Photos by Amanda Coen for Ecouterre

Socially-driven accessories company, Thread & Loom introduces itself to the world with a line of handbags that make for the perfect spring and summer carry-all item. The resort-meets-urban collection is defined by classic shapes that draw the eye with neon accents. Founder Gargi Agrawal personally oversees production in India to ensure that artisans are paid a fair wage and that materials are sourced responsibly. A strong supporter of women’s educational initiatives, Agrawal donates all profits to Kranti, an organization that rescues and empowers girls of the red-light district of Mumbai.

Read the rest of Thread & Loom’s Fairly Hand-Loomed Bags Fund Girls’ Education in India

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In a perfect world, designers would have the ability to address all the environmental and social challenges fashion faces them with. For From Somewhere designer Orsola de Castro, co-founder of Esthetica, the sustainable showcase of London Fashion Week, it all began in 1997 when she started tackling the growing textile waste in the fashion industry.

The pioneering designer will be addressing her environmental journey in fashion this Monday the 29^th at an event at Alain de Botton’s The School of Life. The event is part of the World Changers series, where The School of Life looks at individuals who have helped changed the world. The series features author John-Paul Flintoff who talks to prominent individuals who have made a huge difference in the world “and who believe that anybody could do the same.”

Ecoutere asked de Castro how she thinks she’s personally changed the world.
“I honestly don’t feel that I have changed the world, nor gone anywhere near it. I just had an idea that over the course of the past few years that has struck a cord, a creative design solution to an environmental challenge,” she says.

When de Castro first launched her London-based brand in 1997, she says she simply wanted to address the issue of pre-consumer waste, and the piles and piles of material created and yet never used by the fashion industry.

“For me it was a creative journey, not originally an environmental one. I liked, as a designer, reusing unwanted stuff, I liked the poetry, irreverence and sense of humour behind it. Then, little by little, factory by factory, it turned into something deeper, bigger and more powerful,” she says. Clothes began to have a message, a story behind them.
“It started with a cashmere cardigan with holes in 1997, and by 2002 I was knee deep in textile waste,” de Castro adds.

Author John-Paul Flintoff says of the designer  “What I found inspiring when I first met Orsola de Castro was hearing how she takes a problem and turns it into a solution – specifically, turning the massive amount of waste generated in the fashion industry (essentially, off-cuts) and using that ‘pre-industrial’ material to create something extraordinary,” he says referring to her dress made out of Speedo swimwear which made him “laugh out loud with pleasure.”

Flintoff says that during the event at The School of Life, de Castro will encourage participants to find creative ways to turn problems into solutions, and how to find allies who can help you to make a bigger impact.

De Castro agrees that these “allies,” be they customers, students or colleagues are very important to further the message of sustainability through fashion.

“The world is a big place and my contribution infinitesimal. But each time someone wears a From Somewhere piece, or a student discovers upcycling, and each person tells this story, that’s the beginning of a dialogue that raises questions,” de Castro tells Ecouterre.

In a perfect world, how would she envision a more mainstream approach to fashion?

“Sometimes we need to look back to move forward. I would like to see a different approach, a more responsible approach to manufacturing as well as designing, a return to wanting and waiting and a stronger emotional engagement with the clothes we buy. Right now, many people buy because they can, not because they want. It doesn’t matter to me if it’s luxury or high street, I like being in love with the things I own.”

+ From Somewhere

+ The School of Life

Photo by A. M. Ahad for Associated Press

The structural collapse of the Rana Plaza in Bangladesh, which has claimed the lives of over 300 people, is a horrific tragedy that raises essential questions about ensuring safe working conditions abroad and the value of fair trade. I have seen the working conditions in a number of developing countries across Asia and Central and South America firsthand. Suffice it to say, they are often subpar. In developing countries, often governments either do not have appropriate safety regulations in place, or if they do, those regulations are rarely enforced. This lack of government oversight is why it is absolutely crucial for mainstream manufacturing to take a fair-trade approach to production.

PREVIOUSLY ON ECOUTERRE: Death Toll in Bangladesh Factory Collapses Exceeds 300, Riots Ensue

Read the rest of How Can We Make Sure Our Clothes Weren’t Produced in a Sweatshop?

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Photos by Steve De Neef

Would you be surprised to find jewelry designers living off a city dump?  Well, meet the women of Lumago Designs, a jewelry company that turns trash to treasure, puts the profit in the right pockets, and is run by a group of women who live off the Dumaguete City dumpsite in the Philippines.Not only do the women of Lumago Designs create bold pieces that any stylish eco-girl would love; they do it with the best of intentions. They buy their upcycled materials from the locals who scavenge the dumpsite, sell their jewelry for reasonable prices, and return the collective profits to the community.

Read the rest of Lumago Designs Turns Landfill Trash Into Wearable Treasures

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Photos by Amanda Coen for Ecouterre

Leanne Mai-ly Hilgart debuted the first all-eco, all-vegan collection at New York Fashion Week to critical acclaim. We caught up with the cruelty-free designer at the New York City Garment district facility where Vaute’s production takes place, to discover the unusual muse behind her collection, how her label has evolved from outerwear to a full-fledged ready-to-wear line, and why fashion is the perfect platform for her animal activism.

PREVIOUSLY ON ECOUTERRE: Vaute’s Vegan Fall/Winter 2013 Collection Goes to the Dogs at NY Fashion Week

Can you tell us a little bit about your inspiration for this collection?

I started out by thinking about something that made me feel really warm and happy. Usually that comes from childhood. I loved Sailor Moon when I was a kid, but I never watched it. My mom is Taiwanese, so when I went to Asia I would get a lunchbox and stuff like that. I had just seen pictures, and that was it. I knew I loved the fit and flair and the colors and the hearts and stars and all of that.

What did you learn as you began to dig deeper?

I started doing research after I had already chosen the design to be Sailor Moon. I looked at the story. It was never really translated for me. The story kind of blew me away. It’s essentially this normal earth girl who tries to save a cat that’s being abused on the street and then the cat turns out to be a magical cat. It turns her into Sailor Moon and Sailor Moon turns into a soldier for love and justice, which I thought was kind of amazing. She and her friends are normal earth girls who have the responsibility to save all the different beings of the universe and the world. I love that. There’s a clip that says, “Even with just a little more courage than the average person, anyone can be a soldier for peace.” I think that’s so true. People just need a little more courage. So, anyway…

How do you feel about this collection being the first vegan line that’s going to be shown at fashion week? It must be exciting for you.

