Conscious Style Podcast

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. 🌿 CONNECT WITH OUR GUESTS:Pushpika | Marketplace Handwork of India: marketplaceindia.comJamie | Production Mode: productionmodechicago.comVanessa | SERES: seresfootwear.comChicago Fair Trade: chicagofairtrade.org🧵 CONNECT WITH CONSCIOUS STYLE:WebsiteInstagramPinterest📧 JOIN OUR NEWSLETTER:consciouslifeandstyle.com/subscribe💚 JOIN THE CFC MEMBERSHIP:consciousfashion.co/community

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.comWebsite: embrago.comInstagram: @embragoclothing

The declining quality of sweaters has been a big discussion in the past year, but is a reality we've been witnessing for the past couple of decades.But what exactly is so much worse about today's sweaters and what has been going on behind the scenes that's made them so bad? And importantly, how can brands do better? What should we be looking for in a high quality knitwear piece?We're covering all of this and more in today's Conscious Style Podcast episode with expert knitwear designer and product developer Mari Medina. Mari is the founder of April Knit Studio, a design studio dedicated to creating high-quality knitwear for fashion brands. With an extensive network of trusted suppliers and artisans, April Knit Studio offers brands access to natural materials, enabling the development of knitwear that reflects each brand's unique identity.In this episode, Mari also discusses what an ethical supplier or artisan partnership looks like, the benefits for both the customer and the brand of keeping the same styles year over year, and the value of harnessing external expertise instead of going at it alone as a brand founder.🎧  LISTEN NEXT >> EP44: How to Identify High Quality Clothing with Zoe Hong🌿 JOIN THE COMMUNITY >> Conscious Fashion Collective Membership💌 FOR MORE >> Subscribe to Slow Fashion Saturday*****🧶 CONNECT WITH MARI >>Website: aprilknitstudio.comInstagram: @aprilknit.studioLinkedIn: April Knit Studio

What is the state of circular fashion today? There has been a LOT happening with circularity in textiles in recent years, which is exciting but also means that it can be tough to keep up with and to discern what the most promising signs of progress actually are.So in today's episode, you'll hear from Cynthia Power about the state of circular fashion, 5 areas of "invisible progress" in circularity, and what fashion brands should know about implementing circularity into their value chains. Cynthia also speaks to the happiness of repair, illuminating something that doesn't get talked enough about enough — that yes, slow fashion can actually be joyful!Cynthia Power is the founder of Molte Volte and is an expert in the fields of fashion resale, reuse, repair, recycling and design for circularity. Working in fashion for over 17 years, she spent 6 years at the helm of EILEEN FISHER Renew and two years working on the service provider side at Recurate with dozens of brands. (In fact, you can hear Cynthia speak on behalf of Recurate in episode 27!) Cynthia is also the co-host of the Untangling Circularity podcast.Hit play to dive in! LISTEN NEXT >> EP83: What is Circular Fashion Design? with Carmen Gama FOR MORE >> Join Slow Fashion Saturday: consciouslifeandstyle.com/subscribe CONNECT WITH CYNTHIA:Newsletter: moltevolte.substack.comMolte Volte: moltevolte.comLinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/cynthia-power-24963513

When you hear the term artisan-made, what do you think of? Do you assume that it means ethically made? Do you assume it's a certain aesthetic? Is it old-fashioned or contemporary?In today's episode, Elizabeth is speaking with Anjali Purohit, founder and creative director of the home and fashion textiles brand Studio Variously to unpack and demystify all things artisan-made.Anjali has over 20 years of experience in design, working globally with brands like Pottery Barn and Crate & Barrel. Based in the US for 16 years, she collaborates with artisans in India, Nepal, and Peru to create sustainable, handwoven textiles and home goods.Anjali has won multiple design awards and was Eileen Fisher’s 2019 Artist in Residence, and continues to consult and develop ethical, artisan-made collections.In this episode, you'll hear Anjali speak to the greenwashing of “artisan-made” goods and what it means for brands and designers to work ethically with artisans. Also in this conversion, the thread of “collaboration” kept coming up in really interesting ways!Anjali not only talks about the processes of collaborating with artisans in India, but collaborating with her clients — whether that's retail buyers, interior designers, or end-customers — to see what is truly resonating with them. Think of it as an elegant dance balancing the heritage techniques that Variously's artisan partners work with, the physical realities of natural materials and natural dyes, and also what her ideal client actually wants in their home or wardrobe and importantly, is willing to invest in. She is constantly paying attention to what materials and formats people are excited about and willing to pay for. This isn't about following every trend, but Anjali has found a beautiful balance of keeping Variously's products relevant while also respecting traditional artisanal practices.Anjali has been a Conscious Fashion Collective Member with us, so we've gotten to know her work over the past year and a half, and are so excited for all of you to get to know her work + insights now as well!Iif you're also a slow fashion founder looking for community and resources to support you in your professional and business development, you can join us inside of the CFC Membership here: consciousfashion.co/community CONNECT WITH ANJALI:studiovariously.com@studiovariouslyLinkedIn STAY IN TOUCH:Subscribe to Slow Fashion SaturdayJoin the CFC Membership

