Why trends can be degrading and how the industry can build a sustainable future. An interview with Jia Yee Ni.
In this episode of Environmentality. I discuss the fashion industry with Jia Yee Ni, the product/design manager at Kordal Studio in Brooklyn, New York. We chat about the harmful impacts of the "fast fashion" industry, in respect to built obsolescence, negative societal consequences on self-esteem, environmental degradation of particular materials and the social/economic consequences of cheap textiles flooding low-income nations.
Jia Yee shares her thoughts on thrift shopping, as well as provides tips on the fabrics to avoid and the materials to embrace, in particular the ones that are better for your body and the environment (hint: alpaca!). We chat especially about what Kordal Studio is doing, and how they are combatting trends and trying to design and manufacture clothes that are built to last. Jia Yee introduces a concept known as "cost per wear," which demonstrates the true economic sense of investing in good durable clothes.
To learn more about Jia Yee and the work being done at Kordal Studio, check out their website here.