Guest: Gio Zenteno

Guest: Dan Xavier, Aii Product Manager

La Rhea Pepper is the Chief Executive Officer and co-founder of the global non-profit Textile Exchange and a life-long advocate for more sustainable practices in the apparel and textile industry.  For more than 18 years, Textile Exchange has been at the forefront of driving meaningful change towards preferred, organic and regenerative fibers. After spearheading the successful growth of the organic cotton market, Textile Exchange (formerly Organic Exchange) has expanded the chain of custody standards beyond Organic Fibers, to include recycled rPET, as well as Responsible Down, Responsible Wool and Mohair.  

A 5th generation farmer and the co-founder of two successful organic cotton businesses, La Rhea’s unique perspective helps her lead Textile Exchange along with its pioneering Members to create preferred fiber and material strategies, strengthen integrity in the market place through the adoption of standards and promote deeper engagement within the supply network.

Prior to Textile Exchange, La Rhea and her late husband, Terry, were founding members of the Texas Organic Cotton Marketing Cooperative (TOCMC) in 1993.  Today, TOCMC is the largest organic cotton cooperative in the United States. Together, they built and demonstrated a sustainable business model for farmers creating strategic partnerships with various manufacturers and “value-added” programs including Cotton Plus (organic fabric) and Organic Essentials (organic personal care products). 

In 1995, La Rhea served on the Administrative Council for Southern Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) and two years later was elected to the Organic Trade Association’s Fiber Council Steering Committee. She joined the Organic Trade Association’s Board of Directors in 1998 where she supported the creation of organic fiber processing standards and chain of custody for the industry. Continuing to serve and support advocacy for family farms in the US, she more recently served as chair for RAFI – the Rural Advancement Foundation International from 2015-2018.  La Rhea is currently serving on the board of Directors for CottonConnect and the Regenerative Organic Alliance.

Ms. Pepper holds a Bachelor of Science in Education from Abilene Christian University and a Master’s of Science in Organizational Leadership from Lubbock Christian University. 

www.TextileExchange.org

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About Apparel Impact Institute (Aii)
Aii identifies, funds, scales and measures proven quality solutions to accelerate positive impact in the fashion industry. At Aii, we look for scalable solutions and best practices that can be applied to the entire value chain. By improving upon the environmental footprint of the current industrial model we (know/recognize) the key to unlocking the future will involve new innovations of materials, manufacturing and business models. Learn more: 
Website:  http://www.apparelimpact.org
Instagram +Twitter: @apparelimpactinstitute

Amina Razvi is the Executive Director of the Sustainable Apparel Coalition (SAC). Under Amina’s leadership, the SAC’s 250+ members develop the Higg Index, a suite of tools that measure environmental and social impacts in the apparel, footwear, and textile industry. Previously, Amina was the Vice President of Membership at the SAC. Prior to joining the SAC, Amina led environmental initiatives on Gap Inc.’s global sustainability team. She has a Master of Architecture degree from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. 
SAC Website: https://apparelcoalition.org/

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About Apparel Impact Institute (Aii)
Aii identifies, funds, scales and measures proven quality solutions to accelerate positive impact in the fashion industry. At Aii, we look for scalable solutions and best practices that can be applied to the entire value chain. By improving upon the environmental footprint of the current industrial model we (know/recognize) the key to unlocking the future will involve new innovations of materials, manufacturing and business models. Learn more: 
Website:  http://www.apparelimpact.org
Instagram +Twitter: @apparelimpactinstitute

Marci has been instrumental in driving authenticity, environmental leadership & social justice worldwide for nearly three decades. With a degree from the Haas Business School at UC Berkeley, Marci co-founded a thriving health & environmental educational center in 1990 with an organic café, AVEDA concept salon, and national magazine. Now known as The Institute for Integrative Nutrition, it is the largest professional health coach certification program in the world.

ECOFASHION
Marci coined the term “ECOfashion” in 1995 and pioneered the fusion of ecology and fashion. Her vision: to style the world of change, while changing the world of style. Today, this movement is at a tipping point.