I’m excited. I started the label because I knew that there were things missing in terms of garments and fabrics that would show people there is no reason to wear animals. I had to start with outerwear because that was the hardest thing- to find something that was warm and pretty and totally animal free. When I got the chance, since I started getting staff last year, I’ve had the chance to develop more and work on more fabric research. I’ve developed a whole collection of brand new fabrics and silk alternatives and wool alternatives, all of which are prettier, better, and good for the environment. It was a very natural thing to say that this would be the first solo show at fashion week. I just want to show that we don’t have any excuse to wear animals.

Do you have a favorite look from this collection or was there a certain fabric that you really enjoyed working with?

It’s fun seeing [the collection] on the models and together because it brings more life to it. I surprised myself with [the] sweater dress, which I really love because I think it’s really fun to wear a dress even when it’s cold out. I love slouchy. I’m a little 80’s inspired, usually. I also really like how the velvet overalls came out because they’re slouchy, too. You have to see them on. They have a nice almost falling-off look. [In terms of fabric,] I really like washi paper, which is a Japanese origami paper, because it has structure to it.

The pinnacle piece, because it’s Sailor Moon, is [the 100% recycled satin high-waisted] dress, which we did in two colors. It has the heart cutout, its fit and flare, and has a massive bow on the back. That’s more like a signature piece for the collection.

+ Vaute

Photos by Graeme Mitchell

You know you have a good idea when you start telling people about it and they nod their heads giving you the sense they’ve had the same idea. Admittedly, I’ve had my fair share of bad ideas over the years, but 2013 found me learning to trust my instincts more. As a result, I’ve decided to make a major change to Study NY’s business model. I’ve been turning this thought over in my mind for the better part of three years, and after showing my Spring/Summer 2013 collection this past September, the persistent nagging in the back of my mind finally persuaded me to make the change.

AGAINST THE GRAIN

Study started, as most fashion brands do, by joining the traditional fashion calendar. Designing one year or more in advance, showing the collection to buyers six months before each season, shipping spring styles when it was still snowing outside and fall styles when everyone just wanted popsicles and sprinklers. The calendar never made sense to me, and while I continually questioned it, I never thought I could challenge it. Until now.

The calendar never made sense to me, and while I continually questioned it, I never thought I could challenge it.

The new plan is to release a capsule of three to four styles every month of the year. Although each lineup will exist independently of the others, they’ll also be cohesive in nature, creating a seamless—and complete—“collection” at the end of the year.

This strategy will allow me more freedom with the design and development of individual pieces, which can stand alone rather than be tethered to a collection. Doing so will also allow me to expand my production outlets, since each capsule can focus on a different theme, say rainwear made from recycled plastic bottles in New York City for the month of March, hand-knit sweaters produced by a women’s cooperative in Peru for October, or custom-printed zero-waste styles for December.

SLOW BUT STEADY

Design, development, sales, and production will take place over the course of a two-to-three-month period (depending on specifics of each capsule). Study will continue selling wholesale to boutiques and directly to customers via online outlets, but I’ll also introduce a preorder model so consumers can become part of the production process.

My goals:

• To create a complete wardrobe at the end of the calendar year, devoid of frivolity or excess, while still producing new clothing (a slight oxymoron, I know).
• To work closer to shipping dates in order to respond to market demands, store needs, and my own personal instincts
• To generate more regular cash flow for both myself and the retailers.
• To offer fresh styles during months when stores are no longer receiving collections.
• To provide work for sample rooms, factories, and vendors during the “off-season” calendar when they’re less busy.
• To increase flexibility in my own design schedule.

Ironically, this new model follows the same calendar used by fast-fashion megabrands such as H&M, Zara, and Topshop, companies I deem responsible for the demise of consumer recognition of quality and longevity in clothing.

By following their models and only producing what I believe to be necessary each month, the goal is to reeducate the consumer about consumption—a strange approach by a designer and business owner who depends on the purchasing power of customers.

But these conversations are for another time.

+ Study NY

A GUY WHO SEWS

Sitting behind his makeshift “sewmobile” for the greater part of a decade, Swaine says he’s been able to step out of his professional purview to create connections he otherwise wouldn’t have. Although he’s viewed as a “social artist” by some and a curiosity by others, Swaine insists he is merely a fellow citizen, a teacher, and a “guy who sews.”

Viewed as “social artist” by some and a curiosity by others, Swaine insists he is merely a “guy who sews.”

“I never like picking just one label…it cuts off conversations with groups of people,” Swaine tells Ecoutere. “From my side of things, once a month is a small effort and there are many other people doing big important things. My small act is mostly a gesture and for some it means a lot but I think the bigger importance is the example of participating, of being a citizen and acting outside of what is normal.”

MENDING COMMUNITIES

Swaine’s project began in 2001 under the auspices of the “Generosity Project” for the California College of Art’s Wattis Institute. The lines of the original concept have blurred over the years, attracting not just people who need things repaired but also volunteers who sometimes take over with the sewing and mending.

Swaine considers his setup an ongoing collaboration between himself and the community at large.

There are also customers, many of them regulars, who like to stick around. For them, Swaine brings out chairs so they can linger. Sometimes people don’t need something darned so much as someone to talk to, he says. The term “mending,” he adds, can take on many meanings.

Instead of the one-man performance piece he started with, Swaine now considers his setup an ongoing collaboration between himself and the community at large.

Swaine has many of these life-changing partnerships. An analog designer with Futurefarmers since 1998, Swaine participates with many of the organization’s interdisciplinary projects, which range from fingerprint-based video games to a hand-drawn survey of Toronto’s city center. His work has been featured in exhibitions at New York City’s Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum, as well as San Francisco’s Museum of Craft and Folk Art and Exploratorium.

With the breadth of his experience, one can begin to understand why Swaine dislikes labels. “I think ‘doing good’ is a difficult phrase,” he says. “From my side of things, once a month is a small effort and there are many other people doing big important things. My small act is mostly a gesture and for some it means a lot but I think the bigger importance is the example of participating, of being a citizen, and acting out side what is the normal.”

