Arizona Sustainable Apparel Association Growing Together

I had so much fun meeting Rue Vincent and chatting about her brand Label by Three, a collaboration with her two sisters. Label By Three is based on a belief in three pillars that guide their design decisions- minimalism, sustainability, and versatility. In this episode, we chat with Rue about the meaning behind the brand philosophy and how to bring mindfulness into our clothing choices. Rue and her sisters were not designers before starting the brand, so they had to learn everything from scratch. What they did have is a love for vintage, which inspires their collections today. All of their clothes are handmade by women in a local factory right here in Arizona.  To shop vintage-inspired clothing made ethically, visit their website at https://www.labelbythree.com or follow them on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/labelbythree/

In this episode, I had the joy of speaking with Theresa Akua Fenn, the designer and founder behind Akua's Boutique which sells colorful handmade bags made out of raffia, a sustainable fiber made from palm leaves. We had so much fun discussing the entire process of creating one of her handbags from the hand-drawn design to sourcing the palm leaves, natural dying, weaving, and more. Theresa works closely with incredible women artisans in Madagascar, Africa and the bags sold in America help to support their livelihoods. This is an amazing episode to learn more about artisan crafts, sustainable fibers, and the value of handmade.  To learn more about Akua's boutique and shop colorful, sustainable bags, check out the website at https://akuasboutique.com/ and give them a follow on Instagram at @akuasboutique or Facebook @AkuasBoutique.

In this episode, I had the pleasure of speaking with Dorothy Jonus, the reseller and stylist behind Salty Girlz Closet. Dorothy shares her incredible journey from working in luxury fashion and self-identifying as a "shopaholic" to discovering the freedoms and joy of secondhand fashion. Now she "eats, lives, and breathes" sustainable fashion. She finds thrill in the hunt for new products, the low prices for high-end luxury brands, and the opportunities to style others. In addition to her personal story, we dive into how consumer's rising interest in secondhand fashion is changing the market. Finally, Dorothy lets us in on some secrets and shares some awesome tips about the reselling business for those who may be looking to get started! A love of shopping is what led her into the business, but it's the experience of serving others and providing a curated collection of clothing that her future customer will love is what keeps her going! Dorothy clearly has found her passion. I had so much fun learning about her journey into reselling and I hope you will too. Connect with Dorothy and shop her closets on Poshmark @dottied860 and Instagram @saltygirlz_closet

In this episode, we talk to Jessica Zaneis from SoulCare in Surplus about a really unique area of fashion - military uniforms! Inspired by her own family's military history and the retired uniforms hanging in her father's closet, Jes began repurposing military uniforms into messenger bags, shrapnels, and vests. Jes is fiercely protective of the environment and passionate about sustainability. We learn more from Jes about the ins-and-outs of creating an original upcycled design and the trajectory of materials used in military uniforms over the years. We get really deep into some thought-provoking questions about the role of fashion and the sentimental value that a meaningful garment can bring. As we discuss, fashion is so much more than just a product- it's a form of utility, expression, and storytelling. Jes also shares about some cool military initiatives such as Common Threads which tells the history of military uniforms and sustainable innovations that the military has been implementing including sustainable military housing. We're feeling so inspired after this conversation with Jes from SoulCare in Surplus and we hope you will too! If you enjoyed this episode, give Jess a follow on Instagram @soulcareinsurplus to learn more about military life and see her creative upcycled designs! Know anyone who is a veteran? Messenger bags provide a meaningful, sentimental gift so contact Jess on her website at https://www.soulcareinsurplus.com/ to explore creating a custom design.

What a pleasure to interview AZSAA's own VP of Marketing and eco-wellness blogger Adriana Bachmann. In this episode, we explore the connection between sustainability and spirituality as Adriana shares about her personal journey of healing, mental health, and green self-care practices like eco-therapy! Adriana is such a compassionate spiritual soul and it comes through in both her blog entries and the wisdom she shares during the interview. We discuss some of her individual blog posts such as the powerhouse female leaders both locally and globally addressing climate change as well as explore the importance of shopping for sustainable products. Adriana also throws in a few awesome tips for anyone looking to get more followers on their blog! You won't want to miss these tips! Adriana is such an inspiration to all of us here at AZSAA and we are excited to continue to be a part of her eco-wellness journey and learn more about sustainability through her blog.  Read more from Adriana by subscribing to her blog at earthmomma.co and connect with her on Instagram @earthmommatrainee.