Marci keynotes, speaks and consults internationally on sustainable fashion, organic & regenerative agriculture, strategic vision, social innovation and green business/design. She was a key driver in developing the Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS), as well as the world’s first Fair Trade Textile Certification with Fair Trade USA. She has spearheaded and launched first time organic/sustainable fashion initiatives in top retailers — such as Whole Foods Market, Macy’s, Target, Bed Bath & Beyond and AVEDA.

Marci’s achievements have been recognized throughout her career. She is both a Royal Society of the Arts (RSA) Fellow and a Henry Crown Fellow of the Aspen Institute. Marci has been honored by Retail TouchPoint’s “Retail Innovator Award”, ABC News’ “Legends and Legacies”, New York Moves’ “Power Woman Award”, Fashion Group International’s “Rising Star Award” and ELLE Magazine’s “Mercury Style Award” to name a few. She is also featured in the book: “ECO AMAZONS: 20 Women Who Are Transforming the World.”

Marci is an officer on the Board of Directors of both the Organic Trade Association and the Textile Exchange as well as Fashion Revolution USA. She serves on the Advisory Boards of the Cradle to Cradle Innovation Institute’s “Fashion Positive”, Turning Green, Fair Trade USA and others. Marci’s first book—ECOrenaissance: Co-creating a Stylish, Sexy & Sustainable World—was published by Simon & Schuster in August 2018.

An artist, yoga enthusiast, and mother of two “green” Millennials, Marci lives in New York City with her #greenmoregirls daughter Jade and ecopreneur husband & twin flame soulmate, Eric Schnell.

https://marcizaroff.com/

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About Apparel Impact Institute (Aii)
Aii identifies, funds, scales and measures proven quality solutions to accelerate positive impact in the fashion industry. At Aii, we look for scalable solutions and best practices that can be applied to the entire value chain. By improving upon the environmental footprint of the current industrial model we (know/recognize) the key to unlocking the future will involve new innovations of materials, manufacturing and business models. Learn more: 
Website:  http://www.apparelimpact.org
Instagram +Twitter: @apparelimpactinstitute

Burak Cakmak is a strategic catalyst with extensive experience in corporate, academic and non-profit organizations building innovation driven sustainable solutions.

He is the co-founder of Thean.co, a strategic fashion consultancy and The Digital Fashion Group, a European collaboration between fashion and technology.

Most recently he served 5 years as the Dean of Fashion at Parsons School of Design where he led the implementation of a new innovative curriculum for fashion design and business programs. During his tenure, he leveraged his expertise in sustainable design to emphasize socially conscious and transformational design to formulate the educational approach and training of the next generation of creators. His experience includes directional roles at corporate and non-profit institutions including Swarovski Group, Gap Inc and Kering’s luxury brands. Under his leadership, he oversaw implementation of best-practice industry standards across all business functions, including raw material sourcing, supply chain management, manufacturing, and retail operations.

He sits on the board of ‘Nest’, a non-profit organization building a new handworker economy, and is on the expert panels for innovation focused initiatives the Global Change Award, Kering’s K-Generation Award and LVMH Prize.

He has been invited to speak at a number of prominent, globally recognized conferences including the Copenhagen Fashion Summit, WebSummit and Fashion Asia Hong Kong. He has served on expert juries including the CFDA + Lexus Fashion* Initiative, and Open Style Lab and has lectured as a visiting professor at SKEMA Business School in France and China.

