This is a podcast about sustainable fashion by Dessie Georgieva. Through talking to industry insiders and researching the best and worst practices of the industry, she goes on a quest to make sustainable and ethical fashion the new normal.
Thejaswini on Happiness, Good food, and Values in Indian Family Life.
In the beginning of 2023 I spent 2 moths in India deepening my yoga practice and diving into the Indian culture. I spent most of my time in Gokulam, Mysore, where the yoga school I attended was located. This is where I also met Theja - together with her husband Basava they run Old Green House Cafe - one of the nicest family-run restaurants with the yummiest South Indian food in the area. Old Green House was one of the first places I checked out when I arrived in Gokulam, and I was met with such genuine hospitality, that I immediately fell in love with the place. Theja greeted me first with a big smile and a “Namaste”. She exuded such contentment and joy just by being, that I immediately wanted to figure out what the secret to this happiness and contentment is. Me and Theja talked about happiness, family values, growing the children, managing the cafe, and so much more. I am so happy we managed to make it happen, and hope you enjoy this episode as much as we enjoyed recording it.
In the beginning of 2023 I spent 2 months in India deepening my yoga practice and diving into the Indian culture. I spent most of my time in Gokulam, Mysore, where the yoga school I attended was located. Mysore is a little yoga paradise in the south of India, where yoga as we know it today originated. This is where I also met Theja - together with her husband Basava they run Old Green House Cafe - one of the nicest family-run restaurants with the yummiest South Indian food in the area.
Old Green House was one of the first places I checked out when I arrived in Gokulam, and I was met with such genuine hospitality, that I immediately fell in love with the place. Theja greeted me first with a big smile and a “Namaste”. She exuded such contentment and joy just by being, that I was mesmerized by her presence. I think it was at that moment when I had the idea to maybe interview her for the podcast one day, in order to figure out what the secret to this happiness and contentment is.
Santosha is the second of the Niyamas of Patanjali’s 8 limbs of yoga, translating as contentment, and Theja was the perfect embodiment of that Niyama. Later on, I met her two wonderful children and her husband, who were just as sweet and joyful as she was. Both husband and wife are so very generous and also very dedicated to work, be it Basra who works at three different places, or Theja, who works at the restaurant, and takes care of the home and the children each day.
Me and Theja talked about happiness, family values, growing the children, managing the cafe, and so much more. I am so happy we managed to make it happen, and hope you enjoy this episode as much as we enjoyed recording it. So without further ado, I’ll leave you to the podcast episode.
Milica Spiric on Feminism, Self-exploration, and Music as Healing
In this episode of “D Sustainability Issue” Dessie welcomes Milica Spiric. Milica’s built a career in talent acquisition, she is passionate for diversity and inclusion, and a proud feminist. Dessie and Milica talk about being a woman in a very male-dominated industry, growth, healing through music, mindfulness, friendship, and so much more.
In this episode of “D Sustainability Issue” Dessie welcomes Milica Spiric.
Mili and Dessie talk about diversity, inclusion, working cultures, overcoming bias, and feminism. About learning about yourself from communicating with others and thus learning about others. They discuss concepts such as the stereotype threat - the perception that women are not good with numbers etc. that leads to “male dominated industries”, and motherhood penalty, or the decrease in salary for a woman after giving birth. They also address toxic masculinity, and on the other hand the rise of the feminine, that is bringing wealth and health on every level, including an increase in GDP in women-lead countries.
Mili speaks about how singing represents a healing mechanism for her - when going through sad times, grief and pain, and a mechanism to connect to herself and others as well.
We forget to create for the sake of creating.
Mili mentions other practices that have helped her grow and heal - meditation, hypnosis, reading, tarot reading. She also speaks about the importance of standing for yourself and leaning on your values when it comes to important decisions in your life. About being gentle with yourself, and listening to yourself, as well as to your body.
For the whole conversation, tune in to the episode.
Resources:
Brene Brown Daring Greatly
Linda Scott The Cost of Sexism
Rupi Kaur - Healing Through Words
Connect with Milica here:
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/__milila__/
LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/milicaspiric/
For more mindfulness and sustainable fashion inspiration follow me on Instagram @iamdessiegeorgieva.
Interested in yoga and mindfulness for yourself or your organisation? Check out my yoga schedule here https://www.dgoldenhour.com/golden-hour-yoga or set up a quick call with me to see whether we can work together: https://calendly.com/dessie-georgieva.
Music credit:
Wholesome by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/5050-wholesome
Sabrina Satzinger on Conscious Vegan Bag Making at Saborka
In this episode of “D Sustainability Issue” Dessie welcomes Sabrina Satzinger.
Sabrina is the founder and maker behind Saborka - a Vegan Bag brand based in Vienna, Austria. Saborka makes timeless, unique, and high quality accessories for all walks of life, fairly produced in-house by the founder, Sabrina, herself.
