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Conscious Style Podcast (Conscious Life & Style)

Explore every episode of Conscious Style Podcast

Dive into the complete episode list for Conscious Style Podcast. Each episode is cataloged with detailed descriptions, making it easy to find and explore specific topics. Keep track of all episodes from your favorite podcast and never miss a moment of insightful content.

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Pub. DateTitleDuration
25 Apr 202382) Rana Plaza 10 Years Later: What's Changed and What Hasn't? | Ayesha Barenblat of Remake00:48:32

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

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.

***

Bounce Market

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:

📧Newsletter: https://www.consciouslifeandstyle.com/edit

🌐Website: consciouslifeandstyle.com

📸 Instagram: @consciousstyle

📹 YouTube: @consciouslifeandstyle

📌 Pinterest: @consciouslifeandstyle

16 May 202384) How I Built a Career in Sustainable Fashion00:29:42

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

10 Aug 2021Q&A: Dealing with 'Fast Fashion Anxiety', a Breakdown of Fabrics, and More00:37:31

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:

Sign up for The Conscious Edit

Conscious Fashion Brand Guides

ThredUP

Swap.com

OnceUponAChild

Poshmark

Kidizen

FreeHandMeDowns.com

Sustainable Baby & Kids Clothing Brands

Good On You Review of Modal

What is Tencel?

 

 

CONNECT WITH CONSCIOUS STYLE:

 

 

06 Jun 202386) Holding The Fashion Industry Accountable with Journalist Sophie Benson00:47:38

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

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.

***

The Rounds

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_

***

CONNECT WITH CONSCIOUS STYLE:

📧Newsletter: https://www.consciouslifeandstyle.com/edit

🌐Website: consciouslifeandstyle.com

📸 Instagram: @consciousstyle

📹 YouTube: @consciouslifeandstyle

📌 Pinterest: 

@consciouslifeandstyle

09 May 202383) What Is Circular Fashion Design? | Carmen Gama of EILEEN FISHER00:53:10

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

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.

***

The Rounds

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

20 Jul 202114) The Importance of Cultural Sustainability in Fashion with Niha Elety00:31:53

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:

  • How the fashion ecosystem in India — from the fiber cultivation to the production of garments — is inherently sustainable, and what we can learn from that
  • The connections between cultural preservation with social and ecological sustainability
  • How brands and individuals can avoid cultural appropriation
  • And then what true cooperation or co-creation with artisans looks like, and more.

 

 

FULL SHOW NOTES & TRANSCRIPT:
consciouslifeandstyle.com/cultural-sustainability-fashion

 

 

CONNECT WITH NIHA:

 

 

CONNECT WITH CONSCIOUS STYLE:

 

 

22 Jun 202110) Building a Better Secondhand Fashion System with Emily Stochl00:41:41

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:

  • What pre-loved fashion encompasses and how you can get started not only with conscious shopping secondhand, but with secondhand fashion activism;
  • What the concern about gentrification of thrift stores is all about and what this conversation is currently missing;
  • How charity shops really operate and what this means for the global secondhand trade;
  • What the recent $1 billion+ IPO (initial public offering) of ThredUP might mean for the future of secondhand;
  • And more!

 

 

FULL SHOW NOTES & TRANSCRIPT

consciouslifeandstyle.com/better-secondhand-fashion-system

 

 

QUICK LINKS:

 

 

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.

 

 

CONNECT WITH EMILY & PRE-LOVED PODCAST

 

 

CONNECT WITH CONSCIOUS STYLE:

 

 

28 Mar 202380) Where Does Fashion Stand On Climate Progress? | Rachel & Erdene of Stand.Earth00:47:58

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... 

Passion Lilie

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:

https://conscious-style-podcast.simplecast.com/episodes/80-where-does-fashion-stand-on-climate-progress-rachel-erdene-of-standearth 

***

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

29 Nov 202270) How Can We Talk About Slow Fashion With Our Friends?00:39:56

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!

 

***

ARTICLE VERSION:

https://www.consciouslifeandstyle.com/how-to-talk-about-sustainable-fashion/

 

TRANSCRIPT:

https://conscious-style-podcast.simplecast.com/episodes/70-how-can-we-talk-about-slow-fashion-with-our-friends

 

RESOURCES MENTIONED:

 

CONNECT WITH CONSCIOUS STYLE:

📧Newsletter: https://www.consciouslifeandstyle.com/edit

🌐Website: consciouslifeandstyle.com

📸 Instagram: @consciousstyle

📹 YouTube: @consciouslifeandstyle

📌 Pinterest: @consciouslifeandstyle

 

22 Aug 202397) Overlooked Policy Opportunities for Sustainable Fashion with Kenya Wiley00:47:07

Policy is an important lever in creating a better, more sustainable, and equitable fashion system. But if we only focus on policy that explicitly talks about the fashion industry and sustainability, we may be missing some opportunities. 

In today's episode, I'm chatting with fashion policy expert Kenya Wiley.

Kenya is sharing behind the scenes on the processes behind legislation and regulation — and even explaining the difference between the two terms — and some of the current policies in the works that could involve fashion that the fashion industry isn't talking about. These could be potential needle movers to cleaning up fashion, but aren't being taken advantage of right now.

Kenya is also discussing the much-anticipated Green Guides from the Federal Trade Commission to help reduce greenwashing, what recent US Supreme Court decisions mean for the fashion industry, a funding opportunity for sustainability-minded fashion organizations, and more.

Find the transcript here.

***

PRESENTED BY…

Osei-Duro

Osei-Duro is a slow, artisan-made sustainable fashion brand based in Ghana using handmade textile techniques to create contemporary garments that are true works of art.

Their colorful, bold-printed clothing is hand-dyed and sewn in Ghana by small-scale artisans and manufactured to support the local apparel industry. And they have extended sizes, with many styles going up to 4X.

Osei-Duro's clothing is made with care — and the people behind these garments treat each other with the same care and respect. The small business pays full-time wages for a 4-day work week and offers numerous benefits including full health insurance and maternity coverage.

Get 20% off site wide by using the code CONSCIOUSSTYLE20.

 

***

SHOW NOTES:

https://www.consciouslifeandstyle.com/kenya-wiley

 

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

 

***

CONNECT WITH KENYA WILEY:

🌐 Website: https://kenyawiley.com/

📸 Instagram: @kenyanwiley

💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kenya-wiley-558601b6/

📱 Twitter (X): @KenyaNWiley

 

***

CONNECT WITH CONSCIOUS STYLE:

📧Newsletter: https://www.consciouslifeandstyle.com/edit

🌐Website: consciouslifeandstyle.com

📸 Instagram: @consciousstyle

📹 YouTube: @consciouslifeandstyle

📌 Pinterest: @consciouslifeandstyle

12 Apr 202241) Building an Inclusive Fashion Business | with Trisha Bantigue of Queenly00:43:46

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:

  • Why fashion companies are stuck at this surface level view of diversity, rather than really addressing inclusivity at a root level
  • The negative perceptions of secondhand that Queenly was (and continues to be) up against in the formalwear industry
  • The challenges of securing funding as a women-founded business
  • How tech can be used to increase accessibility to secondhand

Hit play to tune in to all of this and more!

 

FULL SHOW NOTES & TRANSCRIPT:

https://www.consciouslifeandstyle.com/trisha-bantigue-queenly/

 

LINKS MENTIONED:

 

CONNECT WITH TRISHA & QUEENLY:

 

CONNECT WITH ELIZABETH & CONSCIOUS STYLE:

 

SUBSCRIBE TO THE CONSCIOUS EDIT

https://www.consciouslifeandstyle.com/edit

 

 

18 Oct 202264) How Journalists Can Shift The Sustainable Fashion Conversation | with Jasmin Malik Chua of Sourcing Journal00:44:17

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.