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

If you've been feeling discouraged, overwhelmed, or isolated on your sustainable fashion journey, it may be a sign to lean into community. In this episode, get tangible tips and encouragement to find or cultivate your own slow fashion community. The second part of this episode features a replay of Elizabeth's interview on the Ecommerce Maven Podcast, where she spoke about building community around your slow fashion business and creating thriving partnerships.CONNECT:📧 Conscious Fashion Collective Newsletter (stay updated on upcoming events, like founder x freelancer mixers!)🌿CFC Membership (private community for sustainable fashion professionals & entrepreneurs)💌 Slow Fashion Saturday (free newsletter for slow fashion advocates)

After what's been referred to as a "slow fashion recession", what's next for the movement? How can we come back stronger and make slow fashion so irresistible, that it becomes inevitable?Those are big questions, but that's what we're exploring in this podcast episode! I'd love to hear your thoughts & ideas on this too — find me at @consciousstyle on Instagram or email me. CONNECT:💌 Slow Fashion Saturday Newsletter🌱 Join the CFC Membership (community for sustainable fashion professionals & founders)♻️ Upcycling Workshop

For our first-ever Conscious Fashion Collective Membership panel discussion, we discussed a topic that is often taboo in the slow fashion space — money! We believe that financial sustainability is essential for creating a more just, and sustainable, fashion ecosystem with thriving businesses that care about people and the planet.💰 WE DISCUSSED:Taboos/misconceptions about making money in the slow fashion space,What alternative business models and revenue streams can be successful for slow fashion brands who don’t want to follow the traditional fast fashion trajectory,Slow fashion pricing and forecasting,How freelancers can go about finding clients, retaining clients, and creating a client rotation that allows for financial sustainability,How to diversify your slow fashion skills and develop alternative streams of income/business offerings,And SO MUCH more! This episode was brought to you by…Conscious Fashion Collective Membership: the global community for sustainable fashion professionals, freelancers, and entrepreneurs.Doors will be closing to new members on Friday, March 29th as we prepare to add even more value to the membership.When we reopen, we'll be increasing the price to account for the additional value. If you sign-up this week, you'll lock-in our current pricing for the lifetime of your membership.Learn more + join us: consciousfashion.co/community LINKS:PicnicwearKismet Concept StudioMAHDIYYAHDevintoJacqueline SchumannPicnicwear DejaVu Dress PatternYouTube video: NYC Tailor Aims To Reduce Fast Fashion WasteCONNECT WITH CONSCIOUS STYLE:📧Newsletter: https://www.consciouslifeandstyle.com/subscribe🌐Website: consciouslifeandstyle.com📸 Instagram: @consciousstyle

Financial sustainability is essential for creating a more just, and sustainable, fashion ecosystem with thriving businesses that care about people and the planet. But how do you go about actually making money in this space, especially when you care about not overproducing? Money-making is a topic that is all-too-often taboo in the slow fashion space, but our panelists Dani Des Roches, Mahdiyyah Muhammad, Jacqueline Schumann, and Aiste Zitnikaite are unpacking their experiences, transparently, in this episode!Note: This is a recording from a Conscious Fashion Collective Membership panel discussion, so you may hear references to the membership and “CFC". You can learn more about CFC's membership community here: consciousfashion.co/community💰 WE DISCUSSED:Taboos/misconceptions about making money in the slow fashion space,What alternative business models and revenue streams can be successful for slow fashion brands who don’t want to follow the traditional fast fashion trajectory,Slow fashion pricing and forecasting,How freelancers can go about finding clients, retaining clients, and creating a client rotation that allows for financial sustainability,How to diversify your slow fashion skills and develop alternative streams of income/business offerings,And SO MUCH more!LINKS:Conscious Fashion Collective MembershipPicnicwearKismet Concept StudioMAHDIYYAHDevintoJacqueline Schumann CONNECT WITH CONSCIOUS STYLE:📧Newsletter: https://www.consciouslifeandstyle.com/subscribe🌐Website: consciouslifeandstyle.com📸 Instagram: @consciousstyle

