I don’t express my love for you enough

But I’m so grateful for all that you are

You do so much for me

You provide for me

I appreciate all the gifts you give

The air I breathe, the water I drink, the food I eat

My survival depends on you

You are beautiful

You are wild and vast and magnificent

You are a great force and a silent stillness

You fill my soul and give me peace

You ground me

Never failing are your natural cycles of sunrises and sunsets

And phases of the moon in the night sky

And the physical ground beneath my feet

You support all life

You do so much for me that I cannot see

To regulate the climate and cycle nutrients and water through the earth

You make my life livable

You teach and inspire me

I’ll never get close to knowing everything about you

Nevertheless you continue to teach me lessons every day

Of connectivity, resilience, complexity, and healing

You are a wonderful host

You’re hospitable and serving

Even when your residents are destructive at best

You are home

I’m sorry for not loving you enough

or at least not protecting you nearly enough

You deserve better than what has been done to you

You deserve all the love we humans can give

And I love you for more than just what you do for life on Earth

You are intrinsically valuable in and of yourself

I love you for simply existing

You mean the world to me

The post My Valentine to Nature appeared first on A\J.

For Consumers: The Art of Mindful or Conscious Consumerism 

Conscious consumerism is a practice in mindfulness, beginning with an awareness and understanding of the fact that behind every product is a life cycle of processes. All products come from somewhere, are made by someone, and are created through the use of certain materials. Conscious consumerism requires an individual to first ask themselves the question of whether or not consumption is necessary. Once that choice has been made, consumers can then turn to the brand, company, or corporation from which they might be buying from to ask questions such as:

• Where is my product made? What is my product made from? Where did those materials come from and under what conditions were they produced? Were the workers harvesting, producing, and creating this product working within ethical conditions and being paid equitably for their work?
• What are the values of the brand, company, or corporation that I am buying from? Are they transparent about all of the processes that encompass the creation of their products?
• What impact does the industry that I am buying from have on humans and the environment on a global scale?

There are more questions that could be asked of brands, companies, and corporations, but this is a good place to start. Beyond purchasing new items, a decision can also be made by conscious consumers to reuse or repair an item, shop second-hand, swap, exchange, or borrow an item from a friend, community member, or tool library. Consumers who want to be more conscious about their own personal consumption habits can also choose to extend the longevity of their items through repairing and maintaining their products. At the end of the life cycle of an item, materials can also be used in unique ways to avoid disposing of a product in the landfill by turning old t-shirts into rags or selling an old bike for parts to a repair company. Ultimately, conscious consumerism requires a process of checking in with yourself each time you may feel the urge to purchase something new.

Ask yourself: What kind of world do I want to live in? What kind of future do I want to see? What is my urge to consume really trying to tell me? Do I truly find lasting happiness in material things?

For Brands: A Warranted and Necessary Response 

If conscious consumerism is on the rise, then brands must respond to meet the changing needs of our global population and economy. So, what does the future of conscious consumerism look like from a brand’s point-of-view? This future requires a value and behavioral shift in regard to the ways in which brands operate on a global scale. This involves re-thinking and transforming away from the ‘business-as-usual’ model towards a more circular, ethical, and holistic way of operating. Brands must consider the Corporate Social Responsibility that they have to the planet and to people everywhere, implementing practices throughout their supply cycle based in sustainability and Extended Producer Responsibility. All of the questions posed above to consumers can also be asked of brands, leading to a final transformative question that is, how can brands better shift their practices towards sustainability and care for all people and the planet?

Lessons for Brands and Consumers Alike 

Conscious consumerism is not about brands and consumers working independently of one another to achieve this future. This shift in practice is about creating a life-long relationship between brands and consumers alike based in transparency, accountability, and ethics. Here are some helpful tips and words to live by for both brands and consumers alike in moving forward together towards a more mindful and conscious future.

1. Practice the art of mindfulness.
2. Lead with transparency and accountability for your actions.
3. Establish strong ethics and values.
4. Keep accessibility and affordability in mind for everyone, always.
5. Discover alternatives to the ‘business-as-usual’ model. 
6. Get creative!
7. Practice the art of storytelling.
8. Remember the 4 R’s: Refuse, reduce, reuse, and recycle.
9. People remember your actions, not your words. 
10. Keep sustainability, love, and gratitude for the earth and all people at the centre of everything you do.

With all of these ideas in mind, I hope that a seed of inspiration has taken root in the minds of both brands and consumers alike. The future of conscious consumerism requires both parties walking hand in hand together towards a future that is more sustainable and just for all.

The post The Future of Conscious Consumerism appeared first on A\J.

 Source: Pixabay

On Monday, Canada’s delivery service acts upon the traditional milkman model set to launch in Toronto. It will deliver brand name groceries and goods right to your door – this time with reusable packaging. Loop, came to fruition from U.S recycling company TerraCycle joining forces with Loblaws.

The groceries and essentials are most often in single use containers – now will be available in reusable containers such as glass or metal containers and it comes delivered in reusable tote bags.

This is already implemented in Carrefour in France, Walgreens and Kroger in the U.S, and Tesco in U.K. With the objective to reduce household waste and single use plastics. But this isn’t the only time Loblaws has made environmental headlines recently, they just announced they are abolishing toxic chemicals from their receipts.

Tom Szaky, founder and CEO of TerraCycle states “Loop is a platform for reuse where consumer product companies can create reusable versions of their products, and then retailers can make those available to their consumers”. This will start in Toronto with hopes to have national growth and implement this in a variety of grocery stores.

Whale watching from space?

Source: Pixabay

A Vancouver company is leading the change in whale conservation efforts in order to protect North Atlantic right whales by monitoring them from far far away – space.

The “smartWhales” program is led by researchers from Hatfield Consultants in conjunction with Canadian Space Agency – which uses satellite imagery and data to find the presence of the whales and predict their movement.

The ultimate goal is to prevent interactions with ships and fishing gear as it’s among the top threats to these species who are severely endangered.

In January 2019, there were an estimated 366  right whales alive – fewer than 94 of them being male with the ability to breed. In the last three years, over 30 whales have had fatalities between ships and finishing gear entanglements, two-thirds of those incidents occurring in Canadian waters.

Lets hope that being able to track this data from satellite imagery can prevent further fatalities and implement vessels as part of this program in preventing collisions and entanglement, as the species is already struggling to survive.

Spinach Can Send Emails and Warn Us About Climate Change 

Source: Pexels

Scientists have managed to engineer spinach to be capable of sending emails. Yes, you read that right. According to a study published in Nature Materials, through nanotechnology, engineers from MIT have transformed spinach into sensors capable of detecting explosive materials. These plants are then able to wirelessly relay this information back to the scientists. According to the study, when the “carbon nanotubes” inside the spinach roots detect these compounds, they could send a signal to an infrared camera, which then triggers an email alert to scientists who conducted the study.

This experiment is part of a wider field of research that involves engineering electronic components and systems into plants. This technology is known as “plant nanobionics”, the process of giving plants new abilities. “Plants are very good analytical chemists. They have an extensive root network in the soil, are constantly sampling groundwater, and have a way to self-power the transport of that water up into the leaves” explains Professor Michael Strano who led the research. This experiment is a novel demonstration of overcoming the plant/human communication barrier, he contends.

So how will this warn us about climate change?