 

*****

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 laundry essentials to help make your loved clothes last!

*****

 

FULL SHOW NOTES & TRANSCRIPT:

https://www.consciouslifeandstyle.com/jasmin-malik-chua

 

RESOURCES MENTIONED:

 

EPISODE MENTIONED:

 

CONNECT WITH JASMIN:

 

CONNECT WITH ELIZABETH & CONSCIOUS STYLE:

SUBSCRIBE TO THE CONSCIOUS EDIT

https://www.consciouslifeandstyle.com/edit

 

24 Jan 202373) How To Uncover Your Soul Style | Kerry Wilde00:51:03

You've heard of personal style, but what about soul style? 

In this interview with soul stylist Kerry Wilde, we're exploring topics like:

  • What embodiment is and how it relates to what we wear
  • How we can determine our soul style and start dressing for our soul style
  • The interconnections between beauty, body image, and the fashion industry

Hit play to uncover what soul style is all about!

 

*****

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

Submit A Job Posting

*****

 

SHOW NOTES:

https://www.consciouslifeandstyle.com/soul-style-kerry-wilde

***

CONNECT WITH KERRY WILDE:

🌐 Website kerrywilde.com

📸 Instagram: @thesoulstylist__

📧Newsletter: Signup Page

***

CONNECT WITH CONSCIOUS STYLE:

📧Newsletter: https://www.consciouslifeandstyle.com/edit

🌐Website: consciouslifeandstyle.com

📸 Instagram: @consciousstyle

📹 YouTube: @consciouslifeandstyle

📌 Pinterest: @consciouslifeandstyle

22 Nov 202269) What's The Deal With Fast Fashion Resale Programs?00:38:34

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!

 

***

ARTICLE VERSION:

https://www.consciouslifeandstyle.com/fast-fashion-resale/

 

TRANSCRIPT:

https://conscious-style-podcast.simplecast.com/episodes/69-fast-fashion-resale-programs-greenwashing-or-progress

 

***

RESOURCES MENTIONED:

 

CONNECT WITH CONSCIOUS STYLE:

 

SUBSCRIBE TO THE CONSCIOUS EDIT:

https://www.consciouslifeandstyle.com/edit

 

 

18 May 202103) What is Slow Fashion?00:20:24

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!

 

 

LINKS MENTIONED:

 

 

TEXT VERSION OF EPISODE + MORE LINKS: 

consciouslifeandstyle.com/what-is-slow-fashion

 

 

CONNECT WITH CONSCIOUS STYLE:

Website: consciouslifeandstyle.com

Instagram: instagram.com/consciousstyle

Conscious Edit Newsletter: consciouslifeandstyle.com/edit

*Don't forget to subscribe & review this show!

 

 

26 Oct 202123) How We Can Make Rental More Sustainable with Eshita Kabra of ByRotation00:56:04

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:

  • How By Rotation's peer-to-peer rental model works,
  • How peer-to-peer sharing models can be more sustainable than an inventory-based renting model,
  • And her perspectives on that viral study that inspired those "throwing away your clothes is greener than renting them" headlines. 

 

FULL SHOW NOTES & TRANSCRIPT:

https://www.consciouslifeandstyle.com/renting-clothes-sustainable/ 

 

LINKS MENTIONED:

 

CONNECT WITH ESHITA AND BY ROTATION

 

CONNECT WITH CONSCIOUS STYLE:

 

08 Aug 202395) Carbon Offsetting: Green or Greenwashing?00:34:53

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!

***

SHOW NOTES:

https://www.consciouslifeandstyle.com/carbon-offsetting

***

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

***

CONNECT WITH US:

📧Newsletter: https://www.consciouslifeandstyle.com/edit

🌐Website: consciouslifeandstyle.com

📸 Instagram: @consciousstyle

📹 YouTube: @consciouslifeandstyle

📌 Pinterest: @consciouslifeandstyle

23 May 202385) A People's History of Clothing | Sofi Thanhauser00:54:57

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

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.

***

The Rounds

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

07 Nov 20235 Key Pillars for a Net Positive Fashion Industry with Holly Syrett of Global Fashion Agenda (Bonus)00:50:33

How can fashion take action right now for a net positive future?

From climate and biodiversity to worker livelihoods and fair wages to overconsumption and textile waste, the gaps between where we need to be and where we are right now feel… vast. 

But in this episode, we're discussing ways that fashion act right now — like tomorrow — on 5 key pillars that encompass both people and planet. These are areas where the research, and tools are readily available, even for implementing at a large scale. 

Ahead you'll hear my conversation with Holly Syrett, the Impact Programmes and Sustainability Director at Global Fashion Agenda (GFA), a nonprofit organization that accelerates measurable impact in the fashion industry.

Perhaps what GFA is most known for is their Global Fashion Summits but they also drive impact through collaborative commitments, impact programs, thought leadership publications and by engaging with policy & advocacy.

Their flagship report — which is freely accessible for all — is the Fashion CEO Agenda. And this year's edition, released at the Boston Fashion Summit, is offering more specific tangible action than ever. I kind of think of it as the no-excuses actionable sustainability playbook for fashion brands.

I was excited to be able to have this conversation with Holly and be able to share it all with you for free because I know that there are so many of you that work in sustainable fashion or aspire to and want to dive deeper into these types of industry insights but they're not always accessible. So enjoy this conversation with Holly!

GET THE TRANSCRIPT

***

PRESENTED BY...

The Conscious Fashion Collective Membership

If you are a sustainable fashion professional or aspiring to transition into this industry, check out our sister platform Conscious Fashion Collective. We have a free career newsletter with jobs and resources dedicated to supporting your conscious fashion career journey.

We also have a membership community where you can access extra jobs, attend career-focused member events and workshops, access tons of time-saving resources, and connect with a like-minded group of fashion changemakers. You can find out more about this membership at consciousfashion.co/community.

***

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CONNECT WITH HOLLY & GFA

🌐 Website: https://globalfashionagenda.org/

📸 Instagram: @globalfashionagenda

💼 LinkedIn: Global Fashion Agenda

📺 YouTube: @GlobalFashionAgenda

***

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17 Jan 2023Season 5 Sneak Peek! Theme, Topics, and Announcements00:08:40

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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LINKS MENTIONED:

Newsletter: The Conscious Edit

Event: Intro To Visible Mending Virtual Workshop

*use code "podcast" for 50% off tickets to the workshop!

Career Interview with Fashion Psychologists

Career Interview with Slow Fashion Stylists

Conscious Fashion Collective Job Board

Conscious Life & Style YouTube Channel

 

13 Oct 2022Bonus: It's OK To Grow Slow00:41:48

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.

 

CONNECT WITH CONSCIOUS STYLE:

 

SUBSCRIBE TO THE CONSCIOUS EDIT

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04 Oct 202262) Conscious Entrepreneurship and Crafting | with Saskia de Feijter, part 100:57:43

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! 

 

*****

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 laundry essentials to help make your loved clothes last!

*****

 

FULL SHOW NOTES & TRANSCRIPT:

https://www.consciouslifeandstyle.com/conscious-entrepreneurship

 

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EPISODE MENTIONED:

 

CONNECT WITH SASKIA DE FEIJTER AND JA WOL:

 

CONNECT WITH ELIZABETH & CONSCIOUS STYLE:

 

SUBSCRIBE TO THE CONSCIOUS EDIT

https://www.consciouslifeandstyle.com/edit

 

 

01 Sep 2022Bonus: 7 Alternative Fashion Business Models00:27:22

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/

 

GUIDES MENTIONED:

Fashion Social Enterprises

Made-to-Order Fashion Brands

Mending & Repair Businesses

 

CONNECT WITH CONSCIOUS STYLE:

Visit Our Website

Follow On Instagram

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08 Jun 202108) Unpacking Fashion's Colonial Roots and Modern-Day Realities with Sophia Yang (Part 1)00:33:37

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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CONNECT WITH THREADING CHANGE:

 

 

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15 Oct 2024104) How to Find & Build Slow Fashion Community01:02:23

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)

27 May 202106) From Fast Fashion Addict to Sustainable Fashion Advocate and Blogger: My Journey00:30:38

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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13 Jul 202113) How (and Why!) to Make or Modify Your Own Clothes with Sonya Philip00:36:40

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:

  • The benefits of being able to make or modify our own clothes,
  • Advice for beginners who want to get started with sewing,
  • How the movement to make our own clothes contributes to more conscious participation in fashion,
  • What sorts of possibilities there are with making our own clothes, and how this gives us more freedom,
  • The connections between sewing skills and body acceptance, and more!