Craftsmanship, local production, responsible use of resources and materials are at the core of everything Saborka does.
In this episode of “D Sustainability Issue” Dessie welcomes Sabrina Satzinger.
Sabrina is the founder and maker behind Saborka - a Vegan Bag brand based in Vienna, Austria. Saborka makes timeless, unique, and high quality accessories for all walks of life, fairly produced in-house by the founder, Sabrina, herself.
Craftsmanship, local production, responsible use of resources and materials are at the core of everything Saborka does.
Sabrina went to fashion school at the age of 14, but it was not until later in life that she went back to fashion and created her first bag on the side and “by accident”, as she says. We talk about sewing and bag making as a craft, and the importance of elevating that image of the seamstress, since nowadays we have been so disconnected of the idea that is taken human hands to make pretty much every piece of clothing or accessory.
With her brand Saborka Sabrina wants to give people the opportunity to buy something that is locally produced, and show the importance of preserving the skill and the craft.
Furthermore, Sabrina and Dessie discuss transparency, and the responsibility of the brands, suppliers, politics, and consumers for a more sustainable, conscious, and transparent industry.
Sabrina shares her take on real versus vegan leather, which has been extremely refreshing, and one of the most honest conversations about this topic I have ever had. She shares ways that enable one to prolong the life of vegan leather, and debunks the myth that real leather is a waste product of the meat industry and thus does not drive demand.
Sabrina works with pineapple-based vegan leather Piñatex and other innovative leather alternatives, as well as headstock materials.
Lastly, one of the most important points Sabrina addresses is how important it is to show up and have an uncomfortable conversation without perfect knowledge (which, by the way, doesn’t exist). We learn and get better by having conversation about the topics that are important. I am for sure extremely grateful that she decided to have this one with me.
“Never stop being curious. Allow yourself to ask questions. Give feedback.”
Connect with Sabrina here:
Saborka on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/_saborka_/
Sabrina on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/iamsaborka/
Website https://www.saborka.at/
Piñatex https://www.ananas-anam.com/
For more mindfulness and sustainable fashion inspiration follow me on Instagram @iamdessiegeorgieva.
Music credit:
Wholesome by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/5050-wholesome
Selina Ho on Launching and Scaling Sustainable Fashion Brands Mindfully
In this episode of “D Sustainability Issue” Dessie welcomes Selina Ho. Selina is the Founder & CEO of Recloseted, the first one-stop consultancy for sustainable fashion. Selina and Dessie talk about best practices within the sustainable fashion space, as well as mindful ways to avoid overwhelm in the daily business of managing a sustainable brand.
In this episode of “D Sustainability Issue” Dessie welcomes Selina Ho. Selina is the Founder & CEO of Recloseted, the first one-stop consultancy for sustainable fashion. Recloseted launches + scales sustainable fashion brands and helps existing brands become more conscious through their programs and consulting services. Selina leverages her experience working at startups and Fortune 500s, and now leads an all-star team of consultants, sourcing experts, and material scientists to transform the harmful fashion industry. She is also the self-published author of “The Recloseted Handbook: Your Sustainable Fashion Guide”, a 200-page ebook detailing exactly how to become a stylish yet conscious clothing consumer.
In this episode we discuss
Selina’s “why” behind helping small and established fashion brands implement more sustainable practices.
Current trends and best practices in the sustainable fashion space
Mindful measures to take care of yourself and prevent overwhelm (the 3 Ds - Delete, Delete, or Delay)
How to sell sustainability within a company?
For the whole conversation, tune into the podcast episode with Selina.
Connect with Selina here:
For more mindfulness and sustainable fashion inspiration, follow Dessie on Instagram here
Interested in yoga and mindfulness for yourself or your organisation? Check out my yoga schedule here https://www.dgoldenhour.com/golden-hour-yoga or set up a quick call with me to see whether we can work together: https://calendly.com/dessie-georgieva.
Music credit:
Wholesome by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/5050-wholesome
Jessie Preston on Life Between Working as a Humanitarian and Running a Mindful Loungewear Label
In this episode of “D Sustainability Issue” Dessie welcomes Jessie Peterson. Jessie is a nomadic humanitarian, yoga enthusiast, spiritually curious, and ultimately committed to making the world a better place. After growing up in a small town in Nebraska US, she set her sights on manifesting a life she loved to live through exploration of the world, herself, and the cosmos. Jessie talks all about life between working as a humanitarian, and running a mindful fashion business, manifesting, limiting beliefs, and the feeling of home. Tune in to the podcast for the full interview.
In this episode of “D Sustainability Issue” Dessie welcomes Jessie Peterson. Jessie is a nomadic humanitarian, yoga enthusiast, spiritually curious, and ultimately committed to making the world a better place. After growing up in a small town in Nebraska US, she set her sights on manifesting a life she loved to live through exploration of the world, herself, and the cosmos.
