ON YOUTUBE:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIKaxSd78Hqa8XA6cQf8tvg
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ABOUT LILY:
Lily advocates for inclusive and realistic sustainable fashion on her blog and social accounts. She shares everyday knowledge along with ways to use your voice for systemic change.
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Between the overflow of cheap clothing, schedules packed to the brim, and a decline in sewing education, torn and ill-fitting clothes are far more likely to be tossed than mended or altered.
But fashion tech entrepreneur Josephine Philips is on a mission to change that with her clothing repair and tailoring app, Sojo.
Sojo makes it more convenient than ever to get your clothes mended or modified — and I have no doubt that it's going to transform the industry.
Josephine is going to give us many more details about how Sojo works, as well as the future plans for this company, in this episode. You'll also hear Josephine talk about:
WATCH THIS INTERVIEW ON YOUTUBE
ABOUT JOSEPHINE & SOJO
Josephine Philips, 23, is a recent graduate turned Fashion Tech entrepreneur
working to make the fashion industry circular with her startup, Sojo, which is modernising the clothing repair and tailoring industry. Sojo is the UK’s first clothing alterations and repairs App and it connects customers to local seamster businesses to ensure that getting your clothes fixed or fitted is an easy and hassle-free process.
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Natasha Halesworth is the founder and owner of The Consistency Project, which is a shop that curates pre-loved fashion and designs reworked clothing while working to break the stigma of secondhand.
In this episode, Natasha is giving us a glimpse inside what it's like to run a secondhand and reworked clothing brand.
She's also sharing:
FULL SHOW NOTES & TRANSCRIPT
https://www.consciouslifeandstyle.com/reworked-upcycled-clothing-consistency-project/
WATCH THIS INTERVIEW ON YOUTUBE:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIKaxSd78Hqa8XA6cQf8tvg
CONNECT WITH NATASHA & THE CONSISTENCY PROJECT
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When you think of a circular economy, what do you think of? Perhaps repurposing and reusing? Restoring and renewing? Repairing and mending? Recycling and upcycling?
Well in this episode, I'm chatting with Nicole Bassett, the co-founder of the Renewal Workshop, which is a circular fashion business dedicated to doing all of those things.
In this conversation, Nicole is going to share:
FULL SHOW NOTES & TRANSCRIPT
https://www.consciouslifeandstyle.com/circular-fashion-renewal-workshop
WATCH THIS INTERVIEW ON YOUTUBE:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIKaxSd78Hqa8XA6cQf8tvg
LINKS MENTIONED:
CONNECT WITH NICOLE & THE RENEWAL WORKSHOP:
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Have you ever struggled to feel creative with the clothes in your closet? Do you ever feel uninspired by your wardrobe?
You'll want to tune into this conversation, because Alyssa is sharing:
FULL SHOW NOTES & TRANSCRIPT
https://www.consciouslifeandstyle.com/sustainable-stylist-tips
WATCH THIS INTERVIEW ON YOUTUBE:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIKaxSd78Hqa8XA6cQf8tvg
LINKS MENTIONED:
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Circularity is a big topic in sustainable fashion, and it's only getting bigger. But circularity has many layers to it, which can make it confusing for individuals and easy to be misused by brands.
That's why the second season of the Conscious Style Podcast will be all about circularity in fashion.
There's much to come on this, but before we get into the interviews with changemakers in circularity, this episode is establishing the foundations. It covers:
LINKS MENTIONED:
FULL SHOW NOTES & TRANSCRIPT
https://www.consciouslifeandstyle.com/circular-fashion/
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In this bonus episode, I'm answering your questions from Instagram, from what the first step to sustainable fashion is to how to source kids clothing more consciously to how I manage the anxiety from knowing the impacts of fast fashion.
LINKS MENTIONED:
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Conscious Fashion Brand Guides
Sustainable Baby & Kids Clothing Brands
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From laundering to mending, this episode will cover how to care for our clothes sustainably to make sure that they last! Because the most sustainable garments are the ones already hanging in our closets...
LINKS MENTIONED:
EPISODE SHOW NOTES:
https://www.consciouslifeandstyle.com/sustainable-clothing-care/
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This episode is going back to basics, covering some of the biggest topics in sustainable fashion.