 

 

FULL SHOW NOTES & TRANSCRIPT

consciouslifeandstyle.com/how-why-make-modify-your-clothes

 

 

LINKS REFERENCED:

 

 

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. 

 

 

CONNECT WITH SONYA:

 

 

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09 Nov 202125) #SwapBeforeYouShop: The Many Benefits of Clothes Swapping with Nicole Robertson00:45:01

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:

  • The benefits of swapping — from an environmental impact perspective and also in our own lives
  • How swapping might change the relationship we have with our closets and our personal style
  • The impact that evolving fashion trends have on the secondhand market, including swapping
  • And what online swapping through Swap Society looks like

 

 

FULL SHOW NOTES & TRANSCRIPT

https://www.consciouslifeandstyle.com/clothes-swapping-swap-society/

 

 

RELEVANT LINKS:

 

 

CONNECT WITH NICOLE & SWAP SOCIETY

 

 

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21 Jun 202247) How to Cultivate a Healthier Relationship to Shopping | with Jessica Harumi00:41:14

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: 

  • How we can identify when we have an unhealthy relationship to shopping
  • How we can start to create a healthier relationship to shopping and fashion
  • How we can still enjoy style and fashion without constant consumption
  • The benefits of capsule wardrobes
  • How a capsule wardrobe changed Jessica's relationship with fashion

 

***

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/

 

 

LINKS MENTIONED:

 

CONNECT WITH JESSICA:

 

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https://www.consciouslifeandstyle.com/edit

 

 

30 Nov 202128) Breaking Down Secondhand Fashion Barriers: Sizing, Styling... and Smells! with Mya Price00:40:06

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:

  • Her tips for styling vintage pieces in a modern way
  • Advice for others looking for plus size secondhand or vintage fashion
  • What her secondhand garment sourcing process is like
  • Her perspective on what we can all do to make slow and secondhand fashion more size inclusive
  • How we can find amazing secondhand garments that will fit us well and that we'll truly love for many years to come

 

 

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

 

LINKS 

 

CONNECT WITH MYA & MORE THAN YOUR AVERAGE

 

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22 Feb 202235) What to Do With Unwanted Clothes (Sustainably!) + Other Q&A00:51:56

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:

  • The different options for rehoming your old clothes
  • Where and how to send or recycle old clothes responsibly
  • Tips for upcycling and recycling damaged clothes that can’t be resold or re-worn
  • Where to find sustainable underwear, bras, and socks
  • My recommendations for sustainable fashion platforms or marketplaces (including secondhand ones)

 

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/

 

SUBSCRIBE TO THE CONSCIOUS EDIT

https://www.consciouslifeandstyle.com/edit

 

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06 Jul 202112) From the Frontlines: Fighting for Garment Worker Rights in Bangladesh with Nazma Akter00:29:23

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:

  • What brands need to do to step up and protect the people making their clothes.
  • How the pandemic — and the subsequent order cancellations from brands — affected garment workers in Bangladesh
  • What sorts of shifts we need for a better industry
  • How Awaj Foundation is building solidarity and worker power for garment makers in Bangladesh
  • and more.

 

 

FULL SHOW NOTES & TRANSCRIPT

https://www.consciouslifeandstyle.com/garment-worker-rights-bangladesh/

 

 

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26 Jul 202252) Uncovering Lost Textile Histories and Weaving a Slow Fashion Future | with fiber artist Karen Baker00:52:10

Uncover lost textile histories with Karen Baker — a researcher and ethnographic fiber artist — in this episode. You'll also hear Karen talk about:

  • Her research into African American weavers' contributions to textile and fibers before the Great Migration
  • The impact of these lost histories in understanding textiles and fashion
  • How we can collectively work to uncover and integrate lost and/or overlooked textile histories 
  • How she is integrating her research into her work with the organization Fiber With A Cause
  • What role technology plays in the fashion industry, and in the slow fashion movement.

 

Hit play to uncover the impact of restorative textile history in building a better fashion future.

 

***

 

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/fiber-artist-karen-baker

 

EPISODE MENTIONED:

 

LINKS MENTIONED:

 

CONNECT WITH KAREN & FIBER WITH A CAUSE:

 

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https://www.consciouslifeandstyle.com/edit

 

23 Nov 202127) How Brand Resale Programs Work (+ Can They Can Help Reduce New Production?) with Cynthia Power of Recurate00:38:50

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:

  • What are the differences between brand-led resale programs vs. third-party platforms like a ThredUP or Depop?
  • What do the logistics look like for a brand's resale program? And what are the challenges to getting a resale program off the ground? 
  • And how can brands design for resale from the very beginning? 

Cynthia is also addressing some of those big difficult-to-answer and hotly debated topics, like:

  • How can we start to get fashion to *finally* talk about reducing new production?
  • And does resale give brands an "excuse" to continue to overproduce since they have a home for that unsold stock?

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

 

 

LINKS MENTIONED:

 

 

CONNECT WITH RECURATE:

 

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03 Dec 2024107) The State of Circular Fashion with Cynthia Power00:41:10

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

 

12 Mar 2024101) Demystifying Financial Sustainability in Slow Fashion00:51:20

Financial sustainability is essential for creating a more just, and sustainable, fashion ecosystem with thriving businesses that care about people and the planet. But how do you go about actually making money in this space, especially when you care about not overproducing? Money-making is a topic that is all-too-often taboo in the slow fashion space, but our panelists Dani Des Roches, Mahdiyyah Muhammad, Jacqueline Schumann, and Aiste Zitnikaite are unpacking their experiences, transparently, in this episode!

Note: This is a recording from a Conscious Fashion Collective Membership panel discussion, so you may hear references to the membership and “CFC". You can learn more about CFC's membership community here: consciousfashion.co/community

💰 WE DISCUSSED:

  • Taboos/misconceptions about making money in the slow fashion space,
  • What alternative business models and revenue streams can be successful for slow fashion brands who don’t want to follow the traditional fast fashion trajectory,
  • Slow fashion pricing and forecasting,
  • How freelancers can go about finding clients, retaining clients, and creating a client rotation that allows for financial sustainability,
  • How to diversify your slow fashion skills and develop alternative streams of income/business offerings,
  • And SO MUCH more!

LINKS:

 

CONNECT WITH CONSCIOUS STYLE:

📧Newsletter: https://www.consciouslifeandstyle.com/subscribe

🌐Website: consciouslifeandstyle.com

📸 Instagram: @consciousstyle

22 Oct 2024105) The Blueprint for a Successful Circular Fashion Program00:50:05

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.

***

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

18 Jul 202392) From Extractive to Regenerative Fashion: Slow Growth, Climate Beneficial Textiles, and Cooperative Models with Laura Sansone of New York Textile Lab00:41:17

What if designers could go all the way back to the source of the fibers their garments are made from? Many of fashion’s favorite fibers — and our favorite garments — begin on farms. From cotton to wool, hemp, and linen. But, often, designers are so far removed from the places where these fibers are produced. Bringing designers back to the source would result in greater transparency and traceability in fashion that would allow designers to make choices that are kinder to people and the planet.

