Conscious Chatter With Kestrel Jenkins

In episode 271, Kestrel welcomes Anuj Sharma, an innovative designer, to the show. Anuj developed a unique method to make clothing called Button Masala, which does not require any cutting or sewing to construct a garment. “So, how come such a beautiful material like fabric has only one joining system? I realized that it’s so visual-based. So, I decided to teach — largely because I thought it was important to have everybody knowing the idea of what is design and what it can do to you and what you should be asking for and why you should be asking for it.” -Anuj When we talk about shaking up fashion or reimagining new systems, why don’t we ever question cutting and sewing? Aren’t there other ways to bind fabric together? The short answer is – yes. Historically, many garments were draped, especially in warmer climates, to ensure air flow. As this week’s guest points out — in India, where he is from, fashion designers didn’t even exist until the 1980s. Before then, there was only a need for textile designers, beca

In episode 270, Kestrel welcomes Timnit Kefela, a doctoral candidate in environmental science and management at the University of California, Santa Barbara, to the show. Timnit’s research is focused on the sources, pathways and fates of microplastics in urban environments. “Much of the solutions that are being brought out are very consumer-forward, which I think is unfair, because a lot of them are not accessible. So you end up putting the brunt of environmental destruction on the people who have the least access to the solutions. So I think it’s incredibly important to pay attention to how we can have things change from an infrastructural level to be able to tackle this problem, and not necessarily just blame it on people who cannot afford leading, you know, zero-waste or low-waste lifestyles.” -Timnit We’re talking about plastic. Yup, plastic. I know, it’s everywhere. Literally everywhere. It feels like we can’t escape it these days. And as you probably know, our clothing is no different. Plastic is a prima

In episode 269, Kestrel welcomes Ngozi Okaro, the founder and executive director of Custom Collaborative, to the show. Custom Collaborative trains, mentors, and advocates for and with no/low-income and immigrant women to build the skills necessary to achieve economic success in the sustainable fashion industry and broader society. “I think that if workers owned the business, if the people who are actually putting in the labor are also owners, then they’re less inclined to overproduce, because it’s just their time and their resources that they’re wasting. So, I think that cooperative is important for both local economies, I think also for the environment and also for human rights.” -Ngozi This week, we are talking about cooperatives, and the ways that worker-led fashion production can truly shake up the industry.  Power dynamics are a topic that comes up a lot on the show – and something that was discussed in depth throughout The Root, the 6-part series co-produced and hosted by Dominique Drakeford. Conversati

In episode 268, Kestrel welcomes Venetia La Manna, to the show. The host of All The Small Things podcast and the co-founder of Remember Who Made Them, Venetia uses her platforms to challenge fashion brands who are costing the earth and calls out retailers on their unethical practices in the fashion supply chain. “Fashion brands are so willing to talk about organic cotton and to talk about their latest recycled range. There are two things that fashion brands refuse to commit to — the first is paying their garment makers a fair living wage, and the second is a drastic reduction in overall output. But these are the two things that would actually, truly change the industry.” -Venetia Here’s a question I’ve posed on Instagram: Is it OK to buy fast fashion secondhand? I was watching Venetia’s YouTube channel recently, and in one video, she talks about this question. She says:  “I think it’s worth us interrogating – but I’m not sure it’s worth us giving ourselves a hard time about.”  So, back to that question – is

In episode 267, Kestrel welcomes farmer and scientist, Sally Fox, to the show. Known for her work in developing strong genetics in organic, naturally-colored cotton, Sally also has experience in raising heritage Merino sheep and a variety of crops, including Sonora wheat. “I viewed the misuse of ag chemicals and the overuse of dyes — I see them as the same thing. I don’t see why we’re using dyes on products, on the colors we can grow ourselves. I want to see materials that are expensive and precious and costly in terms of energy and water use, to be used where you have to use them — not just on a whim.” -Sally One of the most environmentally and socially detrimental stages in the textile supply chain is the DYEING PROCESS – where we add colors to our textiles. As highlighted in Rita Kant’s article Textile dyeing industry an environmental hazard, “The World Bank estimates that 17 to 20 percent of industrial water pollution comes from textile dyeing and finishing treatment given to fabric. Some 72 toxic chemica