+ Michael Swaine

Last January, we celebrated one year of Honest By. Twelve months have passed and Honest By is ticking over nicely with enough buyers to ensure that the collections are selling out. While many companies consider publishing their mark-up and the names and addresses of all their factories and suppliers as commercial suicide, it is working for us. Some people in the industry describe Honest By as “out-there” thinking or as an interesting experiment. One thing is for sure, the worse the recession is getting, the more we are selling. I love that quote from Coco Chanel when she said hard times arouse an instinctive desire for authenticity. That is what our customers find in Honest by, values. Not ours, but their own.

PREVIOUSLY ON ECOUTERRE: Honest By is a Game-Changing Label That Offers Supply-Chain Transparency

DO UNTO OTHERS

Complete transparency will not be a one brand experiment for long I think. In a few years everyone will offer it. Because in the end it is normal to know exactly what we are buying. The opposite is not normal. Not knowing what we’re investing in and expecting everyone to pay for that is something that I believe will not continue for very much longer.

Transparency is the only way we can be sure that a product has been made in a way that is in sync with who we are.

Just like sustainability is becoming the new “normal.” And with “normal” I mean that it is in our nature to want those things. We are human beings. There was a moment in my life where I forgot what that meant. Where I didn’t remember who I was. There are a lot of books out there that can help us answer that question. But sometimes a simple reminder of what is written about us in our dictionary is all the enlightenment I need.

A human being is a kind, compassionate, and loving entity. That is all I am. That is what I believe to be my truth. And that is what I think is my purpose in life. When I realised that my mission on earth was as simple as being that which I already am, I wanted my whole life to be in harmony with that awareness.

I would treat others with the same respect I would treat myself. I would work, love, eat, and dress as a humane being. One-hundred percent transparency is the only way we can be sure that a product has been made in a way that is in sync with who we are. That’s why every brand will do it eventually. It’s unavoidable.

VOTE WITH YOUR DOLLARS

Many of us are becoming conscious of our unlimited power as individuals. We have created a world where money is a No. 1 concern. A priority which is making us, the consumers, the key for change. The unconsciousness and greed of some has given us this unprecedented position of control.

At the moment, we’re paying designers, brands and companies to be unsustainable. We’re encouraging them not to be open and honest with us.

Through the purchases we make, we’re able to shape our world. At the moment, we’re paying designers, brands and companies to be unsustainable. We’re encouraging them not to be open and honest with us. The moment we become aware of that everything will shift.

A government can never make this happen and maybe that is a good thing. Only I, only you, only we can create change. That is where our freedom lies. Our freedom lies in our responsibilities.

Mahatma Gandhi’s mantra, “Be the change you want to see in the world,” is still my driving force today.

I believe it is one of the most empowering quotes I’ve ever heard.

CHANGE IS THE ONLY CONSTANT

Change lies in our own hands; we do not need anyone’s permission. As a designer, I’ve created many images that made my customers dream. I myself lived in a dream for a while. Dreams never last forever. Sooner or later, we wake up.

The story behind a garment needs to be as beautiful as the design.

When I woke up, I realized my dreams had been a nightmare for millions of others. That awareness created Honest By. The story behind a garment needs to be as beautiful as the design. There is nothing that makes me happier than sharing that with our customers. Whether the outfit costs $100 or $100,000, the story needs to be one that fits with who we are.

A few weeks ago, I read some old interviews I did last year and many of the things I was saying felt like they came from a place of fear. Fear of the consequences we all would face if we didn’t wake up soon. Fashion made me dream as a child. As an adult, I felt like I had to wake up so that the dream could continue.

I still believe that is true but at the same time I have faith today, I trust that life is kind. It isn’t here to teach us a lesson. We’re free to learn from our decisions. There is no right or wrong in the world, only choices made.

I believe it’s up to each and everyone of us to become aware of the consequences of those choices and ask ourselves if they correspond with who we are. Why 100 percent transparency? Because anything else wouldn’t be the truth. It wouldn’t be us.

+ Honest By

Sometimes the longest struggles can be the most rewarding. After 10 months of #PeoplePowered activities and behind-the-scenes haggling, G-Star Raw finally committed to eliminate all uses of hazardous chemicals from its supply chain and products by 2020. This means that the Dutch denim brand joins the likes of Uniqlo, Benetton. and Victoria’s Secret in making credible “Detox” commitments in 2013. And with the Italian high-fashion brand Valentino joining the leaders in the industry this past week, there are currently 16 big brands that have started a process to eliminate all discharges of hazardous chemicals throughout their supply chains and products.

Read the rest of Why Are Fashion Brands Committing to Detoxing in 2020 and Not Earlier?

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Photo by Shutterstock

Navigating the beauty industry isn’t unlike watching an episode of The Real Housewives of Orange County—you’re equal parts baffled and alarmed, there are flashes of self-loathing, and although you have a sneaking suspicion that it’s bad for you, you can’t help but breathlessly indulge. Throw in barrage of mostly meaningless buzzwords like “natural” and “organic,” and it’s no wonder most of us are at sea. Mia Davis, former organizing director of the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics and currently the safety lead at Beautycounter, is at the front line of a new revolution to replace toxic chemicals in cosmetic and personal-care products with healthier alternatives. We spoke with Davis to learn why it’s perfectly legal for beauty firms to use ingredients linked to cancer, how to spot greenwashing in the beauty aisle, and what we can do to make sure our products are truly safe.

WHAT’S IN A NAME?

Photo by Shutterstock

You were the organizing director of the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics for five years—tell us about the work you did.

The campaign is a coalition of nonprofit organizations that work to ensure our skin care and makeup are safe for long-term use. Seems like a no-brainer, I know. But right now, it is perfectly legal for cosmetics companies to use harmful chemicals linked to cancer, reproductive problems and other serious health impacts. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration doesn’t have the power to ensure that these products are safe before they hit the market. They can’t even do a recall of unsafe products.

The FDA doesn’t have the power to ensure that these products are safe before they hit the market.

Since “cosmetics” is a catchall term for virtually everything women, men, and kids use on their skin, this affects all of us. On average, women use more than 10 cosmetics a day, but everyone uses multiple products—even those of us that are pretty low-maintenance. So our exposure to cosmetics chemicals really adds up, and some of the chemicals are potent at extremely low doses (like hormone disruptors).

Luckily, the campaign has had a lot of success moving the market away from toxic chemicals. [It's] working to pass common-sense federal policy that will empower the FDA to protect American consumers from these unnecessary toxic exposures.

Can you tell us a little about greenwashing in so-called natural and/or organic products?