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About Apparel Impact Institute (Aii)
Aii identifies, funds, scales and measures proven quality solutions to accelerate positive impact in the fashion industry. At Aii, we look for scalable solutions and best practices that can be applied to the entire value chain. By improving upon the environmental footprint of the current industrial model we (know/recognize) the key to unlocking the future will involve new innovations of materials, manufacturing and business models. Learn more:
Website:  http://www.apparelimpact.org​
Instagram +Twitter: @apparelimpactinstitute

KURT KIPKA, VICE PRESIDENT at APPAREL IMPACT INSTITUTE
As Vice President of Apparel Impact Institute, Kurt manages the growth and longevity of global programs including Clean by Design – a proven platform for improving the resource efficiency of textile mills in collaboration with multinational brands. Prior to joining Aii, he spent three years at the environmental non-profit, Natural Resources Defense Council, where he focused on developing platforms and tools to measure and improve environmental performance of leading brands and retailers. Kurt also spent 10 years in retail sourcing and has served as chair and active member of several retail industry councils and steering teams.

Kurt earned a BA in International Business from St. John’s University and an MBA from the University of Minnesota – Carlson School of Business.

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About Apparel Impact Institute (Aii)
Aii identifies, funds, scales and measures proven quality solutions to accelerate positive impact in the fashion industry. At Aii, we look for scalable solutions and best practices that can be applied to the entire value chain. By improving upon the environmental footprint of the current industrial model we (know/recognize) the key to unlocking the future will involve new innovations of materials, manufacturing and business models. Learn more:
Website:  http://www.apparelimpact.org
Instagram +Twitter: @apparelimpactinstitute

On Earth Day, Aii President, Lewis Perkins, talks about where we are in the sustainable fashion movement, how consumer/ citizens can better address their closet and make "green" choices, and what's coming next....   Join us. 

About Apparel Impact Institute (Aii)
Aii identifies, funds, scales and measures proven quality solutions to accelerate positive impact in the fashion industry. At Aii, we look for scalable solutions and best practices that can be applied to the entire value chain. By improving upon the environmental footprint of the current industrial model we (know/recognize) the key to unlocking the future will involve new innovations of materials, manufacturing and business models. 
Learn more: www.apparelimpact.org
Follow up on social:  @apparelimpactinstitute

Jasmin Malik Chua is the sourcing and labor editor at Sourcing Journal, where she writes about the apparel and footwear industry through the lens of sustainability and human rights. Her work has appeared in the New York Times, Vogue Business, the Business of Fashion, Vox, The Daily Beast, Nylon and InStyle, among others.

https://jasminchua.com/
Instagram+Twitter: @jasminchua

Bandana Tewari is a lifestyle journalist and sustainability activist. 

She writes for The Business of Fashion extensively on a variety of topics from indigenous ‘made-by-hand’ economies of India and Indonesia, to transgender and LGBTQ representation in fashion. For Paro Good Earth, her writing focusses on ancient Indian wisdom—Vedanta. 

She is a Special Advisor to Copenhagen Fashion Summit and sits on several advisory boards—NEST (NYC), Redress (Hong Kong), Global Fashion Agenda (Stockholm), South Asian Fashion Show (NYC) amongst others.

Bandana is a TEDx speaker. She travels the world speaking in conferences about mindfulness in the luxury business, with a special focus on Gandhi & Fashion—a speech that focuses on sartorial integrity. Her speaker assignments have taken her to countries as varied as Berlin, Sydney, Kolkata and Jakarta amongst others.

As Vogue India’s Editor-at-Large for 13 years, Bandana was responsible for planning, visualizing and ideating fashion features for the ultimate style bible. Her ringside view of the rapidly evolving industry coupled with her signature ability to take the long view in every commentary has made her one of India’s foremost authorities on fashion and lifestyle.  

Bandana’s pieces have also appeared in well-regarded publications such as The New York Times, Vogue Arabia, Harper’s Bazaar India, US Vogue, UK Vogue, Wallpaper*, and Tank, in addition to several leading Indian journals such as Platform, Hindustan Times and The Hindu. She has scripted and hosted 50 episodes of ‘Simply Style” the first fashion series in Indian television, as well as the first series of fashion webisodes online.