How can fashion take action right now for a net positive future?From climate and biodiversity to worker livelihoods and fair wages to overconsumption and textile waste, the gaps between where we need to be and where we are right now feel… vast. But in this episode, we're discussing ways that fashion act right now — like tomorrow — on 5 key pillars that encompass both people and planet. These are areas where the research, and tools are readily available, even for implementing at a large scale. Ahead you'll hear my conversation with Holly Syrett, the Impact Programmes and Sustainability Director at Global Fashion Agenda (GFA), a nonprofit organization that accelerates measurable impact in the fashion industry.Perhaps what GFA is most known for is their Global Fashion Summits but they also drive impact through collaborative commitments, impact programs, thought leadership publications and by engaging with policy & advocacy.Their flagship report — which is freely accessible for all — is the Fashion CEO Agenda. And this year's edition, released at the Boston Fashion Summit, is offering more specific tangible action than ever. I kind of think of it as the no-excuses actionable sustainability playbook for fashion brands.I was excited to be able to have this conversation with Holly and be able to share it all with you for free because I know that there are so many of you that work in sustainable fashion or aspire to and want to dive deeper into these types of industry insights but they're not always accessible. So enjoy this conversation with Holly!GET THE TRANSCRIPT***PRESENTED BY...The Conscious Fashion Collective MembershipIf you are a sustainable fashion professional or aspiring to transition into this industry, check out our sister platform Conscious Fashion Collective. We have a free career newsletter with jobs and resources dedicated to supporting your conscious fashion career journey.We also have a membership community where you can access extra jobs, attend career-focused member events and workshops, access tons of time-saving resources, and connect with a like-minded group of fashion changemakers. You can find out more about this membership at consciousfashion.co/community.***GFA's RESOURCES:Fashion CEO Agenda2030 Fashion Sector VisionGFA Policy Matrix: Americas<a href="https://glo

We have reached the 100th episode of the podcast! For the past 100 episodes, at the end of each episode we have asked our guests the same question: What would a better future for fashion look like, to you? This question is important, because it sums up exactly why the podcast exists in the first place — to unpack exactly what it will take to cultivate a sustainable and equitable future for fashion.To celebrate this 100 episode milestone, we decided to mark the occasion by sharing a montage of some of our favorite answers, from guests we have had on the show, over the years. Plus, we are sharing a few listener answers to this question too. And, right at the end, we’ll share our reflections on the topic as well. Enjoy listening to these visionary — yet practical — answers. Hopefully they’ll give you some food for thought and reflection points for your own relationship with fashion. And thank you for tuning in to celebrate 100 episodes with us!***MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:Podcast Episode: EP10: Building a Better Secondhand Fashion System with Emily StochlPodcast Episode: EP82: Rana Plaza 10 Years Later: What’s Changed and What Hasn’t? With Ayesha BarenblatPodcast Episode: EP66: Defashioning and Creating a Pluriverse of Clothing Systems with Fashion Act NowPodcast Episode: EP22: Colonialism, Consumerism, and Changing the Fashion Industry with Aja BarberPodcast Episode: EP77: What Democratizing Fashion Is Truly About with Natalie ShehataPodcast Episode: EP54: Slowing Down Media with Kestrel JenkinsPodcast Episode: EP81: How We Can Expand the Sustainable Fashion Conversation with Samata PattinsonPodcast Episode: EP24: The Fascinating Psychology Behind Fashion and Consumption with Shakaila Forbes-BellPodcast Episode: EP79: Sustainable Fashion Policy and Collective Action with Elizabeth ClinePodcast Episode: EP20: How We Can Make Mending Mainstream with Josephine Philips of SojoYuhanne Natividad’s (podcast editor) contact details: LinkedIn***CONNE

As you might have noticed, we are just one episode away from the 100th episode of the podcast! We're starting the celebrations early and changing up the usual format with this episode. Instead of interviewing a guest, this week we’re sharing 10 lessons we’ve learned from 100 episodes of the podcast that features interviews with some of the most inspiring changemakers in the fashion industry.***MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:Online Platform: Conscious Fashion CollectiveOnline Community: Conscious Fashion Collective MembershipPodcast Episode: EP79: Sustainable Fashion Policy and Collective Action with Elizabeth ClinePodcast Episode: EP96: Choosing Hope Over Climate Doomism with Isaias Hernandez Podcast Episode: EP50: Why Fast Fashion Is So Addictive with Zainab MahmoodPodcast Episode: EP24: The Fascinating Psychology Behind Fashion and Consumption with Shakaila Forbes-BellPodcast Episode: EP56: Style Psychology and the Drivers of Consumption with Dr. Dion Terrelonge Podcast Episode: EP77: What Democratizing Fashion Is Truly About with Natalie ShehataPodcast Episode: EP81: How We Can Expand the Sustainable Fashion Conversation with Samata PattinsonPodcast Episode: EP73: How To Uncover Your Soul Style with Kerry WildePodcast Episode: EP17: More Creativity, Less Consumption: Sustainable Stylist Tips from Alyssa BeltempoPodcast Episode: EP51: How To Find Joy In Your Closet Again with Stylist Sam WeirPodcast Episode: EP80: Where Does Fashion Stand On Climate Progress? A Conversation with Stand.EarthPodcast Episode: EP90: Rethinking Traditional Supply Chains with Ria Ana Sejpal of LilabarePodcast Episode: EP29: Compostable Clothing, Natural Dyes, and Localizing Fashion Systems with Lydia Wendt of California