Jessie talks about her why for living and working in a war-zone. She explains her reason with the quote:
“Never go into this work unless there is something inside of you that just says that you have to.”
When she is not in the Ukraine, Jessie resides in Kenya, where she founded a mindfully made luxury loungewear line called Dawa Wear (which in both Swahili and Arabic means medicine). She aspires to create pieces that are not “extracting from the earth”, but are something meaningful that is made in a collaborative process with not just humans, but the earth as well. After all, as she says, all things carry energy, including the things you wear. The idea for the business was born out of love for great textiles, the need to explore her creativity, and the wish to push the sustainable fashion movement forward.
Jessie talks about the challenges of building an ethical value chain in Kenya and Tanzania, choosing the most ecological dyes, as well as collaborating with awesome partners, such as the Design Co-lab for her design and production in Kenya.
We also dive into topics such as manifesting, mindfulness, , “the feeling of home”, and limiting beliefs that are often the only thing standing between us and our dreams.
For the full interview, tune in to the podcast episode.
Connect with Jessie here:
https://www.instagram.com/jessiempreston/
Dawa Lifestyle Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/dawa_lifestyle/
Design Co-Lab Kenya
https://www.instagram.com/design_co_lab/
For more mindfulness and sustainable fashion inspiration follow me on Instagram @iamdessiegeorgieva.
Interested in yoga and mindfulness for yourself or your organisation? Check out my yoga schedule here https://www.dgoldenhour.com/golden-hour-yoga or set up a quick call with me to see whether we can work together: https://calendly.com/dessie-georgieva.
Music credit:
Wholesome by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/5050-wholesome
Kayane Mahrejian on Women Empowerment Through Clothing
In this episode of “D Sustainability Issue” Podcast Dessie welcomes Kayane Mahrejian. Kayane is a construction engineer for 27 years turned fashion designer, who followed her dream to establish her own fashion brand - Kaiane Designs. The brand is a platform of artistic expression and a sharing of her own life experiences about love, travel, passion and conscious living.
In this episode of “D Sustainability Issue” Podcast Dessie welcomes Kayane Mahrejian. Kayane is a construction engineer for 27 years turned fashion designer, who followed her dream to establish her own fashion brand - Kaiane Designs. The brand is a platform of artistic expression and a sharing of her own life experiences about love, travel, passion and conscious living.
Armenian by origin, Kayane has lived in Lebanon and travelled through the Middle East a lot due to her work as a civil engineer. This is where she got inspired by the cultures of the people she worked with - especially in Saudi Arabia.
Her designs are mostly comprised by knits, which are made of natural materials, and mostly handwoven. She creates them through collaborating with women artisans from around the world that she strives to empower.
Furthermore, they are a Conscious Fashion and Lifestyle Partner of the United Nations
Listen to the podcast episode to hear our full conversation, and follow Kayane’s journey here:
Website
https://www.instagram.com/kaiane_designs/
Sustainable Fashion NOLCHA Shows @ NY Fashion Week
For more sustainable fashion and mindfulness inspiration follow me on Instagram @iamdessiegeorgieva.
Music credit:
Wholesome by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/5050-wholesome
Mauricio Alpizar on Nature as Source and Inspiration for Fashion
Mauricio Alpizar hails from Costa Rica and is now based in Bali, where he currently designs and produces his ethical and sustainable clothing brand.
His prints are inspired by nature, and created using eco-friendly inc and printed on 100% sustainably sourced woodline fabric.
For his latest collection Mauricio collaborates with SMESTA Fabrics, using a quite innovative acacia woodchip fibre for his designs, which is sustainably sourced and printed in Indonesia. The whole production process, including the release of water into the environment, is designed in the most environmentally friendly way, to ensure the least impact possible.
In this episode of "D Sustainability Issue" Dessie welcomes Mauricio Alpizar. Mauricio Alpizar hails from Costa Rica and is now based in Bali, where he currently designs and produces his ethical and sustainable clothing brand.
His prints are inspired by nature, and created using eco-friendly inc and printed on 100% sustainably sourced woodline fabric.
For his latest collection Mauricio collaborates with SMESTA Fabrics, using a quite innovative acacia woodchip fibre for his designs, which is sustainably sourced and printed in Indonesia. The whole production process, including the release of water into the environment, is designed in the most environmentally friendly way, to ensure the least impact possible.
Connect with Mauricio here
Website
https://www.mauricioalpizar.com.au/
https://www.instagram.com/mauricio_alpizar_fashion/
Sustainable Fashion NOLCHA Shows @ NY Fashion Week
For more sustainable fashion and mindfulness inspiration follow me on Instagram @iamdessiegeorgieva.
Sadhguru on #SaveSoil, Sustainable Fashion, and the Nature of Our Existence
In this episode of “D Sustainability Issue” Dessie shares exciting snippets of her meeting with Sadhguru at the SaveSoil Event in Vienna in March 2022.