While the purpose of this experiment was to detect explosives, Strano and other scientists believe it could be used to help warn researchers about pollution and other environmental conditions. The vast amount of data plants absorb from their surroundings, make them ideally situated to monitor ecological changes. In the early phases of plant nanobionic research, Strano used nanoparticles to make plants into sensors for pollutants. By altering how the plants photosynthesized, he was able to have them detect nitric oxide, a pollutant caused by combustion. “Plants are very environmentally responsive,” Strano says.  He goes on to say that plants are extremely environmentally responsible, “They know that there is going to be a drought long before we do. They can detect small changes in the properties of soil and water potential. If we tap into those chemical signaling pathways, there is a wealth of information to access.”

Next time you’re eating spinach, remember it has more capabilities than giving you vitamins and nutrients.

The Decline: Sharks 

Source: Pexels 

Scientists have known for decades that individual shark species are declining, but a new study drawing on 57 global datasets underscores just how dramatically populations have collapsed. According to a study published in the journal Nature, globally the number of sharks and rays have declined by more than 70 % between 1970 and 2018. And 24 of the 31 species of sharks and rays are threatened with extinction, while three species — oceanic whitetip sharks, scalloped hammerhead sharks and great hammerhead sharks — are considered critically endangered. “The last 50 years have been pretty devastating for global shark populations,” said Nathan Pacoureau, a biologist at Simon Fraser University in Canada and a co-author of the study.

Interesting Shark Facts from the World Wildlife Fund

• Sharks have a sixth sense. All sharks have a ‘sixth sense’ that helps them hone in on prey during the final phase of attack.

• They’ve been around for a long time. Sharks have been around for over 400 million years – long before dinosaurs. Because their skeletons are made of cartilage (like our noses) instead of bones, they don’t leave fossils like other animals – but fossilized shark teeth have been found.

• There are over 500 species of shark, 143 of these are under threat, listed by IUCN from vulnerable to critically endangered.

When you remove a top predator from the ecosystem, it impacts every part of the marine food web. Think of sharks as the lions and bears of the marine world, they help keep the rest of the ecosystem in balance. Without these predators, the ecosystem would (and potentially will) collapse.

Newly Discovered: World’s Tiniest Reptile

Source: Brifly News

In 2012, a joint team of German and Malagasy researchers went on an expedition in the North rainforests of Madagascar, one of the most biologically diverse areas on Earth, in search of discovering new reptile and amphibian species. What they found was the smallest chameleon species, which is likely also the smallest reptile!

This reptile species, known as Brookesia nana or “nano-chameleon” is now a new contender for being the world’s smallest reptile. The Brookesia nana can fit on your fingertip and typically grows no bigger than one inch long. It is a type of chameleon, but it’s quite unique – it cannot change colour and prefers to live on the forest floor rather than in the trees.

Researchers are still trying to determine why it remains so small since most vertebrates grow as they mature. Andolalao Rakotoarison, from the University of Antananarivo in Madagascar says, “There are numerous extremely miniaturized vertebrates in Madagascar, including the smallest primates and some of the smallest frogs in the world, which have evolved independently,”

Andolalao’s colleague, Fanomezana Ratsoavina, added, “The “island effect,” that causes species on small islands to get smaller in body size, which has been invoked for other small chameleons, does not make sense in this case, because Brookesia nana lives in the mountains on mainland Madagascar.” What a mystery! Whatever the reason for its size, the discovery of the teeny tiny Brookesia nana is sure to melt hearts.

The post The WTF: The Week This Friday Vol. 34 appeared first on A\J.

My first few days on the job were filled with uncertainties as I was just beginning to understand my role and didn’t know what to expect for the coming weeks. I was, in every sense of the word, a newbie. But it was not long before I dove head first into the sea of work and was carried off with the current, learning as I went. Bear with me as I further use this ocean metaphor.

Some days at A\J are choppy waves – full of energy, meetings, interviews, emails, busyness. Some days are calm waters, when I can float with careful planning, inspiration, and most importantly, writing. David (A\J publisher and my supervisor) always tells me to learn the ebbs and flows of my work, and that I am. For lack of a more unique pop culture reference, I feel very much like a young Jedi learning from the Obi Wan of A\J. David shares many of his pieces of advice and wisdom with me in the form of metaphors and catchphrases, and they are all valuable lessons that fuel my growth as a writer. I’ve learned how to “use the force” of environmental journalism – you need lots of input before you can produce the output. I am being filled to the brim with inspiration, having meaningful conversations with environmental leaders on the daily, and learning how to tithe to myself in the process in order to produce my best work.

I was recently tasked with writing an article on what I’ve learned so far at A\J in just 4 weeks, but if I included everything, it would be way too long for anyone to read (and for me to write!) So, I will do my best to sum up my key takeaways from this work experience so far.

The A\J Team

First and foremost, meeting the A\J team was a huge positive. It has been wonderful to work with a team of interesting people who are all different, yet share a common purpose. Everyone at A\J is driven to share environmental stories with others, to plant seeds and inspire them. We all work together with each other’s ebbs and flows, and I have observed how dedicated these people are to their work. I’ve experienced so much support, encouragement, and collaboration from the team that has kept me moving forward.

Skill Building

During the past month, I have enhanced my existing skills and established many new ones. I’ve built upon my interpersonal skills, and I don’t just mean “customer service” or people skills. I’m talking about the ability to sustain meaningful conversation and genuinely listen to others in order to gather and absorb important insights and stories from them. Along with that, I’ve greatly practiced and improved my existing communication skills through speaking (and listening), writing, emailing, interviewing, and the list goes on.

My work as an A\J intern has also given me a real experience of what journalism work is like. There are always several different projects on the go and multitasking is the way of life. I’ve had a lot of space to work on time management and self-regulation by prioritizing tasks, working with deadlines, and working around meeting times. There is no shortage of tasks, but it’s not draining, it’s actually empowering! I get to be actively involved in everything, and maybe it’s just me, but I really thrive when I have lots on the go and can be a part of everything all at once.

Creativity

I’ve also been given the opportunity to hone in on my creativity, which is something I didn’t have a lot of practice doing before this job. My writing and learning style has always been quite organized, academic, and structured. For me, the most conceptually difficult type of university assignment I’ve ever had to do (out of math, sciences, and the arts) is writing an English essay. In first year, I had to write an essay on a super short, abstract poem, and I had no idea what it was saying. It took so much original thought and effort to come up with a thesis and write a full, meaningful paper on just 14 lines of confusion. Of course, I’ve come a long way since then, but I find these assignments challenging because I have to generate fresh ideas. I have to be inspired. It is through these exercises that I improve my creative thinking. At A\J, I am challenged to think for myself in everything I do. Right from the get-go I was asked, “What do you want to write about?”, “What are your stories to tell?”, and “Who do you want to talk to?” I’m starting to answer those big questions, slowly tending and listening to that creative autonomy in my work. By doing so, I’m discovering lots about myself and know that I’ll continue to do so.