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 ***MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:Article: Vestiaire Has Banned Fast FashionArticle: Vestiaire Collective’s ‘Fight Against Fast Fashion’ stepsArticle: What Is Extended Producer Responsibility in Textiles — and What’s Missing From Current Policies?Article: Clothes for the “apocalypse”: How to design for a climate crisisResource: Market Analysis and Insights: Global Recycled Polyester Fiber MarketWebsite: Textile Exchange's 2025 Recycled Polyester ChallengeResource: Made-By Environmental Benchmark for FibresArticle: The destructive, symbiotic relationship between the beverage and fashion industriesArticle: Are clothes made from recycled materials really more sustainable?Report: “It’s As If They’re Poisoning Us”: The Health Impacts of Plastic Recycling in TurkeyResearch Paper: An underestimated threat: Land-based pollution with micro-plastics***CONNECT WITH CONSCI

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-DuroOsei-Duro is a slow, artisan-made sustainable fashion brand based in Ghana using handmade textile techniques to create contemporary garments that are true works of art.Their colorful, bold-printed clothing is hand-dyed and sewn in Ghana by small-scale artisans and manufactured to support the local apparel industry. And they have extended sizes, with many styles going up to 4X.Osei-Duro's clothing is made with care — and the people behind these garments treat each other with the same care and respect. The small business pays full-time wages for a 4-day work week and offers numerous benefits including full health insurance and maternity coverage.Get 20% off site wide by using the code CONSCIOUSSTYLE20. ***SHOW NOTES:https://www.consciouslifeandstyle.com/kenya-wiley MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:Online Community: Conscious Fashion Collective MembershipNewsletter: Fashion Law and Social Justice NewsletterOnline course: Fashion Policy and Justice (Note: listeners can take 50% off with code JUSTICE50; contact Kenya directly for the 80% off student discount)Podcast Episode: EP79: Sustainable Fashion Policy and Collective Action with Elizabeth ClineInformation Resource:<a href="https://www.ers.usda.gov/topi

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-DuroOsei-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.KotnKotn is a slow fashion brand that's taking transparency to a new level with their fully traceable supply chain. The brand sources the cotton for their collection directly from over 2,000 smallholder cotton farmers in the Nile Delta in Egypt and ensures living wages and fair working conditions along every step of the way, from seed to final stitch.Each piece from Kotn is made ethically and transparently with natural materials — like long-staple Egyptian cotton, recycled cotton, and linen — by people earning living wages.Get 15% off sitewide from June 20th to August 31st, 2023 by using the code CONSCIOUS15.***SHOW NOTES:https://www.consciouslifeandstyle.com/isaias-hernandezMENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:Online Platform: Conscious Fashion CollectiveOnline Community: Conscious Fashion Collective MembershipVideo: Is it too late to save the planet? Evidence based hope vs climate doomism with Elin KelseyPodcast Episode: EP88: What Is Regenerative Fashion? With Safia MinneyWebsite: Desserto

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:Celebrate with us! Record a short voice message to be included in our 100th episode by August 10, 2023.Join The Community:<a href="

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:KotnKotn is a slow fashion brand that's taking transparency to a new level with their fully traceable supply chain. The brand sources the cotton for their collection directly from over 2,000 smallholder cotton farmers in the Nile Delta in Egypt and ensures living wages and fair working conditions along every step of the way, from seed to final stitch.Each piece from Kotn is made ethically and transparently with natural materials — like long-staple Egyptian cotton, recycled cotton, and linen — by people earning living wages.Get 15% off sitewide from June 20th to August 31st, 2023 by using the code CONSCIOUS15.JuliemayJuliemay 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 nonprofi

What if fashion brands put garment workers first? What if a fashion brand set the prices they pay to their suppliers based on ensuring workers were making a living wage, rather than negotiating the prices as low as possible to maximize profits? This is part of implementing more responsible purchasing practices — purchasing practices meaning not how the consumer buys something, but how the brand purchases their orders from their suppliers, since most brands do not produce their own clothes. The reality is that right now the system is set up with the wrong incentives. For example, Buyers at many fashion brands receive bonuses if they achieve larger margins with their orders they purchase from their suppliers — larger margins meaning they pay their suppliers less, and thus the supplier will have less money to pay their workers fairly or invest in sustainability initiatives like transitioning to clean energy. So we need a paradigm shift. True systems change. And one proposal for doing so is worker-centric pricing, which Stella and I are going to dive into in this episode!>>> TRANSCRIPT*****MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:Sustainable Fashion Career Platform: Conscious Fashion CollectiveCommunity: Conscious Fashion Collective MembershipArticle: What If Fashion Prices Put Garment Workers First?Doc: Worker-Centric Pricing ModelOrganization: Union of Concerned Researchers in FashionInstagram: Aja BarberPodcast Episode: EP71: Is Sustainable Fashion Always More Expensive?Podcast Episode: EP60: Living Wages for Garment Makers with Anne Bienias of Clean Clothes CampaignPodcast Episode: EP45: Are Better Brand-Supplier Relationships The Missing Link to Ethical Fashion?***CONNECT WITH CONSCIOUS STYLE:📧Newsletter: https://www.consciouslifeandstyle.com/edit🌐Website: consciouslifeandstyle.com📸 Instagram: @consciousstyle📹 YouTube: <a href="https

