Conscious Chatter With Kestrel Jenkins

In episode 71, Kestrel welcomes Gordon Seabury, the CEO of Toad&Co to the show. An outdoor industry lifestyle brand, Toad&Co has a bold mission: “To lead with integrity and weave optimism into everything they do; To create meaningful change through socially and environmentally smart business; and To inspire people to live their fullest lives”. Toad&Co has a motto: “Dirty is the new clean. Wear more. Wash less.” Studies suggest that 58% of the energy and 45% of the water that goes into a garment happens post-purchase, so we recommend that you wear your clothing multiple times before washing to save on both natural resources and prolong its life. -Toad&Co Throughout this chat, Gordon shares insight on how Toad&Co approaches the triple bottom line, when it comes to their materials and the manufacturing throughout their supply chain. In 1997, Toad&Co cofounded Planet Access Company (PAC) to positively change the lives of adults with developmental disabilities by providing them with job

In episode 70, Kestrel welcomes Linn Frisinger, cofounder of Swedish Stockings to the show. Swedish Stockings produces beautiful pantyhose from 90-98% recycled nylon yarn.  Each year, two billion pairs of tights are produced, worn a few times, and then discarded. After being inspired by the documentary The Lightbulb Conspiracy, Linn and her cofounder Nadja Forsberg set out to find a better solution for the hosiery industry. In this chat, Kestrel asks Linn about the approach Swedish Stockings has to sustainability and zero waste in their supply chain, as well as their Recycling Club, which addresses the end of life of pantyhose. Linn also acknowledges the impact that nylon has on our oceans and microplastics issue; she shares how Swedish Stockings is developing a new yarn composed of upcycled plastic from the ocean. When it comes to being able to recycle elastane, Linn believes a solution is close, and hopes we will see one in the near future. Details on material composition:  Nylon: a man-made polyamide, de

In episode 69 of Conscious Chatter, Kestrel welcomes Alex van Os, eco stylist and founder of Op Shop To Runway to the show. Alex is an Australian Red Cross Op Shop Ambassador and a fashion & TV stylist on a mission: to help people realize that having killer style doesn't mean you have to kill the earth in the process. For her, second hand doesn't mean second best! Stat from the introduction, found via Elizabeth Cline, author of Overdressed:  Every single minute Americans toss out 47,564 pounds of unwanted clothing and textiles (that’s enough to fill three olympic size pools). In this chat, Kestrel asks Alex about her background, and how she found herself engulfed in pushing for a less wasteful fashion industry. They also discuss the challenges / balance of working as a mainstream stylist (to make money) + partnering with influencers to bring the sustainable conversation further into the mainstream.  Tune in for Alex's key second hand shopping + styling tricks at 00:24:50 of the episode.  Another really i

What change can happen in our lives when we look at the bigger picture, especially when we look through the lens of sustainability (i.e. social, environmental & economic impacts)? When we dive into the deeper meaning[s] of life, we can, or should see how connected we all are.  #BTS(behind the scenes)  w/ Good Support + Conscious Chatter explores how our choices and actions impact our greater communities. We also discuss ways to start making changes to align ourselves more fully with our beliefs. We will explore all the ways we can get more activated and engaged through quarterly topics like finance, education, healthcare and more. Each episode will feature hosts Gretchen Jones and Kestrel Jenkins as they make connections and discuss how our actions speak louder than our words, through in-depth conversation w/ experts in the field, but more specifically - women slaying it in their chosen field. Join the collective, work the guides and explore how challenging ourselves to be the change we hope to see in the

What change can happen in our lives when we look at the bigger picture, especially when we look through the lens of sustainability (i.e. social, environmental & economic impacts)? When we dive into the deeper meaning[s] of life, we can, or should see how connected we all are. #BTS(behind the scenes)  w/ Good Support + Conscious Chatter explores how our choices and actions impact our greater communities. We also discuss ways to start making changes to align ourselves more fully with our beliefs. We will explore all the ways we can get more activated and engaged through quarterly topics like finance, education, healthcare and more. Each episode will feature hosts Gretchen Jones and Kestrel Jenkins as they make connections and discuss how our actions speak louder than our words, through in-depth conversations w/ experts in the field, but more specifically - women slaying it in their chosen field. Join the collective, work the guides and explore how challenging ourselves to be the change we hope to see in the

In episode 68, Kestrel welcomes Clare Press, the author of Wardrobe Crisis: How We Went From Sunday Best to Fast Fashion, to the show. Clare is Marie Claire Australia’s fashion editor-at-large, and Daily Life’s Sustainable Style columnist. Clare is a big-time advocate for responsible fashion and sits on the Australian advisory board of Fashion Revolution. Clare shares her story, and how she feels like what we wear says a lot about what we want to say to the world. For her, we have truly lost our connection with our clothing, and that's part of what's leading us into this "wardrobe crisis".  