Conversations

In just four weeks at A\J, I’ve met many new people (virtually, of course), beyond just the A\J team. I’ve been able to have conversations with individuals who are highly experienced, accomplished, admired in environmental fields of work. I’ve been given opportunities to network and listen to these people’s stories. I already feel much more equipped with connections than I did before starting this job, but I’ve also realized how easy it can be to talk to people. You never know how much in common you might have with a university dean or sustainability leader until you have a conversation with them!
How to BE a writer

On top of improving my writing, I’m also learning how to be a writer. There is a difference, trust me. I think you can be very skilled at writing but not be a writer. Dipping my toe into the world of environmental journalism has taught me that…

1. The work doesn’t stop when you sign off for the day. Your work is on the news, on social media, in almost every conversation, and it is literally in your mind all the time. I’m starting to see everything as a potential story. When work aligns with your passion, it doesn’t fit into a 9 to 5 day because passion doesn’t turn off once the work day is done.
2. In order to be a writer, you have to understand yourself to a tee. Understanding the ebbs and flows of one’s own writing is so important – as David told me from day one. I’ve been befriending my inner muse, inner critic, and inner storyteller, and I’ve practiced wrangling them up and getting them all working at once. It’s not always easy, but when it happens, it’s a beautiful thing.
3. I need to find a healthy balance between the busy times full of meetings and emails, and sitting quietly with my thoughts. Sometimes in order to write, I need zero distractions, otherwise I’ll never produce anything valuable. But other times, those distractions are important to pay attention to because they might spark an idea (and they’re also part of my job). I’m learning how to balance this and how to capitalize on my opportunities to write. For example, if I have a free moment to write but have a mental block, taking a break to walk in nature does wonders.

Pathways uncovered

The most common question I receive as a young adult is “What do you want to do after you graduate?” and I’ve always struggled with pinning down an answer. I’ve never known what exactly I want to do, and I still don’t, but in many ways, working at A\J is allowing me to see that I don’t need to choose one specific pathway. I can merge my passions and do lots of things with my future career. This job has introduced me to many people and many pathways I never thought of considering before, so it has only added more options to my uncertainty of the future – in a good way! I feel driven, more than ever, to continue dipping my toes into as many places I can and keep writing and having conversations with people wherever I end up.

Published Accomplishments

Now, this article is not just a spotlight on my work, because ultimately, this is about my experience at A\J and how the team has facilitated this growth for me. But, I do want to highlight a few of my physical accomplishments on top of all the lessons I’ve learned. I’ve published 4 of my own articles and put together 4 WTF (Week This Friday) columns, and that’s just on the A\J website. I’m working on a lot of behind the scenes pieces that you’ll see in our next print issue, Playbook for Progress! This is all to say that being an A\J intern is not without its many opportunities to get your name out there and publish as much as you have to offer.

Going Forward

Clearly, I’ve experienced a whirlwind of growth and excitement in the past 4 weeks and I don’t expect it to stop now! I’ve still got 3 more months left – lots more to do, to learn, and to be a part of. I know that even once my work placement with A\J is over, the experience and lessons I’ve learned will stick with me and carry over into whatever comes next for me. Who knows – maybe I’ll find myself back here one day! I don’t know where I’ll be in a couple years from now, let alone 4 months from now, but I hope to stay connected to A\J in some capacity, and if I’ve learned anything from my time here, it’s the power of planting that first seed.

The post Opening Paragraphs appeared first on A\J.

Source: Hillside Inside

As we enter the month of February – the middle of a cold, grey winter, which also happens to be about the one year mark of the pandemic – you may be feeling a little blue or stir crazy (or both). I know I am. One of the things I miss most is getting together with people, being in fellowship, and enjoying a celebration. If you’re like me and feel like you could use a spark of joy in your life, I have a wonderful remedy to help keep you going. It’s called Hillside Inside.

Hillside Inside is an annual winter music festival that has traditionally taken place at a series of indoor venues across downtown Guelph. This year, they are moving all their events online and providing us with an at-home music festival experience. Mark your calendars because Hillside Inside 2021 is happening THIS WEEKEND, from Friday, February 5th to Sunday, February 7th.

I recently had the pleasure of speaking with Hillside’s Executive Director, Marie Zimmerman, about what we could expect for this year’s virtual festival.

“Hillside Inside is always a downtown, sort of urban, edgy winter festival. We always have both paid, ticketed events and free events, so that’s also true for Hillside Inside this year. The videos will be posted Friday, February 5th at 6 pm and they all come down and disappear on Sunday, February 7th at midnight. There’s no opportunity to download them or see them again, so this is the only time that people will have to see these things. People can just come to the website and click on, let’s say a picture of you and your singing, and it brings up your bio and a little insert which will be the video,” Marie shared.

“My hope for Hillside Inside 2021 is that it will be a comfort for people in a dark and cold period of the pandemic, where normally in February, people are starting to get a little bit antsy about winter”

She went on to say, “The online performances are mostly free, but there is the odd ticketed event. For example, we have a dinner where we’re saying that if people spend $15 or more at one of 4 restaurants [of the Neighbourhood Group in Guelph], they get access to Patrick Watson’s prerecorded, 40-minute performance, and he’s done it especially for Hillside. That’s a very cool thing and brings it back to the nurturing that people can find through music and food, but also sustaining partners in the restaurant world who were with us at our festivals normally,”

How easy is that?! A collection of performances from amazingly talented musicians, all available to you at the click of your mouse. And the combination of good food and good music sounds like exactly what will fuel our souls through this winter.

Source: Hillside Inside

Marie continued to lay out the main segments of the festival that we should expect to see:

“We have some major concerts – all of these are online and most will be pre-recorded just before Hillside Inside. We have iskwe and Tom Wilson who are performing together, DJ Shub will be performing from his home studio, Serena Ryder is coming… And we have our steady components of Hillside Inside that include:

• Girls and Guitars, a segment that’s about 10 years old, used to promote female-identified musicians who often don’t get attention in the music industry, which tends to be male-dominated and male-focused.
• A bluegrass jam led by the band, the Slocan Ramblers. They’ll say, ‘Okay. The next song we’re going to play is in the key of D and we’ll start like this and then we’re going to switch to G and then we’re going to go to D at the very end. Ready? Here we go,’ and they’re imagining that audience who is going to participate.
• A tribute to the legendary John Prine.
• The Sound of Light, which is kind of like gospel. In a previous iteration, it was only Black performers, but this year we’ve opened it up to people who want to sing songs about resilience, about rising up, because the pandemic has made people go inward and think, “Where do I get my strength? How do I survive this? How have my ancestors survived this?” We’re interested in songs that explored that, that would give inspiration to everyone.
• The Youth Showcase.
• Now and Then, where we use footage from past Hillside Insides where we’ve interviewed the artists. Dakha Brakha – they’re from the Ukraine – they have this theatrical performance that they do and they call it ethnic chaos. They combine Ukrainian folklore with very contemporary music, but they wear traditional, big wool hats. They’re really amazing, so we’re doing an interview with them, like a documentary, plus they’ll sing and do a performance.

Source: Hillside Inside

• We’re also exploring February as Black history month and asking the question in a little documentary that we made, ‘How should we be celebrating Black history month?’ So, we’ve asked some activists in our community and beyond for their opinion about that and we’ve produced a little documentary that people can see.”

On top of Hillside’s musical performances, they have several comedy acts and a variety of awesome workshops. Marie also shared that Hillside is holding true to their mission of sharing and celebrating local art by producing this event in collaboration with several other arts organizations.

“There’s been a lot of negativity in the industry, of course, because we were so hard hit, so it was really important to us to hold our friends’ hands and say, ‘Why don’t you come be a part of this? Select an artist that you feel would fit and you’re proud of and present it here, so that our audience can be bettered by what you have to offer’,” she shared. “We have the Peterborough Folk Festival, the Mariposa Festival, the International Institute for Critical Studies in Improvisation, Silence Guelph, the Guelph Dance Festival… All of these people are showing what they have, again at a particularly dark time.”