You will hear about:
What does a Guru have to do with the fashion industry?
#SaveSoil - the purpose of Sadhguru’s visit to Vienna and what you can do to help too.
Sharing snippets from the conversation with Sadhguru after the Save Soil event in Vienna.
In February 2022 I contacted Sadhguru and the Isha Foundation with the wish to interview him for my podcast “D Sustainability Issue”. In 2019 he did a campaign called Fashion for Peace at New York fashion week, so of course, I found this involvement in the fashion industry by a Mystic like Sadhguru very interesting and wanted to know more, and amplify his message to as many people as I possibly could. Little did I know that a month later I will be meeting Sadhguru in person at a Save Soil event in Vienna, where I was lucky to attend as press, and be able to ask him a question in a private setting after the event.
This all sounds surreal even now that I type it, but I like thinking that things in our lives happen for a reason, and so there I am, sharing what I have with you from this blessing of a meeting, and hoping it inspires you the same way it inspires me.
In this episode I talk about 3 things:
What does a Guru have to do with the fashion industry?
The fashion industry is one of the most polluting industries in the world, and more than 60% of the fibres used in it are synthetic. For our health and for the health of our planet, we need to more to more natural fibres in fashion.
#SaveSoil - the purpose of Sadhguru’s visit to Vienna and what you can do to help too.
Soil is a living organism, and it enables all life on the planet. Over the last 100 years 50% of the world’s top soil has been degraded and destroyed. This leads to draught, food shortages, climate disaster. This needs to be politically addressed, so we can ensure the future of the next generations.
Sharing snippets from our conversation after the event.
Hope these simply inspire you the way they inspired me to learn more about these topics, and most importantly, to take action.
Let me know what you think on Instagram @iamdessiegeorgieva and follow along for more of these conversations.
Love,
Dessie
Here you can read more about Fashion for Peace at NYFW:
https://isha.sadhguru.org/us/en/blog/article/fashion-for-peace-newyork-fashion-week-event-highlights
Here is where you can inform yourself about soil, and what you can do to help:
Sadhguru’s interview with Imran Amed, Founder of Business of Fashion, at NYFW:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hUxpV_F55_Q&t=135s
Music credit:
Wholesome by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/5050-wholesome
Orsola De Castro on Revolutionising Fast Fashion Culture and Why Loved Clothes Last
In this episode of "D Sustainability Issue” Dessie welcomes Orsola De Castro. Orsola is a pioneer in sustainable fashion and co-founder and creative director of Fashion Revolution - the largest global movement for transparency and accountability in the fashion industry which started in response to the Rana Plaza factory collapse in 2013. Alongside revolutionising fast fashion culture, Orsola is a regular keynote speaker, educator, and mentor. Most recently, she published her first book Loved Clothes Last - How The Joy of Rewearing And Repairing Your Clothes Can Become a Revolutionary Act.
In this episode of "D Sustainability Issue” Dessie welcomes Orsola De Castro.
Orsola is a pioneer in sustainable fashion and co-founder and creative director of Fashion Revolution - a global movement for transparency and accountability in the fashion industry which started in response to the Rana Plaza factory collapse in 2013. Fashion Revolution impacts millions of people worldwide each year, with 4,2 million taking part on social media last Fashion Revolution Week alone.
Orsola’s career began in 1997 when she founded “From Somewhere”, her label that combined sustainable thinking with using luxury designer pre-consumer waste. In 2006 she founded Estethica - an innovative British Fashion Council initiative and sustainability arena she curated for London Fashion Week.
Alongside revolutionising fast fashion culture, Orsola is a regular keynote speaker, educator and mentor, lecturing at renowned institutions internationally such as University of Arts London and Central Saint Martin.
Most recently, she published her first book Loved Clothes Last - How The Joy of Rewearing And Repairing Your Clothes Can Become a Revolutionary Act. The book provides a practical “how-to” for achieving a more sustainable wardrobe, while truly inspiring the reader to understand the importance of caring for and loving the clothes already in our wardrobes.
Some useful links:
Find Orsola in Instagram here
Fashion Revolution here
By Hand London here
For more sustainable fashion inspiration, reach out to me on Instagram @dsustainabilityissue
Music credit:
Wholesome by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/5050-wholesome
Julie Allen On Size Inclusivity in Fashion
In this episode of “D Sustainability Issue” Dessie welcomes Julie Allen. Julie is an author, a sustainability awareness activist, the CEO of Mary Rose NW Boutique, and founder of the Mary Rose Foundation. Julie started Mary Rose NW Boutique because she recognized the need for a clothing shop that focused on body acceptance, self-love, and helping all bodies feel beautiful and confident in their clothes. We talk about the huge gap of size inclusion in the ethical fashion industry, and the way to move forward.
