The problem with fast fashion is that it’s the single-use plastic of fashion.
jenny silbert & stephanie choi
Rewilder is Re-thinking what makes Apparel
Sometimes the worst types of waste are the ones that are invisible to 99% of the population. While food and plastic are particularly visible forms of waste in modern America, have you ever wondered what types of waste the airbag, beer, and advertising industries are producing? And what happens to it? In this episode, we sit down with Jenny Silbert and Stephanie Choi, the founder and head of marketing of Rewilder. We learn how this extraordinary company came to be and how they’re rethinking apparel, one material at a time.
Jenny Silbert learned that a surprising amount of everyday materials like airbags, seatbelts, and more were going to waste for no good reason. So she founded an apparel company built around upcycling the overlooked and forgotten fabrics of modern life. Today, they make one-of-a-kind tote bags, backpacks, raincoats, and more out of the byproducts of other industries.
Jenny takes a fabric-first approach to creative reuse. She operates as a “waste detective” on a mission to finding new ways to use the underappreciated fabrics piling up all around us. So whether you’re passionate about creative fashion, a fan of innovative design, or a hard-core environmentalist, this episode has something for you to get inspired by!
Show Notes
- Learn more about Rewilder on their website
- Their Instagram is well worth a follow
- To learn more about the downsides of fast fashion, Reilly recommends this episode of “Patriot Act” with Hasan Minhaj
- Jenny recommends reading the book “Fashionopolis: The Price of Fast Fashion and the Future of Clothes” by Dana Thomas
- Instead of buying new items, Jenny highly recommends consulting your local NextDoor or Craigslist pages
- Jenny’s go-to comfort dish is vegetarian Matzo Ball Soup
- Stephanie’s go-to comfort dish is mussels with aioli
- Jenny recommends re-growing your green onions. Here’s how to do it!
- Jenny and Stephanie’s go-to karaoke songs were “Boulevard of Broken Dreams” by Green Day and “You Drive Me Crazy” by Britney Spears
If you enjoyed this, then tune into Re-thinking Meat Consumption with Misfit Foods.
