winter vintage love

Just a quick post today to mention how I've come to terms with the onset of Sydney's winter . . . by dusting off this gorgeous vintage coat.

Follow me on Instagram for more peeks into my wardobe.
@lisa_heinze

I 'borrowed' this coat from my mother when I was 16. I first wore it as a Halloween costume, and then by midway through my undergrad degree it was a regular feature of my wardrobe.

Here it's paired with a gorgeous embroidered top I picked up at a clothing swap last year, and my Diesel flares, which I have had almost as long the jacket.

It doesn't typically get that cold in Sydney to warrant rugging up in this seriously heavy and warm coat. But today it was just the ticket to keep me warm as I braved the windy streets of Manly.


How are you staying warm this week?

xxLisa

PS - Thank you, Mom, for your wonderful fashion sense and for gifting me this coat (whether you realised I was going to keep it forever or not).

are you a 1 million women woman?

As many of you already know, I'm a huge fan of the climate advocacy non-profit group 1 Million Women.

I write about my experience volunteering with 1 Million Women at the Easter Show in Sustainability with Style (and being somewhat starstruck by their inspiring founder, Natalie Isaacs). And last year I helped host a successful clothes swap on their behalf in Sydney's Northern Beaches.

Now they are expanding their reach even further with the development of an app to help women plan their eco-lives and track their carbon reduction commitments.

With an estimated 17% of all global carbon pollution emissions coming from our homes, changes to some everyday activities are essential to solving the climate crisis. As such, the app will focus on everyday carbon-cutting activities including: 

• home energy savings and clean energy options
• minimising food waste
• reducing over-consumption
• wise investing and divesting of your money
• sustainable fashion and food choices
• low-impact travel.

My favourite feature of the app is that it makes it easy for you to track how much carbon pollution you’ve individually saved. 

I love this concept! Now I'll know just how much of an impact I have every time I choose a veggie burger over a beef burger, or make a sustainable fashion purchase (or non-purchase), or use up all the food in my fridge.

In order to make this app a reality, 1MW are running a crowdfunding campaign through Tuesday 7 July. And the really great news is they've already reached their target goal - awesome! There is no doubt in my mind that the climate movement is a movement of the people.

There is still the opportunity to help them reach their stretch goal to make the app as great as it can be (and anyone who's ever commissioned a tech project knows the likelihood of a budget blow out). So just head over to their Start Some Good page and make a contribution. Depending on your commitment, you can get a profile on their blog, a Facebook shoutout, or an invite to the launch party.

The app will be available later this year to women (and men, and children) around the globe.

harvesting liberty : legalize industrial hemp

This blog was written with my American readers in mind, though I suspect there is plenty of good stuff in here for all of you.

Harvesting Liberty is a short, 12-minute documentary, that tells the tale of the Growing Warriors organisation – consisting of farmers and veterans – and their campaign to the US federal government to amend restrictions to growing industrial hemp. It’s beautifully shot and directed, and I’d be hard pressed to find anyone not moved by this tale of love of land and love of country.

I hope you'll watch this clip, and then sign the petition that will be presented to Congress on the 4th of July asking them to legalise industrial hemp.

The documentary features a US flag created from the hemp that has been hand-processed (with the aid of a special tool purchased with a grant from sustainable pioneers, Patagonia), including hand-spun thread that has been naturally dyed, and hand-woven fabric, created with the help of Fibershed. The flag was made to signify the collective history and future of a people who are suffering a lost connection with the land, a loss of community and, as Mike Lewis of Growing Warriors says, “our sense of place”.

Photo credit: Donnie Hedden

It's highly likely the first American flags were made of hemp. This crop was mandated to be grown by all of Britain’s colonies at the time because of the multiple uses of the one plant. George Washington was known to extol the value of the crop, as was Thomas Jefferson who stated, “Hemp is of the first necessity to the wealth and protection of the country.”*

A closer look at the crop explains why this was considered a ‘wonder-plant’. As indicated in the below graphic this one plant can provide “food, feed, fiber and fuel”**

It can be used to create fabric, of course, but also paper, ropes, building supplies, plastic-substitutes, and when eaten is an ideal source of omega-6 and omega-3. In addition, it’s incredibly healthy for the soil, as compared to cotton, corn, and other nutrient-depleting crops.