In this episode of “D Sustainability Issue” Dessie welcomes Julie Allen. Julie is an author, a sustainability awareness activist, the CEO of Mary Rose NW Boutique, and founder of the Mary Rose Foundation. Julie started Mary Rose NW Boutique because she recognized the need for a clothing shop that focused on body acceptance, self-love, and helping all bodies feel beautiful and confident in their clothes. The three pillars of her boutique include sustainability, inclusion, and social justice.
Julie has struggled with an eating disorder in the past, which motivated her to found her size-inclusive boutique. We talk about the huge gap of size inclusion in the ethical fashion industry, and the way to move forward. Julie talks about helping fund treatment for eating disorder patients and educating on the topics of body image and eating disorder prevention with the Mary Rose Foundation. Her own sustainable size-inclusive women-centric line Hope Continues is set to launch in March.
Find Julie here:
https://www.instagram.com/maryrose.boutique/
https://www.maryrosefoundation.org
For more sustainable fashion and mindfulness inspiration follow Dessie on Instagram here.
Music credit:
Wholesome by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/5050-wholesome
João Botelho on Luxury Fashion And Sustainability
In this episode of “D Sustainability Issue” Dessie welcomes João Botelho. João has been working on sustainability projects with Farfetch, a Luxury Fashion online marketplace. He studied Business at WU Vienna, and has been passionate for sustainability and circular economy for a long time, having started his own initiatives such as Recycle Geeks. We talk about Positively Farfetch - Farfetch’s dedication to sustainability, which has three main focus points - Circularity, Reduction, and Consciousness.
In this episode of “D Sustainability Issue” Dessie welcomes João Botelho. João has been working on sustainability projects with Farfetch, a Luxury Fashion online marketplace. He studied Business at WU Vienna, and has been passionate for sustainability and circular economy for a long time, having started his own initiatives such as Recycle Geeks. We talk about Positively Farfetch - Farfetch’s dedication to sustainability, which has three main focus points - Circularity, Reduction, and Consciousness. To hear all about Farfetch’s approach to sustainability and João’s personal take on the topic, join us and listen to the full interview.
LovedClothesLast Book - Orsola de Castro
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/54367214-loved-clothes-last
Japanese concept wabi-sabi - repairing broken items with gold.
Recycle Geeks
Find Joao here
https://www.instagram.com/just_joao/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/joaobotelhosilva/
Positively Farfetch
https://www.farfetch.com/uk/stories/positively-farfetch.aspx
Music credit:
Wholesome by Kevin MacLeod
Farah liz Pallaro on Fashion, Business, And Spirituality
In this episode of “D Sustainability Issue” Dessie welcomes Farah liz Pallaro. Farah is a mentor, an educator, and an author of the book: “Fashion.Business.Spirituality: A call to the light workers of the fashion industry”, which is a manual for fashion professionals who want to approach their work in a more mindful way.
In this episode of “D Sustainability Issue” Dessie welcomes Farah liz Pallaro. Farah is a mentor, an educator, and an author. She started her career as a fashion designer 20 years ago, and in 2009 she launched her own consultancy for trend research, brand management, and teaching. Recently she also launched her own online community platform for self-discovery, alignment, and growth. She’s collaborated with some of the most renown international brands and institutions such as DelPozo, Dolce & Gabbana, Borsalino, Luisa Via Roma, Marangoni, Coventry University and so many more.
In 2018 she published her book: “Fashion.Business.Spirituality: A call to the light workers of the fashion industry”, which is a manual for fashion professionals who want to approach their work in a more mindful way. Despite that, the wisdom and practices shared in her book are applicable to pretty much any work field. Her goal is to contribute to a more ethical and human-driven fashion industry. I talk to her about everything from the toxic fashion business environment and the industry’s ethical problems, to trauma, mental health, and healing. We discuss the most pressing problems in a society driven by fear, and how to deal with them.
Farah studied law at UCM in Madrid, Fashion Design in both Madrid and London, and most recently “Entrepreneurship and Professional mentoring” at the IOEE of London UK.
Some useful links:
Tara Mohr
Osho
Find Farah here:
https://www.farahlizpallaro.com/
https://www.instagram.com/farahlizpallaro
For more sustainable fashion inspiration, reach out to me on Instagram @dsustainabilityissue
Music credit:
Wholesome by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/5050-wholesome
Liisa Jokinen On Style vs. Fashion And Vintage Shopping With Gem App
As Coco Chanel said, “Fashion comes and goes but style lasts forever.” Liisa Jokinen’s life philosophy is a full embodiment of that quote.
Liisa is a real street style legend, having photographed street style since back in 2005. Originally from Finnland, she now lives and works in New York. She is the creator of NYC Looks and Her Looks street style sites. Since most recently, she is the founder of Gem Vintage search app - a search engine for vintage fashion.
