Loose Threads Inside The New Consumer Economy

#75. The Renewal Workshop partners with apparel brands to recycle and resell surplus inventory and damaged products. We talk with co-founder Jeff Denby about building a circular business model, as well as the factory and the technology necessary to breathe new life into apparel headed for the landfill. The Loose Threads Podcast features in-depth discussions with leaders across the rapidly changing consumer economy.

#74. Ollie delivers human-grade pet food straight to the dog bowl. We talk with co-founder Gabby Slome about how she and her team created a nutritious alternative to the dog food already on the market and how the company is expanding to serve a growing population of canines. The Loose Threads Podcast features in-depth discussions with leaders across the rapidly changing consumer economy.

#73. Winky Lux is a quickly growing beauty brand built around accessible and fun products. We talk with co-founder Natalie Mackey, who started the company after realizing the mass market opportunity around drugstore-priced cosmetics that embody playfulness and delight. The Loose Threads Podcast features in-depth discussions with leaders across the rapidly changing consumer economy.

#72. Argent makes smart workwear for women. We talk with co-founder Eleanor Turner about creating function-driven and aesthetically-minded womenswear—which have been priorities in menswear for decades—and creating a community that empowers women. The Loose Threads Podcast features in-depth discussions with leaders across the rapidly changing consumer economy.

#71. King & Partners is a creative and technology agency that works with leading brands. We talk with founder Tony King about his long career in helping brands embrace ecommerce and what it’s like working with a new crop of brands while maintaining integrity and control. The Loose Threads Podcast features in-depth discussions with leaders across the rapidly changing consumer economy.

#70. TomboyX makes underwear and other essential products for everyone, regardless of gender, size, geography or economic status. We talk with Fran Dunaway, who founded the company with her partner Naomi after struggling to find a brand that spoke to their aesthetic and values. The Loose Threads Podcast features in-depth discussions with leaders across the rapidly changing consumer economy.

#69. Rockets of Awesome creates modern children’s clothes, conveniently delivered to busy parents. We talk with Founder and CEO Rachel Blumenthal, who started the company after running a previous business that made mothers’ lives easier, and has gone on to build a service that both mothers and kids love—a particular challenge as the buyer and the user are two different people. The Loose Threads Podcast features in-depth discussions with leaders across the rapidly changing consumer economy.

#68. Ply-Knits is a knitwear label that marries a modern, direct-to-consumer approach with a high level of technical development and refined aesthetics. We talk with Ply-Knit’s Creative Director Carolyn Yim about the lessons she has learned from her family’s three generations of knitwear manufacturing expertise, what it’s like operating a consumer-facing business while also providing Original Equipment Manufacturing to brands, and how to approach customers as human beings in the age of data and analytics. The Loose Threads Podcast features in-depth discussions with leaders across the rapidly changing consumer economy.

#67. Kintu is an internationally inspired and produced handbag brand that works with artisans in Uganda and Kenya. We talk with Founder Sarah Nakintu about her impulse to create high-quality but aspirationally priced bags with a global image—a brand with a unique aesthetic that also creates jobs in the economy Sarah grew up in. The Loose Threads Podcast features in-depth discussions with leaders across the rapidly changing consumer economy.

#66. SelfMade provides Instagram-in-a-box for entrepreneurs, giving small businesses the tools and services they need to succeed on social media as conducting business online moves from websites to Instagram accounts. We talk with co-founder Brian Schechter about the company, where social media is headed, and what it’s like building on a closed and constantly evolving platform. The Loose Threads Podcast features in-depth discussions with leaders across the rapidly changing consumer economy.

#65. Rep the Squad lets passionate sports fans rent any jersey they want, giving them access to an infinitely-expanding collection. We talk with co-founder and CEO Brian Watkins about how Rep the Squad is joining the rental economy in a path pioneered by Rent the Runway, democratizing the pride and notoriety that comes from sporting your favorite teams’ colors. The Loose Threads Podcast features in-depth discussions with leaders across the rapidly changing consumer economy.