Greenwashing is when companies use deceptive “green” marketing practices (basically, talking about how “green” or “eco-conscious” they are, but not really walking the walk).

Many consumers think that “green” products are always safe and nontoxic—it’s not necessarily the case.

Many consumers are left thinking that “green” products are always safe and nontoxic, which isn’t necessarily the case. After all, heavy metals are “natural.” And, on the other hand, there are natural ingredients that manufacturers buy from ingredient suppliers that come preloaded with preservatives, but since the preservatives aren’t an individual ingredient, they don’t always appear on ingredient labels.

For example, I could buy aloe vera with preservatives from a supplier, put it in my lotion, and not list the preservative on the product label. Some of the companies that claim they are natural and that they don’t use synthetic preservatives are really misleading the consumer. Not cool.

CONTINUE READING >

Michael Preysman founded Everlane in November 2011 with the goal of overhauling the typical retail experience. Having quit his job at a venture-capital firm in San Francisco, Preysman wanted to create an “exciting, collaborative and experimental effort” that cut through the clutter to provide luxury apparel without the exorbitant markup. The online-only collection, like its website, is minimalist, orderly, and thoughtfully curated. Instead of bombarding its customers with options, Everlane offers only the most basic of basics—one style of cashmere sweater, a single silk blouse, a men’s button-down shirt, a merino-wool scarf—preferring to focus on quality over quantity. Ecouterre recently spoke with Preysman, a self-proclaimed perfectionist, to discover how Everlane’s unconventional business model is subverting an entire industry.

Read the rest of Everlane’s Quality-Over-Quantity E-Commerce Model Espouses Less is More

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Makers’ Row wants to make it easier for businesses to produce their goods in the United States. The New York City-based startup has launched an online database that seeks to provide “unparalleled access” to industry-specific factories and suppliers across the country. Its first offering, which targets apparel and accessory manufacturers, couldn’t have come at a better time. From automobiles to Apple computers, a “made in the U.S.A.” renaissance is sweeping the nation for the first time in decades. We caught up with founders Matthew Burnett and Tanya Menendez to learn about the impetus for their project, their plans to demystify domestic manufacturing, and the company’s mission to get long-shuttered assembly lines humming once more.

PREVIOUSLY ON ECOUTERRE: 14 American Designers Tell Us What “Made in the U.S.A.” Means to Them

Read the rest of Makers’ Row: An Online Database That Links Designers With U.S. Manufacturers

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As Emmy Rossum and Zooey Deschanel like to remind us, cotton is the fabric of our lives. Yet its snow-white facade masks a less-than-rosy reality. Leah Borromeo, a journalist and filmmaker based in London, wants to unravel the complex web of “debts, pesticides, and suicides” that surrounds the fibers of our clothing. Nearly 300,000 Indian cotton farmers have killed themselves over the years to escape the poverty trap of industrialized agriculture, some by drinking the very pesticides with which they farm, according to Borromeo. We caught up with the self-proclaimed troublemaker to learn more about her crowd-funded documentary, The Cotton Film: Dirty White Gold, the human cost of cheap fashion, and why we need greater traceability and accountability in the fashion industry.

CHAIN CHAIN CHAIN

When we think of sustainable fashion, we tend to overlook the soil and the farmers. Do you agree?

Totally. You know what it’s like when you walk on soil that’s been hammered by chemicals and pesticides? It looks great, like if you colored in soil in a coloring book. No weeds, big plants. But it’s dry. Organic soil is so much softer. You know the plants have been allowed to grow naturally.

Farmers are the last in the chain. They work the most and they get the least.

I asked a widow farming with her son how the chemical fertilizer she was using felt on her hands. She said it stung, that her skin cracked. Those are the visible effects. Chemicals cause stuff like brain cancer, malformed births, renal failure—stuff that kills you slowly. The nitrates used to grow food is carcinogenic. You also get aluminum, lead, mercury…yum.

As for the farmers, they’re the last in the chain. They work the most and they get the least. Something has to be done about this so that they can get a fair, living wage.

Can we trust the idea of “organic” if farmers are possibly using genetically modified seeds or being pressured from outside sources to work the land even harder?

That’s the sort of thing we’re digging up everywhere. Cases where people “buy” certification. Cases where farmers sell organic and conventional cotton at market for the same price and where the dude who buys it off them sticks an “organic” badge on it and sells it on for loads more money. Cases where organic and conventional are cut together. It’s bloody corrupt and greed is what drives it. What sustains it is the knowledge that no one will do anything.

If high-end brands and consumers can make it desirable to be ethical, the cheapo knockoff ones will follow suit.

But we can change this. If we can get supply-chain transparency pushed into our legislation and have something akin to a health counter put on every article of clothing, for instance. That will have an effect all the way down to the farmer. We’re the ones with the pester power. If high-end brands and consumers can make it desirable to be ethical, the cheapo knockoff ones will follow suit. That will then resound to suppliers, manufacturers, mills, farmers. Our trade legislation has a voice. Let’s make it sing something nice.

We also have to be careful what we say about GM technology. It’s very easy to dismiss it because it is currently tied in to corporations that screw everyone over over intellectual property law. These corporations and governments also make people buy chemicals and fertilizers so as to bolster their related industries. They bind the farmer into commercial slavery and debt. But I will never demonize science—what’s evil is when knowledge and technology are tied in to the interests of a multinational. If someone could devise and open-source a straight-line, non-sterile cotton seed that can be farmed in drought, well…

OUR PLANET, OURSELVES

How much harder has it become for farmers to compete in a fast-fashion-paced model?

The farmer isn’t really out there to compete. They just need to grow enough so that, maybe, they can move from a mud house to a pukka house and on to a compound, etc. We have a real case of little guy versus the big guy here. We’re looking at a battle between Indian farmers and first-world corporate subsidies given to their own farmers. The Indian government sure as hell won’t extend a helping hand that far down the food chain. They’re in it for foreign investment in this relentless drive for wealth and industrialization. It’s the death of small-scale farming in favor of corporate agriculture.

The idea that shopping ethically means you have to pay a premium is rubbish.

I see the consumer and brands as the cavalry. If we, at the richest end, can push for supply-chain transparency then we can knock that effect throughout the chain. The idea that shopping ethically means you have to pay a premium is rubbish. You have to redistribute the wealth along the value chain and work towards shaking off a dependence on chemicals. Sure there will be some pissed-off unemployed brokers and middle men if we actually have full transparency, but everyone from the farmer to the mill to the manufacturer will be better off.