When asked what her hopes were for Hillside Inside 2021, Marie said the following:

“My hope for Hillside Inside 2021 is that it will be a comfort for people in a dark and cold period of the pandemic, where normally in February, people are starting to get a little bit antsy about winter. Then, by March, people are like, ‘Wow. Is my entire country just always winter?’ So, I’m hoping that it’s a comfort. I’m hoping that it’s a source of joy and laughter and celebration for a lot of people who are homebound, who have given up on the possibility of giving hugs from loved ones, who have given up on the possibility of communal singing except over Zoom. I’m hoping that they will, with their imaginations, try to populate a space around these performances on their screens… The line-up is so complicated and there’s so many beautiful pieces. I hope people watch everything.”

As I was perusing the lineup for the festival, I discovered that one of my favourite bands, Sam Roberts Band, will be performing, so I’m definitely going to be tuning in to that performance. But I’m also super excited to discover new types of music. Even though I don’t recognize many of the names on the lineup, I’m excited to have the opportunity to hear new artists, support a local festival, and be a part of this grand celebration of art (not to mention, have some much-needed fun!) Take a look at the lineup to see if you recognize any names, and if not, join me in my excitement for new musical discoveries!

The final question I asked Marie was what her favourite part of Hillside Inside 2021 might be, and she had this to say:

“What I’m looking forward to is getting a meal from one of those four restaurants that belong to the Neighbourhood Group and watching Patrick Watson with my partner. That’s going to be a fun thing. Dancing to DJ Shub is going to be awesome. And pretending to be Serena Ryder in my kitchen, singing with my wooden spoon microphone. And just watching the [songwriting] students and the young performers with such pride knowing that they’re all so crazy with this will and compulsion to create art and that this is what’s going to sustain us. This is what’s going to give us hope.”

So, add this festival into your weekend plans and share the experience with your friends and loved ones! Get ready to celebrate wonderful music and art and moments of joy together. As Marie so wonderfully put, this is what will give us hope.

Source: Hillside Inside

The post SPARKING HOPE appeared first on A\J.

Buying second-hand clothing is a common, sustainable alternative to buying fast fashion, and has rapidly gained popularity in recent years. When I made the switch to buying second-hand, I was unknowingly contributing to a much larger movement – a sustainability trend. And more recently, this trend has spread and accelerated online.

Source: PRETEND

Why Should We Avoid Fast Fashion?

Before I talk about online thrifting, here’s a quick background on fast fashion. Fast fashion refers to clothing that is produced and marketed to consumers as fast and as cheap as possible in response to recent trends. Generally, a company falls into the fast fashion category if the following are true:

– they produce new, mass-produced clothing items

– they are not transparent about where their clothing is coming from

– it is not obvious that they are fair trade and/or genuinely sustainable

Clothing production is very environmentally demanding and uses a lot of resources. Manufacturing one pair of jeans can produce up to 75 pounds of carbon dioxide emissions – and one t-shirt uses 700 gallons of water. But it’s not only the production of clothes that is a problem, it is also problematic at the consumer level. On average, 1 in 2 people throw away unwanted clothing in the garbage instead of donating, selling, or repairing the items. There are clearly some consumeristic bad habits at play here, but the fast fashion industry is driving the problem and unsustainably producing huge amounts of clothing.

In a linear economy model, clothing is made, purchased, and discarded, which results in a lot of waste. But in a circular economy model, the most sustainable system, clothing is not thrown away – it is bought and used with care, repaired if possible, resold to be reused by others, or upcycled for different purposes. The loop keeps going around as clothing items are repurposed, reloved, and diverted from landfills.

Source: AforeAfter

What Is Online Thrifting?

There has been a rise of second-hand online shopping and selling on various platforms, including Etsy, Instagram, Poshmark, thredUP, Depop, and Facebook marketplace, to just name a few. The people behind the online thrift “shops” vary. These “shops” aren’t actual thrift stores, like Value Village or Goodwill; they are exclusively online. Platforms, like Depop and Poshmark, aren’t even actual shops per se, but rather a collection of shops on a website. For example, you could make an account on Depop and create your very own second-hand shop. You would post your items on your page, set your own prices, other people would purchase those items online, and you would ship the items to them. You would likely make some money and the company, Depop, would take a percentage of the profit.

Stormee James, a woman from Ohio, made US$1700 from selling her clothes during the pandemic as a kind of side gig on top of her regular job as a school cleaner. Stormee is one of many people who have decided to sell their own used clothes to make a small profit during the pandemic.

On top of people selling their own clothes, there are also online thrift shops that are more like genuine small businesses, with an established brand and aesthetic. These online shops are usually run by individuals who have a passion for collecting vintage clothes and reselling them. The shop owners would likely go hunting for good quality, vintage thrift finds that fit their brand’s aesthetic at local second-hand stores or flea markets, and then buy the items to resell on their shops. All these types of online buying and selling can be grouped under the same umbrella as the resale clothing industry.

Source: The Knight Crier

The resale industry on the whole is seeing resounding, steady growth and this trend is only expected to continue increasing. In the U.S., the second-hand clothing market is estimated to grow 5 times in 5 years, from 2019 to 2024, and the retail market is expected to shrink. According to thredUP’s 2020 Resale Report and statistics from GlobalData, the entire second-hand market will be almost twice the size of the fast fashion market in the U.S. by 2029. And the coronavirus pandemic will only act as a catalyst to these upward trends.

Source: thredUP

I am a curious person, always formulating questions in my head, and as a writer, I find myself looking for stories even when I don’t intend to. So, as I’ve observed the online resale market flourishing and gaining popularity, I started to wonder…

• What are the main drivers behind this rise of online thrifting?

• These online second-hand shops are a sustainability trend, but are they all truly sustainable?

• How might the rise of online second-hand shopping impact local thrift stores?

• What are the social and economic implications of online thrifting for people who rely on thrift stores for lower priced clothing?

And boom. There’s a story.

The Drivers 

Why are we seeing an increase in online thrifting in the first place? There are several factors behind the trend, but the following four are what I’ve gathered as the main drivers.

1. Sustainability

The truth behind fast fashion is spreading and environmental awareness is ever-growing. More and more people are understanding that taking small actions and making shifts in our own lives towards sustainability are important. Buying and selling second-hand are key ways we can make those sustainable shifts towards establishing and sustaining circular fashion.

2. The pandemic

Following the start of the pandemic, more people than ever have been cleaning out their closets and getting around to selling those unwanted items that they’ve always been meaning to. I’m sure this behaviour is a result of either boredom, new motivation to declutter, looking for new ways to make a bit of cash, or a mixture of all. In terms of buying second-hand, there are plenty of cheap, online options, which are an important source for those whose finances have taken a toll from pandemic life. Perhaps staying at home is even inspiring people to redesign their lives – why not redecorate your living room or adopt a new style if you have to stay home all day anyway?

3. Generational change

Young people – millennials and Gen Z’s – are normalizing second-hand buying and driving this shift. Life as a young adult today is very financially different than it was for preceding generations. Millennials and Gen Z’s have collectively strived to remove the stigma that used to be associated with thrifting – the belief that the only people who thrifted were grandmas and people who could not afford to buy new clothes. Now, buying second-hand is normalized and encouraged by younger people, which has suited their need to spend less and save more in our current economy.

4. Influencers

Online influencers and celebrities are following the sustainability trend by supporting second-hand stores, re-wearing outfits to big events, and further contributing to removing the stigma with thrifting. For example, celebrities like Cardi B and Meaghan Markle are starting to sport vintage clothes, and Kate Middleton, Jane Fonda, and Tiffany Haddish have all made fashion statements in 2020 by rewearing dresses to important events.