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:KotnKotn is a slow fashion brand that's taking transparency to a new level with their fully traceable supply chain. The brand sources the cotton for their collection directly from over 2,000 smallholder cotton farmers in the Nile Delta in Egypt and ensures living wages and fair working conditions along every step of the way, from seed to final stitch.Each piece from Kotn is made ethically and transparently with natural materials — like long-staple Egyptian cotton, recycled cotton, and linen — by people earning living wages.Get 15% off sitewide from June 20th to August 31st, 2023 by using the code CONSCIOUS15. JuliemayJuliemay 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

What is it like to work as a designer for a fast fashion brand? And what is it like to build your own sustainability minded small fashion brand, from circular design practices to figuring out your pricing?That's what we're getting a glimpse into in this episode with Dani Des Roches, designer and founder of the upcycled brand Picnicwear, recognizable by its groovy 60s/70s aesthetic, bold and playful use of color, and most notably its use of vintage towels as its primary material. Before that, Dani attended the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York City and was behind the scenes as a sweater designer for household names like Urban Outfitters and Express.Feeling dissatisfied with the industry, Dani started her own B2B design studio, Kismet Concept Studio and of course her Direct to Consumer brand, Picnicwear, which creates high-quality pieces using 95% pre-existing materials.In this conversation, Dani is giving us a look under the hood of the operations at big fashion brands and sharing what she thinks we should all know about how these brands operate.She's also getting transparent about her own journey building a small slow fashion business.If you want to learn more from Dani, Dani is leading a Circular Fashion Design Workshop that we're hosting over at Conscious Fashion Collective.It will be an educational and interactive event for designers, industry professionals, sewists, and sustainable fashion advocates wanting to learn more about sustainability in fashion.You'll learn how brands and designers can use circularity as a foundation for design, what a holistic approach to circular apparel design looks like, and tangible strategies to integrate circularity into apparel production and post-consumer reverse supply chain.Hope to see you there!>> Get tickets for the circular design workshop led by Dani here!Or join the Conscious Fashion Collective Membership to attend for free.***SHOW NOTES:https://www.consciouslifeandstyle.com/dani-des-rochesMENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:Event: Finding Creativity In Circularity — Circular Apparel Design WorkshopClotheshorse Instagram<a href="https://consciousfashion.co/features/how-to-make-fashion-brand-m

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 SPONSORSKotnKotn 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.***JuliemayJuliemay offers a natural alternative to the synthetic-heavy lingerie market. They use GOTS-certified organic pima cotton as their main fabric, line all of their products with Mulberry peace silk’ and do not use harsh chemicals in production.The brand is accredited by AllergyUK to be friendly for people with allergic reactions to synthetic fibers and who have sensitive skin. This is something that I have become personally really interested in since I started to experience psoriasis after wearing synthetic undergarments myself a few years ago. Additionally, Juliemay has bras for a wide range of circumstances, like post-surgery bras or bras that offer back support. Juliemay also supports several environmental and social impact nonprofits.Use the code SOCIAL15 for 15% off at Juliemay!***SHOW NOTES:https://www.consciouslifeandstyle.com/ria-ana-sejpal-lilabare***RESOURCES MENTIONED:Podcast: EP88. What Is Regenerative Fashion? with Safia MinneyPodcast: EP31. The Reality of the Secondhand Clothing Trade with Nikissi SerumagaPodcast: <a href="https://www.consciouslifeandst

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 ReportArticle: How the end of free returns will change the way we shop by Sophie BensonSubscribe: Conscious Edit Newsletter

It's time for an urgent shift in fashion. And not just towards a path of doing less bad, but of bringing positive change. Not just less harmful fashion. Not even just more sustainable fashion. But building a regenerative fashion future. Recently I read the book Regenerative Fashion: A Nature Based Approach to Fibres, Livelihoods, and Leadership*, by Safia Minney. And this book could not have come at a better time for me. I was feeling discouraged and overwhelmed by the weight of it all and the stories and changemakers highlighted throughout this book was the inspiration that I needed. So I am super grateful that I was able to have the author, Safia Minney — who has been a disruptor in the fashion space for decades — onto the show. You may know Safia Minney as the founder of fair fashion brand People Tree, or you may know her as an activist, consultant, thought-leader, or author of books like Slave to Fashion and Slow Fashion.  In this episode, Safia Minney discusses the themes of her latest book on regenerative fashion, including regeneratively grown fibers and decarbonization, but also regenerative leadership and regenerative relationships, the importance of revitalizing artisan crafts and textile traditions, why living wages and a just transition are central to regenerative fashion, and how our current economic systems are completely at odds with a livable future. Hit play to dive in!*Bookshop.org affiliate link***ENTER THE PODCAST BOOK GIVEAWAY HEREIf 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 ThereBrook There creates organic cotton bralettes, underwear, and slip dresses ethically cut and sewn by their team in Massachusetts. Their GOTS-certified organic cotton is even milled and dyed domestically in the US too.Brook There has a beautiful range of colorways — from ballet pink to bright orange to versatile neutrals, which are all colored using low-impact fiber reactive dyes.***KotnKotn is a slow fashion brand that's taking transparency to a new level with their fully traceable supply chain. The brand sources the cotton for their collection directly from over 2,000 smallholder cotton farmers in the Nile Delta in Egypt and ensures living wages and fair working conditi

