Style & Sustain - The podcast: Recent Episodes
Amma Aburam
“If you wear clothes and want to make the world a better place, this is for you.” Hi, I’m Amma, founder of Style and Sustain. Join me for conversations championing change in the fashion industry and beyond. I’ll be sharing about my journey from fast-fashion addict to sustainable fashion advocate, plus interviewing trailblazers that have inspired me online and offline.
In this episode, we talk to Mande Mory, an entrepreneur based in Senegal and one of the founders of Africa’s first secondhand shopping app: Donkafale. But beyond a simple Depop or Vinted (no shade to those apps we love them!) this app aims to create jobs for young creatives struggling to find employment after university and allow them to connect to a community of creatives in multiple industries, online and in real life. We loved talking to Mandé because it was never just about fashion for his team. He saw a problem and created a solution which is what all great entrepreneurs do, but what was most inspiring was his heart for creating opportunities that make a difference in the everyday life of African youths while digitising and preserving cultural sustainability. Let's dig into his story. Find out more about Donkafele here: https://donkafele.com/en/ Follow here: https://www.instagram.com/donkafele/--- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/styleandsustainthepodcast/message
Slow Fashion is a key part of the sustainable and fair fashion movement. It has claimed its space as a more realistic and wholesome approach to changing the fashion industry for the better. In this episode, I dive into the definition of Slow Fashion, and its importance for local communities around the world, while highlighting five slow fashion brands that celebrate and support Palestinian craftsmanship and textile heritage. The five brands: Nol Collective - https://nolcollective.com/ Anat International - https://anat-international.com/ Meera Adnan - https://meeraadnan.com/SEP Jordan - https://septhebrand.com/en-gb?scr=yes Paliroots - https://www.paliroots.com/--- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/styleandsustainthepodcast/message
This time around we talk to Alyssa Erin Kardos Loera and Tiffany Bopha, a fantastic duo. Alyssa is the Executive Director of Re-Made in Cambodia while Tiffany is the Designer and Global Ambassador of the organisation. We met at the GFA this year and immediately connected. They were both so authentic and truthful in the work that they do so I wanted to have them here to talk about the solution they have developed around the textile waste issue in Cambodia through their sustainable fashion enterprise. Remade In Cambodia is a fashion enterprise that transforms recovered textile waste into wearable products, empowering local designers and raising awareness about the environmental impact of the fashion industry. Elevate the next generation of Cambodian designers to become trailblazers in the global fashion industry, while championing Cambodian arts and fostering innovation.
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Featured in Magazines like Grazia UK, Sooki Sooki Vintage oozes power, joy and irreplicable style. Founder Lapoze McTribouy beautifully embodies all these qualities that reflect through her craftsmanship. From her talent in hunting down unique vintage pieces to mending and upcycling to create unique one-offs and her sheer joy, she’s definitely one to watch and support in the sustainable fashion space. In this episode, we talk about her beginnings, inspirations and her courage to pursue her talents and dreams, and how sustainability has always been embedded in her Congolese culture. Get ready to be inspired!
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A brief insight into the future of Style & Sustain as an online magazine. In this episode, I highlight the new Style & Sustain Magazine, explain our core values, our new consultation offering and the expansive ways we are working with authentic sustainable and ethical brands we've always loved. S&S Mag is a modern-day welcoming of the future of fashion and beyond, come explore the future of fair fashion with us!
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This episode is all about Indian fashion! We interview Nivi Murthy founder and curator at IKKIVI, a Banglor-based fashion company that curates fair, artisanal fashion brands, bringing Indian craftsmanship from around the country to the world. Their beautiful pieces are created by blending the artistic cultural heritage of India with a contemporary aesthetic. We talk about all things culture and sustainability, the joys of getting clothes tailor-made, running a clothing business in India and her hopes for the future of fashion. Take a listen.
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In support of the OR Foundation's current campaign #stopwastec%nialiam , this episode dives into exactly what waste colonialism is and how it affects countries in the Global South like Ghana. The foundation is currently working on a solution which centres around holding European EPR (Extended Producer Responsibility) policymakers accountable. This could shift the fashion landscape for the better. Support them via the links below:
Please sign the OR Foundation's petition here: https://stopwastecolonialism.org/
Please donate to their incredible work here: https://theor.org/donate
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Happy 2023 everyone! It's the first episode of 2023 and I'm talking to the fantastic Stephen Steele, founder of the organic brand Kind Socks. What can I say, get ready for positive vibes and lots of dopamine in this episode as Stephen and I talk about why he created a sock brand, his journey as an entrepreneur and what it means to give back to community in a powerful way. Take a listen!
