In episode 245, Kestrel welcomes Eshita Kabra-Davies, the CEO and founder of By Rotation, to the show. A UK-based social fashion rental app and platform, By Rotation is dedicated to transforming the way we consume fashion.
“I think no one’s really attempted to make fashion rental about the sharing economy, to make it about women sharing with each other. It’s always been seen more as a “oh, I want to wear designer clothing” or “oh, I want to wear something new” or “oh, I have a charity gala or a ball to go to”. It’s always been for those sort of reasons — it’s never really addressed the fact that we all have enough fashion in our existing wardrobes.” -Eshita
Have you heard the recent discussion about how the rental market could have a worse impact on the planet than just throwing your clothes in the trash? It’s been circulating around across the mainstream media after a new study was released in the journal - Environmental Research Letters.
First of all — research within the fashion space is so important and necessary and needed. We are lacking in accumulated data as an industry, so it is always exciting to learn about new studies and the way they go about putting their findings together. At the same time, when it comes to research, there are going to be biases involved, every detail cannot be accounted for, and there will be some assumptions made. It’s complex, yet important to continue to question and explore the nuance with the arrival of new data and new framings of analytics.
When it comes to reports like this, it’s very important to hear from individuals on different sides of the results and to listen to multiple perspectives. On this week’s show, we talk with Eshita — the founder and CEO of By Rotation — on how they are working to make the sharing economy personal. For By Rotation, fashion rental is not another sales avenue to sell hundreds of dresses (to the rental company instead of the consumer) — it’s instead an opportunity to allow us to use / rent what we already have in our own closets.
Quotes & links from the conversation:
“People are feeling pressure to always update their look, you know, always have something new happening in their lives — whether it’s going to the newest restaurant or wearing the latest handbag or whatever — there’s this pressure to always show new things. And I thought it would be so interesting if we could create a sharing economy around fashion, because fashion, turns out, is one of the most polluting industries in the world. It overtakes maritime and aviation industries combined — which is shocking because you would think that traveling and taking airplanes is the biggest contributor, but actually, it’s what we wear every day.” -Eshita
“Innovative recycling or extended use? Comparing the global warming potential of different ownership and end-of-life scenarios for textiles” -study by Environmental Research Letters
Follow Eshita on Instagram >
Follow By Rotation on Instagram >
This week's episode is brought to you by For Days — they call themselves the “first closed loop clothing brand” and are dedicated to building a better, waste-free future.
If you’re interested in checking out For Days, you can use code CHATTER15 to get 15% off.
Learn more and shop at For Days.com
Scientist Dr. Lisa Erdle of 5 Gyres on what we know about microfiber shedding from clothing & the solutions can make an impact
Liz Spencer of Dogwood Dyer on growing organic natural dye gardens to coax color from plants & acknowledging the cultural origins of dyestuffs along the way
Researcher Anjana Baburaj on the pervasiveness of Shein & the ways in which social media and the drive to increase social status are directly fueling the overconsumption of clothing
Lizz Leral of Quilting For Community on the links between quilting and mental health, and how accessing the flow state via hand-oriented activities can help unlock answers to life's questions
Kelly Drennan of Fashion Takes Action on the importance of youth education that centers fashion's impact on people + the planet
Rayouf Alhumedhi, creator of the hijab emoji, on examining Gen Z's shopping behavior & highlighting why product designers should rethink existing product before designing new
Jeff Garner of Prophetik on how synthetic fabrics & toxic chemicals connected to our clothing are impacting our health
Jenna & Jon of Revival Eyewear on what makes deadstock vintage eyewear superior in quality & how conglomerate Luxottica has created a monopoly-like hold on today's glasses industry
Denica Riadini-Flesch of SukkhaCitta on rediscovering Indigenous regenerative farming and dyeing techniques & challenging the status quo
Abby Mills (aka @abbyontheinternet) on the de-influencing *trend* & questioning whether this movement can help us combat overconsumption
Samata Pattinson, the CEO of RCGD Global on their Sustainable Style Guide, how it's being distributed to all attendees of Academy events this Oscar® season & the power of generative conversations
Amy Powney of Mother Of Pearl on the new documentary *Fashion Reimagined* and the need to reconnect to the people, the land & the process behind our clothes
Trish Langman of Sovereignty on the need for comprehensive fashion education from childhood and beyond, to help collectively shift awareness about how our clothes are made
Sage Paul of Indigenous Fashion Arts on why thinking sustainably is innately an Indigenous cultural practice & why we must see Indigenous designers on a global stage
Doen's Director Of Impact Kristine Kim on their 2030 Roadmap & the importance of welcoming discomfort when navigating value chain impact work
Kelly Lottahall on making art out of old clothes and bringing the fashion & art worlds together to tell stories about *waste culture*
Angel Chang on why listening to Indigenous knowledge & preserving textile traditions can offer solutions for a more sustainable future
Kristin Morrison of All Species asks: what if we *embodied* our garments by actually wearing the land?
Katia Dayan Vladimirova on The Hot Or Cool Institute's new report, what a 1.5 degree wardrobe could look like & questioning how much is enough
What are *healthy clothes* & understanding that our clothing actually enters and impacts our bodies
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