In this episode of “D Sustainability Issue” Dessie welcomes founder and street style and vintage enthusiast Liisa Jokinen.
As Coco Chanel said:
“Fashion comes and goes but style lasts forever.”
Liisa Jokinen’s life philosophy is a full embodiment of that quote. As she says of herself, she is not into fashion at all, but into style. Style tells a story and says more about a person than any fashionable item can.
Liisa is a real street style legend, having photographed street style since back in 2005. Originally from Finnland, she now lives and works in New York. She is the creator of NYC Looks and Her Looks street style sites. Since most recently, she is the founder of Gem Vintage search app - a search engine for vintage fashion globally that you should definitely give a try. Alongside the benefits of shopping vintage and expressing yourself through it, we discuss super practical tipps for shopping successfully for vintage online. I could definitely take a few away, and I’m sure you will too. Check out the full podcast episode for all of them and our super inspiring conversation.
Find Liisa here:
Photo by Debbie Yard
Janelle Abbot’s website:
For more sustainable fashion and mindfulness inspiration follow Dessie on Instagram here.
Music credit:
Wholesome by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/5050-wholesome
Jasmin Huber On Enjoying High Quality Fashion Without The Impact with WeDress Collective
Jasmin is an expert in sustainability, circular economy, and mindful consumption. She has more than 10 years of business experience - from finance to fashion tech. Jasmin wrote her bachelor thesis about sustainability in the European fashion industry and did a master in sustainability and responsible businesses. She’s been working as a consultant and auditor at KPMG Austria, where she established the department circular economy. In March 2020 she founded WeDressCollective - a fashion rental platform with the vision to build an ecosystem where everyone can enjoy fashion in a sustainable way. Check out the full episode for all the details of her story and rental venture.
This is the first episode of a new season of “D Sustainability Issue” which I am very, very excited about! It is 7. September, the moon is in a new moon phase, which is great for new beginnings, and it is my father’s birthday, which seemed like a great day for a launch. This is the very first interview of this season, which is maybe also my favourite one so far, with Jasmin Huber, founder of the fashion rental platform WeDress Collective.
Jasmin is an expert in sustainability, circular economy, and mindful consumption. She has more than 10 years of business experience - from finance to fashion tech. Jasmin wrote her bachelor thesis about sustainability in the European fashion industry and did a master in sustainability and responsible businesses. She’s been working as a consultant and auditor at KPMG Austria, where she established the department circular economy.
In March 2020 she founded WeDressCollective - a fashion rental platform with the vision to build an ecosystem where everyone can enjoy fashion in a sustainable way. With its peer-to-peer rental system, WeDress Collective allows for consuming fashion in a sustainable way, by giving you access to a wide range of clothes and accessories while reducing your environmental footprint. In this way, you can live out your love and passion for fashion without the negative side effects of traditional shopping.
We recorded our interview about two months ago, and since Jasmin has relocated to Germany, where the company is currently expanding. WeDress’s very first campaign (which is so, so great and I cannot wait to see more of) is launching soon - at their first ever WeDress Pop-up Live Experience! Where? In Berlin, Friedrichstrasse 67, from 23 to 29 September (11am - 8pm). Great fashion, panels, music, drinks, and friends are awaiting you - make sure hot to miss it if you are around! Also, use CODE DESSIE10 for 10% off your first order on https://www.wedresscollective.com/
Find WeDress Collective on Instagram here
and Jasmin here
For more sustainable fashion and mindfulness inspiration follow Dessie on Instagram here.
Music credit:
Wholesome by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/5050-wholesome
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Made in Europe - What does it actually mean?
In this episode of D Sustainability Issue Dessie is on a quest to find out what "Made in Europe" and "Made in EU" tags actually mean. Labelling doesn't tell the whole story, since many steps of the supply chain stay invisible, and the laws allow for loopholes with sub-contracting. Listen in to hear the whole story, and what you can do to change this.
In this episode of D Sustainability Issue Dessie is on a quest to find out what "Made in Europe" and "Made in EU" tags actually mean, especially since her home country Bulgaria is a large garment producer for some of the world's most luxurious brands.
The fast fashion industry relies on cheap labour countries to keep production costs for its 52 seasons of clothes a year low. This is why most of our clothes are nowadays being produced in Asia or Africa. Nevertheless, the growing number of conscious consumers are looking for more local alternatives, and this is where the "Made in Europe" label comes in. The problem with it is that it doesn't tell the whole story. According to law, the label states the country where the last "substantial transformation" of the piece has been made. It leaves out the processes before sewing a piece together, such as harvesting the cotton etc. completely out of the labelling, which is misleading. What is more, with the current fashion system and labelling laws, it is very easy to find legal loopholes through e.g. sub-contracting between factories.
What can we do about this? Listen to the whole episode to find out.