The fast fashion system thrives on building one, uniform, global fashion system that requires a lack of transparency and traceability to continue perpetuating its profit-seeking harms. On the other hand, a more equitable future of fashion will comprise multiple regional and local textile systems that are each in tune with the contexts of local communities.

But what will it take to get there, in practice? Well, in today’s episode, Stella chats with Laura Sansone, who is passionate about creating regional and regenerative textile systems. Laura is an Assistant Professor of Textiles at Parsons School of Design and she is the creator of New York Textile Lab (@nytextilelab) a design and consulting company that supports environmentally responsible textile methods and bioregional systems of production.

TRANSCRIPT AVAILABLE HERE

***

EPISODE SPONSORS:

Kotn

Kotn is a slow fashion brand that's taking transparency to a new level with their fully traceable supply chain. 

The brand sources the cotton for their collection directly from over 2,000 smallholder cotton farmers in the Nile Delta in Egypt and ensures living wages and fair working conditions along every step of the way, from seed to final stitch.

Each piece from Kotn is made ethically and transparently with natural materials — like long-staple Egyptian cotton, recycled cotton, and linen — by people earning living wages.

Get 15% off sitewide from June 20th to August 31st, 2023 by using the code CONSCIOUS15.

 

Juliemay

Juliemay offers a natural alternative to the synthetic-heavy lingerie market. They use GOTS-certified organic pima cotton as their main fabric, line all of their products with Mulberry peace silk’ and do not use harsh chemicals in production.

The brand is accredited by AllergyUK to be friendly for people with allergic reactions to synthetic fibers and who have sensitive skin. This is something that I have become personally really interested in since I started to experience psoriasis after wearing synthetic undergarments myself a few years ago. 

Additionally, Juliemay has bras for a wide range of circumstances, like post-surgery bras or bras that offer back support. Juliemay also supports several environmental and social impact nonprofits.

Use the code SOCIAL15 for 15% off at Juliemay!

***

SHOW NOTES & LINKS:

https://www.consciouslifeandstyle.com/laura-sansone

***

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15 Nov 202268) Can Fast Fashion Brands Ever Be Sustainable?00:47:40

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.

 

*****

ARTICLE VERSION:

https://www.consciouslifeandstyle.com/can-fast-fashion-be-sustainable/

 

TRANSCRIPT:

https://conscious-style-podcast.simplecast.com/episodes/can-fast-fashion-brands-ever-be-sustainable/transcript

 

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29 Jun 202111) Fashion Activism: It's Time for Brands to #PayUp with Ayesha Barenblat00:49:16

In this episode, Ayesha Barenblat, the founder and CEO of the ethical fashion nonprofit Remake, is breaking down:

 

  • What led to the success of the #PayUp movement and what the current status of this campaign is;
  • Why fashion has for too long left out the people side of sustainability, and how harmful this is to the 'sustainable fashion' movement;
  • What types of transparency we need from fashion brands to actually hold them accountable;
  • How we can be allies for the people who make our clothes and center garment workers in conversations about sustainability;
  • The power imbalances between workers, factories, and brands, and what can be done to fix this;
  • If paying living wages is REALLY as difficult as brands say it is;
  • What types of legal reforms we need to transform the industry;
  • And more!

 

 

FULL SHOW NOTES & TRANSCRIPT

https://www.consciouslifeandstyle.com/fashion-activism-brands-pay-up/

 

 

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26 Apr 202243) What If Fashion Labels Were Like Nutrition Facts Labels? | with Matt Stockamp of Nisolo00:47:28

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

 

LINKS MENTIONED:

 

CONNECT WITH NISOLO:

 

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16 Aug 202255) Cultural Misappropriation and Cultural Sustainability in Fashion | with Monica Boța-Moisin of Cultural IP Rights Initiative01:01:58

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.

 

*****

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 laundry essentials to help make your loved clothes last!

*****

 

FULL SHOW NOTES & TRANSCRIPT:

https://www.consciouslifeandstyle.com/monica-moisin-cultural-intellectual-property-rights/

 

EPISODE MENTIONED:

 

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13 May 202102) What is Sustainable Fashion?00:29:43

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.

 

 

LINKS MENTIONED:

 

 

TEXT VERSION OF EPISODE + MORE LINKS: 

https://www.consciouslifeandstyle.com/what-is-sustainable-fashion/

 

 

CONNECT WITH CONSCIOUS STYLE:

Website: consciouslifeandstyle.com

Instagram: instagram.com/consciousstyle

Conscious Edit Newsletter: consciouslifeandstyle.com/edit

 

 

05 Oct 202120) How Can We Make Mending Mainstream? with Josephine Philips of Sojo00:27:34

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:

  • Why mending is the "forgotten" circular fashion solution
  • How we can make mending more mainstream
  • The importance of sustaining local tailoring and seamster businesses
  • And more!

 

FULL SHOW NOTES & TRANSCRIPT

 

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.

 

 

CONNECT WITH JOSEPHINE & SOJO

 

 

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17 Dec 2024109) How this Founder is Creating Solutions, Not Just More Stuff with Karen Poirier of Embrago00:46:11

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!

*****

🎧  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

*****

✨ CONNECT WITH KAREN >> embrago.com

Website: embrago.com

Instagram: @embragoclothing

06 Sep 202258) The History of Fast Fashion | with Sara Idacavage01:03:02

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.

 

*****

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 laundry essentials to help make your loved clothes last!

*****

 

FULL SHOW NOTES & TRANSCRIPT:

https://www.consciouslifeandstyle.com/history-fast-fashion/

 

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EPISODES MENTIONED:

 

CONNECT WITH SARA:

 

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https://www.consciouslifeandstyle.com/edit

 

 

27 Sep 202261) Fashion's Waste Crisis in the Atacama Desert | with SumOfUs and Desierto Vestido00:46:16

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…

 

*****

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 laundry essentials to help make your loved clothes last!

*****

 

FULL SHOW NOTES & TRANSCRIPT:

https://www.consciouslifeandstyle.com/fashion-waste-atacama-desert

 

 

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EPISODE MENTIONED:

 

CONNECT WITH DESIERTO VESTIDO AND SUMOFUS:

 

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SUBSCRIBE TO THE CONSCIOUS EDIT

https://www.consciouslifeandstyle.com/edit

 

 

19 Nov 2024106) Behind the Greenwashing of "Artisan-Made", the Art of Collaboration, and Sustaining Yourself as a Creative with Anjali Purohit00:37:30

When you hear the term artisan-made, what do you think of? Do you assume that it means ethically made? Do you assume it's a certain aesthetic? Is it old-fashioned or contemporary?

In today's episode, Elizabeth is speaking with Anjali Purohit, founder and creative director of the home and fashion textiles brand Studio Variously to unpack and demystify all things artisan-made.

Anjali has over 20 years of experience in design, working globally with brands like Pottery Barn and Crate & Barrel. Based in the US for 16 years, she collaborates with artisans in India, Nepal, and Peru to create sustainable, handwoven textiles and home goods.

Anjali has won multiple design awards and was Eileen Fisher’s 2019 Artist in Residence, and continues to consult and develop ethical, artisan-made collections.

In this episode, you'll hear Anjali speak to the greenwashing of “artisan-made” goods and what it means for brands and designers to work ethically with artisans. Also in this conversion, the thread of “collaboration” kept coming up in really interesting ways!

Anjali not only talks about the processes of collaborating with artisans in India, but collaborating with her clients — whether that's retail buyers, interior designers, or end-customers — to see what is truly resonating with them. 

Think of it as an elegant dance balancing the heritage techniques that Variously's artisan partners work with, the physical realities of natural materials and natural dyes, and also what her ideal client actually wants in their home or wardrobe and importantly, is willing to invest in. She is constantly paying attention to what materials and formats people are excited about and willing to pay for. 