Instagram+Twitter: @behavebandana

Meet Kali Hough.   Activist and Student Leader for FashionX.
A Brooklynite and Stanford student, Kali Hough currently leads the student group, FashionX, a collective of young people thinking, discussing and writing about some of fashion's most pressing questions. While her own research focuses on sustainability and waste management within the industry, she aims to encourage more POC youth into fashion as they challenge issues of diversity, labor and technology.
Learn more about FashionX: https://www.stanfordfashionx.com/

Guests:

• Arindam Saha, Director, Advisory, PwC
• Phil Patterson, Climate Solutions Portfolio Advisory Council member
• Pauline Op de Beeck, Environmental Portfolio Lead, Aii

About Zem Joaquin:
Zem founded the Near Future Summit, a visionary event that seeks to scale solutions to the world’s most pressing problems. It is driven by leading tech founders, investors, inventors, and influencers. Prior to Near Future, she founded ecofabulous.com which became part of Huffington Post in 2015 and remains the reigning authority on stylish sustainability. Zem helped create, and is still an active board member of the Cradle to Cradle Product Innovation Institute. She executed the Dwell on Design show-houses for six years in a row, and is also an advisor. Additionally, she founded (alongside Leonardo DiCaprio and Matt Petersen) and chaired the Gorgeous and Green Gala for Global Green for 10 years. Zem has been an active advisor to NRG, eBay, Obvious Ventures and many other forward-thinking, inspirational organizations.
https://www.nearfuturesummit.com/

Linda Greer is a specialist in industrial chemical pollution, currently working as a Global Fellow with the Institute of Public and Environmental Affairs, the leading environmental NGO in China.  

A Ph.D. toxicologist by training, Linda has worked extensively to improve US environmental law and policy as well as on voluntary corporate sustainability initiatives.  She created Clean by Design, a green supply chain initiative to reduce the impact of the apparel sector with efficiency improvements that save money.  She has testified frequently before the U.S. Congress, authored many technical and policy articles, and served on numerous expert panels and boards.  

Lewis speaks with friend and industry "influencer" before social media became the tastemaker of our times.  Fashion industry veteran Julie Gilhart is Chief Development Officer of Tomorrow and President of Tomorrow Projects. In 2011, she founded Julie Gilhart Consulting to connect and grow fashion brands with a desire to have a positive impact, and merged her business with Tomorrow in 2019. Prior to establishing her firm, Ms. Gilhart was Senior Vice President Fashion Director at Barneys New York for 18 years. She is a frequent speaker and panelist on building sustainable businesses, engaging emerging talent, and advocating shared innovation in the fashion industry. Ms. Gilhart resides in New York City.

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About Apparel Impact Institute (Aii)
Aii identifies, funds, scales and measures proven quality solutions to accelerate positive impact in the fashion industry. At Aii, we look for scalable solutions and best practices that can be applied to the entire value chain. By improving upon the environmental footprint of the current industrial model we (know/recognize) the key to unlocking the future will involve new innovations of materials, manufacturing and business models. 
Learn more: www.apparelimpact.org

Lewis Perkins, President at Apparel Impact Institute (Aii) speak with sustainable fashion leader - Claire Bergkamp - the Chief Operating Officer at Textile Exchange. Previous to joining Textile Exchange she held the position of Worldwide Sustainability and Innovation Director for over eight years at Stella McCartney, leading the global environmental, human rights and innovation strategy for the brand. During her time at the brand she built a qualified, high-functioning sustainability department and team, a purposeful strategy and ambitious project portfolio.
 
Claire is a purpose driven leader and a systems thinker who delivers measurable results. She is passionate about identifying and accelerating solutions and believes that textile supply chains and raw materials systems must be radically transformed at scale.
 
Claire serves in advisory and leadership positions for a wide range of collaborative initiatives. Notably, she is currently serving on the steering committee for the UNFCCC’s Fashion Industry Charter for Climate Action, where she is the co-chair for the Raw Materials Working Group. She also serves on the steering committee for the British Fashion Council’s Institute of Positive Fashion, is a senior advisor to the Stella McCartney board and CEO and is a trustee and board director for the Stella McCartney Foundation.

