“Who Made My Clothes” Movement – How it All Began
Who Made My Clothes Movement was [and still is] a powerful event in the history of fashion. It compelled various brands, designers and the industry to think about the repercussions of their actions.
E37: Morin George – What is Fair Trade Fashion? Is it the same as Sustainable Fashion?
I don’t know about you but I found myself wondering lately if “fair trade fashion” and “sustainability” were one and the same thing or not? What happened to “fair trade”? A few years ago everyone was talking about fair trade fashion and all of a sudden no one is but the focus has moved to […]
E39: The ODD Fashion Clothing Factory with Karishma Kapur
Fashion clothing manufacturing is a key process in the lifecycle of launching and growing a product-based brand. Often mismanaged, rarely given its dues – fashion manufacturing is the Cinderella of the fashion industry. It does all the heavy lifting and hard work for fashion brands large and small but is always mistreated. With all the […]
E32: How to grow & scale a sustainable fashion business with Darryl Bannon
Creating a successful fashion brand means that you need to focus on creating a sustainable fashion business. Creating a sustainable fashion business means that you need to know the fundamentals of creating, building, growing, and scaling a business. In this second instalment (see ep.30 for Part 1) of a conversation with business consultant Darryl Bannon […]
E29: Insider’s look at the role of a fashion buyer with Chelsea Chu from Anima Animus
Following graduation Chelsea Chu was lucky to find employment quickly in the fashion industry. And not just any job but a buyer’s position for an online luxury retailer. In this interview, we look into the role of a buyer in the industry and what led her to decide to launch her own brand, and the […]
E23: Sourcing Sustainable Fabrics with Charlie Bradley Ross
Many graduate designers encounter challenges along the way of making it in the fashion industry that often leads them to set up a business that aims to solve the very problem they faced. One such fashion entrepreneur is Charlie Brandley Ross who is the founder of Offset Warehouse and the Sustainable Fashion Collective. Episode Notes: […]
E22: Edwina Huang: The answer to fashion sustainability is scalability
What can you do if you know that the world can be your oyster and you are passionate about fashion and sustainability? In the case of our guest – Edwina Huang creating a solution to an age-old problem was the answer. As the founder of Phoenxt fabric technology company, she turns waste fabrics into beautiful new fabrics. […]
E17: 5 Ideas on How to Turn Fashion Deadstock Into Cash
How to Turn Fashion Deadstock Into Cash Leftover stock in any shape or form is deadstock. Literally! It sits on a shelf, clothes rail, or under a table gathering dust. Yet – it cost you money, to begin with, to acquire. We all know that … Cash is king. Building a fashion brand and business […]
E15: Unfolding the fashion retail industry with Cally Russell
This is Unfolded is a new “brand” and a new form of shopping rolled into one. Though the concept is not new, the way the founders are doing retail is challenging the fashion retail industry for sure. Interested to know more….? OK – here is some more… Episode notes: The team behind This is Unfolded […]
E:14 Designer Lora Gene: Shift focus & stay in your own fashion story
Lora Gene is the creative force and founder behind the eponymous womenswear brand Lora Gene. What started organically has evolved into a true purpose-driven brand with a real focus on the customer and, in particular, the well-being and comfort of the many women who love the brand. Episode notes: how she got her start in […]
E13: The business of zero-waste fashion with Bhaavya Goenka
As part of our support for the cause championed by Fashion Revolution we meet and interview Bhaavya Goenka – the founder behind the zero-waste Indian brand Iro Iro. Bhaavya is also the regional leader for Fashion Revolution India, Jaipur chapter, and is active in her community in promoting sustainability and ethical manufacturing. Episode Notes During […]
Why using leftover fabric is good for the fashion industry
Leftover fabric, deadstock materials, surplus stock…these are words that a decade ago were not part of the fashion vocabulary. If you had included them in a fashion conversation, you would have raised eyebrows. Yet today, they are as much part of the vernacular as any other fashion term. It is no wonder that fashion is […]
Vegan Leather vs Real Animal Leather: the race towards sustainable fashion
Vegan Leather or Real Animal Leather? Sustainability and making fashion more responsible and better for the planet have been on the global environmental agenda for a number of years now. The current pandemic has magnified the issue even more and made creative entrepreneurs and consumers alike be more conscientious about their daily choices. According to […]
Think globally but manufacture fashion locally
What a phenomenal time to be alive. There has been no other time in the history of humankind when so much has changed in such a short period of time. When the opportunities we have, outnumber the obstacles we face. [The original version of this article was first published at Estila magazine Vol 12 / […]
Sustainable Fashion Terminology Explained
Sustainable fashion terminology can be confusing to most. Like many other industries, fashion is shaped by economic and political forces. It is like a living organism – always evolving and changing. I’m sure – like me – you must find it hard to keep up with all the terminology used by industry insiders. Not only […]
The Global Rise of Cruelty-Free Fashion
The rise of cruelty-free fashion and beauty brands is apparent and all around us. Over the last few years, keen followers of fashion, no doubt would have noticed a sharp increase in consumers seeking more conscious fashion choices. For many, the search led them to nowhere. Others chose to do something it and launched their […]
Ethical Kind Organic Peace Silk – Not Just Another Fashion Brand
True entrepreneurs are often driven by a resilient sense of mission. They don’t start businesses out of a desire, but out of need and want to change the world in their own small or large way. More and more lately we see such social entrepreneurs appear in the fashion industry. They launch fashion brands as […]
How to Avoid Falling Prey to Fast Fashion
We can’t all afford the designer styles we see on celebrities and runway models. So, we often settle for cheap alternatives. Unfortunately, there’s a price to pay for affordable clothing – and we’re not talking money-wise. Much like fast food, fast fashion was made to cater to those on a budget as a quick and […]
The Rise of Ethical Fashion Manufacturing
The terms “ethical (fashion) manufacturing” and “sustainability” have become the buzz words of our generation. But are they just a marketing gimmick or do brands and customers really care about the issues? One of the many great things about the internet era we live in is access to information. Everything and anything, 24/7. It is […]
Silent Goods: Bravery in the face of adversity
Silent Goods is a brand that asks the question – Is it really possible to go against the grain and to create a fledgeling, sustainable and transparent brand that’s distributed through online sales only?
7 Eco-Friendly Practices Every Small Fashion Business Can Do
Brands with any integrity have been thinking of ways to build their businesses with a sustainable advantage for a while now. Below are 7 Eco-friendly practices that a fashion business can do to contribute to sustainability in the fashion industry.
Creating a New Hand-Worker Economy the Swat Valley Guild way
An interview with the founder of Swat Valley Guild, whose mission is to support local artisans, weavers and producers access global markets.
Can the use of alternative textiles be the answer to sustainable fashion?
Introducing alternative textiles is just one and a relatively small step in creating a sustainable environment and it may be the answer to the sustainable fashion quest.
What is sustainable fashion and is fashion sustainable?
Now, more than ever, we should be thinking about sustainable fashion. But what is sustainable fashion? And is fashion sustainable?
The Impossible Choice: Fast Fashion vs Slow Fashion
Making a choice between fast fashion vs slow fashion may seem like an obvious choice, yet it is not an easy choice for many to make. One has moral implications while the other is more practical and economical. So what is it to be?