Episode 15: 70s Towels, Nellie Oleson, and Unsolved Mysteries: Fabric Waste (and recycling)

One study has estimated that 15% of fabric used in garment manufacturing is wasted...while other studies estimate that is more like 20-30%!  We will talk about how that happens.  Jenny of Late to the Party joins to discuss how she finds salvage fabric to use in her own amazing garments, her love of thrifting, and why old episodes of Unsolved Mysteries still hold up.  We will also learn about fabric recycling and why cotton is super problematic, both in terms of environmental impacts and human rights.  You can learn more about the Better Cotton Initiative, which will help you make better decisions about what to buy (and the questions to ask brands).  Also:  the first installment of Ask Amanda tackles dry cleaning.  What's the deal with it?  And do we *have* to wash our clothes that way?

We are working on an upcoming series of episodes about retail workers, their struggles, and their fight for fair wages and better conditions.  If you have worked retail, we would like to hear your stories! Basically, collecting your stories will help us frame out what we need to research and discuss.  You can either send your stories via email to [email protected] or via instagram where you’ll find us @clotheshorsepodcast. If writing isn’t your thing, you can also send us a voice memo recorded on your phone or computer! It can be as confidential and anonymous as you want it to be.

Please don't forget to check out The Department, hosted by Amanda and Kim. It's about trends, taste, and products. It gets pretty weird sometimes!  This week's episode is about the outdoor trends that have emerged as the result of social distancing.  P.S. Don't use the term "glamping" around us.