Magnifeco Radio
40 episodes - English - Latest episode: almost 7 years ago - ★★★★★ - 13 ratingsMagnifeco Radio is a series of frank and intimate conversations hosted by Kate Black, author and founder of magnifeco.com. Each week Kate chats with designers, makers and sustainable leaders about their path and motivation plus the latest in ethical fashion, clean beauty and sustainable living.
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Episodes
Episode 40: Making a Business Out of Scraps
August 07, 2017 17:47 - 35 minutes - 32.6 MBWhen Jessica Schreiber first appeared on Magnifeco Radio (Episode 5) she had just launched FABSCRAP, a fabric pickup and recycling business in New York City. Almost one-year later, she rejoins Kate to discuss the growth of the business, the current state of commercial textile waste and life as an entrepreneur. Magnifeco Radio is powered by Simplecast
Episode 39: Magic Mushrooms
July 31, 2017 17:33 - 28 minutes - 26.1 MBIn a world drowning in plastic, today's guest co-founded a mycelium-based product that can be used for everything from insulation to furniture. Eben Bayer of Ecovative joins Kate to discuss following your passion and creating a sustainable product with endless uses and how to share it with the world.
Episode 38: The Crisis of Stuff
July 24, 2017 17:44 - 35 minutes - 32.3 MBIt's not just the fashion industry, we are making and buying 'stuff' at unprecedented rates. But what happens to it when we are done? Steven Bethel has been creating innovative solutions for the crisis of stuff for over twenty years and he joins Kate to talk about what recyclers and the used goods industry does with all of our stuff.
Episode 37: MooShoes: Cruelty-free and Animal Approved
July 17, 2017 17:41 - 35 minutes - 32.4 MBWhen they opened their vegan shoe store MooShoes in 2001, sisters Erica and Sara Kubersky were ahead of the curve. By creating a retail solution to meet their personal problem (where can vegans buy shoes?) they met a market need and have cultivated a faithful following. Erica and Sara join Kate to discuss creating a successful, mission-driven business.
Episode 36: When Food meets Skin Care
July 10, 2017 18:12 - 30 minutes - 28.1 MBFrench women care about two things: food and skin care. On her journey to overcome breast cancer, Valerie Grandury started to create her own skincare line. One that was freshly made and 100% organic. Valerie joins Kate to discuss how Odacité meets the French expectation of great skincare without preservatives or harmful chemicals.
Episode 35: The Queen of Raw
June 26, 2017 17:49 - 36 minutes - 33.6 MBWhen Stephanie Benedetto cofounded a textile company with her college roommate, she was surprised to learn how much excess inventory brands and manufacturers had on their books. Set to fix that problem, she launched Queen of Raw, a technology platform to pair designers, students and brands with low cost inventory (textiles, finishings, even sewing machines). She joins Kate to talk about running two businesses, having a family and trying to save the fashion industry from waste.
Episode 34: Green Beauty
June 12, 2017 17:46 - 34 minutes - 31.9 MBThe organic and natural beauty market is booming (the value is expected to reach $13.2 billion by 2018). Celebrity make-up artist and all around green beauty expert, Katey Denno, joins Kate to discuss the growth and dispel myths about the industry. Can we have clean, green beauty?
Episode 33: The New "R" - for Renew
June 05, 2017 17:37 - 34 minutes - 31.2 MBSeeing a void in the circular economy for apparel brands, the Renewal Workshop aims to help mitigate fashion waste. Co-founder Jeff Denby joins Kate to discuss this new business and how he plans to solve hard problems and create new systems that do what is good and right for people and for the planet.
Episode 32: Technology for Transparency + Supporting Artisans
May 29, 2017 17:47 - 30 minutes - 27.9 MBKavita Parmar is a fashion designer, serial entrepreneur, founder and creative director of the IOU Project. Through the IOU Project she has built a bridge to connect consumers with artisans. Winner of UNSSC Leadership Award, Winner of the Luxury Briefing Award for Innovation of the Year in London, Winner of SOURCE Awards by Ethical Fashion Forum London, Winner of the Sustainable Luxury Award Latin America in Buenos Aires, part of the New York city NY Venture Fellows program, selected for the...
Episode 31: Zero Waste Fashion
May 22, 2017 18:08 - 35 minutes - 32.3 MBDisturbed by the textile waste she witnessed in Cambodia, Rachel Faller pivoted and started zero waste fashion brand Tonlé. She's created jobs and mitigated waste all while producing a ready to wear line. She joins Kate to discuss the journey.