In episode 67 of Conscious Chatter, Kestrel welcomes the founder of Luna Zorro, Molly Berry, to the show. As you may have heard, the below quote from Molly has come up in past episodes, when discussing the balance between working with artisans and sharing that story: It seems to me that the word 'empower' has become a marketing buzz word for many companies to pull the heart strings of the consumer, sometimes to the point of exploitation, manipulating images or stories and convincing people that their single purchase is "changing a life". I work directly with indigenous, Mayan weavers everyday. I need them as much as they need me to make this business work. We stand in a global marketplace together. This is not a charity case and I am not simply "doing them a favor". We are partners. We are creating and designing things by hand and maintaining an ancient tradition that has been all but entirely replaced by machines. Molly shares her wild and crazy adventures that eventually led her to founding Luna Zorro. Kest

In episode 66 of Conscious Chatter, Kestrel welcomes Stefan Siegel, the founder of Not Just A Label to the show. The world’s leading designer platform for showcasing and nurturing today’s pioneers in contemporary fashion, Not Just A Label has been described by Vogue Paris as: “One of the ten most essential websites of today: it inspires, to be ahead of the trends". Stefan shares his insight on how data and fashion should be collaborating more often, and the potential that exists in that space. He also elaborates on his recent decision to move Not Just A Label physically to Los Angeles. For Stefan, LA is a place that has all the ingredients to redefine what fashion and manufacturing look like by creating a new system. At the moment, Stefan sees huge power in being able to connect consumers to independent designers, and he sees the way the food industry has rebuilt itself, as inspiration for this change.

In episode 65 of Conscious Chatter, Kestrel welcome Ayesha Barenblat to the show. The founder of Remake, Ayesha is hugely passionate about the power of storytelling and human connection. Remake is a platform that builds human connections between all of us as people who shop - and the makers whose hands create the fashion we wear.   

In episode 64 of Conscious Chatter, Kestrel welcomes self-taught designer Mia Vesper to the show. While Mia may be a new name to the fashion scene, she’s turning heads left and right. From Vogue to W Magazine to Man Repeller, the big guys are taking note. A 25-year old designer, Mia brings two key elements into her eye-catching designs: reinvention and recycling. In this chat, Kestrel asks Mia about her approach to design, and how she sources the vintage tapestries that are so integral to the pieces she creates. The two discuss the idea of "having your thing" as a designer, and its importance in today's overly noisy state. Mia shares her thoughts on a conundrum she's been facing for quite some time now: to build an ethical business or to build a profitable business, and the questions she's faced with on a regular basis, when she wants to build a better brand. Also, listen to hear some entertaining stories from two fashion-driven women who have roots in Wisconsin. 

In episode 63, Kestrel welcomes Arianne Engelberg, the Creative Director of The New Denim Project to the show. An innovative product line out of Iris Textiles in Guatemala, The New Denim Project makes textiles and products from upcycled pre-consumer denim waste. Arianne shares stories of the evolution of her family's factory over the years - her grandparents originally started it back in the 1950s. Also, Arianne explains more in detail the process behind the upcycled textiles they have developed, and where the waste they use comes from. In addition, Arianne addresses the way she and the New Denim Project have found creative ways to tackle their own waste from their manufacturing process, as they work to push the limits when it comes to building a closed loop company. One of Kestrel's highlights from this show was how Arianne explained that she and her team members have discovered over time, that as textile manufacturers, they actually do have a massive amount of power when it comes to helping to shift the fut

In episode 62, Kestrel welcomes guests Ian Rosenberger, the founder and CEO of Thread, and Zachary Angelini, the Environmental Stewardship Manager at Timberland. Ian and Zack share some of the stories behind the Thread x Timberland collaboration, which is made of Thread’s Ground to Good™ fabric, harvested from plastic bottles littering the streets and landfills of Haiti. Kestrel also asks Zack to share his mindset on Timberland's approach to sustainability, especially considering the company's high-reaching goals for 2020, including wanting to have 100% organic, US-origin or better cotton, as well as 100% recycled, organic or renewable materials in their shoes. Finally, Kestrel asks Ian to share his insight on the microfilament issue, which now tends to arise in any conversation connected to recycled plastic fabrics. Ian's response brings light to other ways of potentially looking at this issue, from a more holistic approach.

In episode 61, Kestrel welcomes Dechel McKillian, founder of Galerie.LA and former stylist for the Black Eyed Peas and Lil Wayne to the show. They talk all things personal style and curation, and explore how sustainability fits into these approaches. With a background in psychobiology, Dechel shares her thoughts on how technology and fast fashion are influencing a general loss of personal style, and that the homogenization of culture is potentially influencing us to lose our own identities to only become "what is popular". Kestrel and Dechel also explore the importance of curation when it comes to the future of fashion. From Dechel's perspective, quality over quantity wins; she reminds us that owning your own aesthetic could potentially help you buy less and love your clothes more.