In this episode, we are joined by Eartha Hubbell who is the owner of Revari, an online sustainable fashion boutique. She is also one of our dedicated board members, serving as the AZSAA secretary! Eartha has been passionate about ethical fashion for a long-time. As a former fashion industry professional, she was exposed to the poor conditions experienced by garment workers in factories and this didn't sit right with her values. From there, she began a journey to shop more environmentally sustainable and ethical clothing made under fair labor conditions, spending hours researching brands. This eventually turned into her incredible side hustle and her online shop Revari! In this episode, we learn more about the stories that inspired her to go more sustainable. We talk about some of the misconceptions around sustainable fashion and she shares some great advice around how to shop sustainably on a budget. A key piece of her business is an "eco and ethics" guide which helps consumers shop brands that align with their values and she breaks down each value for us on the show. Additionally, we learn that Eartha is a passionate activist for many causes beyond just sustainability. We dive into her efforts to donate to causes including food security and women empowerment, and discuss how these social justice issues relate to fashion.  For all our social justice warriors out there, we hope you take a listen to this episode as we chat about ethical values, caring for the environment, and how our consumer habits can make a difference for causes we care about!  To shop Eartha's curated collection, check out https://www.shoprevari.com/ and drool over her adorable desert photo shoots on Instagram @shoprevari. 

Hello listeners! You are in for a real treat in this episode where we interview Karen Lukacs, a self-proclaimed "designer-maker" known for her gorgeous one-of-a kind jean jackets made from reclaimed textiles. Her brand purpose is about more than just designing clothing; each garment aims to educate and tell a story about the harmful realities of our current fashion industry.  In this episode, we learn more from Karen about her philosophy around mindful consumption and what she has learned from her own journey exploring the issues of textile waste. We dive into the importance of our clothing choices and their connections to larger global sustainability issues including consumer textile waste, corporate secondhand stores, fast-fashion manufacturing, and microplastics.  Karen is clearly committed to seeking out solutions to textile waste. She gives us unique insight into the challenges and opportunities of her experience trying to manufacture small-batch and working with reclaimed garments. Finally, she leaves us with questions that we should all ask of the fashion industry as well as of our own consumption habits.  Visit Karen in her studio in Tucson (by appointment only) or shop reclaimed designs online at https://karenlukacs.com/ or on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/karenlukacs/. 

In this episode, we are joined by sisters CJ and Laurie, the founders of sustainable lingerie company Activ Intimates, inspired by and made for women of all ages to feel sexy! This female-powered business was founded on the idea of creating body positive sustainable lingerie that can help women feel and look their best. In this conversation, we talk about how clothing can truly be a source of empowerment. Laurie and Madeline both get intimate and share some stories about their own experience with body insecurity and how clothing helped them overcome these perspectives. Not only do these sisters design amazing garments, but they also share about the conversations they spark with their customers around sexual wellness through their blog and events.  In addition to an incredible mission to empower women in the bedroom, these sisters are on a journey to be kind to the environment. They tell us how Arizona's Eco-Fashion week inspired them to pivot their business to become more sustainable from finding recycled packaging to implementing zero-waste design, as well as their newest convertible design which can ensure longevity of wear!  The ladies of Activ Intimates are truly role models in the sustainable fashion space. It will be exciting to see what designs they pioneer next!  Connect with Cj and Laurie for conversations around sexual wellness on Facebook @activintimates and treat yourself to a sexy sustainable staple for your bedtime wardrobe at https://www.activintimates.com/. 