The Benefits 

When looking to buy clothes, online second-hand shops and websites can be great places to find unique, quality items for a decent price. Browsing through online second-hand shops is easy and quick. On apps and websites like Depop or Poshmark, you can search for items and apply filters to help focus your results – totally hassle free. For individual online shops, you can follow them on Instagram or Facebook and have their items show up right on your feed without even searching. It truly is effortless thrifting.

And of course, second-hand shopping also diverts purchases away from fast fashion, which is supportive of social and environmental sustainability. Some online thrift shops are genuine local businesses as well. Re-selling clothes can be a kind of “side hustle” for some, but for others who are passionate about slow fashion have made this business their full-time careers. So online thrifting can also be supportive to small-business owners and individuals who have worked hard to establish their own online brand.

The rise of online thrifting has also created an aesthetic, trendy, and appealing way to buy second-hand items. Not everyone enjoys the experience of shopping at a thrift store: the smell of other people’s clothes, sifting through rows of clothing racks to discover maybe one quality piece in your size, finding extremely quirky and cringey items in the process, and buying clothes you have to wash before wearing. So, with online thrifting, more people are being steered away from fast fashion and enjoying thrifting in a new way.

I am someone who enjoys the full experience of going to a thrift store, but I’ve also enjoyed online thrifting. I have found some really nice, affordable clothing online from other people’s shops. On the app Depop, I discovered a shop that sells vintage sweaters that have different logos on them, like sports teams and universities. I was on a mission to find a used University of Waterloo hoodie, since I go to UW and don’t want to buy a new sweater, and I found a vintage one on their shop. It’s great quality and it’s an item I’ll enjoy for a really long time!

Credit: Siobhan Mullally

The Concerns

Not all that glitters is gold… Despite the positive, sustainable shift to online thrift shopping, there are still concerns that come along with it.

First, I’ve noticed on some apps, like Depop, that although people might be reselling their clothes, it is clear they still buy new clothes regularly. Some people likely support fast fashion and just resell those items online once they’re done with them. After buying fast fashion clothes, they may use those items for a year, a month, a day, or may never wear them at all before reselling. So, just because someone is reselling on a thrifting site does not mean they’re contributing to slow fashion or circularity.

Also, as thrifting has become a popular activity labelled as “sustainable”, it seems as though people might be buying clothes a lot more often since the media and culture have classified it as a guilt-free method of shopping. I do agree that thrifting is a more sustainable alternative to buying new items, but I still think people need to rethink their consumerist tendencies to buy new items all the time, even if the items they buy are used. Online thrifting may just be enhancing consumerism by giving people a “sustainable” way of consuming the same amount of, if not more, materials that they would be buying new. Buying second-hand is an important shift for a circular economy, but the rise of online thrifting may just be perpetuating consumer culture, which is the root of what needs to be shifted.

I also wondered how local thrift stores and the people who depend on them would be impacted. As online thrift shops are on the rise, thrift store business would likely follow since thrift stores are the source of the clothes that many online shops resell. If thrift stores get more demand, their prices are likely to increase as well, and this could turn into a harmful form of gentrification.

Gentrification is the process of a neighbourhood or area becoming higher in economic value, when a low-income area transforms into a higher-income area driven by wealthier people moving in, attracting new businesses, and often displacing the people who already live there. In terms of thrift stores, gentrification might look like prices of clothing going up and excluding the shoppers who depend on thrift stores for lower priced items. One of the top reasons people thrift is to be able to shop on a budget, but if the thrifting market starts skyrocketing after its massive popularity jump online, will thrift stores no longer be affordable for those people? Where will low-income individuals shop if the thrift store is no longer a feasible option for them? Maybe department stores are the next cheapest, like Walmart or Giant Tiger. The clothing at those stores is fast fashion and likely lower quality, which will cause wear-and-tear more easily and induce more buying. An unsustainable fate in the long run.

Going forward

So, what’s the takeaway – what’s the best, sustainable option? Buying second-hand is definitely better than fast fashion, right? And I should also be aware of what online thrift shops I contribute to so I can choose to support the genuine small businesses? And I have to avoid the people who resell and still support fast fashion? And I should try not to contribute to gentrification? So, how can I be a responsible, sustainable shopper?

If you are asking yourself any of those questions and are feeling overwhelmed, conflicted, frustrated, hopeless, or confused – don’t worry. I’m with you on that. It can be difficult to sift through all the information and decipher the best way to move forward. It is important to understand that we will all make sustainable shifts in different ways and at different paces, so there’s no “one solution fits all”.

Personally, what works for me right now is buying things second hand to avoid fast fashion, but also trying to buy things less – only when I need something. Of course I occasionally impulse purchase because it can be hard not to participate in buying new clothes for fun, but I’m working on it. My next goal to continue improving the sustainability of my clothing lifestyle is to learn how to sew, so that I can mend my clothes instead of needing to replace them. We will all be at different points and have different capacities for change, but learning about the options is a great way to start thinking about what you can do next.

Source: Alisa Koz

When I am considering a second-hand purchase or have a genuine need for an item, I like to visualize the “buyerarchy of needs” pictured above. The bottom of the pyramid is the largest section because that action is what we should be doing the most of. Similarly, the top is what we should be doing the least. But the key to remember is that we have options. We should all be working on taking that next step towards sustainable fashion, whatever it may look like, online or otherwise.

The post Slow Fashion at the Speed of Light appeared first on A\J.

There are many ways to make your kitchen more sustainable, especially given how often it is used and how much waste it produces. Kitchen appliances, in particular, put quite the strain on the environment. In fact, Tech Patio explains that appliances like your refrigerator use a tremendous amount of energy — comprising an average of 13% of your total home energy bill. And while appliances are one of the main sources of the problem, they can also be the solution.

Indeed, the near-infinite number of innovations in kitchen tech is making this part of your home a more efficient and eco-friendly place. So where should you begin? To help you get started, we’ve put together some tips to make your kitchen more environment-friendly!

Avoid Plastic Kitchen Tools

One thing you can do to have a more eco-friendly kitchen is to refrain from using plastic kitchen tools. While convenient, plastic tools such as banana slicers and egg separators all end up becoming waste that is dumped in landfills. This is especially worrisome considering that CNN predicts that the world will have 710 million tons of plastic pollution by 2040.

Instead of plastic kitchen tools, a better option would be to make use of kitchen tools made of eco-friendly material. For instance, you can use a wooden cutting board instead of a plastic one. To make it even more eco-friendly, try to look for one that uses reclaimed wood.

Use Multi-Purpose Appliances

While avoiding plastic tools is a great place to start, ditching single-purpose kitchen tools and appliances will also go a long way in lessening your overall impact on the environment. Think about it: how many single-purpose kitchen tools do you have in your kitchen, be it juicers or toasters? All of these gadgets will end up in a landfill once they’ve broken down. This is why you should make it a priority to purchase versatile tools that can cater to various kitchen needs.

You can start by looking for a multi-purpose rice cooker. If your diet isn’t big on grains, you might think that rice cookers are pretty impractical. However, thanks to technological innovations, many modern rice cookers can do more than just make rice. We Know Rice’s list of the best Aroma Rice cookers highlights how today’s advanced rice cookers can fulfill a multitude of different functions. Whether you need to sauté food at high heat, prepare porridge, or cook soup — a rice cooker can do it all.