In this week's episode, Kestrel welcomes two guests to the show: Jason Kibbey, the CEO of the Sustainable Apparel Coalition and Alden Wicker, writer and founder of EcoCult. The idea for this show exploded for Kestrel after she read an article Alden wrote for Racked: “We Have No Idea How Bad Fashion Actually Is For The Environment”. It struck a chord with her -- and many other people who have been using the same unverified fact over and over again in our conversations: the global fashion industry is the 2nd most polluting industry in the world.  In this chat, Jason shares his thoughts on where we are currently when it comes to determining the "impact" of the fashion industry. He highlights the reality that creating standards can be especially difficult in the fashion industry because value judgements will inevitably come into play. He also shares what The Sustainable Apparel Coalition is working on with the Higg Index. Kestrel, Jason and Alden also dive deep into the question of whether conscious consumerism c

In episode 59, Kestrel had the opportunity to visit the Patagonia Headquarters in Ventura, CA to record an in-person interview with 2 key players in the Patagonia game. Helena Barbour is the Senior Director of Global Sportswear at Patagonia, and Thuy Nguyen is the Manager of Social Responsibility and Special Programs. The two have played a large role in building out Patagonia's Fair Trade initiative - in conjunction with Fair Trade USA - in recent years.  In light of Fashion Revolution Day this year, and a continued hope to instigate more respect for the people who make our clothes, this chat is focused heavily on the concept and implementation of Fair Trade initiatives in the garment supply chain. Kestrel asks Thuy and Helena to share more about the evolution of the program at Patagonia, including their thoughts on where they started and where they have come. In addition, they discuss the logistics of how the Fair Trade program works, and how it has the potential to help support local communities around the

In episode 58, Kestrel welcomes on Cynthia Powers, the Facilitating Manager of Eileen Fisher’s clothing take back program, Fisher Found, as well as Teslin Doud, who was part of Eileen Fisher’s Social Innovators Project, helping develop some of the company’s circular design components. Kestrel asks Cynthia and Teslin about Fisher Found’s origins, intention and goals. In addition, Cynthia and Teslin share more insight on the meaning behind the program’s three Rs: Reworn, Renewed, and Remade. The three also discuss the future of take back programs and what we might expect down the line. This week’s episode was sponsored by The Fourth Gentlemen, who make accessories from bamboo and cork. Why are their bamboo sunnies so amazing? Bamboo is a renewable resource and apparently one of the fastest growing plants on the planet. It’s super flexible and lightweight - often I’ve forgotten I have these shares on because they’re like a feather. They float! If you like sailing or being on the water like me, these are a great

In episode 57, Kestrel welcomes Liza Moiseeva to the show. Liza is the co-founder of GlobeIn, a social business dedicated to supporting remote artisans from around the world. Their primary product is a monthly Artisan Box subscription, where every product fights poverty through job creation and fair wages. Kestrel and Liza discuss the importance of storytelling when it comes to artisan and fair trade products, and Liza shares her insight on how she thinks the "subscription box" could be changing the future of online retail. For Liza, the concept of discovery is really intriguing to her and how it can influence shoppers down the line. Kestrel addresses the question of whether subscription models are inspiring a constant flow of "more stuff" and Liza shares her thoughts on how there may be ways to find a conscious balance within the box model.  People + Brands Liza Addressed During The Show: + Muhammad Yunus + Matr Boomie + Kiva + Amour Vert

In episode 56, Kestrel welcomes on Lona Alia, founder and CEO of Style Lend, an online marketplace that hosts hundreds of designer styles that users can rent for a fraction of the cost and return after a week's time. Called the "AirBnB for clothes" by TechCrunch, Style Lend is working on shaking up the online rental fashion scene by giving women access to other women's impressive closets. In this chat, Kestrel asks Lona how she addresses the difficulties of having enough inventory for renters, given that peer-to-peer models often pose a struggle in creating enough supply for the demand. In addition, she questions whether rental sites will embrace more sustainable brands down the line, being that the majority of them are built on offering "luxury, name brands" at a reduced rate for renters. Kestrel and Lona discuss the concept of buying clothing for longevity, not only for its quality, but also for its resell value.

In episode 55, Kestrel welcomes Summer Rayne Oakes to the show. Known as “the first eco model”, Summer's experiences and knowledge go far beyond her notable look. With an education focused on ecology and entomology (the study of insects), she has worked in 2 distinct realms of the sustainability conversation: food and fashion. Kestrel asks Summer for insight on what the fashion world could potentially learn from the food world, and vice versa. They discuss regenerative agriculture, the politics of slow food and fashion, and how technology may help and/or hinder the future of fashion. Another theme that resonates throughout this chat is the idea of scaling, how it's been ingrained into our culture, and why scalability has become synonymous with success. For more on Summer's current projects, you can check out her book SUGARDETOX.ME, and her website Homestead Brooklyn, which helps us become more connected to nature while living in a city. 

In episode 54, Kestrel connects with Sandra Capponi, the Co-Founder & Head of Development for Good On You, an app that helps you find fashion that has a positive impact on people, the planet and animals. Nowadays, there’s literally an app for everything. In this chat, Sandra shares insight on how she believes that apps can make an impact, and how giving people access to information can empower them to make better decisions. Kestrel asks Sandra about the sharing of information and how apps can potentially work together to aggregate their information, and collaborate on pushing for change. Also, they explore further the idea of "inconvenience" that arose in episode 52 with Whitney Bauck of Fashionista, and how it affects our purchasing habits.  Click here to check out more on the Good On You app, and what they're up to!