In episode 266, Kestrel welcomes Leah D’Ambrosio, the founder of Wol Hide, to the show. Focused on easy wear for living in, Wol Hide’s styles are made from natural fibers and organic textures. “I like to look at sort of the bigger picture of what I’m creating. So, I think a lot about the supply chain and the people that I work with, and where our materials come from — who’s making them, who’s knitting them, and all the pieces along the way. But then, also, in terms of design and making products, I try to think a lot about things that people are gonna want to wear for a long time, things that are gonna feel good to put on, things that you’re gonna want to reach for again and again in your closet.” -Leah Have you ever heard the minimums conundrum from smaller brands, or even mid-sized brands, working in the sustainability space? It’s a conversation that comes up on repeat in my circles – I hear about the challenges with minimums for mills, for fabric sourcing, for cut and sew production, for accessing new mater

In episode 265, Kestrel welcomes Summer Dean (AKA @ClimateDiva), a writer, content creator and model, to the show. Both a fashion lover and climate justice advocate, Summer has a distinct way of making these conversations educational, intersectional and fun. “My goal this whole time has been to communicate to people who aren’t already in these spaces, and I think it’s really important to make the climate and sustainable fashion movement as big as possible. So, for me, that means making my content funny and nuanced and stylish and accessible. But you know, I really think my personality does shine through in a lot of these videos, and it’s really just about bringing as many people as possible along for the ride.” -Summer This week, we’re reminded of some of the ways that the systems intend to control our unique paths.  For example – capitalism makes us feel that we must hone in on one specific aspect of our personality or our interests – so we can more easily monetize that particular skill.  The patriarchy tell

In episode 264, Kestrel welcomes George Harding-Rolls (the Campaigns Advisor at Changing Markets Foundation) and Amy Nguyen (a strategist, researcher and writer focused on the nexus between sustainable business, fashion, innovation and technology) to the show. George and Amy are part of the team behind the recently launched website – Greenwash.com. "We need to completely rethink about how we’re gonna shift this system — it’s gotta be about changing the rules of the game, like rip up the rules of the current way that we buy fashion and the current way that we produce fashion, and think about — what does this look like in a fashion system that works within planetary boundaries?” -George I imagine you may have noticed it — but, fashion has a greenwashing problem. This week’s guests, George and Amy, are behind a new platform called GREENWASH.com that is powered by Changing Markets Foundation. They are dedicated to exposing the greenwashers across fashion. For a little context on how this new platform is framing t

In episode 263, Kestrel welcomes Dr. Sandra Niessen, a cultural anthropologist, fashion scholar and activist, to the show. In 2020, Sandra published a notable article titled: “Fashion, its Sacrifice Zone and Sustainability”, which we explore on the show. She currently works closely with Fashion Act Now. “The loss of fashion or the degrowth in fashion — people think of that as a closing down of our fashion system or our clothing system. And I think of it as an incredible enrichment — the opportunity to throw open the windows and throw open the doors, and be creative in ways we’ve never thought of before and that are written out there in the world in Indigenous clothing systems and we’ve ignored all the time.” -Sandra I first discovered this week’s guest, through a YouTube interview she did with Extinction Rebellion. It was focused on “Fashion & Degrowth, and exploring the link between decolonization and sustainability in fashion”. In it, our guest said – “Try to imagine colonialism without fashion”. This r

In episode 262, Kestrel welcomes Roland Geyer, Professor of Industrial Ecology at the University of California, Santa Barbara, to the show. Roland is also the author of a recently released book titled “The Business Of Less: The Role Of Companies and Households On A Planet In Peril”. If you are familiar with corporate social responsibility, if you work in the field, or if you have an understanding of some of the general narratives within the space, this show may come as somewhat of a shock to you. Or maybe not – maybe you’re already asking some of these questions for yourself. One thing is clear — we’re doing a lot of reimagining on this show. As this week’s guest points out in his recent book – “The Business Of Less” — the sustainability narrative (and the corporate sustainability conversation in particular) has been dominated by two primary tenants. The idea of the win/win paradigm – which is basically the idea that you can have your cake and eat it too. It aligns doing good with both saving the planet and