This isn't about following every trend, but Anjali has found a beautiful balance of keeping Variously's products relevant while also respecting traditional artisanal practices.

Anjali has been a Conscious Fashion Collective Member with us, so we've gotten to know her work over the past year and a half, and are so excited for all of you to get to know her work + insights now as well!

Iif you're also a slow fashion founder looking for community and resources to support you in your professional and business development, you can join us inside of the CFC Membership here: consciousfashion.co/community

 

CONNECT WITH ANJALI:

studiovariously.com

@studiovariously

LinkedIn

 

STAY IN TOUCH:

Subscribe to Slow Fashion Saturday

Join the CFC Membership

07 Dec 202129) Compostable Clothing, Natural Dyes, and Localized Fashion Systems with Lydia Wendt of California Cloth Foundry00:49:00

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:

  • What fully compostable clothing is and what elements might make natural fiber clothing no longer compostable
  • What the challenges are as a brand to create compostable clothing and
  • What natural dyes are and how they're different from low impact dyes 

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/

 

 

CONNECT WITH CALIFORNIA CLOTH FOUNDRY

 

 

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28 Feb 202378) How To Dress For Your Best Self | Shakaila Forbes-Bell00:49:53

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:

  • The chemical warfare we're up against when shopping
  • How we can make more mindful purchasing decisions
  • What the endowment effect is and how it can reduce fashion waste
  • Plus how you can do a wardrobe ethnography

(P.S. Shakaila was on the show before too in episode 24 discussing the psychology behind what and why we buy!)

***

EPISODE SPONSORS

Wearwell

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

***

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25 May 202105) Common Sustainable Fashion Myths BUSTED!00:27:49

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.

 

 

LINKS MENTIONED:

 

 

TEXT VERSION OF EPISODE + MORE LINKS: 

consciouslifeandstyle.com/sustainable-fashion-myths

 

 

CONNECT WITH CONSCIOUS STYLE:

Website: consciouslifeandstyle.com

Instagram: instagram.com/consciousstyle

Conscious Edit Newsletter: consciouslifeandstyle.com/edit

 

 

11 Apr 202381) How We Can Expand The Sustainable Fashion Conversation | Samata Pattinson, RCGD Global00:57:02

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

Passion Lilie

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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13 Jun 202387) Is It Possible to Overconsume Secondhand Fashion?00:24:18

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:

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***

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

***

GET THE TRANSCRIPT HERE

 

07 Sep 202116) What is Circular Fashion?00:36:19

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:

 

  • What circular fashion is,
  • What some of the different approaches to circularity are,
  •  What it will take for the linear fashion ecosystem to become circular,
  • Some common greenwashing schemes going on with circular fashion,
  • And more.

 

LINKS MENTIONED:

 

 

FULL SHOW NOTES & TRANSCRIPT

https://www.consciouslifeandstyle.com/circular-fashion/

 

 

CONNECT WITH CONSCIOUS STYLE:

21 Sep 202118) Creating a Circular Fashion Economy: The Opportunities and Challenges with Nicole Bassett00:39:18

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:

  • What the challenges are with transforming linear business models into circular ones;
  • How the Renewal Workshop helps fashion brands reduce their waste and become more circular;
  • The large-scale shifts businesses need to make to address the climate crisis;
  • Why brands are not talking about slowing down production and producing less;
  • How designers can start to design for circularity;
  • And more!

 

 

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:

 

 

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28 Sep 202119) Secondhand Textile Sourcing, Upcycled Clothing, and the Scalability of Rework with Natasha Haleshworth00:44:41

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:

  • What her sourcing process is like and what she keeps in mind when shopping for secondhand textiles;
  • What deadstock is and how the deadstock system really works in the fashion industry today;
  • What the production process looks like for reworked garments — and if that process can or should ever become scalable;
  • And her advice for other small businesses focused on pre-loved fashion and reworking.

 

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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21 Feb 202377) What Is Democratizing Fashion Truly About? | Natalie Shehata00:55:41

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

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

🌐 tommie Magazine

📸 Instagram: @tommiemag 

***

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14 Mar 202379) The Role of Fashion Legislation | Elizabeth Cline00:49:25

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

***

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25 Jul 202393) What If Fashion Put Workers First?00:24:46

What if fashion brands put garment workers first? What if a fashion brand set the prices they pay to their suppliers based on ensuring workers were making a living wage, rather than negotiating the prices as low as possible to maximize profits? 

This is part of implementing more responsible purchasing practices — purchasing practices meaning not how the consumer buys something, but how the brand purchases their orders from their suppliers, since most brands do not produce their own clothes. 

The reality is that right now the system is set up with the wrong incentives. For example, Buyers at many fashion brands receive bonuses if they achieve larger margins with their orders they purchase from their suppliers — larger margins meaning they pay their suppliers less, and thus the supplier will have less money to pay their workers fairly or invest in sustainability initiatives like transitioning to clean energy. 

So we need a paradigm shift. True systems change. 

And one proposal for doing so is worker-centric pricing, which Stella and I are going to dive into in this episode!

>>> TRANSCRIPT

*****

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

***

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📧Newsletter: https://www.consciouslifeandstyle.com/edit

🌐Website: consciouslifeandstyle.com

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14 Dec 202130) Regenerative Fashion and Rebuilding a Seed-to-Sew Supply Chain with Nishanth Chopra of Oshadi Collective00:40:31

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/

 

 

LINKS:

 

 

ABOUT OSHADI COLLECTIVE:

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.

 

 

CONNECT WITH OSHADI:

 

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20 Jun 202388) What Is Regenerative Fashion? with Safia Minney00:41:42

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

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

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

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CONNECT WITH SAFIA MINNEY:

🌐 Website: https://safia-minney.com/

📸 Instagram: @safia_minney

🐦 Twitter: @SafiaMinney

***

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12 Jul 202250) Why Is Fast Fashion So Addictive? | with Zainab Mahmood00:48:19

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:

  • What ultra-fast fashion exactly is
  • Why it's so addictive, especially for young people
  • How fast fashion's marketing tactics keep people hooked on their "drug"
  • The role that influencers play in overconsumption
  • And how we can start to challenge and change these fast fashion systems.

Hit play and join us in exploring just how fast fashion brands are "using every trick in the book to get us addicted"... 

 

***

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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03 May 202244) How to Identify High Quality Clothing | with Fashion Educator Zoe Hong00:59:37

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: 

  • Everything that goes into making a garment
  • Where fast fashion cuts corners with quality, design, and fit
  • How we can tell if a garment is high quality (even when shopping online)
  • And: what we can do to make our clothes LAST!

 

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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14 Feb 202376) Getting Off The Fashion Trend-Mill | Nina Gbor00:54:31

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:

  • The process of self knowledge when it comes to personal style,
  • Her personal style formula for finally getting off that fashion trend-mill
  • How the ever faster moving trend cycle leads to such immense levels of textile waste,
  • And the realities and multi-layered impacts of waste colonialism.

*****

EPISODE SPONSORS

Wearwell

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

***

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29 Aug 202398) Should Resale Sites Ban Fast Fashion?00:38:21

Is it green... or just greenwashing?

This week, we’re sharing a recap of a few Green or Greenwashing topics we covered this season! Green or Greenwashing is a segment on the podcast where we evaluate if a certain sustainability measure is more green or whether it veers into more of the greenwashing territory. These Green or Greenwashing segments were previously published at the end of some prior episodes.

The first segment we are resharing is whether third-party resale sites should ban fast fashion after a decision from Vestiaire Collective to do so. Then we will move into a recording where we discuss whether we really need "climate adaptive clothing". Finally, we evaluate if recycled polyester is truly circular. 

