[Music] who here is wearing clothing raise your
who here is wearing clothing raise your
who here is wearing clothing raise your hand if you don’t I’m gonna assume
hand if you don’t I’m gonna assume
hand if you don’t I’m gonna assume you’re sleeping and not naked I spent
you’re sleeping and not naked I spent
you’re sleeping and not naked I spent most of my life working on social and
most of my life working on social and
most of my life working on social and environmental justice issues so
environmental justice issues so
environmental justice issues so naturally when I graduated from college
naturally when I graduated from college
naturally when I graduated from college I started the clothing company this jump
I started the clothing company this jump
I started the clothing company this jump from politics to fashion came as a
from politics to fashion came as a
from politics to fashion came as a surprise to some people close to me but
surprise to some people close to me but
surprise to some people close to me but I really believe that what we wear
I really believe that what we wear
I really believe that what we wear matters see fashion is the second most
matters see fashion is the second most
matters see fashion is the second most polluting industry in the world one in
polluting industry in the world one in
polluting industry in the world one in six jobs globally are tied back to the
six jobs globally are tied back to the
six jobs globally are tied back to the industry in some capacity in the US less
industry in some capacity in the US less
industry in some capacity in the US less than 3% of the clothing that we wear
than 3% of the clothing that we wear
than 3% of the clothing that we wear here is made here that’s down from over
here is made here that’s down from over
here is made here that’s down from over 95 percent in the 1960s we’ve outsourced
95 percent in the 1960s we’ve outsourced
95 percent in the 1960s we’ve outsourced middle-class manufacturing jobs in
middle-class manufacturing jobs in
middle-class manufacturing jobs in search of cheap unregulated labor to
search of cheap unregulated labor to
search of cheap unregulated labor to deliver lower prices on consumer goods
deliver lower prices on consumer goods
deliver lower prices on consumer goods now fashion doesn’t have a monopoly on
now fashion doesn’t have a monopoly on
now fashion doesn’t have a monopoly on labor abuses or toxins it just happens
labor abuses or toxins it just happens
labor abuses or toxins it just happens to have an abundance of them and it’s
to have an abundance of them and it’s
to have an abundance of them and it’s also very personal
also very personal
also very personal we all wear clothes they impact how we
we all wear clothes they impact how we
we all wear clothes they impact how we think about ourselves and how others
think about ourselves and how others
think about ourselves and how others perceive us it’s this vast scale and
perceive us it’s this vast scale and
perceive us it’s this vast scale and emotional connection that make fashion
emotional connection that make fashion
emotional connection that make fashion an important part of changing the world
an important part of changing the world
an important part of changing the world as we know it I want to start with four
as we know it I want to start with four
as we know it I want to start with four myths that are getting in the way of
myths that are getting in the way of
myths that are getting in the way of that change the first myth is that
that change the first myth is that
that change the first myth is that somehow we can separate ourselves from
somehow we can separate ourselves from
somehow we can separate ourselves from the clothing that we wear in 2013 a
the clothing that we wear in 2013 a
the clothing that we wear in 2013 a factory collapse in Bangladesh killed
factory collapse in Bangladesh killed
factory collapse in Bangladesh killed over a thousand workers it was one of
over a thousand workers it was one of
over a thousand workers it was one of the worst tragedies in garment history
the worst tragedies in garment history
the worst tragedies in garment history industry history and three of the four
industry history and three of the four
industry history and three of the four have happened in the last four years at
have happened in the last four years at
have happened in the last four years at the time I was working on social causes
the time I was working on social causes
the time I was working on social causes and I had a closet filled with stuff
and I had a closet filled with stuff
and I had a closet filled with stuff made by modern slaves and toxic
made by modern slaves and toxic
made by modern slaves and toxic conditions there was a disconnect
conditions there was a disconnect
conditions there was a disconnect between how I was trying to live and the
between how I was trying to live and the
between how I was trying to live and the way that I was getting dressed I felt
way that I was getting dressed I felt
way that I was getting dressed I felt guilty and that was healthy because it
guilty and that was healthy because it
guilty and that was healthy because it changed the way
changed the way
changed the way that I behaved but I don’t think guilt
that I behaved but I don’t think guilt
that I behaved but I don’t think guilt is the key to changing this broken
is the key to changing this broken
is the key to changing this broken system I think we need to find things
system I think we need to find things
system I think we need to find things they were excited about and move toward
they were excited about and move toward
they were excited about and move toward them just like I can feel bad putting on
them just like I can feel bad putting on
them just like I can feel bad putting on something made in a sweatshop I feel
something made in a sweatshop I feel
something made in a sweatshop I feel great
great
great putting on something made by a company
putting on something made by a company
putting on something made by a company that represents and lives out the values
that represents and lives out the values
that represents and lives out the values that I stand by second myth is that
that I stand by second myth is that
that I stand by second myth is that sustainability is somehow extra I
sustainability is somehow extra I
sustainability is somehow extra I believe strongly that environmental
believe strongly that environmental
believe strongly that environmental stewardship and fair working conditions
stewardship and fair working conditions
stewardship and fair working conditions are not special they’re the way things
are not special they’re the way things
are not special they’re the way things should be I don’t think we should have