In episode 261, Kestrel welcomes Marula Tsagkari, a degrowth advocate and PhD candidate at the University of Barcelona in the Department of Economics, to the show. Marula’s work focuses on energy communities, energy self-sufficiency, and energy democracy. "Degrowth is not about austerity, it’s not about living in a primitive way in a cave — nothing like that. And of course degrowth is not COVID-19 lockdown. It’s about happiness, it’s about wellbeing, it’s about living happy with less things. And what real happiness is for each and every one of us — I think I will leave it up to all of you to decide, what real happiness means for you." -Marula For many people, a degrowth world is a utopia – and to some, that means it’s totally unrealistic. Yet to others, it means we can strive to reconstruct a world with many of these ideals at the core of how we exist, and while it may take time, it is possible. This week’s guest is a degrowth advocate and also a lover of fashion. Many may instantly think that the two cannot

Episode 260 is a special edition recap episode that highlights what we learned in season 5. This show is intended to help us gain perspective, so we can move more intentionally into season 6. “We need everybody pursuing intersectionality, environmentalism, sustainability — like, whatever you’re latching onto in terms of progress, latch onto it, but do it in a healthy way that’s manageable in the longterm.” -Diandra Marizet, ep 211 As I reflect on season 5, I would say there was a lot of GROWTH. Now, when I say growth, I’m doing my best to separate it from the capitalistic-driven mindset that surrounds us that aligns growth solely with economics and $$$$$. The growth I felt through season 5 was very contextual – it was about stepping back and truly understanding what is happening in fashion. The incredible guests that joined me through these episodes really challenged me to think beyond the fashion industry bubble, and to further understand how systems of oppression operate, how they impact the way fashion f

In episode 259, Kestrel welcomes Georgina Johnson, London-based artist, curator and social thinker, to the show. Georgina is the founder of arts and curation platform The Laundry and the editor of The Slow Grind: Finding Our Way Back to Creative Balance. “Our thirst for change is unquenchable — and the more that people feel like they have agency in that, is the more that degrowth becomes possible.” -Georgina Conversations around degrowth are beginning to infiltrate the fashion space – but thus far, I have been pretty skeptical when I see it discussed in mainstream publications or by bigger brands, because it feels strangely familiar, like it’s quickly going to become the next *buzzword* the industry co-opts for marketing purposes. I discovered this week’s guest in a somewhat desperate Google attempt to uncover anything about fashion and degrowth with substance on the interwebs. In the article I found – “It’s Time For Brands To Engage With Degrowth” – Georgina writes that growth is taking a backseat to a purs

In episode 258, Kestrel welcomes Aja Barber, a writer, stylist & consultant, to the show. Aja’s new book, Consumed - The Need For Collective Change: Colonialism, Climate Change & Consumerism is mandatory reading for anyone who wears clothes. “We have to ask ourselves — on a planet where there is not endless resources, is this the attitude that we want to lead ourselves into the future on? If we are really approaching planetary limits, I think it’s actually time for us to maybe have some cultural shifts in how we view what is enough and what we should want out of life.” -Aja In her new book, Aja writes: “Please stop referring to this system as affordable. The planet cannot afford the environmental costs, and neither can most of its inhabitants.” This is something I noticed woven across several chapters – the idea of *affordability* and the nuanced detriment that this sentiment can have on the overall fashion conversation. When we say affordability, who are we really thinking about? Probably primarily

In episode 257, Kestrel welcomes fashion entrepreneur, Farai Simoyi, to the show. Having designed and consulted for many notable names — including Beyonce, Jay-Z and Justin Timberlake — you may also recognize Farai from Netflix’s “Next In Fashion”. Since that appearance, she has continued to promote her design work while elevating global artisans and designers through her company, The Narativ House. “Fashion is going in a space where it’s like — how does it feel? I think fashion is going into more of a feeling space. Like does this feel good? Yes or no? Does this design make sense? Am I just creating to create or am I creating with a purpose?” -Farai This week’s guest is a designer, an educator, an entrepreneur … and you may recognize her from Netflix’s “Next In Fashion”. When she spoke up on stage during the judging of episode 4, AKA the streetwear competition, it resonated far and wide.  So a little backstory: her partner in the competition, Kiki, helped launch FUBU’s womenswear line in the ‘90s, so they w