GET THE TRANSCRIPT
 

***


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27 Jul 202115) Sustainability Literacy and Becoming a Consumer Activist with Cynthia Dam00:46:47

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!

 

 

FULL SHOW NOTES & TRANSCRIPT:

www.consciouslifeandstyle.com/conscious-closet-consumer-activist/

 

 

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19 Apr 202242) How Can Fashion Brands Actually Become More Sustainable? | with Selina Ho of Recloseted00:37:24

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:

  • How can small fashion brands with limited resources integrate sustainability into their business?
  • How can existing fashion brands become more sustainable?
  • How can we tell (as individuals) if a brand is authentically interested in being more sustainable?
  • Since no brand can be perfectly 100% sustainable, how can we REALLY tell if a brand is green or just greenwashing?
  • How can genuinely conscious fashion brands navigate communicating their efforts WITHOUT *accidentally* veering into greenwashing territory?
  • How can true conscious brands stand out in an increasingly crowded — and greenwashed — market?

 

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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08 Nov 202267) Tips For Spotting Greenwashing | with Milos Vranes of Green Eco Dream00:51:46

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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https://www.consciouslifeandstyle.com/edit

 

 

25 Jan 202231) The Reality of the Secondhand Clothing Trade with Nikissi Serumaga of VINTAGE OR VIOLENCE00:51:43

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:

  • + The complex reverse supply chain that donated or recycled clothes go through,
  • + The social and economic impacts of secondhand clothing imports in Uganda,
  • + Who is really benefiting from this so-called circular fashion system or secondhand trade,
  • + Why Uganda — or other countries in East Africa — don't just ban the import of secondhand clothes, as is often suggested.

 

 

 

FULL SHOW NOTES & TRANSCRIPT:

https://www.consciouslifeandstyle.com/secondhand-clothing-trade-vintage-or-violence/

 

 

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01 Mar 202236) Behind the Scenes: Conscious Influencer-Brand Partnerships with Abigail Davidson of ADH Management01:17:20

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:

  • What the differences are between conscious creator-brand partnerships versus sort of typical or "mainstream" influencer partnerships, so to speak,
  • Her thoughts on navigating the tough balance of trying to be a sustainable influencer,
  • What the pros and cons are of working with small versus larger brands are,
  • Her perspectives on gifting partnerships (i.e. when a brand wants to gift an item in exchange for something in return)
  • And a TON of do's and don'ts for both brands and creators.

 

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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05 Apr 202240) What It's Really Like Working for Fast Fashion | with Amanda McCarty of Clotheshorse01:02:37

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:

  • How overproduction is part of fast fashion's business model
  • Why most deals today are really just a delusion
  • What drove the dramatic drop in quality of fashion
  • What the toxic environment is like many fast fashion corporate offices
  • How Amazon is taking the fashion world by storm (but not in a good way...)
  • And why small business is the future

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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30 Aug 202257) Tips For Starting A Slow Fashion Brand | with Selina Ho of Recloseted00:43:14

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.

 

*****

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 laundry essentials to help make your loved clothes last!

 

*****

FULL SHOW NOTES & TRANSCRIPT:

https://www.consciouslifeandstyle.com/starting-sustainable-fashion-brand

 

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EPISODE MENTIONED:

 

CONNECT WITH SELINA & RECLOSETED:

 

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SUBSCRIBE TO THE CONSCIOUS EDIT

https://www.consciouslifeandstyle.com/edit

 

02 Nov 202124) The Fascinating Psychology Behind Fashion and Consumption with Shakaila Forbes-Bell00:44:12

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:

  • How representation in fashion and media influences behavior and beliefs,
  • What the impact of virtue signaling or performative inclusion in fashion is,
  • And why people might actually buy MORE when they perceive something to be sustainable, and more.

 

FULL SHOW NOTES & TRANSCRIPT

https://www.consciouslifeandstyle.com/fashion-consumer-psychology/

 

WATCH THIS INTERVIEW ON YOUTUBE:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIKaxSd78Hqa8XA6cQf8tvg

 

RELEVANT LINKS:

 

CONNECT WITH SHAKAILA & FASHION IS PSYCHOLOGY

 

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12 Oct 202121) Social Media, Fast Fashion, and Shifting Overconsumption Culture with Lily Fang00:31:34

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:

  • Why fashion hauls are so problematic;
  • What some of the solutions are — on both an individual level and system level — for overconsumption and overproduction;
  • What she sees as the biggest misconceptions about sustainable fashion;
  • How we can make the space more inclusive; and
  • Her tips for talking to others about the problems in the industry without sounding preachy or judgmental.

 

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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01 Nov 202266) Defashioning and Creating A Pluriverse of Clothing Systems | with Fashion Act Now01:03:17

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. 

 

*****

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 laundry essentials to help make your loved clothes last!

*****

 

FULL SHOW NOTES & TRANSCRIPT:

https://www.consciouslifeandstyle.com/fashion-act-now

 

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08 Oct 2024103) Where Does Slow Fashion Go From Here?00:48:06

After what's been referred to as a "slow fashion recession", what's next for the movement? How can we come back stronger and make slow fashion so irresistible, that it becomes inevitable?

Those are big questions, but that's what we're exploring in this podcast episode! 

I'd love to hear your thoughts & ideas on this too — find me at @consciousstyle on Instagram or email me.

 

CONNECT:

💌 Slow Fashion Saturday Newsletter

🌱 Join the CFC Membership (community for sustainable fashion professionals & founders)

♻️ Upcycling Workshop

 

 

 

09 Aug 202254) Slowing Down Media | with Kestrel Jenkins of Conscious Chatter01:01:16

In this episode, Kestrel Jenkins — host of the Conscious Chatter podcast — is sharing her thoughts on slow media. Kestrel also shares:

  • If slow media could ever be compatible with social media
  • How algorithms impact us as content creators and content consumers
  • How news cycles have been speeding up — and what the impact has been
  • Why podcasting is such a powerful form of media
  • How we can start to slow down our consumption (and production) of media

 

Hit play to join this conversation on slowing down media.

 

*****

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 laundry essentials to help make your loved clothes last!

*****

 

FULL SHOW NOTES & TRANSCRIPT:

https://www.consciouslifeandstyle.com/kestrel-jenkins-conscious-chatter

 

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https://www.consciouslifeandstyle.com/edit

 

 

13 Sep 202259) Disrupting Power Dynamics in Fashion | with Niha Elety of Tega Collective00:47:58

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.

 

*****

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 laundry essentials to help make your loved clothes last!

*****

 

FULL SHOW NOTES & TRANSCRIPT:

https://www.consciouslifeandstyle.com/niha-elety-tega-collective

 

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01 Aug 202394) Can Slow Fashion Businesses Scale Without Encouraging Overconsumption? With Mahdiyyah Muhammad00:49:04

How can we reimagine the traditional role of fashion designers in a world filled with fashion waste? And how can we rethink our primary role as consumers in a way that allows us to become contributors to collective well-being instead? 

It’s no secret that we live in a world with far too much clothing. If we are to work towards a more sustainable fashion industry, we need to unpack the ways that fashion brands and designers can pivot away from the mainstream business model of take-make-waste and embrace alternative sustainable fashion business models that limit waste. And our mindset as consumers plays a pivotal role in this too.

In this episode, we hear from Mahdiyyah Muhammad who is a sustainable fashion designer, circular fashion strategist, and educator. We’re talking about the realities of designing, building a business, and engaging with fashion and style in our current fashion system where all we need is less — less resource extraction, less consumption, less clothing waste, less focus on passing trends, and less exclusivity.

But, as you will hear from Mahdiyyah, to make this happen, we need more community. Cultivating community is essential for sharing resources and ideas, and creating meaningful connections, as well as making the slow fashion movement more accessible and inclusive.