Overconsumption is a major problem in the fashion industry. And secondhand is often advocated for as a solution. But is it possible to overconsume secondhand fashion as well?This is a loaded question that comes with nuance and obviously, lots of opinions... which makes it perfect for a segment for our Green or Greenwashing series — we love to cover complex and controversial topics in this series! And we want to hear YOUR thoughts on this topic as well. DM Elizabeth over at @consciousstyle on Instagram with your thoughts and takes on this topic or to request a future topic you want to hear covered.***SUBSCRIBE TO THE CONSCIOUS EDIT:https://consciouslifeandstyle.com/edit***LINKS MENTIONED:Article: "The trouble with secondhand: it's becoming like fast fashion"Graphic: Linear Economy vs. Recycling vs. Circular EconomyPodcast: More Creativity, Less Consumption with Alyssa BeltempoPodcast: Building a Better Secondhand Fashion System with Emily Stochl***GET THE TRANSCRIPT HERE

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 ThereBrook There creates organic cotton bralettes, underwear, and slip dresses ethically cut and sewn by their team in Massachusetts. Their GOTS-certified organic cotton is even milled and dyed domestically in the US too.Brook There has a beautiful range of colorways — from ballet pink to bright orange to versatile neutrals, which are all colored using low-impact fiber reactive dyes.***The RoundsLooking 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:(Interview) Sustainable Fashion Journalism Career Chat(Jobs) Conscious Fashion Collective Job Board(Article)

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 ThereBrook There creates organic cotton bralettes, underwear, and slip dresses ethically cut and sewn by their team in Massachusetts. Their GOTS-certified organic cotton is even milled and dyed domestically in the US too.Brook There has a beautiful range of colorways — from ballet pink to bright orange to versatile neutrals, which are all colored using low-impact fiber reactive dyes.***<a href="https://www.consciouslifeandstyle.com/r

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 JourneyEP62: Conscious Entrepreneurship and Crafting with Saskia de Feijter

Fashion has a major waste crisis. Circularity — along with slowing down production — can be an antidote, if done right. But what does real circular fashion look like in practice? What would it look like to have a true systems approach to circular design and circular fashion?Today Stella is interviewing Carmen Gama, the Director of Circular Design at Eileen Fisher, which is a company that has been leading the way on many circular fashion practices. Carmen Gama also founded a B2B circular service called MAKE ANEEW which you'll hear a lot about in this episode.Carmen Gama shares what circular design means in practice and how brands can create their own post consumer waste reduction supply chains.If you're curious to hear more about what it's like to be a circular designer, and how you might be able to explore this career path, you can read a Conscious Career Chat with Carmen on Conscious Fashion CollectiveAlso 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 ThereBrook There creates organic cotton bralettes, underwear, and slip dresses ethically cut and sewn by their team in Massachusetts. Their GOTS-certified organic cotton is even milled and dyed domestically in the US too.Brook There has a beautiful range of colorways — from ballet pink to bright orange to versatile neutrals, which are all colored using low-impact fiber reactive dyes.***The RoundsLooking 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: <a hr

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 ThereBrook There creates organic cotton bralettes, underwear, and slip dresses ethically cut and sewn by their team in Massachusetts. Their GOTS-certified organic cotton is even milled and dyed domestically in the US too.Brook There has a beautiful range of colorways — from ballet pink to bright orange to versatile neutrals, which are all colored using low-impact fiber reactive dyes.***Bounce MarketIf 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:EP11. Fashion Activism: It’s Time for Brands to #PayUp with Ayesha BarenblatPakistan Accord Brand Tracker#SignTheAccordPetitionVestiaire Collective's fast fashion ban announcement***CONNECT WITH REMAKE & AYESHA:🌐 Website: https://remake.world/📸 Instagram: @remakeourworld🐦 Twitter: @remakeourworld***CONNECT WITH CONSCIOUS STYLE:📧Newsletter: <a

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 moreI 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 SPONSORSPassion LilieFair 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 BoardWant 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 NOTEShttps://www.consciouslifeandstyle.com/samata-pattinson***RESOURCES MENTIONED:Free Ebook: 101 Careers In Sustainable FashionPodcast Ep.55 <a href="https:/

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 LilieFair 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 BoardWant 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 NOTEShttps://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: <a href="https:

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 NOTEShttps://www.consciouslifeandstyle.com/elizabeth-cline***CONNECT WITH ELIZABETH CLINE: 🌐 Website: www.elizabethclinebooks.com📸 Instagram: @elizabethlcline🐦 Twitter: @elizabethlcline***CONNECT WITH CONSCIOUS STYLE:📧Newsletter: https://www.consciouslifeandstyle.com/edit🌐Website: consciouslifeandstyle.com📸 Instagram: @consciousstyle📹 YouTube: @consciouslifeandstyle📌 Pinterest: @consciouslifeandstyle