In this episode, we talk to Jenny Melissa Rodriguez, jewelry designer and owner of Pure Life Jewelry! Our conversation feels fun and free just like the companies' namesake, the Cost Rican phrase pura vida (pure life) which also happens to be Jenny's life motto! This concept means living a simple life connected to nature and those most important to us, which implies having a healthy balance amongst the material world and the spiritual world. In this episode, we talk about the environmental and social value of purchasing artisan (hand-made) products, Jenny's journey into opening a store-front, and learning how to price and value your own crafts(wo)manship which might just be one of the hardest parts of starting a business! Jenny is a true role model for anyone who wants to turn a hobby into a business, and to do it so sustainably. We also talk about how to purchase sustainable jewelry materials. She is constantly on a journey to make her products more sustainable and meaningful, and we get a ton of insight into how she thinks about this process. We hope that you laugh and smile along just as much as we did in this episode! Visit Jenny at her studio and purchase her one-of-a-kind or custom jewelry at www.purelifejewelry.com and follow Jenny on Instagram @purelifejewelry.

Hello listeners! We are thrilled to have Erin Donaghy, upcycled lingerie designer from Applause Lingerie here with us today. In this episode, Erin and I talk about her creative methods for repurposing garments, natural dying with tea staining, and the immense value of choosing custom-made lingerie! From design to packaging, Erin is always thinking about ways to limit her resource-use and environmental impact. Although a small business owner, Erin likes to make a big impression! Her business is about so much more than lingerie. She participates in national upcycled fashion competitions and serves as a member of the Conscious Fashion Campaign, a partnership of fashion brands driving a movement towards a more sustainable fashion system worldwide through alignment with the Sustainable Development Goals! She is always pushing the boundaries to find new ways she can upcycle fabrics and become a more sustainable brand, while contributing to a larger movement for more sustainable fashion! If you are a brand and hoping to connect with the larger sustainable fashion movement, Erin offers some great ideas!  Learn more about Erin and shop her sexy sustainable bras, panties, and kimonos at https://applauselingerie.com/ and Instagram @applauselingerie.

In this episode, we are joined by sustainable fashion designer Laura Tanzer, the creative behind Laura Tanzer Designs. Nestled comfortably in the Historic Railroad District of Tucson, you will find Laura's Atelier where she designs, manufactures, and sells sustainable clothing based on body geometry and made to fit for the modern women who likes a little artistic flair! Laura's designs are made from natural fiber and sustainably sourced textiles and she is surrounded by a team of fairly paid seamstresses who help bring her designs to life. A self-proclaimed, "clothing engineer," Laura is also a scholar of sustainability having completed an MBA with an emphasis in environmental management and her PhD in Natural Resources. In today's conversation, we talk to Laura about the environmental impacts of the fashion industry, designing for zero-waste, and her infamous "Frammento" garment made from post-production textile remnants! Laura's business is inspired by the motto "do no harm and use only what you need" and through hearing her story we learn about all the creative ways she minimizes environmental impact in her manufacturing. Laura also teaches a series of sewing workshops and DIY sewing kits helping others to cultivate their inner artisan! Learn more about her workshops at www.LearnCraftSew.com or instagram @LearnCraftSew and shop sustainable clothing at lauratanzerdesigns.com.

We are overjoyed to launch the very first episode of Growing Together, a podcast powered by the community of Arizona Sustainable Apparel Association where we talk all things sustainable fashion from ethical labor to eco-dying with some of the most dedicated and creative minds here in Arizona.  Today we are joined by our guest Rhonda LaBatt, owner of Redemption Market and co-host Illiana Mata, the VP of AZSAA. In this episode, Rhonda talks about her journey to starting her ethical boutique Redemption Market where she curates ethically made clothing and home goods. We also talk about what it truly means to treat garment workers and artisans well and discuss the concept of dignified work. Rhonda has gained so much knowledge through connecting directly with sustainable brands and she shares several beautiful stories about the meaning and message behind the products she carries in her boutique.  We hope you enjoy learning from Rhonda as much as Illiana and I sure did!  Learn more, shop ethically, and connect with Rhonda at redemptionmarket.com.