A number of designers and brands are now helping to support the artisans behind their production line, and – coupled with a more globally aware customer – working to make sustainable and ethical practices the new norm in fashion.
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At any given moment in time, all of us own products that no longer perform the way that they used to: a watch that’s stopped, a lamp that flickers, a beloved sweater that’s been snagged. Whether its planned obsolescence, regular use or accidental damage, very few products will last a lifetime. A dedicated groups of individuals have already begun setting up fixing hubs, often referred to as ‘Repair Cafés’, to promote and facilitate the repair of everyday goods and appliances, locally and free of charge. This movement is supporting the creation of a circular economy and earth centered way of living.
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Where to Invade Next is Michael Moore’s most disturbing film yet. Contrasting the progressive public policies practiced abroad with those here at home, Moore starkly drives home just how inhumane American society has truly become. Whether looking at how other nations treat their workers, expectant mothers, schoolchildren, or prisoners, Moore lays bare the heartless deficiencies in the American way of life.
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“One man’s trash is another man’s treasure,” as the saying goes. For TerraCycle founder Tom Szaky, it was more than a saying—it was also his business plan. Founded in 2003, TerraCycle takes your garbage—everything and anything you could throw away or recycle—and transforms it into consumer products like cutting boards, reusable grocery bags, and even yard fencing.
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The remains of 14 women believed to be of high status and importance have been found at Stonehenge, the iconic prehistoric monument in Wiltshire, England. The discovery, along with other finds, supports the theory that Stonehenge functioned, at least for part of its long history, as a cremation cemetery for leaders and other noteworthy individuals, according to a report published in the latest issue of British Archaeology. During the recent excavation, more women than men were found buried at Stonehenge, a fact that could change its present image. In almost every depiction of Stonehenge by artists and TV re-enactors we see lots of men, a man in charge, and few or no women,” archaeologist Mike Pitts, who is the editor of British Archaeology and the author of the book “Hengeworld,” told Discovery News. “The archaeology now shows that as far as the burials go, women were as prominent there as men. This contrasts with the earlier burial mounds, where men seem to be more prominent.” Pitts added, “By definition — cemeteries are rare, Stonehenge exceptional — anyone buried at Stonehenge is likely to have been special in some way: high status families, possessors of special skills or knowledge, ritual or […]
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Today is Imbolc, the first day of Spring, one of the four Celtic seasonal holidays that fall on the calendar mid-points between the equinoxes and solstices. Like most Pagans, I honor Brigid, the Goddess associated with: the water of holy wells, the hearth fire, the fertile earth of Spring and mental air energy needed to create poetry. She also offers needed protection. But what does Brigid have to do with the Chinese Dragon? To answer this question, first keep in mind this Asian mythological character is benevolent, protective, and inspiring— quite the opposite of the Western Dragon. In China and around the world where Chinese have settled, the Dragon’s appearance is the highlight of community gatherings. Chinese New Year is the most important holiday for Chinese worldwide. It falls on the new moon between January 21st and February 20th. This year Chinese New Year is February 8. On the West Coast of the United States where I live, the Chinese Dragon plays a prominent public role, and not just for the Chinese community. Parades and diverse events draw massive crowds of varied lineages. During this festival season, which lasts from the New Moon to the Full Moon, a spectacular 268-foot […]
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These women of the fashion world share their predictions of where the Eco-Fashion industry is headed in 2016. AMY HALL (DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL CONSCIOUSNESS, EILEEN FISHER) As an industry “insider,” I see three game-changing fashion trends taking deeper root in 2016. Fiber recycling: This is the year when we will find out which recycled-fiber developer will be the first to offer viable fabric suitable for mass-market apparel. So many are reaching for the golden ring. And it couldn’t come soon enough, what with deforestation and water scarcity threatening the future of virgin fibers as we know them. Living wage: After more than a century of stagnant wages for our garment-industry workers, there are murmurings of change on the horizon, such as the London living wage movement, the U.S. minimum wage campaigns, non-governmental organization activism, and brand acknowledgement of the severe impact that purchasing practices have on supply-chain compliance. Garment workers shouldn’t pop the champagne yet, but higher wages are in the air. Fast fashion: Nothing we do will really matter until we can loosen the consumers’ grip on “fast fashion” and get her to think of apparel as an investment. We repair our cars, our iPhones, and our furniture. Why […]
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Four years ago, Lina Chen and Naomi Ladizinsky’s plan to shake up the gaming world on behalf of girls seemed exceedingly improbable, even to them. Chen had a psychology liberal arts degree and Ladizinsky a film studies degree, both from Yale, where they’d met. They were out to disrupt one of the world’s most elite, tech-driven men’s clubs from a tiny office in Hollywood, yet, as Chen recalls with a ripple of laughter, “We didn’t have experience or money. We’d never worked as executives, and we had no connections in tech, startup or the gaming industry. And we didn’t have a product!” Neither of these two L.A. transplants knew how to code, so they taught themselves online. That all seems like a lifetime ago, given what has happened since. Early this year, their Los Angeles company, Nix Hydra, a rare gaming firm founded by women to create games for girls and women, will launch Egg!, a more complex successor to their wildly popular 2013 mobile pet game, Egg Baby. The two long-haired, soft-spoken co-founders of Nix Hydra are now in an enviable position, with just over $5.6 million from investors including venture capital firm Foundry Group, a built-in audience awaiting […]
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Ronnie Planalp Ronnie Planalp is a producer of documentary films and theater in New York and London through her production company, Clear Eye Productions. She splits her time between New York City and Martha’s Vineyard. I am passionate about living every day with love in my heart and compassion toward others. By letting this inform my daily life, I can see the positive energy everywhere. I am passionate about connecting people and mentoring. Through these relationships, I hope to affect change, in myself and in others. In my work, I tell stories of pursuing one’s dreams and persevering with purpose and determination. Life is full of surprises, and embracing uncertainty and risk-taking without fear of failure is something I pursue every day—with passion! SHAKESPEAREHIGH.ORG | THEYCAMETOPLAY.COM Jodi Wing Founder, The Art of Peace Club & Academy Los Angeles, California Jodi Wing, education activist and author, evolved from savvy marketer to satirical novelist, and, finally, thought leader to inner-city youth by creating and teaching Art of War-inspired lessons for practicing peace. Having embraced Sun Tzu’s The Art of War in a modern context, I write about how to manage social conflict and competition to make winning decisions. Working within LA’s […]
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Sandra Bullock’s latest character, “Calamity” Jane Bodine, is a ruthless political consultant given to rattling off guileful quotes from Sun Tzu and Machiavelli. She’s damn good at her job, tends to pull frat-boy pranks when on a bender and couldn’t care less if she doesn’t have a date lined up. In Hollywood shorthand, she’s as ornery as Paul Newman in Cool Hand Luke and wilier than George Clooney in Ocean’s Eleven. And if Jane Bodine sounds two steps beyond tomboy, that’s because she was a he in the original script for Bullock’s new film, Our Brand Is Crisis, in theaters Oct. 30. Inspired by pugnacious political hit man James Carville, the role called for a swaggering archetype–Clooney was once attached to the part–which is exactly why Bullock wanted it for herself. For generations, top actresses fed up with playing the adoring wife or eye candy have bemoaned the relative dearth of meaty roles for women–the kind that bring Meryl Streep awards acclaim on an annual basis. Despite Bullock’s Best Actress Oscar for The Blind Side and a worldwide box-office take of nearly $5 billion, she struggled in recent years to find challenging scripts that didn’t ask her to don another […]
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