Episode 30: Investing in Cruelty Free
May 15, 2017 17:50 - 28 minutes - 26.1 MBLiz Dee became a vegan as soon as she discovered the realities of factory farming. An ethical vegan and angel investor, Liz joins Kate to discuss veganism, disruptive companies and the future of conscious business models, across fashion, food and more.
Episode 29: Using Design to Inspire Change
May 08, 2017 17:32 - 32 minutes - 29.4 MBBerlin-based entrepreneur and changemaker Andrea Bury created The ABURY Design Experience (ADEx) in 2015 as the first international contest to match one emerging designers with a traditional craft community to create an accessory capsule collection using traditional crafts knowledge from different cultures. Kate talks with Andrea about: the mission, the contest (which is now open and seeking a designer to work in Ethiopia) and whether design can inspire change.
Episode 28: Fashion Revolution
April 24, 2017 17:45 - 28 minutes - 26.3 MBIs fashion ready for a revolution? Orsola de Castro and the team behind Fashion Revolution think so. Founded in the aftermath of the Rana Plaza factory collapse, Fashion Revolution is a global campaign that seeks greater transparency in the fashion industry. With events in over 90 countries, Orsola shares with Kate why (and how) everyone should get involved.
Episode 27: Building a Vegan Brand
April 10, 2017 17:30 - 31 minutes - 28.8 MBWhen accessories designer Francisca Pineda got sick from the leather she was working with, she knew she had to make a change. She co-founded Bhava Studio to redefine premium vegan footwear. She sits down with Kate to discuss the slow and steady task of building a (vegan) footwear brand.
Episode 26: Closing the Loop on Fashion
April 03, 2017 17:52 - 30 minutes - 27.5 MBProfessor Rebecca Earley is a UK-based researcher and strategist for sustainable textiles and the circular economy. She sits down with Kate to discuss new closed-loop materials and products necessary to make fashion more sustainable.
Episode 25: A Smaller Footstep - Urban Homesteading with Summer Rayne
March 27, 2017 17:34 - 36 minutes - 33.4 MBWith her many hats: model, scientist, activist, entrepreneur and author, one thing has remained constant for Summer Rayne Oakes, her urban oasis. Nestled into her Williamsburg apartment, Summer has over 500 plants and has now turned her attention to helping others become more attuned to nature in the city. Kate sits down with Summer to discuss this new endeavor, how to have a smaller footprint, and how to grow a salad in a closet.
Episode 24: Fashion's Effect on the Ocean
March 20, 2017 17:46 - 34 minutes - 31.4 MBMarch 22 is World Water Day. Today's guest is one at the forefront of tackling the unseen problem of microfibers in our water. Microfibers are shed by clothing in the wash and are, by count, the single largest contributor to watershed plastic pollution in developed countries and account for a significant portion of plastic waste entering the ocean. Stiv Wilson, Campaigns Director for The Story of Stuff, championed the campaign to ban micro-beads and is now demanding that clothing companies t...
Episode 23: The Future of Fashion
March 13, 2017 17:34 - 33 minutes - 30.6 MB3D printing minimizes waste and could revolutionize the future of fashion. Sylvia Heisel is a fashion designer and creative director working with new materials, manufacturing and physical computing for fashion and wearables. She joins Kate to discuss the intersection of technology and the sustainable future of fashion.
Episode 22: Fashion + Feminism
March 06, 2017 18:45 - 34 minutes - 31.4 MBThe global textile and apparel industry employs around 75 million people, three quarters of whom are women. With International Women's Day around the corner, this week we sit down with NY fashion designer Mara Hoffman, who is not only shifting her brand and focus towards greater sustainability, but is adding socio-political messaging to use fashion as a platform for solidarity. Fashion as feminism.
Episode 21: Fashioning a Less Wasteful Industry
February 27, 2017 18:30 - 32 minutes - 29.8 MBFor the past ten years, anti-fashion waste advocate Dr. Christina Dean has been pushing the agenda for a less polluting fashion industry. Today she announces that the EcoChic Design Award, a sustainable fashion design competition challenging emerging fashion designers to create mainstream clothing with minimal textile waste is now open to US designers.