Lessen Phantom Electricity Usage

Another way you can lessen your negative impact on the environment is by, of course, saving electricity. And while we’ll be discussing specific devices that can help you do this, it’s important we also address phantom electricity usage. This refers to the electricity used by devices that are plugged in regardless if they are switched on or not.

You can simply unplug the devices when you’re leaving your house, but it’s understandable to forget to do this sometimes. This is where smart power strips will come in handy, since they allow you to turn off devices using your smartphone as long as they are plugged into the power strip.

Make Use of A Smart Refrigerator

Refrigerators are often one of the top appliances that eat up the most electricity, due to the sheer amount of power it needs to keep food cold. Luckily, technology has improved the humble refrigerator to the point that it is able to use significantly less energy.

Green America’s article on climate-friendly fridges highlights how smart fridges expend less energy by keeping track of your fridge-opening habits. Some brands like GreenFreeze even make use of naturally occurring hydrocarbons instead of traditional cooling systems, which are said to be better for the environment.

Lights Make All The Difference

Your kitchen’s lights also use up a significant amount of electricity. While you may think that compact fluorescent bulbs are sustainable due to their energy-saving capabilities, they contain mercury — which is harmful to both humans and the environment.

If you really want to be eco-friendly, LED lights are the way to go. They are both energy-efficient and are less impactful on the environment due to how long they last — with the average LED light bulb lasting around 100,000 hours.

Save Water Using Smart Sinks

Having an eco-friendly kitchen also means reducing the amount of water you waste. When it comes to saving water, it’s the little things that you have to watch out for. While it may seem insignificant, the amount of water wasted from leaky faucets will rack up if left unattended.

Tools such as the Phyn Smart Water Assistant can prevent this from happening by monitoring the water in your kitchen. It can even keep track of the status of your pipes and will alert you of leaks that are present in your kitchen

The post 6 Eco-Tips to Make Your Kitchen Environment-Friendly in the Digital Age appeared first on A\J.

There’s nothing funny in the above paragraph. Which is ironic given that no one here at Alternatives Journal (A\J) who had the pleasure of working with (or even just meeting with) Wayne went away without smiling. The subject matters that interested Wayne most were also important and very serious matters, yet our team members first recall the witty headline suggestions and the self-deprecating asides. Don’t get us wrong; the deep ponderings and unique perspectives that Wayne shared with our readers in A\J issues throughout the years were always a feast of food-for-thoughts. You don’t become an ’eminence gris’ without earning the accolades, which Wayne did as individual Canadians, government officials, leading corporations and impactful charitable organizations came to appreciate Wayne’s persistent advocacy for more secure food systems to benefit all Canadians.

We all – all Canadians – have benefited from Wayne’s insights and ideas as they’ve shaped policy and planted the seeds for more meaningful actions to ensure that access to affordable and healthy food choices are available to each and everyone of us.

“When someone in Toronto goes to a farmers’ market or they harvest from a community garden or they see that their local grocery store has more local food in it — Wayne played a vital role in making that happen,” Mike Schreiner, Guelph MPP and Green Party of Ontario leader said.

“He is the godfather of good food policy for Canada for the things that he contributed to food policy in Toronto and Canada at large,” mentioned Anan Lololi, executive director of Afri-Can FoodBasket.

And, as mentioned, we were fortunate to have Wayne share his wisdom and witticisms with our readers on a frequent basis, starting in the mid-00s. His frequent collaborator on our side is long-timer A\Jer and our Publisher Emerita, Marcia Ruby. Marcia shared her thoughts with as as she reflected on Wayne’s involvment and impact our our own work – and the legendary legacy he leaves for others to follow.

In early 2000s, Wayne reached out to A/J to ensconce the idea of food sovereignty in food conversation and policy (29:4, 2003). Food issues have been one of the most popular issue themes here at Alternatives, performing the best on newsstands, and referred to by researchers and activists.

Three years later, for the same reason, Wayne led the editorial charge to scale up on Canada’s food security measures. (32:3)

had many conversations with Wayne apart from his issues and articles. He was generous in contributing advice and strategy for Alternatives, quite separate from editorial. He was a connector– sometimes he’d refer writers working on cutting edge research to me and I’d often refer budding food activist students to Wayne. Not many months would pass without an email exchange or two.

Wayne would always add a special splash to any line of copy, including this, the last line in the editorial for Food Securtiy:

Welcome to food sovereignty: crisp and eager, with a note of the commons, an undertone of nature, a good nose and a sharp finish.

We were very fortunate in 2007 when Wayne agreed to join the A\J’s editorial board, the roundtable of luminaries who help shape issue themes and story ideas. Not a Food issue went by that Wayne did not contribute to. One of the memorable articles was “Eat This Recession” (35:6, 2009) where Wayne crunched a bunch of numbers to show the virtuous results of several approaches including green roofs and a four-day work week. It was so thick with numbers that our editor, Nicola Ross, was compelled to send it to several referees. She had so many opposing views that she wrote a little intro, shared these views and invited others to offer theirs. And I summarized these scenarios by working with an artist to create diagrams of each. One of the higher maintenance but rewarding things I’ve done at A\J. It was a lot to chew and pretty popular.

I sent him this note this past Sunday.

Hi Wayne

You are one inspiring man, Mr. Roberts! Thank you for the years of guidance and for all of your contributions to the food movement – in Alternatives and the ocean of other initiatives and thinking that you have created over the years. So much of your generous and sage advice came my way (always delivered in good humor and your infectious giggle, hence, whenever I think of you, I see your face and your great big grin).

Wayne, I’ve got to say, you get the prize for most innovative and entertaining writing on food in Alternatives! “Digest This!” “Eat This Recession” and “Eating Insects: Waiter, There’s no Fly in My Soup” to name but a few.

Love you lots Wayne.

Marcia

Wayne’s contribution, Eat This Recession, in a 2009 issue of Alternatives Journal (A\J)

Nicola Ross, A\J editor from the mid-00s to 2011, also remembers Wayne fondly:

Wayne had the best laugh and the most positive outlook. So smart and he came up with what I think was the best article title during my tenure. On his article about eating insects, the title was “Waiter, there’s no Fly in my Soup.”

Wayne most recently wrote for us in 2017, contributing Radical Food Resistance to our, you guessed it, FOOD issue that year. You can read it yourself – actually, you really should – as he started the article as follows:

I feel totally torn about what I’m going to write here. I’ve been working mostly from the right side of my brain since I became a food enthusiast 20 years ago, but now I feel my left brain calling me to pay more attention to logic and analysis. My right brain tells me we have chalked up a string of successes over the past two decades, and should continue building on that momentum.

Indeed, few social movements can claim as impressive a list of accomplishments as food movements, advances made almost entirely through the efforts of young volunteers, poorly paid employees of grassroots groups and mindful shoppers.

As an organization dedicated to crafting and delivering entertaining and enlightening environmental storytelling, we always knew we could count on Wayne to lift our spirits and expand our mental horizons. We were so very fortunate to have shared those stories with you, our readers, as it gave us an opportunity to meet the man himself. And, as you can read from the above anecdotes and special notes, we are so profoundly grateful for that opportunity.

Please enjoy Wayne Robert’s writing in A\J.

The post Reflections on Wayne Roberts appeared first on A\J.

With circular fashion touted as the savior of this phenomenally wasteful industry, hundreds of the biggest fashion brands have rushed to associate with it.

Speaking with Mart Drake-Knight, co-founder of circular brand Rapanui, we asked whether big brands can back up their bold rhetoric and make real advances towards a circular economy, or is circular fashion being used as the next best tool for greenwashing the same old practices.