Pretty Progressive article: 20 best podcasts about ethical sustainability of 2021
Resources
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-balkans-clothing-idUSTRE55H0DT20090618
https://www.tekstilrevolutionen.dk/project/why-the-made-in-the-eu-label-can-be-misleading/
https://ec.europa.eu/info/publications/made-europe_en
Music credit
Wholesome by Kevin MacLeod
Alina Bassi About Tackling Fashion Waste with Kleiderly
In this episode of “D Sustainability Issue” Podcast, Dessie welcomes Alina Bassi - a Chemical Engineer turned entrepreneur with a big passion for sustainability. With seven years experience designing and building factories that turn waste into energy and biofuels, she decided to start her own venture, Kleiderly, to tackle the issue of textile waste. She has developed an award winning, patent pending solution to transform textile waste into a plastic alternative, which can be used to produce anything from furniture to clothing hangers to sunglasses. Hence Kleiderly is solving two environmental problems with one solution.
In this episode of “D Sustainability Issue” Podcast, Dessie welcomes Alina Bassi - a Chemical Engineer turned entrepreneur with a big passion for sustainability. With seven years experience designing and building factories that turn waste into energy and biofuels, she decided to start her own venture, Kleiderly, to tackle the issue of textile waste. She has developed an award winning, patent pending solution to transform textile waste into a plastic alternative, which can be used to produce anything from furniture to clothing hangers to sunglasses. Hence Kleiderly is solving two environmental problems with one solution.
Alina is an advocate for women in STEM (Science technology, engineering, and mathematics), as well as one of the founding members of Tech In Colour, an initiative supporting female founders of colour to raise investment. More recently, she joined the Forbes 30 under 30 class of 2020, in the Manufacturing and Industry category. Besides fashions’s waste problem and it’s solution, we talk about leadership, as well as mindfulness practices that support Alina as a founder.
Connect with Alina Bassi on
Find Kleiderly on
Music credit:
Wholesome by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/5050-wholesome
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Ryan Shearman & Dan Wojno, Founders of Aether - The World's First Carbon-Negative Diamonds
Diamonds may be a girl’s best friend, but the majority are less-than-friendly to the environment and the people involved in the mining and production process. In this episode of “D Sustainability Issue” Dessie welcomes the founders of Aether - the world’s first positive-impact and truly sustainable diamonds: alchemized from air and hand-set in responsibly-sourced metals.
Ryan Shearman, Co-Founder and CEO of Aether, is a mechanical engineer turned entrepreneur with a background in material science and over 10 years of experience in jewelry and tech. Early in his career, he joined David Yurman as one of the first hires on their new Men's team, where he specialized in the development and introduction of new product collections. His work touched on everything from design through to large-scale production and he was responsible for overseeing the development of some of the brand's most iconic and commercially successful collections at the time. Ryan transitioned to the tech world in 2013 when he founded his first startup, Fusar, a direct-to-consumer brand that developed tech-enabled safety products for the motorcycle market. As founder and CEO of Aether, he combines his passions for technology and jewelry with his personal mission to help solve the climate crisis. In his free time, Ryan can be found riding his motorcycle, teaching his dog new tricks, and spending time with his family.
Dan Wojno, Co-Founder and COO of Aether, has more than a decade of experience in jewelry manufacturing and product development. Dan’s jewelry career has taken him around the globe - it began in New York City, working for David Yurman, where he worked closely with Mr. Yurman to bring his designs to life and developed the $10 million Labyrinth collection — D.Y.’s largest to date. After three years in the NYC HQ, Dan moved to Bangkok, Thailand to setup David Yurman’s Asia operations. After DY Dan has served as Director of Advance Quality with Pandora in Bangkok, where he managed an international team of 60 and was responsible for the success of all new product launches. After that, Dan was tapped to be Head of Group Quality at Pandora’s global H.Q. in Copenhagen, Denmark. Dan holds a Masters of Engineering and Management from Case Western Reserve University and a BS in Mechanical Engineering from Marquette University. After nearly seven years abroad, Dan is thrilled to be back in the U.S. with his wife and dog and welcoming his first child in 2021.
Check Aether out on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.
Follow D Sustainability Issue on Instagram for more sustainable fashion inspiration.
Music credit:
Wholesome by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/5050-wholesome
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Iris Skrami, Founder of Renoon - The Smartest Tool for Finding Sustainable Clothing Online
In this episode of “D Sustainability Issue” Dessie welcomes Iris Skrami, Founder of Renoon, the smartest tool for finding sustainable clothing from multiple websites at once. Iris was born in Milan, and started out her career in digital and innovation at various multinational companies including Luxottica, NIKE, and PVH, which saw her relocate to the Netherlands. Since the launch of Renoon in 2020 it has gained a huge recognition internationally. Dessie and Iris break down the tool, the business model behind it, and how it can help shift the industry towards more sustainability, how does the team define sustainability and what does this mean for the products you find on the platform. They also touch upon Iris’s passion for yoga, and how this journey has influenced her career.