In episode 256, Kestrel welcomes Shilla Kim-Parker, the co-founder and CEO of Thrilling, to the show. The first dedicated online marketplace for secondhand and vintage stores across the U.S., Thrilling has already helped digitize more than 600 stories across the country. “We put a lot of thought into — how do we present vintage and secondhand, because I don’t want secondhand to be thought of as a lesser, marginalized shopping experience. The goal is to get everyone in the habit of shopping secondhand and vintage, and I really believe you can’t force people to like spinach — you have to make it delightful.” -Shilla So, we’ve definitely touched on this in the past, but when it comes to the secondhand market — there is no doubt that the sector is going through a GROWTH SPURT.  According to ThredUp’s 2021 Resale Report, the $36 billion secondhand market is projected to double in the next 5 years, reaching $77 billion, while the fast fashion market share is expected to stay relatively flat. As you may have seen,

In episode 255, Kestrel welcomes Mary Margaret Pettway, a fourth generation Gee’s Bend Quilter, and designer Greg Lauren, to the show. Mary Margaret and Greg have recently been part of a collaboration titled MOSAIC: Gee’s Bend & Greg Lauren. “Quilting and sewing gives you a freedom that is totally different. You got a sense of pride in what you wear, what you like — and if you make it, it’s all the better.” -Mary Margaret Gee’s Bend, Alabama is a rural community with deep historical roots connected to quilting. Emanating textile wisdom, the women of Gee’s Bend have created hundreds of masterpieces. This week’s conversation is the fruit of a unique partnership between Gee’s Bend’s quilters and designer Greg Lauren. Before we get into more of what this entails, I want to share some words by Jonathan Michael Square, the curatorial partner for this collaboration, from a piece called “Beloved Patches of Orange”. “The use of old clothing is a reminder of the resourcefulness and creativity of African Americans

In episode 254, Kestrel welcomes Johnathan Hayden, is an independent designer, to the show. Focused on the intersections of fashion, technology and art, Johnathan is adamant about using his brand as an experiment to make fashion better. “There’s an unconscious collective change that needs to happen for people to sort of get it and you know, it can’t be so profit driven, but I do think that creativity is such a divine gift that lends itself to rethink, reimagine antiquated systems, so that design isn’t just about being beautiful — it really is about being better.” -Johnathan When it comes to building a more *sustainable* brand, I find a lot of discussions end up leading to the ways that designers or brands are working to resist the industry’s flows (or the typical ways that the system has been built to do business). And the challenges that come with that are ABUNDANT. It’s not as easy to use fabric that’s more challenging to source or it’s not as easy to make lower quantities to reduce waste or it’s not as ea

In episode 253, Kestrel welcomes Hilary Jochmans, the founder of consulting firm Politically In Fashion, to the show. Politically In Fashion & Hilary’s name have been popping up a lot in the fashion space, after she helped pen an official letter to President Biden, calling for him to appoint a fashion czar. “You think about all the different areas that touch fashion and fashion, in respect, it touches as well. You've got immigration, you've got trade, you've got tax issues, you've got water resource issues, you have sustainability issues, you have labor issues, you have a myriad of issues that are currently handled in Washington in a dozen different agencies. So, the idea of the fashion czar was to pull someone who could look at all these different spaces (sort of at the 30,000 foot level) and say — 'okay, here's where we need to have everyone come together'.” -Hilary Have you heard any of the chatter advocating for a fashion czar? And you may be asking - what in the world is a czar anyways? Throughout h

In episode 252, Kestrel welcomes Sara Gourlay, the Creative Director at Frankie Collective, to the show. A brand dedicated to innovating women’s streetwear, Frankie Collective is also setting a standard for sustainability in the fashion industry. “I guess we’re really just trying to disrupt the industry — there can be another way to do business, and that’s to consider the impact of garments on people and the planet. That’s the way it should be — from using conscious materials to ethical manufacturing processes to investing in community empowerment, our mission is just to be a part of that change toward better business in the fashion industry.” -Sara UPCYCLING. What comes to mind when you hear that word? I think there are some stereotypes still lingering, that may not totally live up to the exceptional upcycling work that’s happening in fashion. As this week’s guest points out - upcycling is just simply the process of taking something old and turning it into something new. Of which, of course, is NOT somethin