Image c/o Hempstore.com.au

Despite the crop’s low concentrations of THC, which essentially eliminates the psychoactive potential of the plants, industrial hemp was included in the Controlled Substances Act of 1970 because of its relation to cannabis. Some states have allowed growth of the crop in recent years, and some states have legalized marijuana, but many farmers remain reluctant to grow industrial hemp because of lingering resistance from the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).

There is debate about whether it was the Controlled Substances Act or the onslaught of cheap synthetic materials that numbered industrial hemp’s days, however. Polyester and other fabrics were becoming widely available at that time in history, and they now make up approximately half of all textiles produced in the world. However, there is no doubt that hemp will play an important role in the shift to sustainable fashion. Already we’re seeing beautiful hemp-silk blends from the likes of KitX, and the durability of the fiber makes it ideal for denim, as seen with the Hemp Blue label (not to mention many products by Patagonia).

KitX Crushed Silk Hemp corset dress, Hemp Blue men's dark denim.

I’d urge you to watch this lovely film and sign the petition that will be presented to Congress on the 4^th of July urging the federal legalisation of the cultivation of industrial hemp. 

It’s an ideal opportunity for US farmers and manufacturers to participate in the growing green economy, but also an important step toward thinking holistically about issues of sustainability and what it means to create opportunities for our fellow Americans that give back to, rather than take from, the earth.

As spoken by Mike Lewis of Growing Warriors:

In the end, there’s more than just fiber that tears and fades when you use cheap goods to hold things together.

U.S. veteran and Growing Warriors director Michael Lewis
with his hand-made hemp processing machine.
Photo credit: Donnie Hedden

* * * *

*I suspect that to some of you the use of the flag in this way could be construed as insincere or overly saccharine, but I must admit I was moved when listening to the story.

I also want to acknowledge that the colonisation and subsequent American Revolution were conducted at the heavy expense of America's First People, and as such am also weary of romanticising any non-indigenous groups of Americans when referring to American history. In addition, both Washington and Jefferson were known slave owners. It's a troubled history and I don't mean to gloss over it with this harkening back in time. I merely wish to suggest that the possibilities of this crop were relied upon by those who were establishing new settlements because it provided so much in one plant.

**As spoken by Michael Bowman, Chairman of the US National Hemp Association.

fashion diplomacy : sustainable fashion and the bondi to bali connection

A couple of weeks ago I was delighted to present on fashion and sustainability to a group of 25 Indonesian delegates hosted by QUT's School of Fashion.

The designers came to Australia for professional training in international business, specifically for the Fashion & Textiles sector. The program, #fashiondiplomacy, was made possible through The Australia Awards, a federal government initiative designed to engender meaningful connections between people and institutions across Australia and Indonesia.

The delegation was here for two weeks - split between Brisbane and Sydney - and participated in workshops, industry presentations, site-visits, market research, and the oh-so-coveted attendance at Fashion Week.

Here are some of the designers, plus fashion lecturer Carla van Lunn, at Fashion Week.
You can see some of the work of these talented designers at benang.com.au 

It's not just our physical proximity that makes this a valuable connection, it makes good business sense, too. As Carla van Lunn, the program's director, explained. "The two-week course aims to spearhead a 'Bondi Bali' connection as Australia and Indonesia both enjoy warm weather, plenty of coastline and creativity to tap into the global resort fashion market."

In action! (For the record, I'm wearing an organic cotton dress
by #sustfash gurus Kowtow, paired with a vintage rope-belt.)

Presenting to this group was an absolute delight. Okay, it's true that I love talking about fashion and sustainability to anyone who will listen. But this group was uniquely open to learning, new to many of the concepts, and interested in learning about these issues. The looks of surprise visible on many faces suggests that many of this information was new and unexpected, and I was asked thoughtful and insightful questions about how they can start to address some of these concerns in their own labels, and some of the misconceptions about 'sustainable fashion'.

I also had the joy of presenting alongside fellow Clean Cut co-founder (and sustainable fashion designer extraordinaire) Carlie Ballard. Hearing firsthand from a designer who has gone to great lengths to create an ethical and sustainable supply chain - all the way from raw materials through to fabric weaving and garment production - would no doubt have provided the delegates with invaluable insights.