Cynthia Dam, the content creator behind Inspiroue, is talking about ways to get started with a more conscious approach to fashion, how to curate a sustainable wardrobe affordably, how to spot greenwashing brands, what to look for from a truly sustainable fashion brand, tips for smart thrifting, and more!
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www.consciouslifeandstyle.com/conscious-closet-consumer-activist/
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This episode with Niha Elety is highlighting an incredibly important topic in conscious fashion that doesn't get enough attention: cultural sustainability (or cultural preservation).
In this interview, Niha is shedding light on:
FULL SHOW NOTES & TRANSCRIPT:
consciouslifeandstyle.com/cultural-sustainability-fashion
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Have you ever wanted to try your hand at making, modifying, or upcycling your own clothes? Today's guest, Sonya Philip, is dedicated to encouraging and teaching people how to do just that!
In this episode, Sonya is sharing:
FULL SHOW NOTES & TRANSCRIPT
consciouslifeandstyle.com/how-why-make-modify-your-clothes
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ABOUT SONYA PHILIP
Sonya Philip is an artist, designer and teacher. In 2012, she started a project called 100 Acts of Sewing, making dresses while documenting the process. Since then Sonya has made it her mission to convince people to sew their own clothes. When not covered in bits of thread, she can be found knitting another shawl or cardigan. Sonya lives in San Francisco with her family.
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In this episode, hear Nazma Akter of the Awaj Foundation share her first-hand accounts of what it's like to work in the garment sector in Bangladesh and her perspectives on what needs to change to create a fairer, safer future for fashion.
In this episode, you'll also hear Nazma talk about:
FULL SHOW NOTES & TRANSCRIPT
https://www.consciouslifeandstyle.com/garment-worker-rights-bangladesh/
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In this episode, Ayesha Barenblat, the founder and CEO of the ethical fashion nonprofit Remake, is breaking down:
FULL SHOW NOTES & TRANSCRIPT
https://www.consciouslifeandstyle.com/fashion-activism-brands-pay-up/
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In this episode of the Conscious Style Podcast, we're going to be talking all about the secondhand fashion ecosystem with Emily Stochl, the producer and host of Pre-Loved Podcast, which is a weekly interview show that explores the vintage, thrift and secondhand industry.
In this interview, you'll hear (or read!) about:
FULL SHOW NOTES & TRANSCRIPT
consciouslifeandstyle.com/better-secondhand-fashion-system
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ABOUT EMILY
Emily is a writer, journalist, and podcast creator, with expertise in the vintage and secondhand fashion industry, sustainability, and labor rights activism. She is the producer and host of Pre-Loved Podcast, a weekly interview show exploring the vintage, thrift and secondhand industry: all its stories, and all its angles.
She is also Remake’s Advocacy Manager. Remake is a global nonprofit that aims to make fashion a force for good. As Remake's Advocacy Manager, Emily helps lead ambassador engagement and community management, specifically around the SB62, #PayHer, and #NoNewClothes campaigns. Her goal is to make policy information and industry topics easy to understand, and to communicate to others, believing that we all have a role to play in making fashion a force for good.
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In this part two of our conversation with Sophia Yang (check out episode 8 for part one!), we discuss how we can create a more equitable and intersectional fashion ecosystem.
Sophia, who is the Founder & Executive Director of ethical fashion organization Threading Change, is sharing:
FULL SHOW NOTES & TRANSCRIPT
https://www.consciouslifeandstyle.com/intersectional-sustainable-fashion-future/
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In this powerful and illuminating two-part conversation, Sophia Yang of Threading Change discusses how colonialism has not only shaped fashion, but how colonial systems are deeply embedded in the industry today.
Sophia also shares what equity really is and how we must address exploitation in fashion at its core; the realities of racism and colonialism in not just fast fashion, but the conscious fashion space as well; and why we need to decentralize and decolonize the Eurocentric understanding of land and labor in the fashion space.