Right now, are you dressing for the person you are, the person you fear, or the person you want to be? Not even sure how to answer that question? Today's guest — fashion psychologist Shakaila Forbes-Bell — is breaking it all down for us. Shakaila wrote the book Big Dress Energy and in this episode she's talking about how you can harness your own big dress energy and dress for your best self. We're also talking about:The chemical warfare we're up against when shoppingHow we can make more mindful purchasing decisionsWhat the endowment effect is and how it can reduce fashion wastePlus 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 SPONSORSWearwellwearwell 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 BoardWant 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 NOTEShttps://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: <a href="h

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 NOTEShttps://www.consciouslifeandstyle.com/natalie-shehata-ethical-stylist***EPISODE SPONSORSWearwellwearwell 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 BoardWant 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 ***CONNECT WITH CONSCIOUS STYLE:📧Newsletter: https://www.consciouslifeandstyle.com/edit🌐Website: <a href="https://www.cons

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-millHow 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 SPONSORSWearwellwearwell 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 BoardWant to start or grow a career in sustainable fashion? Find your next career opportunity on Conscious Fashion Collective's Job Board. (Or if you are hiring, submit your job opening!)You can also sign up for the Conscious Fashion Collective job newsletter to get career opportunities delivered to your inbox, plus upcoming events.*****SHOW NOTES:https://www.consciouslifeandstyle.com/nina-gbor-fashion-trendmill*****CONNECT WITH NINA GBOR: 🌐 Website: www.ecostyles.com.au📸 Instagram: @eco.styles👍🏻Facebook: @eco.styles.au***CONNECT WITH CONSCIOUS STYLE:📧Newsletter: consciouslifeandstyle.com/edit🌐Website: consciouslifeandstyle.com📸 Instagram: @consciousstyle📹 YouTube: @consciouslifeandstyl

In this episode, Stella Hertantyo interviews fashion analyst and trend forecaster Mandy Lee (who you might know as @oldloserinbrooklyn on social media) to explore: + Fashion trends and the trend cycle,+ The role of trend forecasters, + What microtrends and niche trends are, + How to find amazing secondhand gems, + The dynamic between following trends and finding your personal style, and so much more!  *****EPISODE SPONSORS: Wearwellwearwell 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 BoardWant 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/mandy-lee-trend-forecaster ***RESOURCES & EPISODES MENTIONED:[Article] My Trend Videos Are Viral on TikTok—Here Are 5 Trends I Think Will LastEP24. The Fascinating Psychology Behind Fashion and Consumption with Shakaila Forbes-BellEP17. More Creativity, Less Consumption: Sustainable Stylist Tips from Alyssa Beltempo *** CONNECT WITH MANDY LEE:📸 Instagram: @oldloserinbrooklyn📱Tiktok: <a href

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 SPONSORSWearwellwearwell 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 BoardWant 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***CONNECT WITH CONSCIOUS STYLE:📧Newsletter: https://www.consciouslifeandstyle.com/edit🌐Website: consciouslifeandstyle.com📸 Instagram: @consciousstyle📹 YouTube: @consciouslifeandstyle📌 Pinterest: @consciouslifeandstyle

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 wearHow we can determine our soul style and start dressing for our soul styleThe interconnections between beauty, body image, and the fashion industryHit 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 BoardSubscribe to CFC Job NewsletterSubmit 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

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.***LINKS MENTIONED:Newsletter: The Conscious EditEvent: Intro To Visible Mending Virtual Workshop*use code "podcast" for 50% off tickets to the workshop!Career Interview with Fashion PsychologistsCareer Interview with Slow Fashion StylistsConscious Fashion Collective Job BoardConscious Life & Style YouTube Channel

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 TRANSCRIPThttps://conscious-style-podcast.simplecast.com/episodes/72-whats-driving-overconsumption-in-fashion RESOURCES MENTIONED:Podcast: The History of Fast Fashion with Sara Idacavage Article: Inside Fashion's Trend CyclesPodcast: Shakaila Forbes-Bell on Fashion PsychologyPodcast: Amanda McCarty from Clotheshorse On Working For Fast FashionPodcast: Zainab Mahmood on Why Fast Fashion Is So AddictivePodcast: A Wellbeing Wardrobe Podcast: Fashion’s Waste Crisis in the Atacama DesertArticle: Amazon Uses Factories Other Fashion Brands BlacklistOrganization: Labour Behind The LabelOrganization: Remake CONNECT WITH CONSCIOUS STYLE:📧Newsletter: https://www.consciouslifeandstyle.com/edit🌐Website: consciouslifeandstyle.com📸 Instagram: @consciousstyle📹 YouTube: @consciouslifeandstyle📌 Pinterest: <a href=