Love her top and jacket? Check out Carlie Ballard's label!

During the tea break I also had the chance to talk with some of the designers in greater detail about their work. I was reminded of the differences between developed and developing countries, and the necessary variation in business priorities and sustainability initiatives depending on the local situation. I also met a designer interested in gaining Fairtrade and/or GOTS accreditation for the cotton she grows without chemicals on her land. I suspect I learned nearly as much about Indonesian fashion and textiles as they did about sustainability that morning!

Thank you, QUT, for the opportunity to engage with this warm, generous and talented bunch of designers.

xxLisa

PS - if you would like me to come present on fashion and sustainability to your school, workplace, community or otherwise, drop me a line!

Clean Cut Future Talks 2

Last week marked the third appearance of Clean Cut at Sydney's premier fashion event - Mercedes Benz Fashion Week. Unlike CC's inaugural appearance, when I helped launch the company and we hosted a sustainable fashion runway, I had the pleasure of simply being a guest at this year's panel discussion/seminar.

The Future Talks 2 panel was hosted by the charming Kellie Hush, Editor of Harper's BAZAAR Australia, and featured representatives from Country Road, Ethical Clothing Australia (ECA) and TOME.

L to R: Anna Scott from Clean Cut, Kellie Hush, Lucy King of Country Road,
Sigrid McCarthy of ECA, Ramon Martin of TOME.
You can watch the entire talk online.

Hush opened the talk with the infamous Vivienne Westwood quote, always worth repeating:

Buy Less. Choose Well. Make it last. Quality, not quantity. Everybody's buying far too many clothes.

The panel offered up genuine insights about what is means for a fashion brand to be, or become, 'sustainable'. The message of the day? Sustainability is a journey. Sure, some of it's hard, and some of it will take awhile to figure out, but it's better to get started than to worry about being 'perfectly sustainable' (as if such a thing exists).

Interestingly, this is what I tell people in my book and events - it's best to simply start somewhere. The perfect is the enemy of the good, they say, and it seems that this advice rings true whether we're talking about one person's lifestyle, or an entire fashion brand.

New designers were given the advice to regularly talk about sustainability in order to remain connected to their goal. Encouragement to 'walk your talk', so to speak. Hand-in-hand with this advice is the importance of knowing why you're producing in this way. Branding has moved way beyond product now, customers buy into the "soul of your brand" and want to feel good on multiple levels when wearing your clothes.

The panel also highlighted that you cannot rely on 'story' or 'branding' alone - design remains as important as ever. As Ramon from TOME put it, "The responsibility is ours. If you can put together a [successful] sustainable collection without telling your customer the story, you're a really great designer."

Another message from the panel was the importance of collaboration. Ramon from TOME spoke of the importance of sharing sustainability ideas and information amongst other designers, and Lucy from Country Road explained that even though this can feel awkward - most of the time retailers and fashion brands do NOT wish to share supply chain secrets with one another - in order to truly change the way clothing is produced retailers and brands must come together, share knowledge, and collaborate.

Finally, the audience was reminded that "design is a central figure in the supply chain process," and that designers have to decide they are going to change the system and create a supply chain that works for them and aligns with their sustainability values.

The message that resonated with many of us in the audience came from Ramon of TOME, and are the words I'll leave you with today as my optimistic hope for the future of fashion:

When people look back in time, this is what fashion was in the early 21st Century. It wasn't about high hemlines or a miniskirt, it was about changing the way we make clothes.

Were you at the Clean Cut Future Talks 2? What did you take note of? What would you ask the panel if you could?

trash to treasure

My longtime readers will know that I love fixing up old furniture, like this dresser I found on the street, and the bookshelf I write about in Sustainability with Style.

I've just had the pleasure of fixing up some bar stools - also found on the street. (What other cities do this as much as Sydney? Especially its seaside towns?!).

I had been keeping my eye out for some used barstools to put in our kitchen, which is galley-style and separate from where we eat, but inevitably gets crowded with people whenever we have guests over for a meal. Everyone loves to hang in the kitchen, am I right?

Then I spotted these beauties just a block from my home, and rushed home to get the assistance of my hubby to carry them both home before someone else got to them.