Farmers have a number of factors to consider—not forgetting weather!—but when it comes to fashion manufacturing, how far have we come in terms of human rights?

If you can comfortably buy a shirt at £100 knowing that a farmer has just spent a whole day in the baking heat carrying a 15-liter rucksack filled with insecticide for a quid’s wages, then you’re seriously deranged. Someone somewhere is making a killing through killing.

The people you should attack are the ones that drive families to make the choice between education and work for their children.

Saying that, I didn’t make too much of a noise at farmers who had their children working in the fields with them. Especially when it was a widow who had to send her children into the fields to help her after her husband killed himself. Chiding people at the coal-face about child labor isn’t really on. The people and systems you should attack are the ones that drive families to make the choice between education and work for their children—they’re the ones I’ve got the knife out for.

What will it take to get mainstream shoppers to think beyond the sparkle and shine of the stores they’ve come to love?

Transparency. It’s a loaded word. And the solutions I’m exploring in the film all have transparency at their heart. I’m not here to guilt-trip consumers—we’ve already proven that kind of thing only works for a certain demographic. We have to change the system to make ethics and sustainability the norm…not some premium yummy-mummy middle-class ideal.

I want to go into a store, buy a coat, and not have to think about whether anyone’s killed themselves in the making of it because a human morality is in every stitch.

+ The Cotton Film: Dirty White Gold on Sponsume

+ The Cotton Film: Dirty White Gold

Ecouterre is the official media sponsor of the 2012 EcoChic Design Award.

China ushered a new era of sustainability late last month when it hosted the nation’s first mainstream eco-fashion design competition. Organized by Redress, a Hong Kong-based nonprofit dedicated to reducing the environmental impact of the Asian fashion industry, the 2012 EcoChic Design Award China presented the textile-waste-reducing designs of 10 finalists to an audience of over 500 industry representatives. While all the designers showed great promise, the top prize went to Gong Jia Qi, a student at the Raffles Design Institute in Shanghai. Gong, who was inspired by Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, reconstructed five garments using unsold stock from Taobao, one of China’s leading online retailers. We checked in with Gong to talk about her experience, what sustainability means to her, and how she intends to parlay her win—with a little help from Esprit—into a full-fledged career.

Read the rest of Meet Gong Jia Qi, Winner of China’s 2012 EcoChic Design Award

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HOME BASE

Bland also envisions a dedicated area for experimenting with environmentally-friendly fabric washes, dyes, finishes and special textile applications. “We want to increase public awareness of exactly how clothes are made and provide both consumers and designers with an alternative to outsourcing,” she tells Ecouterre. Once the goal is met, the money will go directly to acquiring an industrial space, with an initial buildout slated for spring.

Manufacture New York wants to increase public awareness of exactly how clothes are made.

We caught up with Bland to learn about Manufacture New York’s genesis, the myriad challenges facing young and emerging designers in America today, and how U.S. apparel companies can become more self-reliant.

MADE IN NEW YORK

What will you provide that the New York Garment District is not?

In the past two decades, the United States has lost 80 percent of its apparel manufacturing jobs, and the decline of the Garment District in NYC is a visible sign of these crippling losses. With rising rents and continued calls for rezoning, it’s not practical for manufacturers or designers to rely on the Garment District as it is. We now have a unique opportunity to bring together all the talent, experience and creativity of the fashion industry in another centralized location and redesign it to reflect the needs of up-and-coming designers.

In the past two decades, the United States has lost 80 percent of its apparel manufacturing jobs.

We see you’re providing “environmentally friendly” washes and dyeing. How much emphasis are you putting on the sustainable aspects of manufacturing.

There’s great interest in sustainable and eco-friendly fabrics, dyeing, and printing processes among our participating designers. Manufacture New York will have a sourcing manager who can research options like recycled fabrics, bamboo, vegan/upcycled leather, etc. We’ll offer nontoxic and water-based printing and dyeing options, too. One of the great perks of producing locally is we can concentrate more of our time and resources on innovation.

What’s the biggest challenge for budding designers today in terms of production?

The biggest hurdle for emerging designers is finding manufacturers who are willing to a) accept small orders and b) not charge them a prohibitively expensive premium. For example, if production minimums are 24 pieces per style per fabric, and you only have orders for 15 pieces, you might be asked to pay the sample price or piggyback on a bigger label’s order (which will delay production). It’s hard to determine lead times for buyers.

PARADIGM SHIFT

Are you seeing a shift toward manufacturing in the United States?

The recession was a wake up call for Americans that we need to be more self-reliant. NYC fashion designers have always been a resilient bunch, so we are perfectly suited to help lead the charge. Manufacture New York will help organize and facilitate the reemergence of [domestic] apparel-manufacturing and, once we have perfected the model we can spread it to other cities throughout the U.S. In every vibrant design community, facilities should exist to affordably and efficiently make their product.

Demand for affordable, consistent local production is high, yet we continue to lose jobs to overseas factories.

Why is Manufacture New York necessary to the independent design scene?

Manufacture New York is necessary because there’s not enough support for emerging designers from the industry itself, and our greatest advocates have always been our customers. Creating inspiring, fashion-forward pieces for our fans is what drives us even when producing another collection in NYC seems impossible. We need to join together as a community of independent fashion creatives, engage the public and use our collective voice to resurrect apparel manufacturing for a new generation.

Demand for affordable, consistent local production is high, and yet we continue to lose jobs to overseas factories that are facing worker unrest and a desire for higher wages themselves. We need a unified effort to support small, established fashion labels and bring back manufacturing jobs to New York.

+ Manufacture New York

Photos by Amanda Coen for Ecouterre

Meemoza is a Montreal-based ethical fashion brand that insists on keeping production local. Designer Emilie Rioux does everything to keep the feminine line as sustainable as possible not only by using materials such as tencel and modal, but also by biking or using the city’s “Communauto” car share program to transport her designs for production. Rioux took Ecouterre for a visit to the Montreal Garment District to take a first had look “behind the seams”.

Emilie Rioux started Meemoza about a year ago after receiving her first sewing lessons from her mother at a young age before going on to study fashion design and later business. Drawing on the two disciplines, she quickly learned the importance of having a vision and maintaining it in her work.

“I think it’s important to have your own vision to be able to create products that fit with your vision and that your vision reflects your values,” Rioux tells Ecouterre. “For me, this means that it’s important that the main portion of the garment is 100% eco-friendly and that it is ethically made.”