Episode 20: Farm-Fiber Fashion
February 20, 2017 18:43 - 32 minutes - 30.1 MBIt wasn't until California-born fashion designer Peggy Sue Deaven-Smiltnieks settled into Canada that she found her roots and motivations as a designer; to design with respect for people, their traditions & the lands they live on. One of the first to translate fibreshed (the 'localization' of fibre sourcing) to runway, Peggy Sue joins Kate to discuss the interconnectedness of farmer, maker and creator.
Episode 19: Getting the World to Swap
February 13, 2017 18:47 - 33 minutes - 31.1 MBThe Global Fashion Exchange (GFX) has helped save 19 tons of clothes (nearly 40,000 pounds) from going to landfills through seven events held on three continents, in four global cities. Kate sits down with GFX co-founder Patrick Duffy to discuss getting the world to swap.
Episode 18: Storytelling
February 06, 2017 19:45 - 33 minutes - 30.3 MBAndrew Morgan is an internationally recognized filmmaker focused on telling stories for a better tomorrow. His experience includes a broad range of work that spans narrative and documentary storytelling for multiple film and new media projects. He is probably best know for his film 'The True Cost'. Andrew joins Kate to discuss the role of storytelling to make change.
Episode 17: Made in NYC
January 30, 2017 18:51 - 37 minutes - 34.5 MBAfter a decade in the fashion industry, Mimi Plange launched her own label in 2010. She joins Kate to discuss the current FIT exhibition "Black Fashion Designers' and how African influenced and American made are the cornerstones of her label.
Episode 16: Doing Sustainable Good
January 23, 2017 18:45 - 30 minutes - 28.2 MBEntrepreuer Tal Dehtiar started his shoe company Oliberté in 2009 with one thought, 'can we not change they way commerce is done within Sub-Saharan Africa and support a thriving economy by focusing on manufacturing/' With the first Fair Trade Certified footwear factory and a thriving line of men's, women's and babies footwear and accessories, Dehtair joins Kate to discuss doing sustainable good.
Episode 15: Domestic Manufacturing: The Future
January 16, 2017 18:45 - 35 minutes - 32.2 MBIf consumers spent an extra 1% on U.S. goods, they would create 200,000 jobs. Sounds easy, but things have changed: in the 60’s, 95% of clothing sold in the U.S. was manufactured in NYC’s Garment District, today that number has decreased to 3%. Can all brands be manufactured in the USA? Today's guest, Anthony Lilore is a fashion designer and Production Process consultant with over 30 years experience in NYC's Garment Centre and he joins Kate to discuss, domestic manufacturing - the future.
Episode 14: Our Addiction to Fashion
January 09, 2017 18:40 - 36 minutes - 33.4 MBAs we start a new year and new season, artist, activist, fashion theorist, and Associate Professor in Integrated Design at Parsons, The New School for Design Otto von Busch joins Kate to reflect on fashion’s role in our lives. Are we addicted to fashion? And what can we do to change?
Episode 13: Fashion + Jewelry
December 12, 2016 18:43 - 34 minutes - 31.5 MBAs with beauty and fashion, the ethical element of jewelry is dependent on source and supply chain. While arguably the brightest and possibly most expensive items in our wardrobe, the glitter of jewelry can mask the deplorable conditions that are rampant in this industry. What is being done to combat these issues? To discuss is renowned sustainable jeweler and co-chair of the CFDA's Sustainability Committee - Melissa Joy Manning.
Episode 12: Fashion + Zero Waste
December 05, 2016 18:45 - 34 minutes - 31.2 MBAfter an internship at Carolina Herrera, and launching his own zero-waste cocktail/evening wear collection, NYC-based designer Daniel Silverstein wanted to do more. He began collecting scraps from local factories and creating a flat textile from them. He then started making his own designs from this newly created yardage. He's begun offering the service to other fashion houses in NYC, and brands like Eileen Fisher are sending him scraps and buying his 'ReRoll. So far this year, Daniel estima...
Episode 11: Cotton - A History Lesson
November 28, 2016 18:35 - 34 minutes - 31.8 MBCotton is heavily embedded in the identity of this county. Often thought of as 'natural' and as the "fabric of our lives", we picture white tee-shirts, blue jeans, sheets hanging on the clothesline. By examining the role cotton played in slavery, this episode will delve into ways in which a large portion of the U.S. population, specifically people of color, continue to be impacted by the role of cotton in the fashion industry. Guest Moriah Carlson, former co-founder of ethical fashion brand ...