#64. Bonobos was a healthy product-driven company, built on a strong vision and a small, but loyal audience. But since 2016, and Bonobos' Walmart acquisition, co-president Micky Onvural has helped steer the company into a resonating brand. We had a great talk with Micky about what it's like to take the reins at someone else's company, go through an acquisition and turn a company's core DNA into a long-lasting brand. The Loose Threads Podcast features in-depth discussions with leaders across the rapidly changing consumer economy.

#63. Rowing Blazers brings all the quirks of a blazer to life, quickly growing into a Supreme-meets-Brooks Brothers lifestyle brand. We talk with Founder Jack Carlson, about how the company sprung out of his rowing career and his years-long quest to understand the origins of the blazer, and how Rowing Blazers is evolving the meaning and purpose of heritage for the modern world. The Loose Threads Podcast features in-depth discussions with leaders across the rapidly changing consumer economy.

#62. Taste Beauty is a manufacturing company working at the forefront of the quickly evolving beauty industry. We talk with Co-Founder Alex Fogelson about how his company is bringing trend-driven products to more than 50,000 beauty retailers worldwide, including Walmart and Sephora, in addition to powering the product licenses for major food and entertainment companies. The Loose Threads Podcast features in-depth discussions with leaders across the rapidly changing consumer economy.

#61. BuzzFeed Commerce, the media company’s commerce and product arm, has proved in only a short span of time that it might be the most agile and prolific team in consumer products. We talk with its director, Ben Kaufman, who joined the company with his team in the fall of 2016 after realizing that BuzzFeed thinks about social content in the same way he thought about social products—in the last year and a half, Ben and his team have produce a litany of products that span audiences, categories and materials, some going viral. The Loose Threads Podcast features in-depth discussions with leaders across the rapidly changing consumer economy.

#60. Heyday unbundles the facial from the spa, opening it up to a whole new audience. We talk with Co-Founder Michael Pollak, about the company’s origins, the excitement of being a retail-first business, and how highly-trained and qualified employees take the experience to the next level, both online and offline. The Loose Threads Podcast features in-depth discussions with leaders across the rapidly changing consumer economy.

#59. Resonance is a venture-operating company that is helping designers scale their brands at record speeds. We talk with its co-founder, Joe Ferrara, who started the company with Lawrence Lenihan after spending close to a decade investing in consumer brands and realizing the importance of flexible supply chains and modest capital raising. Resonance is the pair’s most ambitious project yet, as they seek to redefine the skillset, infrastructure and capital needed to succeed today while Amazon and Zara continue expanding. The Loose Threads Podcast features in-depth discussions with leaders across the rapidly changing consumer economy.

#58. Saint James is the French heritage brand known for its sweaters and stripes—and, the oldest brand we've had on the podcast. We talk with President Luc Lesénécal about the power of heritage brands, the opportunities and challenges of evolving them to compete in modern times, and the benefits of domestic production and retaining this expertise in house. The Loose Threads Podcast features in-depth discussions with leaders across the rapidly changing consumer economy.

#57. Eloquii is turning into the destination for on-trend plus-size fashion. We talk with CEO Mariah Chase, who has led Eloquii along with members of its original team since The Limited shut it down. Together, they have revitalized the company as it pushes the boundaries of true fashion for plus-size women, who have often been the last to receive attention—if they did at all. The Loose Threads Podcast features in-depth discussions with leaders across the rapidly changing consumer economy.

#56. GREATS is the first digitally-native footwear brand that is hyper-focused on bringing extreme value to the sneaker market. We talk with founder Ryan Babenzien about how GREATS has prioritized quality and simplicity and flourished into a booming online and now offline sneaker business that he is now seeking to extend to new categories and branch out internationally. The Loose Threads Podcast features in-depth discussions with leaders across the rapidly changing consumer economy.