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It’s true we live in a world of rules and regulations. 3 ways to do this or 5 ways to achieve that and yes that helps tremendously, especially when you are a beginner at something. But, we are all unique and sometimes trying to fit into a standardised box is exhausting. When it comes to sustainable fashion, there seems to be a “formula”, standards to live by, but what if I told you that the only formula is to adjust and shift your perspective to create a mindful lifestyle that’s uniquely yours? Let's talk about the rules to break when it comes to eco-fashion!
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In this episode, I chat with the brilliant Akua Yamoah Opoku, a Wednesday-born fellow Ghanaian based in Tampa, Florida. She is the founder of AYO Business Finder, a space that elevates and points people towards Asian, Hispanic, Black and Indigenous-owned sustainable businesses. AYO houses over 250 businesses owned by people of colour, all for shoppers to explore and purchase from. She also gives fun and easy tips on how to be a more mindful shopper. We talk about her inspirations, how to navigate finding your passions and why the events of 2020 lit her path to creating AYO business finder, her way of fighting back and finding a solution for minority communities in the US to thrive. Take a listen!
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In this episode, I talk about four brands or as I like to call them fashion's wolves in sheep's clothing - these brands sit in that grey area, easily mistaken for sustainable and ethical brands but a deep dive into the behind the scenes show that it's not exactly the case. I also recommend authentic sustainable and ethical alternatives to go for instead. Can you guess what these brands are? Let's dive in!
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Selina Ho is the brilliant founder of Recloseted, a consulting agency for sustainable fashion. In this conversation we go back to her beginnings: from her favourite food growing up to why she felt the pull to start a consultancy focused on fashion brands that want to do better for people and the planet. She also gives us incredible insight into 3 top trends and innovations in the sustainable fashion space right now, which you won’t want to miss! I loved debating with her about whether sustainable growth is possible for brands, as well as exploring some of the trends shaping the industry for the better. I start by asking here about life between her two homes London and Toronto…take a listen!
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Greenwashing and activism are two words that have become THE buzzwords of this fashion generation but what do they really mean? Two big announcements happened in the last few weeks in the fashion world. If you follow sustainable fashion news, you would have heard that Boohoo partnered with Kourtney Kardashian to embark on a performative "sustainability" journey while Patagonia decided to give all its current and future profits to climate justice initiatives and organisations. Two decisions that stand in stark opposition to each other. In this episode, I use the example of these two events to break down what greenwashing entails (Boohoo) and how real sustainability activism with the planet's interest at its core can shift the narrative and have an impact (Patagonia). Let's dive in! Check out these articles and sources: https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2022-09-15/patagonia-has-no-more-owners?leadSource=uverify%20wall https://www.theguardian.com/fashion/2022/sep/12/kourtney-kardashian-boohoo-fast-fashion-sustainable
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Mutete Bakhita is an all-round creative passionate about art, apothecary and spreading the word about sustainable fashion through her social enterprise: 25sw4p. 25sw4p hosts swaps in Nairobi Kenya where Mutete is based and also creates space for local brands and other creatives to connect. This conversation is full of hope and offers a fresh look at the abundance of positivity we can find on this beautiful planet through sustainability, art and mother nature. Take a listen!
In this episode, I explore what it actually means for fast fashion brands to pay up and which movements/charities/organisations are championing this. Many movements are arising against the capitalistic fast fashion industry, over the last decade or so many non-profit organisations have set their intent on transforming the industry by holding fast fashion brands accountable on many fronts and it's paying off in amazing ways!
Support Remake Our World here: https://remake.world/donations-page/
Episode correction: the #payup campaign has ended. It garnered $22 billion from more than 25 major brands, including H&M, Zara, Gap Inc., Calvin Klein, Target, for orders they placed prior to the pandemic, making it one of the most successful worker rights campaigns in modern fashion history.
Support the OR Foundation here: https://theor.org/donate
Support AWAJ Foundation here: http://awajfoundation.org/get-involved/donate/
Read about the Tamil Nadu Textile and Common Labour Union (TTCU): https://www.business-humanrights.org/es/%C3%BAltimas-noticias/india-tamil-nadu-textile-and-common-labour-union-calls-on-buyers-to-agree-to-enforceable-binding-agreement-to-end-gender-based-violence-at-natchi-apparels/
Support Asia Floor Wage Alliance here: https://asia.floorwage.org/
Please rate & review my podcast here: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/style-sustain-the-podcast/id1541781666
In this episode I chat with the fab Rosette Ale aka @thriftqueenlola, digital content creator and founder of sustainable fashion brand Revival London. We talk and laugh about the struggles of mindful fashion, how her faith influences her brand and her passion to share her sewing skills through workshops across London. Plus, we share lots of tips on where to thrift and find the right brands. Revival London repurposes denim in a stylish and innovative way, think of your denim jeans as a tube top or a handbag. I start off asking Rosette about her cool Instagram name @thriftqueenlola and what it means: here’s her answer and the rest of the episode! Enjoy!