“That’s when I experienced this problem myself, that sustainability needs to be tackled, and I felt like if I didn’t solve this, who else would? And that’s when I made my career switch of becoming an entrepreneur.”
Iris Skrami was born and raised in Milan, Italy. She started out her career in digital and innovation at various multinational companies including Luxottica, NIKE, and PVH, because of which she relocated to the Netherlands. In February 2020, Iris co-founded Renoon, the smartest tool for finding sustainable clothing from multiple websites at once. Since its launch, Renoon has been recognised on a global scale as a top10 startup by FemaleFounders and Startupbootcamp, as well as having received investments from industry veterans including the ex CIO of Gucci, CTO of Yoox, CFO of Moleskine and ex MD of Spotify Southern EU.
In 2020, Iris was selected as one of the top70 ‘pioneers of the new world’ according to Sifted (Financial Times) and was on the Forbes Under 30 Italy 2021 list. Iris is also part of the Leaders for Climate Action community, which works to bring together climate-conscious leaders. Her commitment to a more conscious lifestyle also reflects in her personal life – she is a certified yoga instructor with a Youtube channel which has generated over 10 million views.
We talk about her Startup Renoon - a platform that helps you shop more sustainably from multiple websites online. We break down the tool, the business model behind it, and how it can help shift the industry towards more sustainability, how does the team define sustainability and what does this mean for the products you find on the platform. We also touch upon her passion for yoga, and how this journey has influenced her career.
Follow Iris on Instagram here
Follow Renoon on Instagram here and check out the app here and in the app store.
Check out Feedspot and the “Top 30 sustainable fashion podcasts in 2021” here
Music credit:
Wholesome by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/5050-wholesome
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Janice Sommer About Being a Model Activist
Janice Sommer is a model, podcast host, sustainability activist and sustainable business growth strategist. She is half German, half Singaporean, and has a MA in International Relations and Economics from the University of St Andrews. After a few years of corporate finance life, she completely switched careers to start working as a model, podcaster and in the field of social entrepreneurship. She is passionate about finding smart solutions to help make the world of fashion more sustainable. In order to explore these topics, she founded and is the host of the podcast and blog "In Conscious Conversation", as well as part of Model Mafia, an organization that fights for a fairer, safer, and more inclusive fashion industry.
In this episode Dessie welcomes Janice Sommer - a model, podcast host, sustainability activist and sustainable business growth strategist. She is half German, half Singaporean, and has a MA in International Relations and Economics from the University of St Andrews. After a few years of corporate finance life, she completely switched careers to start working creatively as a model, podcaster and in the field of social entrepreneurship. She is passionate about finding smart solutions to help make the world of fashion more sustainable. In order to explore these topics, she founded and is the host of the podcast and blog "In Conscious Conversation", which features interviews with the founders of sustainable fashion brands that are transparent across their entire supply chain, and make a real social impact. She is also part of Model Mafia, an organization that fights for a fairer, safer, and more inclusive fashion industry. Janice is particularly excited about community-led entrepreneurship and innovation, and enabling sustainability-focused entrepreneurs and founders to learn from each other and tell their stories. They talk about career switches, what is it to be a model while fighting for a fairer, more sustainable fashion industry, and how to take better everyday fashion choices.
Follow Janice on Instagram and check out her podcast "In Conscious Conversation" here.
Follow me, Dessie, for more sustainable fashion and mindfulness inspiration at “D Sustainability Issue” here.
Joanna Dai, founder and CEO of innovative womenswear brand DAI
In this episode Dessie welcomes Joanna Dai, founder and CEO of innovative womenswear brand DAI. The brand is committed to empowering women and making positive environmental and social impact through eco-certified materials, timeless aesthetics and tech-enabled fit. Before taking the leap to start the brand, Joanna was an investment banker for 8 years at J.P. Morgan in New York and London.
In this episode Dessie welcomes Joanna Dai, founder and CEO of innovative womenswear brand DAI. Dai delivers comfort-empowered performance for the modern woman, designing at the intersection of eco-certified technical fabrics, minimal aesthetics, timeless silhouettes, and purposeful versatility. The brand is committed to empowering women and making positive environmental and social impact. Since launch in 2017, Dai has been on a tremendous growth trajectory and is a pioneer in sustainable materials innovation, tech-enabled fit and e-commerce experience.
Joanna is a US expat based in London and was previously an investment banker for 8 years at J.P. Morgan in New York and London. She graduated from Cornell University with a B.S. in Electrical and Computer Engineering, and hails from Southern California which could explain her obsession with comfort and ease.
Check out DAI on their website here.
Follow Joanna Dai on Instagram here.
Follow @dsustainabilityissue on Instagram here for more sustainable fashion inspiration.
Music credit:
Wholesome by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/5050-wholesome
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/