Rioux uses biologically based fibers such as organic cotton, linen, Modal and Tencel to construct her garments and tries to source from North American mills as much as possible. While she would like to use recycled materials, they are often hard to find for designers who are producing in smaller quantities than what is required for bulk purchases.

Rather than complain, Rioux works within limits and finds other ways to keep her designs as sustainable as possible. For instance, she uses wooden buttons and end-of-line fabrics for the pockets and linings of her garments. She also stresses the importance of ethical production practices to maintain transparency and ensure that workers are paid fair wages.

Montreal’s Garment District has offered Rioux with a wealth of local talent while simultaneously providing her with a means to contribute to the local economy and reduce emissions related to transportation. On the day Ecouterre visited, Rioux took us to Les Ailes de la Coupe where we met master cutter Joseph Hajjar and his team. They work with about 25 clients and are constantly rolling out and cutting huge rolls of fabric while paying meticulous attention to detail. A short walk down the hallway, we then visited Blank where a team of talented seamstresses were busy at work. Observing Rioux, it was obvious that she has put a lot of time and effort into finding people she enjoys working with and building trusting relationships.

Beyond the emphasis Rioux places on using sustainable materials and keeping production local, she has also created a relatively affordable line defined by versatility and comfort infused with romanticism. She states, “I think it’s important to prioritize where you want to put your energies because, especially for Meemoza, I want my products to be accessible to people.” Rather than starting with outrageously high prices and depending on high cost margins to make up for end of season sales, Rioux has chosen to establish a fair price point to begin with. She believes that a fair price reflects the work put into each garment and, while not always the cheapest option, it encourages consumers to be selective in their purchasing decisions and reduce consumption patterns. To ease the process, Rioux’s collections include a limited number of well-made, ethical styles so as not to overwhelm customers.

Meemoza can be found online and in about 20 retail stores throughout Canada. Additionally, Rioux has participated in the One of a Kind show which takes place in Toronto, Vancouver and Chicago.

+ Meemoza

At this very moment, thousands of people in Midtown Manhattan are designing and manufacturing apparel all within a 10-block radius in New York City’s Garment Center. The innovation, opportunity, and jobs that the Garment Center provides is essential not only to the New York City economy but also to the American fashion industry as a whole. In this 100-year-old neighborhood, the trim-and-fabric suppliers, pattern-makers, sewers, pressers, and finishers act as a self-sustaining ecosystem, providing support for established and emerging designers all over America.

Read the rest of Is New York City’s Garment Center Worth Saving?

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Fashioning Change has come a long way. Since it launched last fall, the online marketplace has conducted nearly 60,000 “green shopping interventions” by helping consumers recreate name-brand looks using sustainable and ethical brands. Its flagship product is “Wear This, Not That,” a web-based app that compares two similar styles—the status-quo option versus an ethically made alternative—with comparable price points. Bullet points below each look explain the sustainable (or not-so-sustainable) practices behind the brand. More often than not, the obvious choice is the better choice, both socially and environmentally. We tracked down Kestrel Jenkins, a former writer at Ecouterre and the product and sourcing coordinator for Fashioning Change, to learn more. Plus, scroll down for an exclusive 25 percent discount on all Afia products.

Last time we reported on Fashioning Change, it had just launched. How has your mission grown since then?

Since our launch Cyber Monday last November, Fashioning Change has been growing and expanding tremendously. We are connecting with the 143 million online shoppers who want to make better purchases, and we’re adding new fashion-forward brands every week. In addition, we are now a go-to shopping site, as well as a resource for shoppers who are interested in understanding the stories behind their clothing.

As the person who curates new looks and creates the “Wear This, Not That” looks for Fashioning Change, what do you look for when searching for new designers to add to your roster?

We have a large number of amazing brands coming to Fashioning Change, wanting to be part of our platform and we are always seeking the next and best up-and-coming designers out there, but we have really high standards. Our brands have to meet these five criteria: they must be stylish, must be quality, must protect your health, the Earth, and human rights. If a brand doesn’t meet just one of those criteria, they don’t make the cut. You are able to clearly see why our brands have met these standards through their transparent lifecycle function which truly tells each brand’s unique story.

You’ve had the chance to interview many designers and hear about how they work. Who are some designers who have stood out to you for their innovative approach to fashion and creating ethical business practices?

Each of our designers and brands stand out in their own unique way. We have brands that are made proudly in the US like Zkano – an organic cotton sock company that has brought production and jobs back to Alabama (turns out that Alabama used to be the sock-making capital of the world). We have fair trade brands like Olga Road (who make upcycled leather jackets in small workshops in Thailand) and Love Is Mighty (who make vegan footwear from vintage Indian tapestries and recycled plastic fiber). And, we have innovative performance brands like Modrobes who make fabrics from sustainable materials like Eucalyptus and recycled plastic bottles. We love sharing their stories with our shoppers and are undoubtedly inspired by each and every one of them every single day.

What are some of the main challenges the designers you work with encounter when trying to source and work responsibly?

Designing ethically has become more accessible and the proof of this is in the growth of the industry. Large mainstream brands have taken notice of eco-friendly and ethical design and are trying to find their footing alongside the independent brands we work with.

The market has really evolved to provide resources for designers of any size wanting to design and source responsibly. The ecosystem has developed and now boasts more resources, including two that we partner with: The Ethical Fashion Forum and Source4Style.

If designers are interested in having their line featured on Fashioning Change, how do they go about doing so and what are the basic requirements?

Shoppers and designers alike can submit their brands or brand suggestions to us on our website.
It’s that combination of style, ethics and transparency that we are always seeking and always excited to discover from up-and-coming designers.

How do you see Fashioning Change impacting the way consumers approach fashion and what are your long term goals for the company?

Fashioning Change is a marketplace for anyone looking to find better fashion, because the aesthetics of our brands appeal to mainstream shoppers, we showcase on trend independent designers, and we appeal to individuals who seek to buy things that help protect the Earth and human rights. But don’t let the name fool you. Fashioning Change is a retail tech company that’s on a mission to provide quality, stylish, do-good alternatives to anything that goes in and on your body, in your home, or in your community.