In this episode I share my thoughts on fashion & women's issues, delving into why and how an industry powered by women is mainly run by profit-driven men and what some of the female-led solutions could be. Take a listen!
*Recorded in April.
In this episode, I’m chatting to Beatrice Oboh, a friend and fellow sustainable fashion enthusiast. Beatrice has a background with multiple interests but her love and curiosity about what goes on behind the scenes in the fashion industry led her to create Avant Runway, a conversation led space that brings to light solution-driven individuals who are changing the face of fashion. We talk about how the sustainable fashion journey began for Beatrice, being black women in the industry and her hopes for the future of fashion. Take a listen!
According to a Guardian article written in 2017, 100 companies are responsible for 71% of global emissions. Topping that list of companies are fossil fuel companies. Over the past few years, conversations around which global actors are the biggest culprits of the climate crisis have increased - slowly moving the narrative from individual actions like recycling and living sustainably to mitigate climate change to holding the biggest culprits like fossil fuel companies accountable for their above-average contribution to the destruction of our planet and human livelihoods. Despite all this, individual action is essential. In this episode, I give three reasons why I believe individuals/consumers should still make changes to live greener lifestyles even if they are not the biggest and definitely not the only culprits of climate change. Let's dig in.
Fernanda Simon is the Director of Fashion Revolution Brazil, as well as Sustainability Editor of Vogue Brazil. The movement now brings together thousands of people passionate about seeing change in the industry in the country and beyond. Fernanda is an empathetic powerhouse and I love this conversation with her. We talk about her spiritual transformation that led to her passion for bringing forth a new fashion industry to her current role as Vogue Brazil Sustainability Editor, as well as the important part that the indigenous people of Brazil play in the future of the country, the environmental and economical impact of fast fashion and more...we cover it all in this inspiring conversation. Listen for yourself.
In this episode, I start by sharing my current heightened state of eco-anxiety post the publication of the IPCC report, how I cope with it and some key resources we can all use to tackle the climate crisis together.
I then dive into tips around 5 Indications that a brand/company has authentic ethical & sustainable practices. It's a greenwashing minefield out there these days and these 5 tips I picked up along the way have helped me identify the brands I should engage with and support versus the ones to avoid and hold accountable for their actions.
Resources mentioned in the episode:
Earth Rise Studio: https://www.earthrise.studio/
stopcambo: https://linktr.ee/StopCambo
Paid To Pollute Campaign: https://paidtopollute.org.uk/?ltclid=1984a11a-9233-468a-83ba-f467c5f0578f
In this episode, I’m talking to Shakaila Forbes-Bell a Fashion Psychologist and founder of the Fashion is Psychology platform based in London. You may be wondering, what is Fashion Psychology? Simply put the clothes we wear impact the way we live our lives, Fashion Psychology is the research and study of that impact. Shaikaila and I chat about what exactly fashion psychology is and how this up and coming field can transform how we relate to our clothes, be it as a brand or as a consumer. Fashion psychology is about the journey we go on with our clothes in our lifetime, and how wielding their power positively can be transformative for us as individuals and as a society at large. Shakaila shares some deeply emotional journeys with her clothes, and about how her profession is seeing a rebirth for the better.
In this episode, I'm answering a question I get a lot: how do you inspire others to dress more consciously? I share three DOs and DON'Ts based on my experiences. Take a listen!
This episode, I chat to Helene Lucas, one of the key initiators of Panafrica shoes. She takes me through the incredible origin story of the brand and how the amazing shoes are uniquely made ethically and consciously across Africa- from Ivory Coast to Morroco, they are proof that Made in Africa can truly embody sustainable and ethical practices that take into account economical and environmental impact of production. Have a listen!
Back in 2016, I stopped shopping cold turkey...for 3 months. Which was quite the feat for me at that time. In this episode I'll be sharing 5 lessons I learnt about conscious fashion during that time, I hope it inspires you on your journey too. Have a listen.
Esha Ahmed, founder of fabulous sustainable and ethical brand Ominana is the definition of #bosslady. Omi Na-Na is authentic, cool and flaunts stunning statement dresses. We talk about how her Indian heritage shaped her journey into sustainable fashion and inspired the craftsmanship behind her brand. The at-times hidden realities of garment workers in India and the lack of representation of people from that part of the world in sustainable and ethical fashion and so much more. Enjoy!
This is the story of my past as a fast fashion addict, my transition to sustainability and a sneak peek about what this podcast will be about. Hope you enjoy it! Don't hesitate to share comments, ideas or questions by emailing me at amma@styleandsustain.com.