The stools had clearly been living an 'outdoor lifestyle' for awhile, there was even a mushroom growing out of one of them, but I knew I could give them a second life and a new home.

Two trips to Bunnings later, and the proud owner of primer, a carefully selected paint colour (with low VOCs, of course, although not as 'natural' a paint as I'd used on the abovementioned dresser), wood filler to deal with some wood rot, and felt tips to add to the bottom of the legs so we don't scratch the floors, I was ready to make the transformation.

Step 1
A good clean, including sanding back the paint on the wood, scraping away rust on the metalwork and dealing with the mushrooms.

Step 2
A good layer of primer.

Step 3
Apply wood filler to deal with gashes and rot - you can see the main problem area in the photo above.

Step 4
Realise I should have done the wood filler first, and do another quick layer of primer. (There are always a few extra steps in any DIY project, right?)

Step 5
Paint! It took three coats to get the depth of colour that I was seeking, but it was worth it in the end.

I tackled the bottoms first, after watching a few help videos on YouTube.

After two layers - still a bit showing through the paint.

Finished project! Here they are in the kitchen.

I've decided to keep one in the entry, both to keep the kitchen un-cluttered,
and also because the colour works well with our map and pillows, and adds
a nice splash of colour along that wall.

What do you think? I'm totally thrilled with this pop of colour, and happy to know my guests will have somewhere to rest while chatting with us in the kitchen.

Have you done any fun refurbs lately? I'd love to see your pics!

xxLisa

PS - I have a lot of this paint left, so let me know if you'd like it for one of your own projects.

a mighty good tale

Have you ever wondered where your undies come from?

I don’t mean the name brand, or even the ‘Made In’ country, but the dirty little secrets behind your undies.

According to the co-founders of Mighty Good Undies (Dr Hannah Parris and Elena Antoniou), the cotton supply chain is “awash with toxic chemicals including pesticides that are dangerous to farmers, or chemical residues from the washing process, which can become hormone disrupters in our bodies”.

In addition, "about 25% of cotton farm workers in India are children under 14, due to the very low price we have come to expect of cotton," one of the world’s most desired fibres.

Yikes!
These little cotton undies don’t look so sweet anymore.

Enter Mighty Good Undies – certified Fairtrade (FLO) and organic (GOTS), this ethical label is aiming to change the toxic past of undies and bring the gold standard of sustainability, comfort, affordability and price to our unmentionables.

But they need our help!

Currently in the crowdfunding stage, you can get involved with Mighty Good Undies from the ground up so they can create their line of super-ethical undies and bring their wares to the Berlin Ethical Fashion Show this July to gain buyers to stock the brand in their stores.

As with any crowdfunding campaign, there are plenty of delightful rewards ranging from a postcard from Berlin to packs of undies, to my personal favourite – naming rights of one of the styles. I can imagine it now, Lisa's Lovely Briefs . . .

And if you bid this week (2-9 May 2016), you will also get a bar of delicious Organic + Fair-trade Alter Eco Quinoa chocolate (a staple in my house!).

On a personal note, I have the pleasure of knowing the two brilliant and dedicated women behind the brand, and can fully vouch for their commitment, knowledge and passion.

Elena has been working with brands for years through her PR business, New Future PR, and as she says, “I was hankering to jump into the ethical fashion issue”. She was also instrumental to the first Clean Cut appearance at Mercedes Benz Fashion Week two years ago – I don’t know how we would have pulled it off without her brilliance!

Hannah got involved in sustainable fashion after realising that many systems in our lives – food, transport, housing and energy – were being addressed from a sustainability perspective, but “clothing seemed to be the odd one out that hadn’t made much progress”. Hannah is behind ethical clothing brand Audrey Blue, which stemmed from her own research and realisation that “fashion’s importance as both a driver -- as well as a solution -- to core problems I had been concerned with my whole life.” 

And on an even more personal note, my dear friend Yatu Widders Hunt (check out her blog All for Good) introduced the two, and she is now known as the “godmother of Mighty Good Undies” (I wonder if she gets a wand with that title?).

In all seriousness – isn’t about time we had safe, soft, (sexy) and comfortable undies? 

Head over to their Start Some Good page and pledge to help this incredible brand get off the ground – and you may as well do it this week so you get some free chocolate in the deal, too.