***

EPISODE SPONSORS:

Kotn

Kotn is a slow fashion brand that's taking transparency to a new level with their fully traceable supply chain. 

The brand sources the cotton for their collection directly from over 2,000 smallholder cotton farmers in the Nile Delta in Egypt and ensures living wages and fair working conditions along every step of the way, from seed to final stitch.

Each piece from Kotn is made ethically and transparently with natural materials — like long-staple Egyptian cotton, recycled cotton, and linen — by people earning living wages.

Get 15% off sitewide from June 20th to August 31st, 2023 by using the code CONSCIOUS15.

Juliemay

Juliemay offers a natural alternative to the synthetic-heavy lingerie market. They use GOTS-certified organic pima cotton as their main fabric, line all of their products with Mulberry peace silk’ and do not use harsh chemicals in production.

The brand is accredited by AllergyUK to be friendly for people with allergic reactions to synthetic fibers and who have sensitive skin. This is something that I have become personally really interested in since I started to experience psoriasis after wearing synthetic undergarments myself a few years ago. 

Additionally, Juliemay has bras for a wide range of circumstances, like post-surgery bras or bras that offer back support. Juliemay also supports several environmental and social impact nonprofits.

Use the code SOCIAL15 for 15% off at Juliemay!

***

SHOW NOTES:

https://www.consciouslifeandstyle.com/mahdiyyah-muhammad

***

TRANSCRIPT
 

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

***

CONNECT WITH MAHDIYYAH MUHAMMAD:

🌐 Website: www.mahdiyyah.co

📸 Instagram: @mahdiyyahofficial

💼 LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/mahdiyyah-muhammad-423942a8/

***

CONNECT WITH CONSCIOUS STYLE:

📧Newsletter: https://www.consciouslifeandstyle.com/edit

🌐Website: consciouslifeandstyle.com

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26 Mar 2024102) Leveraging Your Slow Fashion Skills To Make Money Beyond Products00:37:16

For our first-ever Conscious Fashion Collective Membership panel discussion, we discussed a topic that is often taboo in the slow fashion space — money! We believe that financial sustainability is essential for creating a more just, and sustainable, fashion ecosystem with thriving businesses that care about people and the planet.

💰 WE DISCUSSED:

  • Taboos/misconceptions about making money in the slow fashion space,
  • What alternative business models and revenue streams can be successful for slow fashion brands who don’t want to follow the traditional fast fashion trajectory,
  • Slow fashion pricing and forecasting,
  • How freelancers can go about finding clients, retaining clients, and creating a client rotation that allows for financial sustainability,
  • How to diversify your slow fashion skills and develop alternative streams of income/business offerings,
  • And SO MUCH more!

 

This episode was brought to you by…

Conscious Fashion Collective Membership: the global community for sustainable fashion professionals, freelancers, and entrepreneurs.

Doors will be closing to new members on Friday, March 29th as we prepare to add even more value to the membership.

When we reopen, we'll be increasing the price to account for the additional value. If you sign-up this week, you'll lock-in our current pricing for the lifetime of your membership.

Learn more + join us: consciousfashion.co/community

 

LINKS:

CONNECT WITH CONSCIOUS STYLE:

📧Newsletter: https://www.consciouslifeandstyle.com/subscribe

🌐Website: consciouslifeandstyle.com

📸 Instagram: @consciousstyle

27 Jun 202389) Will Return Fees Reduce Overconsumption?00:19:03

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

 

 

13 Dec 202272) What's Driving Overconsumption in Fashion?00:52:55

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.

 

*****

 

READ THE TRANSCRIPT

https://conscious-style-podcast.simplecast.com/episodes/72-whats-driving-overconsumption-in-fashion

 

RESOURCES MENTIONED:

 

CONNECT WITH CONSCIOUS STYLE:

📧Newsletter: https://www.consciouslifeandstyle.com/edit

🌐Website: consciouslifeandstyle.com

📸 Instagram: @consciousstyle

📹 YouTube: @consciouslifeandstyle

📌 Pinterest: @consciouslifeandstyle

 

04 Jul 202390) Rethinking The Traditional Supply Chain with Ria Ana Sejpal of LilaBare00:59:33

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

Kotn is a slow fashion brand that's taking transparency to a new level with their fully traceable supply chain. 

The brand sources the cotton for their collection directly from over 2,000 smallholder cotton farmers in the Nile Delta in Egypt and ensures living wages and fair working conditions along every step of the way, from seed to final stitch.

Each piece from Kotn is made ethically and transparently with natural materials — like long-staple Egyptian cotton, recycled cotton, and linen — by people earning living wages.

Get 15% off sitewide from June 20th to August 31st, 2023 by using the code CONSCIOUS15.

***

Juliemay

Juliemay offers a natural alternative to the synthetic-heavy lingerie market. They use GOTS-certified organic pima cotton as their main fabric, line all of their products with Mulberry peace silk’ and do not use harsh chemicals in production.

The brand is accredited by AllergyUK to be friendly for people with allergic reactions to synthetic fibers and who have sensitive skin. This is something that I have become personally really interested in since I started to experience psoriasis after wearing synthetic undergarments myself a few years ago. 

Additionally, Juliemay has bras for a wide range of circumstances, like post-surgery bras or bras that offer back support. Juliemay also supports several environmental and social impact nonprofits.

Use the code SOCIAL15 for 15% off at Juliemay!

***

SHOW NOTES:

https://www.consciouslifeandstyle.com/ria-ana-sejpal-lilabare

***

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***

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🌐 Website: https://lilabare.com/

📸 Instagram: @lilabare

***

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11 May 202101) What is Ethical Fashion?00:27:22

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.

 

 

LINKS:

 

 

TEXT VERSION OF EPISODE + MORE LINKS: 

consciouslifeandstyle.com/what-is-ethical-fashion/

 

 

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Conscious Edit Newsletter: consciouslifeandstyle.com/edit

 

 

20 May 202104) 7 Types of Greenwashing in Fashion00:14:57

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!

 

 

23 Aug 202256) Style Psychology and The Drivers Of Consumption | with Dr. Dion Terrelonge01:10:34

Hear from fashion psychologist Dr. Dion Terrelonge about style psychology and the forces driving us to (over)consume. In this episode, Dion talks about:

  • Clothing and identity, especially as it relates to young people
  • Some of the driving forces behind conspicuous (i.e. very visible) consumption
  • The psychology behind the acceleration of fashion consumption
  • Why some of us might have cognitive dissonance between knowing the harms of the fashion industry and still continuing to overconsume
  • How we can start to slow down our consumption
  • How we can harness the positive power of fashion to improve our wellbeing

Hit play to hear all of Dion's insights!

 

*****

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 laundry essentials to help make your loved clothes last!

*****

 

FULL SHOW NOTES & TRANSCRIPT:

https://www.consciouslifeandstyle.com/dion-terrelonge-fashion-psychologist

 

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11 Oct 202263) Hustle Culture, Boundaries, and Quitting Social Media as a Small Biz Owner | with Saskia de Feijter, part 200:56:24

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.

 

*****

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 laundry essentials to help make your loved clothes last!

 

*****

FULL SHOW NOTES & TRANSCRIPT:

https://www.consciouslifeandstyle.com/hustle-culture-sustainable-entrepreneur

 

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EPISODE MENTIONED:

 

CONNECT WITH SASKIA DE FEIJTER AND JA WOL:

 

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06 Dec 202271) Is Sustainable Fashion Always More Expensive?00:44:49

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!

 

*****

READ THE TRANSCRIPT

https://conscious-style-podcast.simplecast.com/episodes/71-is-slow-fashion-more-expensive

 

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15 Jun 202109) Creating an Intersectional Sustainable Fashion Future with Sophia Yang (Part 2)00:32:04

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:

 

  • How we can get started with or continue fashion activism,
  • What artivism is and how it could bring more people into the sustainable fashion and social justice movements,
  • The importance of engaging youth in ethical fashion,
  • and more.