The Case for Change

Over the last 20 years, the explosion of fast fashion alongside a growing middle class with cash to burn, has led to a doubling of clothing production. Meanwhile, the number times we wear these clothes has dropped by a third.

We now consume and dispose of clothing faster than ever before, with a staggering 73% of our clothing eventually ending up in landfill. Sadly, most brands are not motivated to make clothes that last, with some chains, such as Zara, even admitting to producing clothes that are designed to be used less than 10 times.

This style of aggressive consumerism has led to a level of demand that has stretched natural resources to their limits. We often forget that most of our clothes are made of natural materials that we grow out of the earth. They require light, water, nutrients, fertilisers, pesticides, transportation, and ultimately, energy.

The textile industry is now moving at such a pace that it creates 10% of global CO2 emissions, with cotton production alone using 16% of the world’s pesticides, and 2,700 litres of water for just one t-shirt. We are quite literally rinsing the earth dry of resources, and with production projected to increase 81% by 2030, we are sleepwalking into an environmental disaster.

Circular Economies for A Sustainable Future

The current system used by 99% of the fashion and textile industry is not fit for purpose in the face of growing demand. Even with a major shift to sustainable practices, and the best will in the world, population growth alone will make reducing demand almost impossible.

Today, most brands follow the traditional linear model of take – make – dispose. This means all of the input energy is lost at the disposal stage, and we start from square one, by taking even more of our finite planetary resources.

Currently, less than 15% of clothes are collected for recycling, and less than 1% of used material actually ends up integrated into new clothing. You don’t need us to explain how blatantly wasteful this system is.

A circular economy for fashion offers by far the best, and perhaps most obvious, solution to this growing problem. A system of production in which waste and pollution are designed out, by keeping extracted resources in circulation for as long as possible. Then, when a product is beyond use it can be recycled or properly biodegraded, thereby completing the circle.

The broader circular model also focuses on sustainable production, so that the ‘take’ and ‘make’ parts of the system minimise environmental impact as well. Though it is at the disposal stage where circular fashion is unique and most promising.

For the fashion industry, a circular economy really does make sense. Most clothes are predominantly made of natural materials, like cotton, wool, silk, or even viscose. They lend themselves to being re-used, and recycled. A 100% cotton t-shirt, for example, is totally biodegradable, and suitable for re-manufacture.

In order to realise the goals of circular fashion we need to re-think the product life cycle. As Mart Drake-Knight explains:

“To recover and remake clothes, they need to be designed from the start with this in mind. It’s not just about closing the loop, it has to be clean.” …“You can’t take the egg out of an omelette, like you can’t take plastic out of nature meaningfully. It’s best to keep material flows clean if you are serious as a designer about long term (i.e. circular) sustainability.”

Where We Are Now

What’s interesting is that the principals of a circular economy are so applicable to fashion that the industry simply cannot ignore it, even if it wanted to. It’s rapidly been embraced as the go-to sustainability concept, since its mainstream emergence in 2014.

This year 90 fashion brands, including the likes of Nike, Decathlon, ASOS, GAP, and Tommy Hilfiger, have all pledged support for the Global Fashion Agenda’s (GFA) Circular Fashion System commitment. Sounds great, right?

Perhaps not. Circular fashion is so on-trend that it’s become something of a buzz word that everyone wants to associate with. But let’s be clear, talking about circularity in fashion is very different from enacting real change.

According to the GFA, just 12.5% of the global fashion industry has taken ‘concrete action’ towards integrating principles of a circular economy into their business models. And your guess is as good as mine when it comes to defining what exactly constitutes ‘concrete action’. There are endless special reports and design projects, commissioned by some of the biggest brands, with the aim of showing what ‘could’ be done if we conceive products with circularity in mind.

The problem is that all the talk rarely translates into material change. At some point all barriers towards implementing circular models within the fashion industry come down to money. Changing long established practices, especially in large supply chains, is seriously expensive, and as yet, none of the biggest fashion brands have really committed to recycling or re-manufacturing on a scale that compensates for their own production.

A point backed up by the first hand experience of Mart Drake-Knight: 

“Fundamentally the economy does not reward a company for recovering their waste, or using renewables, or natural materials. So it requires a total redesign of the business model and systems to make this kind of thing work.”

From some of the most powerful and profitable brands there is a lot of talk about the need for industry wide commitment. Hiding behind the inaction of others, as if they haven’t got the resources to make changes on their own steam. The sentiment is there, but when profit is at stake the collective will is incredibly weak.

Let’s Talk About H&M

Take H&M for example, who have positioned themselves as industry leaders on sustainability, by pouring millions into green advertising campaigns. Meanwhile, their business model is still founded squarely on the wasteful prototype of fast fashion; cheap, disposable clothes.

They claim to mitigate their environmental impact with their recycling program called ‘Bring It’, allowing customers to return used clothing to stores in exchange for 15% off when they spend more than $50. Of these returned garments, around 60% are still usable and are sent to clothing charities, and the remainder are used to make scrap fabric like cleaning cloths.

The problem is, after their second life the majority of re-used clothes and scrap fabric will still end up in landfills. Meanwhile, an incredible 0.1% of donated fabric actually ends up integrated into new H&M clothing.

In effect, H&M are just deferring waste disposal onto other people. Sure, some of the clothes remain in use for longer, but ultimately H&M is still failing to take responsibility for their own waste through safe disposal or re-manufacturing, and who would when you create so much of it. The system is not even close to circular, without a thought for durability or recycling at the design phase.

What H&M has created is a fantastic PR campaign, that gives customers a false sense of righteousness as they spend that discount voucher after dumping the clothes they had just bought 6 months earlier. Publicly, at least, it looks like everyone has ‘done the right thing’, but long term, pushing our waste onto others will not scratch the surface of the environmental problems facing the fashion industry.

Who Really Closes the Loop

Whilst the biggest fashion brands squabble over their own deficiencies, passing the responsibility amongst themselves, it’s left to the smaller brands to show us how it’s really done. Companies like Rapanui, haven’t waited for ‘industry wide consensus’, they’ve simply prioritised the environmental and social challenges, and designed their own systems accordingly, as Mart Drake-Knight explains:

“The challenge is developing new technologies that do not currently exist, or implementing existing technologies in new ways, to make it happen.”

“Short term you could probably make more money pumping out super cheap plastic stuff for one-wear. But it’s not sustainable.” … “The economics of ‘losing everything eventually’ vs the economics of ‘investing in something that will last’ is a no brainer isn’t it? You don’t even need a spreadsheet.”

Rapanui are pioneering how circular fashion should really work. Where virgin materials are used their sourcing and manufacturing processes are incredibly clean and traceable. From their base on the Isle of Wight they have created a supply chain that’s just about as sustainable and circular as currently possible.

However, the most impressive part comes later. Once clothes are worn out they can be returned to Teemill for re-manufacture. This means used garments are converted back to yarn, which is then spun to produce clothes again. Old becomes new, and this time hardly any natural resources have been extracted.

This is real closed loop manufacturing. An authentic vision of circular fashion, made possible because Rapanui chose to do everything with sustainability in mind from the very beginning. Mart Drake-Knight tells us:

“there are also some really interesting economic dynamics” … “As soon as your entire business makes new from old, your entire customer base is both your consumer and also your supplier. And material is no longer a cost, it’s an asset.”

How We Can Help

Companies like Rapanui have demonstrated that circular fashion is not a fantasy beyond reach. They show us what is possible right now if you build a brand with sustainability as a genuine priority, instead of an ill conceived afterthought.