We are starting in fashion because we have deep roots in the fashion community (I used to work for Fair Trade fashion label People Tree in London and our Founder and CEO, Adriana Herrera used to domestically manufacture eco-friendly and ethical handbags), but we have future plans for the company to expand into other industries. We see ourselves being a one-stop shop for shoppers. Adriana has us on a path to give Jeff Bezos a run for his money; the main difference is that everything we do positively impacts the world while also looking good.

READER DISCOUNT

Get 25 percent off all Afia clothing at Fashioning Change till July 31 with the code AFIAAction.

+ Fashioning Change

Photos by Amanda Coen

Located in New York City’s Brooklyn Navy Yard, Eko-Lab is equal parts ethical apparel company and experimental art house. Combining the talents of Melissa Kirgan, Xing-Zhen Chung-Hilyard, and Jennifer Wen Ma, the label transforms organic fabrics and vegetable-based dyes into wearable conversation pieces. Eko-Lab was once a cornerstone of Ekovaruhuset, a fashion collective that included Johanna Hofring, Mika Machida, and Meiling Chen. Since the group disbanded, however, the trio have found a home among the dozen startups supported by the Pratt Design Incubator for Sustainable Innovation, an initiative founded in 2002 to launch and grow social and environmental enterprises. Ecouterre hopped on the L train to Eko-Lab’s studio to learn more about its unique brand of alchemy.

A PERFECT FIT

How did Eko-Lab get its start?

Kirgan: We first met when we were taking classes at [the Fashion Institute of Technology], but we also had mutual friends. Ekovaruhuset really inspired us to get involved in the sustainable clothing industry and we learned a lot.Working with Ekovaruhuset, we really got to meet the customer, understand what they were looking for, and understand shapes and sizes. Everybody is different—even us—and we still like to wear the same thing. So it provided a great understanding of fit and what people wanted.

As Eko-Lab, we strive to create designs that adapt well to many sizes.

Chung-Hilyard: As Eko-Lab, our theme builds on what we learned as we strive to create designs that adapt well to many sizes.

Kirgan: Our mission has definitely evolved from wanting to be more of an easy fit, so we can both wear something.

What roles do you each of you play?

Chung-Hilyard: We have very different angles due to our backgrounds and personalities. Initially, we overlapped a lot as we were just learning what we are good at, what each of our strengths are. Eventually, we wove those together.

We have very different angles due to our backgrounds and personalities.

Now, I do a lot of [two-dimensional] work because that’s how I think and see. Melissa is very [three-dimensional]. I’ve learned a lot from her. She’ll also tell me, “I never thought of clothing in that way.” Working together brings a lot of surprises and excitement into growth and learning, and we enjoy the collaboration very much.

CONTINUE READING >

Elizabeth L. Cline spent more than three years probing the underbelly of the American fast-fashion industry. Her discoveries, prompted by an epiphany over the absurdity of $7 shoes from Kmart, led her to write Overdressed: The Shockingly High Cost of Cheap Fashion. More than an exposé, it’s also the story of how we went from a society of make-do-and-menders to a nation of addicts caught in an endless vortex of overconsumption, waste production, and post-purchase malaise. We chatted with Cline about how disposable fashion is anathema to our economy, our environment, and our psyches, and the concrete steps anyone can take—yes, even you—to break the buy-and-toss cycle many of us find so impossible to escape.

“AHA” MOMENT

What inspired you to write the book?

I noticed some pretty dramatic changes in my shopping habits. I got to the point where I was pretty much buying only cheap clothes and I was buying a lot of them. I saw my friends and family shopping the same way. And I wanted to delve into what’s happened in the fashion industry that’s changed our consumption patterns so dramatically from a seasonal fashion cycle to an almost weekly or monthly fashion cycle where we’re treating clothing as a disposable good. I was surprised there wasn’t a wider conversation about this taking place on a national level.

People do seem to be talking about the subject more in the United Kingdom than in the United States.

They do; I think it’s partly because fast fashion started in Europe. You have H&M coming out of Sweden, Zara coming out of Spain…they started having these patterns of consumption before us and I think the conversation is a little bit ahead of where it is in the States. Lucy Siegle, a U.K. journalist, put out that very wonderful book earlier this year, To Die For: Is Fashion Wearing Out the World earlier this year, so [fast fashion] is not a problem that’s specific to the U.S., but I decided to focus the book on the U.S. market because I thought it would resonate strongest with the readers here.

Why do you think the U.S. isn’t quite there yet when it comes to discussing these issues?

Mass-market clothing really took off in a big way in the U.S. We’re the ones that have had this history of department stores that have turned into chain stores, and we just have a very specific with garment production and retailing…and it’s different in the U.K. So I think part of it is because of the way the industry is structured here.

For whatever reason, we’ve never been as comfortable as Europe with the idea of spending money on clothes.

For whatever reason, we’ve never been as comfortable as Europe with the idea of spending money on clothes. We’ve always had this more puritanical, thrifty view about fashion; I think we’ve always been sort of wary of it. And that aggravates the whole problem—people use that as justification for being cheap. Clothing just isn’t something you should spend money on.

It does seem that Europeans care more about investment pieces that last forever.

Right; we got away from that habit much more easily. That’s probably a whole other book about why America has that history as compared with what’s going on in Europe.

NOT SLOWING DOWN

Has the economic recession cooled our shopping habits any way?

After the recession started, you would think that consumers would turn back a little bit more to investment pieces, but actually the stores with the highest brand strength—and I discovered this while researching the book—are the cheap-fashion chains.

After the recession started, consumers weren’t reining in their consumption, they were just buying cheaper clothes.

So you’ve got H&M now, which is the second-largest retailer in the world, and you have consumers who are, in a sense, getting cheaper. They’re saying, “Oh well, I’m broke, but I’m not going to rein in my consumption; I’m just going to buy cheaper clothes.”

Are we still buying the same amount or are we buying more or less?

There was a dip in 2008…our consumption was around $20 billion. But more recent figures put our consumption at $20.5 billion, so yes, we’re still buying more clothes than ever and [the numbers] just keep going up every year.

What discovery surprised you the most while you were researching the book?

So many things but one thing I found really shocking was when I went to the Salvation Army in my neighborhood and was shown this wall of clothing, and it was 18 tons of clothes wrapped up in bales and stacked up. And that represented just three days of castoffs at one Salvation Army location in one city in the U.S., and I think that visual for me was probably the most eye-opening in terms of realizing how much we’re consuming and how much waste we’re creating.

Do you see the industry giving up fast fashion any time soon?