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 TRANSCRIPThttps://conscious-style-podcast.simplecast.com/episodes/71-is-slow-fashion-more-expensive RESOURCES MENTIONED:Article: Spending on Clothing and Footwear Falls Below 3% For First Time In US History by Dr. Mark J. PerryPodcast: How To Identify High Quality Clothing with Zoe HongVogue Article: What Goes Into The Pricing of Sustainable Fashion?Book: Worn: A People's History of Clothing by Sofi Thanhauser CONNECT WITH CONSCIOUS STYLE:📧Newsletter: https://www.consciouslifeandstyle.com/edit🌐Website: consciouslifeandstyle.com📸 Instagram: @consciousstyle📹 YouTube: @consciouslifeandstyle📌 Pinterest: @consciouslifeandstyle

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:Book: Consumed by Aja Barber Book: The Conscious Closet by Elizabeth L. ClineShein Expose IG PostDr. Dion Terrelonge's InstagramEpisode with Jasmin from Sourcing JournalAlyssa Beltempo's video: 5 Items That Make Your Closet Feel Disjointed CONNECT WITH CONSCIOUS STYLE:📧Newsletter: https://www.consciouslifeandstyle.com/edit🌐Website: consciouslifeandstyle.com📸 Instagram: @consciousstyle📹 YouTube: @consciouslifeandstyle📌 Pinterest: @consciouslifeandstyle

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:Extended Producer Responsibility articleAtacama Desert Waste Crisis podcast episodeEmily Stochl, host of Pre-Loved PodcastRetailers Are Cancelling Orders Again on Vogue Business18 Online Secondhand Marketplaces To Buy & Sell Used Clothes CONNECT WITH CONSCIOUS STYLE:Website: consciouslifeandstyle.comInstagram: @consciousstylePinterest: @consciouslifeandstyle SUBSCRIBE TO THE CONSCIOUS EDIT:https://www.consciouslifeandstyle.com/edit

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 RESOURCES MENTIONED:What Is Ethical Fashion?What is Sustainable Fashion?What is Slow Fashion?"Who Gets To Be A Fashion Activist?" on FashionistaHow To Spot GreenwashingSustainable Fashion Legislation article CONNECT WITH CONSCIOUS STYLE:Website: consciouslifeandstyle.comInstagram: @consciousstylePinterest: @consciouslifeandstyle SUBSCRIBE TO THE NEWSLETTER:https://www.consciouslifeandstyle.com/edit

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/ CONNECT WITH GREEN ECO DREAM:Green Eco Dream's websiteGreen Eco Dream's Laundry Collection EPISODES MENTIONED:EP57: How to Launch A Slow Fashion Brands with Selina HoEP64: Journalists' Role In Shifting the Sustainable Fashion Conversation with Jasmin Malik Chua CONNECT WITH ELIZABETH & CONSCIOUS STYLE:WebsiteInstagramPinterest SUBSCRIBE TO THE CONSCIOUS EDIThttps://www.consciouslifeandstyle.com/edit

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 RESOURCES MENTIONED:[Article] Who gets to be a fashion activist?Fixing FashionThe Linen ProjectDavid BollierThe Common Market[Book] Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge and the Teachings of Plants by Robin Wall Kimmerer CONNECT WITH FASHION ACT NOW:Fashion Act Now WebsiteTwitter - @FashionActNowInstagram - @fashion_act_now CONNECT WITH ELIZABETH & CONSCIOUS STYLE:WebsiteInstagramPinterest SUBSCRIBE TO THE CONSCIOUS EDIThttps://www.consciouslifeandstyle.com/edit

We know that we need to dramatically slow down fashion. And this season of the podcast has been dedicated to exploring just how we might do that. But what happens to the people who make our clothes? Stella Hertantyo is back in the host seat to explore this topic with Mousumi Sarangi, Fair Wear Foundation's Country Manager in India and the Regional Coordinator of Gender. Fair Wear Foundation is a nonprofit organization and multi-stakeholder initiative, connecting factories, workers, trade unions, NGOs, brands, and other fashion industry influencers.There's a lot to unpack in this episode — hit play and let's get into this layered discussion. *****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/fair-wear-foundation LINKS MENTIONED:The Industry We Want websiteEP12: From the Frontlines: Fighting for Garment Worker Rights in Bangladesh with Nazma AkterEP60: Living Wages for Garment Makers with Anne Bienias from Clean Clothes Campaign CONNECT WITH ELIZABETH & CONSCIOUS STYLE:WebsiteInstagramPinterest SUBSCRIBE TO THE CONSCIOUS EDIThttps://www.consciouslifeandstyle.com/edit

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:Sourcing JournalJasmin's article on recycled polyester: "Cancer Alley": A Cautionary Tale for Fashion's Polyester Love AffairJasmin's article on H&M removing their "conscious choice" labels: Why H&M Canceled ‘Conscious Choice’Jasmin's articles on fast fashion greenwashing: (1) H&M greenwash warning from the Norwegian Consumer Authority, (2) Britain's competition watchdog's scrutiny of Asos and Boohoo, and (3) Shein's first Corporate Social Responsibility ReportJasmin's article on the consequences of fast fashion's waste and the exploitative buying practices of brands EPISODE MENTI

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:WebsiteInstagramPinterest SUBSCRIBE TO THE CONSCIOUS EDIThttps://www.consciouslifeandstyle.com/edit