Episode 10: Craft + Commerce
November 21, 2016 18:47 - 31 minutes - 28.8 MBBehind agriculture, artisan activity is the second-largest employer in the developing world. According to the Alliance for Artisan Enterprise, “hundreds of thousands of people in the developing world, largely women, participate in the artisan sector. For many, their livelihood de- pends on income earned from their artisan activities.” In this episode Kate is joined by Jennifer Gootman, Vice President of Social Consciousness and Innovation at West Elm (Jennifer also serves as the Vice Preside...
Episode 9: Skin Health
November 14, 2016 18:35 - 32 minutes - 29.9 MBConsumers are understanding the effect of gut health on their overall health, but what about for their face? Microbial balance in the gut is a new frontier and skin micro-biotic balance is even newer. Today's guest, founder of Marie Veronique Skincare, is at the forefront of skin science and will discuss skin health.
Episode 8: Sustainable Consumption
November 07, 2016 18:43 - 32 minutes - 29.7 MBThe fashion industry continues to promote shopping 'new', while minimalists encourage not shopping at all. Neither is sustainable. Guest Rie Yano, co-founder of Material World, believes that by choosing quality fashion that can continue to be reused and shared by many, that sustainable consumption is possible.
Episode 7: From Farm to Fashion
October 31, 2016 17:42 - 33 minutes - 30.3 MBToday's guests discuss the Fibershed movement, local transparent supply chains and how Climate Beneficial Wool can lessen draught by building soil, sequestering carbon and holding water. Fibershed develops regional and regenerative textile systems on behalf of independent working producers, by expanding opportunities to implement carbon farming, forming catalytic foundations to rebuild regional manufacturing, and through connecting end-users to farms and ranches through public education.
Episode 6: Feed Your Skin
October 24, 2016 17:40 - 30 minutes - 28.2 MBSoapwalla Chef, Rachel Winard, spent years experimenting in her kitchen to create skincare products that wouldn't aggravate her sensitive skin issues caused by systemic lupus, a chronic autoimmune condition that almost always affects the skin. Soapwalla premiered December 2009 and is a luxurious skincare line crafted from the highest quality organic, vegan and food-grade ingredients, in small batches in Brooklyn NY. Soapwalla's signature, all-natural yet powerful deodorant cream is loved by ...
Episode 5: Waste Not - The Problem of Fashion Waste
October 17, 2016 17:41 - 30 minutes - 28.4 MBin 2015, Americans discarded 15.1 million tons of clothing and other textiles, and 85 percent of that wound up in landfills. Cities all over the world are scrambling to figure out what to do with textile waste. But it’s not just consumers – New York is a big manufacturing hub and today’s guest has launched a new business to help them get rid of their commercial (or pre-consumer waste). Jessica Schreiber is the Founder of FABSCRAP, which provides convenient pickup and recycling of fabric scra...
Episode 4: Slow Fashion
October 10, 2016 17:03 - 31 minutes - 28.7 MBThis week, Kate is joined by Brooklyn-based fashion designer Tara St. James of Study NY to discuss Slow Fashion. Slow Fashion is a movement of designing, creating and buying garments for quality & longevity. Slow Fashion encourages slower production schedules, fair wages, lower carbon footprints and (ideally) zero waste.
Episode 3: Living trash-free
October 03, 2016 17:12 - 30 minutes - 27.6 MBThe US produces 254 million tons of trash each year, yet NYC-based Lauren Singer is living a nearly 'trash-free' life. Author of the Zero Waste blog 'Trash is for Tossers', the amount of trash that she has produced over the past four years can fit inside of a 16 oz mason jar. Through her blog, she has empowered millions of readers to produce less waste by shopping package free, making their own products, and refusing plastic and single use items. She is also the founder of organic cleaning...
Episode 2: Clean Beauty
September 26, 2016 18:41 - 31 minutes - 29 MBThis episode delves deeper into the benefits of health and beauty products made from certified organic and non-toxic ingredients. Kiran and Nicole, the wife and daughter of the late Horst Rechelbacher (the "Father of Safe Cosmetics" according to the NYTimes, and founder of Aveda and Intelligent Nutrients), join Kate in the studio to discuss why everything we put in and on our bodies must be nutritious and safe.
Episode 1: Fashion + Climate Change
September 19, 2016 17:53 - 32 minutes - 30.2 MBIt's Climate Week in NYC, guest Elizabeth Cline, author of Overdressed: The Shockingly High Cost of Cheap Fashion will join to discuss the role of cheap fashion on the environment, plus her current project(s) and what you can do to change.