(Laughs.) I think what the goal should be is to pressure these retailers to behave more responsibly. We are already seeing that: we’ve got H&M coming out with the Conscious Collection. Nike started up a shoe-recycling program.

I think what the goal should be is to pressure these retailers to behave more responsibly.

You see companies taking more initiative about improving their environmental footprint, and hopefully we’ll see more of that. And at the same time, I hope we see more consumers shopping in different ways, which I think will also put more pressure on the industry to change.

CONTINUE READING >

Sneakers have been a wardrobe standby since Keds burst onto the scene in 1916, but entrepreneur Gary Gagnon found something lacking in the iconic shoe. For one thing, it isn’t recyclable, which means many a scrawled-upon Converse lies buried in a landfill, never to see the light of day again. With Remyxx, however, Gagnon plans to create a new breed of footwear, one that he claims is the world’s first 100 percent recyclable, completely landfill-free shoe. (More than 300 million pairs of shoes were thrown away in 2011, according to Soles4Souls.) Made from a closely guarded blend of plastic, polyresin “canvas,” and rubber, Remyxx boasts bold colors and funky patterns designed to appeal to all ages. We caught up with Gagnon to learn about his curbside “aha” moment, his wildly successful Kickstarter campaign, and how his shoes will help us all tread more lightly on the planet.

Read the rest of Remyxx Introduces World’s First 100 Percent Recyclable Sneakers

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The following is an excerpt from Naked Fashion: The New Sustainable Fashion Revolution (2012, New Internationalist) by Safia Minney.

It seems like a very small thing to us, choosing a T-shirt or a dress made of organic rather than conventional cotton. but it can make a big difference at the other end of the chain. The environmental impact of fashion is something that needs to concern us all. What’s clear is that fashion’s environmental footprint at the moment is unsustainable. The evidence is overwhelming. For example, the British clothing and textiles sector alone currently produces around 3.1 million metric tons of carbon dioxide, two million tons of waste, and 70 million tons of waste water per year—with 1.5 million tons yearly of unwanted clothing and textiles ultimately ending up in a landfill. This means that we each throw away an average of 30 kilos a year.

Read the rest of Why Does Fair-Trade Fashion Matter?

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GREEN CONVERSION

“Sustainable footwear is hard to come by and comes at a price,” Brewer tells Ecouterre. “The footwear industry is particularly tough on the environment, so we’re really excited about supporting those that are going against the curve and producing shoes that leave less of a footprint, so to speak.”

Brewer knows better than anyone that aesthetics need to come first.

By tackling both sides of the retail equation, Brewer hopes to shift designers and customers in a ecologically responsible direction. Since Convert’s opening, Brewer has worked to help brands make small but dedicated steps toward change. Yet he also knows better than anyone that aesthetics need to come first. “I have a certain criteria when it comes to buying, and no matter how minimal the eco-impact, if it doesn’t look stylish, it’s out,” he says. “I want my customers to discover great fashion at Convert and know they are helping the planet as an added bonus.”

Besides carrying a range of conscious companies such as Melissa Plastic Dreams, Palladium, Amour Vert, and Prairie Underground, Convert also features recycled-cardboard shelving, secondhand furniture, and vintage fixtures.

Looks like he might make converts of us all yet.

+ Jeffrey Campbell for Convert

+ Convert

Photo by Shutterstock

Thanks to a combination of technological innovation and developing global economies, “fast fashion” is now ubiquitous on the high street. A one-two punch of low prices and targeted advertising, in particular, has stimulated the boom of a teenage market, one that can stay up to date with the latest runway trends at “pocket money” prices. Today’s youth views shopping as a necessary and exciting task. And unlike previous generations, this emerging demographic has learned that “fast” is the only way to consume clothing.

Photo by Shutterstock

THE NEW CONSUMER

Many young people are ignorant of the damage the fast-fashion industry has on the environment. Terms such as “organic” and “fair trade” are familiar, to be sure, but they’re more widely associated with food rather than retail. If we’re to move towards a sustainable fashion industry, the future consumer needs to not only be aware of the responsibility and influence he or she wields but also the wherewithal to use that right to promote a more sustainable garment supply chain.

Many young people are ignorant of the damage the fast-fashion industry has on the environment.

Someone once questioned Mary Portas, one of London’s leading retail marketing consultants, about the decline of the British textile-manufacturing industry. Her passion for change was clear: “We thought cheap was value,” she answered, “but what was the value to our communities and people in this country we lost?”

Photo by Shutterstock

QUESTION EVERYTHING

Encouraging young shoppers to ask questions of what they buy is the first step in communicating overconsumption’s damaging effects, from the pollution of drinking-water supplies to human-rights violations.

Encouraging young shoppers to ask questions is the first step in communicating overconsumption’s impact.

The upcoming generation needs to understand the value of our planet’s resources, both environmental and social, not only because they’re potential workers and professionals but also because their consumer influence can only increase. Manufacturers are becoming increasingly reliant on their customers to engage fulfill the sustainability potential of a product. Without active and informed consumers who value the process behind the product, the efforts of brands and retailers can only be in vain.

But raising awareness is not enough on its own. There remains a large gap between knowledge and action, particularly when you involve distant issues or concepts like the vanishing Aral Sea, fires in Bangladeshi garment factories, or child slavery.

Photo by Shutterstock

SKILL-SHARING

It’s essential to bring these subjects to the surface, of course, but we can—and should—open the eyes of our youth even further by helping them explore the role they can play in evolving a more responsible industry. It’s only through the practical application of this knowledge that attitudes will change and opportunities for sustainable consumption develop in their own communities.

Today’s young face a future fraught with challenges, both environmental and financial.

Today’s young face a future fraught with challenges, both environmental and financial. There is an urgent need to prepare the young generation for a responsible lifestyle, to communicate the complexities inherent in many industries, and address how these challenges may be overcome.

Teaching these issues with particular relevance to the fashion and textiles industry provides a fun, creative, and engaging approach to future innovation, one that could bring manufacturing back to domestic shores after decades of outsourcing to the developing world.

Whether it’s teaching sustainable design in schools or work placements and apprenticeship at responsible businesses, there are a variety of approaches, both academic and practical, to equip our youth with a practical understanding of materials and skills.

For many young people, learning to invest in the clothing they buy, wear, and repair requires more than a formal education. It also requires an opportunity to connect their knowledge and values with practical skills, action, and enterprise to make a difference both locally and globally.

+ Julia Roebuck