FULL SHOW NOTES & TRANSCRIPT:
consciouslifeandstyle.com/fashion-colonial-roots-and-realities
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Get expert tips from Jess Atkins, the co-founder of Stylebook (a closet management app), on how to plan outfits, assess your closet, and actually wear the clothes you have in your wardrobe more!
Plus, get Jess’ insights on:
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ABOUT JESS & STYLEBOOK:
Jessica Atkins is the co-creator of Stylebook Closet App, a virtual closet app for the iPhone and iPad, and author of The Whole Closet Method. She graduated from Tisch School of the Arts with a BFA in Photography and Imaging and a minor in Art History.
As a student, she interned at The Metropolitan Museum of Art and in the fashion closets of Vogue and Modern Bride. After graduating, she worked for several years in the Lucky Magazine art department before starting her software company with her husband, Bill Atkins. She now works full-time on their primary product, Stylebook, where she does product development and writes content to help people become conscious clothing consumers while maximizing the clothes they already own using Stylebook’s tools.
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This episode is a bit different from previous ones! I'm sharing my journey from being somewhat addicted to fast fashion, shopping all of the time, to becoming a conscious consumer then sustainable fashion blogger and now a fashion activist and online business owner.
I'm also answering YOUR questions in this episode that some of you sent in via Instagram, like how to talk about ethical fashion without sounding pushy and how to declutter your closet in a conscious way.
There will be future Q&A bonus episodes, so be sure to subscribe (or follow) so that you do not miss those! And if you'd like to ask a question, follow Conscious Style on Instagram and watch out for question stickers in Stories :)
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From "sustainable fashion is expensive" to "sweatshop jobs are better than no jobs", I'm busting some of the MOST common sustainable fashion myths in this episode.
Sustainable fashion is a journey involving unlearning, learning and perspective shifting.
This episode is certainly not about saying that I know it all — I believed many of these myths and even promoted a couple of them before — and I'm sure there will be more myths that I'll unlearn on my journey.
That said, these are some of the misconceptions that I've seen throughout these years in the conscious fashion space that I wanted to clear up!
Have another myth to add to this list? DM me on Instagram.
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TEXT VERSION OF EPISODE + MORE LINKS:
consciouslifeandstyle.com/sustainable-fashion-myths
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Website: consciouslifeandstyle.com
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Conscious Edit Newsletter: consciouslifeandstyle.com/edit
This episode breaks down the 7 main types of greenwashing (or "greenwashing sins"), in which ways each type is being used in the fashion industry today, and how you can spot them to avoid them! You'll also get a bit of history on greenwashing and tips to keep in mind about identifying greenwashing in the fashion industry.
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TEXT VERSION OF EPISODE + MORE LINKS:
consciouslifeandstyle.com/how-to-identify-greenwashing
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*If you're enjoying this podcast so far, don't forget to subscribe and rate the show!
This episode is an introduction to some of the major concepts of slow fashion such as small-batch production, timeless designs, buying less, and caring for our clothes; the history of mass-produced fashion and how we got where we are today, why slow fashion is so important and fast fashion is so harmful; how slow fashion is interconnected with, but differs from, sustainable fashion and ethical fashion; and more!
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TEXT VERSION OF EPISODE + MORE LINKS:
consciouslifeandstyle.com/what-is-slow-fashion
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*Don't forget to subscribe & review this show!
This episode unpacks what sustainable fashion is all about, how it differs from eco-friendly fashion, why sustainable fashion is so important, and the benefits of sustainable fashion. You'll also hear about tips for identifying truly sustainable brands and ways to get active in the sustainable fashion movement beyond what you do or don't purchase.
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https://www.consciouslifeandstyle.com/what-is-sustainable-fashion/
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Explore what ethical fashion is, why it matters, and get tips for identifying whether a brand is actually ethical. We'll cover a variety of issues in the fashion industry today like low wages, exploitive conditions, racism, and sexism. Plus, this episode covers some ways that you can take action and get involved with the ethical fashion movement beyond consumerism.
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TEXT VERSION OF EPISODE + MORE LINKS:
consciouslifeandstyle.com/what-is-ethical-fashion/
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Website: consciouslifeandstyle.com
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Conscious Edit Newsletter: consciouslifeandstyle.com/edit
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