 

 

FULL SHOW NOTES & TRANSCRIPT

https://www.consciouslifeandstyle.com/intersectional-sustainable-fashion-future/

 

 

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15 Aug 202396) Unpacking Climate Emotions with Isaias Hernandez of Queer Brown Vegan00:57:27

After learning about climate emotions, and seeing climate doomism proliferated in the media, Stella knew she wanted to have Isaias on the show to unpack this and understand how it's connected to the fashion industry.

In this episode, Isaias Hernandez (who you might also know as @queerbrownvegan on social media) unpacks  the complexity of climate emotions and the harms of climate doomism narratives, and discusses why  “evidence-based hope” is essential for reorienting action and working towards equitable solutions for the fashion industry - and how we can all cultivate this hope in our own lives. 

Hit play to dive in!

 

***

EPISODE SPONSORS:

Osei-Duro

Osei-Duro is a slow, artisan-made sustainable fashion brand based in Ghana using handmade textile techniques to create contemporary garments that are true works of art.

Their colorful, bold-printed clothing is hand-dyed and sewn in Ghana by small-scale artisans and manufactured to support the local apparel industry. And they have extended sizes, with many styles going up to 4X.

Osei-Duro's clothing is made with care — and the people behind these garments treat each other with the same care and respect. The small business pays full-time wages for a 4-day work week and offers numerous benefits including full health insurance and maternity coverage.

Get 20% off sitewide by using the code CONSCIOUSSTYLE20.

Kotn

Kotn is a slow fashion brand that's taking transparency to a new level with their fully traceable supply chain. 

The brand sources the cotton for their collection directly from over 2,000 smallholder cotton farmers in the Nile Delta in Egypt and ensures living wages and fair working conditions along every step of the way, from seed to final stitch.

Each piece from Kotn is made ethically and transparently with natural materials — like long-staple Egyptian cotton, recycled cotton, and linen — by people earning living wages.

Get 15% off sitewide from June 20th to August 31st, 2023 by using the code CONSCIOUS15.

***

SHOW NOTES:

https://www.consciouslifeandstyle.com/isaias-hernandez

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

***

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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15 Feb 202234) The Power of Style, Shifting Consumption Habits, and Building a Values-Based Business with Elyse Holladay00:58:19

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:

  • The power of style — and why that power has been so underestimated
  • What personal style coaching is all about
  • The importance of habits, why it's so challenging to shift consumption behaviors, and how we can start to interrogate that
  • How she integrates her values into her business
  • The balance of fair pricing as a socially conscious business
  • Her advice for others who want to start service-based slow fashion businesses of their own.

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/

 

RELEVANT LINKS:

 

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08 Mar 202237) The Complexities of Being a Sustainable Influencer or Creator00:47:13

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:

  • The balancing act of working with brands while sustaining my values of minimalism, slow fashion, and conscious consumption;
  • How to provide more value to brands beyond promoting their products;
  • Diversifying income streams and platforms to not be overly dependent on social media or advertising;
  • Creating content that’s meaningful, educational, and one that drives change without being caught up in the numbers games;
  • Dealing with negative comments on social media and talking about challenging (sometimes controversial) topics while setting boundaries;
  • And more.

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/

 

CONNECT WITH ELIZABETH & CONSCIOUS STYLE:

 

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CREATOR CONSULTING SERVICES:
https://www.consciouslifeandstyle.com/contact/consulting-services/

 

19 Oct 202122) Aja Barber on Colonialism, Consumerism, and Changing the Fashion Industry00:51:02

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:

  • How the fashion industry been shaped by colonization, and what its lasting legacies are;
  • Why fast fashion isn't actually affordable (for the planet, the people in the supply chain, and even for us as consumers); and
  • Her advice for how we can begin to address the issues in the industry.

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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01 Jun 202107) How to Make the Most Out of Your Wardrobe with Jess Atkins00:32:21

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:

  • How organizing our closets (digitally or IRL) can help us wear our clothes more
  • What is so universally appealing beyond the slow fashion bubble about wardrobe organization and how this can help us achieve a more sustainable fashion future
  • How to realistically calculate your cost per wear of a piece
  • The importance of taking a shopping break on a conscious fashion journey
  • The benefits of investing in quality clothes — and how to identify a quality garment in the first place
  • And more!

 

 

QUICK LINKS:

 

 

FULL SHOW NOTES & TRANSCRIPT

 

 

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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31 Jan 202374) What A Responsible Closet Clean-Out Looks Like — Plus Personal Style Tips | Sophie Strauss01:00:04

Sustainably-minded stylist Sophie Strauss shares advice on how to do a responsible closet audit.

Plus Sophie and I discuss:

  • What even is personal style in the first place?
  • Do you need to have a go-to personal uniform?
  • Can we (and should we) still participate in trends if we're dressing for our personal style?
  • How can we balance experimentation with understanding our personal style?

***

EPISODE SPONSORS

Wearwell

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/sophie-strauss-personal-stylist

***

CONNECT WITH SOPHIE STRAUSS:

🌐 Website www.sophiestraussstyling.com

📸 Instagram: @sophiestraussstyling

***

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16 Nov 202126) Inside the Indigenous-Owned Circular Fashion Brand Anne Mulaire00:39:16

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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01 Feb 202232) How to Launch a Slow Fashion Brand & Why Pre-Selling is the Future with Shannon Lohr of Factory4500:35:10

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:

  • How Factory45 helps fashion entrepreneurs get started from scratch without VC funding or thousands of dollars to invest
  • How to create an eco-friendly product that considers the context of functionality and durability
  • The unique challenges that small, slow fashion businesses face
  • What pre-selling and on-demand manufacturing are and why she recommends these models as more environmentally and financially sustainable approaches
  • How entrepreneurs can build an authentic audience before they've even produced their product, and more.

 

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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29 Mar 202239) Sustainable Fashion Resources That Transformed My Journey00:36:12

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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18 Mar 2025110) "Sustainability is Not Just a Buzzword" | LIVE Panel Recording00:53:42

I'm so excited to be bringing you this special edition episode featuring the recording of our LIVE panel discussion in Chicago with Chicago Fair Trade and 3 of their business members. This was such a fun event to uncover the powerful stories behind these purpose-driven founders in Chicago and what ethically-made and sustainably-made mean in practice. 

We've all seen words like "sustainable" become buzzwords by Big Fashion, but what does it actually look like to do the work to ensure fair employment, responsible sourcing, and mindful production? This was an ongoing theme throughout the panel — each of these founders' ideas of sustainability was distinct and yet overlapped.

Pushpika Freitas, founder of Marketplace Handwork of India, told the story of partnering with artisans in India to create truly fair trade fashion; Jamie Hayes, founder of Production Mode, discussed what it really takes to produce ethically in the US today (hint: "made in the US" does NOT automatically equal ethical); and Vanessa Arroyo shared how her heritage and 15+ years in fashion helped her build an authentic, ethical footwear brand.

 

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14 Sep 202117) More Creativity, Less Consumption: Tips from Slow Fashion Stylist Alyssa Beltempo00:34:33

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:

  • Tips for ways we can maximize a piece's use and discover more outfit combinations;
  • How to "get the look" of outfits we see and love using only the items already in our wardrobes;
  • How to break down style elements to emulate an aesthetic without copying exact looks or having to buy new things;
  • Why it's so important to get past the idea that fashion is just about shopping; and more.

 

 

FULL SHOW NOTES & TRANSCRIPT

https://www.consciouslifeandstyle.com/sustainable-stylist-tips

 

 

WATCH THIS INTERVIEW ON YOUTUBE:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIKaxSd78Hqa8XA6cQf8tvg

 

 

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