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About Apparel Impact Institute (Aii)
Aii identifies, funds, scales and measures proven quality solutions to accelerate positive impact in the fashion industry. At Aii, we look for scalable solutions and best practices that can be applied to the entire value chain. By improving upon the environmental footprint of the current industrial model we (know/recognize) the key to unlocking the future will involve new innovations of materials, manufacturing and business models. Learn more:
www.apparelimpact.org

About Textile Exchange 
Textile Exchange is a global nonprofit that creates leaders in the preferred fiber and materials industry.  In short, we build a community that can collectively accomplish what no individual or company can do alone. We develop, manage, and promote a suite of leading industry standards, as well as collect and publish critical industry data and insights that enable brands and retailers to measure, manage, and track their use of preferred fiber and materials. 
https://textileexchange.org/​

Eva Kruse is the former CEO of the Global Fashion Agenda, with its flagship event being Copenhagen Fashion Summit, the world’s most important forum on sustainable fashion. In 2013, Kruse gave a TEDx Talk on the topic “Changing the world through fashion.” In 2016, she put forward a new and ambitious strategy for Copenhagen Fashion Summit and created the overarching Global Fashion Agenda, which aims to take global leadership on creating a movement within fashion towards positive change and responsible innovation.

Watch Eva’s Tedx Talk - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d4VTP...​
Global Fashion Agenda - https://www.globalfashionagenda.com/
​Pangaia - https://thepangaia.com/

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The Apparel Impact Institute (Aii) identifies, funds, scales and measures proven quality solutions to accelerate positive impact in the fashion industry. At Aii, we look for scalable solutions and best practices that can be applied to the entire value chain. By improving upon the environmental footprint of the current industrial model we recognize the key to unlocking the future will involve new innovations of materials, manufacturing and business models. Learn more:
www.apparelimpact.org

In this episode, we speak to Kristy Caylor, long time apparel industry leader, and advocate for ethical and sustainable supply chains.  We worked together at Cradle to Cradle's Fashion Positive Initiative, when she was leading Maiyet, a luxury brand who was exploring circular and safe cashmere for their products, by applying better standards for production.  Today, Kristy is leading an apparel brand called For Days, which provides a subscription style approach to basic cotton tees.  Much more than a fashion brand, For Days is a new system and approach for how we will take, make and use resources in the future (with circular materials strategies built into the business model from day one).   
Learn more at Fordays.com.
Instagram: @for__days

About Lewis Perkins

Perkins is the President of the Apparel Impact Institute, an organization that identifies, funds and scales proven environmental impact solutions in the apparel and footwear industry.  He oversees the collaboration of brands and manufacturers on the forefront of global efforts to reach the industry’s sustainability goals. Lewis was previously the president of Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute, where he launched the Fashion Positive Initiative for circular materials.     Follow him here:
Instagram: @lewisbperkins
LinkedIn: @lewisbperkins

Guests:

• Owen Barder, CEO, PxD
• Beth Jensen, Climate Solutions Portfolio Advisory Council member
• Pauline Op de Beeck, Environmental Portfolio Lead, Aii

Guests:

• Steffen Müller, Head of Team, GIZ
• Mallory McConnell, Climate Solutions Portfolio Advisory Council member
• Pauline Op de Beeck, Environmental Portfolio Lead, Aii

Guests:

• Dr. Siva Pariti, Senior Technical Marketing Officer, BluWin
• Pauline Op de Beeck, Environmental Portfolio Lead, Aii

Guests:

• Atnyel Guedj, Chief Product Officer, Made2Flow
• Pauline Op de Beeck, Environmental Portfolio Lead, Aii
• Mallory McConnell, Climate Solutions Portfolio Advisory Council member

Lewis and Friends discuss the Climate Solutions Portfolio grantees and their projects.  Guests: 

• Linda Greer, Aii's Climate Solutions Portfolio Advisory Council member
• Kurt Kipka, Aii's chief impact officer