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. 

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. 

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.

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.

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! 

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. 

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!