Brands that make clothes with real foresight to close manufacturing loops only serves to demonstrate just how careless mainstream fashion continues to be. The excuse of waiting on industry wide cooperation is wearing thin, when clearly it’s the bottom line, profit, that is what’s holding back progression.

With this in mind, we can make a simple and powerful choice. Obviously money counts, so we can use our spending power to do the talking. By avoiding brands that are wasteful by design and choosing sustainable alternatives, we can send a powerful message for change. Hopefully the days of take – make – dispose will be numbered.

The post They Talk the Talk, But Are Big Brands Doing Enough To Make Fashion Circular? appeared first on A\J.

Our go-to style expert Isabel Slone presents a lineup of outfits and products that proves sustainability and style can go hand-in-hand. What makes these clothes sustainable? Slone prioritized natural materials, high quality, ethical labour and shopping at local businesses.

Slone, a former A\J intern, graduated from the Environment and Resource Studies program at the University of Waterloo in 2012, and moved to Toronto shortly after to pursue a wildly different career in fashion journalism. She uses her environmental background to craft compelling narratives about sustainability in fashion, and her work has appeared in FLARE, the Globe and Mail and the National Post.

Meet the models
Hsain Al-Shihabi is a contemporary Canadian settler who studied neuroscience at the University of Guelph and is now knee-deep in community building in Kitchener. Janice Jo Lee is a singer-songwriter, spoken-word artist and the City of Kitchener’s 2015 artist-in-residence.

Photos by Aimee Kocak of Pure Photography.

Clothing supplied by Chartreuse Style, Fresh Collective, the Stylist Box and Adbusters.

Isabel’s 7 Fab Finds in Canadian Ecodesign

Laura Siegel, Toronto Laura Siegel’s eco-approach has a global reach. While clothes are designed in Toronto and New York, Siegel collaborates with artisans in developing countries to help preserve their culture and craft. In 2014, Siegal founded the charity Project Eleven27 to honor victims of the Bangladesh Rana Plaza disaster. This dramatic silk wrap coat was embroidered by artisans in the Kutch region of rural India. Buying Laura Siegel garments helps to provide employment for traditional dyers, weavers and knitters around the globe. $623. Available at Holt Renfrew or online at laurasiegelcollection.com. Dayton Boots, Vancouver Durability is Dayton’s game. Leather for each boot is hand-cut then double or triple sewn and soles are designed for easy resoling. Take it from a customer: “The Vancouver rain isn’t a match for them. … They’re over a year old now, and still look brand new.” These pointy-toed unisex boots deliver a wallop of ass-kicking style. Dayton boots are handcrafted in Vancouver and have a lifetime warranty to ensure that your boots stay kicking for decades. $599. Available in-store at 2250 East Hastings Street, Vancouver, or online at daytonboots.com.
	Atelier b., Montreal College roommates Catherine Métivier and Anne-Marie Laflamme formed Atelier b. in 2009 on the principles of “sustainable materials, local production and innovation.” They use only hand-dyed fabric spun in small factories and clothing is designed and handmade in their studio-boutique in Montreal’s Mile End neighbourhood. The French terry cotton on this colourblock sweatshirt is 100-percent-certified organic. Atelier b. uses only hand-dyed fabric spun in small factories and clothing is designed and handmade in Montreal. $102. Available in-store at Atelier b., 5758 Boulevard Saint Laurent, Montreal, or online at atelier-b.ca. Blackspot, Vancouver Brainchild of the Adbusters Media Foundation, the Blackspot Unswoosher is made from organic hemp fibre and recycled tire soles and produced in a unionized factory in Portugal. It is billed as “the most Earth-friendly shoe in the world.” $125. Blackspot, Vancouver. Available online at adbusters.org. HEY! Want to win a pair of Blackspot sneakers? We’re giving away a pair of size 10 sneakers. Sign up for the A\J newsletter to enter the draw.
Brave Leather, Toronto Brave Leather eschews the harmful chemicals often used to tan leather in favour of natural vegetable tanning processes. Their sturdy belts and bags are manufactured in North Toronto by a small team of skilled artisans. Make a splash with this gold-splattered tote bag made from reclaimed vintage leather – without the harmful chemicals often used to tan leather. Brave Leather uses natural vegetable tanning processes. $295. Available online at braveleather.com.
	Obakki, Vancouver Obakki is the very definition of clothing with a conscience. The clothing line serves as a fundraising platform for the Obakki Foundation, where 100 per cent of its public donations go directly to its charitable initiatives, such as helping to provide clean water and education to communities in Africa. This elegant knee-length skirt exudes smart, clean-cut minimalism. The clothing line serves as a fundraising platform for the Obakki Foundation, which has provided over 400 water wells and built 12 schools in South Sudan and Cameroon since 2009. $295. Available online at obakki.com.
Bôhten Eyewear, Toronto Bôhten founder Nana Boateng Osei says he draws inspiration from nature. All glasses are made in zero-waste facilities using reclaimed and renewable materials. The company is working towards manufacturing eyeglass frames made from composted barley, wheat and straw. These funky tortoiseshell frames are made in a zero-waste facility from ecofriendly materials: reclaimed sapele – a wood related to mahogany – and acetate made from wood pulp. $199.99. Find a store or order online at bohten.com.
	Nicole Bridger, Vancouver Nicole Bridger is Canada’s reigning queen of eco-fashion. The company’s commitment to sustainability informs even the smallest detail. Hang tags are made from 100-per-cent post-consumer recycled paper and buttons are sourced from Tagua nuts and other reclaimed materials. Wear this classic shirtdress to work or on your weekly jaunt to the Farmers’ Market. The dress is manufactured in a small, dedicated factory in Vancouver with silk ethically sourced from Korea. $129. Available in-store at 2151 West 4th Ave, Vancouver and online at nicolebridger.com.
Abaka, Shawinigan QC Abaka designs wardrobe basics using eco-friendly fabrics like hemp, organic cotton, tencel and bamboo viscose. Each Quebecois garment is hand-made by seamstresses in their homes or produced on a small scale in factories in Victoriaville and Montreal. For casual wear, a classic raglan tee never goes out of style. This one is made from soft bamboo viscose, a plant considered sustainable due to its rapid regrowth. $39. Available in store at 413 avenue Mercier, Shawinigan, QC and online at abaka.ca.
	Nomads Hemp Wear, Winlaw, BC Nomad’s Hemp Wear began in 2000 in the back of a VW van. The company has since expanded but their core mission – changing conceptions of hemp from “shapeless, wrinkled, cardboard-looking clothes” to fashion forward togs – remains the same. Get a head start on sustainable fashion! These leggings for wee ones come in many colours and patterns and are made from a blend of bamboo, organic cotton and spandex jersey. $23.40. Available online at allthingsbeingeco.ca.
orphanage clothing, Halifax orphanage clothing was founded in 2010 by Kim Munson, who designs, drafts, cuts and sews every garment in her studio in Halifax. Each garment is cut from post-consumer, deconstructed clothing. The “little black dress” is a wardrobe staple – but you won’t find another like this. Repurposed from a trench coat and fitted with metal zips, this dress is one of a kind. $130. Available online at orphanageclothing.com.

There are mainstream options available that are more frugal than these higher-end items (see “Big Brands Try Sustainabilty on for Size“), but sustainable clothing often simply costs more. We spoke to fair trade advocate and store owner Melissa Stieber about why that is.

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