should be I don’t think we should have
should be I don’t think we should have to designate businesses that do things
to designate businesses that do things
to designate businesses that do things right as sustainable or as responsible
right as sustainable or as responsible
right as sustainable or as responsible rather businesses that exploit workers
rather businesses that exploit workers
rather businesses that exploit workers that pollute waters that create products
that pollute waters that create products
that pollute waters that create products designed to be tomorrow’s waste that
designed to be tomorrow’s waste that
designed to be tomorrow’s waste that objectify women and feast on
objectify women and feast on
objectify women and feast on insecurities that’s not business as
insecurities that’s not business as
insecurities that’s not business as usual that’s criminal
usual that’s criminal
usual that’s criminal thank you
I don’t think we have a right to a lot
I don’t think we have a right to a lot of stuff but I do believe that we all
of stuff but I do believe that we all
of stuff but I do believe that we all have a right to things that don’t come
have a right to things that don’t come
have a right to things that don’t come at the expense of our fellow human
at the expense of our fellow human
at the expense of our fellow human beings the third myth is that somehow we
beings the third myth is that somehow we
beings the third myth is that somehow we can buy happiness clothing can add
can buy happiness clothing can add
can buy happiness clothing can add meaning to an already balanced life but
meaning to an already balanced life but
meaning to an already balanced life but clothing alone will never give life
clothing alone will never give life
clothing alone will never give life meaning study after study shows that the
meaning study after study shows that the
meaning study after study shows that the more stuff we have it doesn’t mean that
more stuff we have it doesn’t mean that
more stuff we have it doesn’t mean that we’re any happier it just means that we
we’re any happier it just means that we
we’re any happier it just means that we have more clutter this hopefully
have more clutter this hopefully
have more clutter this hopefully presents us with the opportunity to have
presents us with the opportunity to have
presents us with the opportunity to have less and really love the things that we
less and really love the things that we
less and really love the things that we do have to buy quality and to pay more
do have to buy quality and to pay more
do have to buy quality and to pay more for products that represent what we
for products that represent what we
for products that represent what we stand for and that’s important because
stand for and that’s important because
stand for and that’s important because our current expectation around price is
our current expectation around price is
our current expectation around price is set in a system that relies on
set in a system that relies on
set in a system that relies on exploitation to keep prices low and it’s
exploitation to keep prices low and it’s
exploitation to keep prices low and it’s not just five to ten percent more
not just five to ten percent more
not just five to ten percent more expensive to do things right it’s often
expensive to do things right it’s often
expensive to do things right it’s often five or ten times more expensive I want
five or ten times more expensive I want
five or ten times more expensive I want to make it clear though that I don’t
to make it clear though that I don’t
to make it clear though that I don’t think having less stuff that paying more
think having less stuff that paying more
think having less stuff that paying more that sustainability is a sacrifice no
that sustainability is a sacrifice no
that sustainability is a sacrifice no it’s a shortcut to focusing on the
it’s a shortcut to focusing on the
it’s a shortcut to focusing on the things that matter in life we often use
things that matter in life we often use
things that matter in life we often use fashion as a tool to search for some
fashion as a tool to search for some
fashion as a tool to search for some level of external validation we’re
level of external validation we’re
level of external validation we’re chasing status through logos and through
chasing status through logos and through
chasing status through logos and through trends but fashion is that its most
trends but fashion is that its most
trends but fashion is that its most powerful when it represents who we are
powerful when it represents who we are
powerful when it represents who we are inside and the values that we stand and
inside and the values that we stand and
inside and the values that we stand and hold for and hold dear so the final myth
hold for and hold dear so the final myth
hold for and hold dear so the final myth is that this is the way it has to be I
is that this is the way it has to be I
is that this is the way it has to be I strongly believe that we can break this
strongly believe that we can break this
strongly believe that we can break this addiction to consumption that we can do
addiction to consumption that we can do
addiction to consumption that we can do better that we can produce in ways that
better that we can produce in ways that
better that we can produce in ways that are regenerative and not destructive I
are regenerative and not destructive I
are regenerative and not destructive I look to the organic food movement for
look to the organic food movement for
look to the organic food movement for inspiration I remember as a kid growing
inspiration I remember as a kid growing
inspiration I remember as a kid growing up in a small town in Michigan going to
up in a small town in Michigan going to
up in a small town in Michigan going to the grocery store with my mom and her
the grocery store with my mom and her
the grocery store with my mom and her asking the store manager if there were
asking the store manager if there were
asking the store manager if there were any or there was any organic food in
any or there was any organic food in
any or there was any organic food in in the story he looked at her with his
in the story he looked at her with his
in the story he looked at her with his blank look but now a decade and a half
blank look but now a decade and a half
blank look but now a decade and a half later that store is filled with organic
later that store is filled with organic
later that store is filled with organic options just look at what’s happening
options just look at what’s happening
options just look at what’s happening with locally grown food in this city in
with locally grown food in this city in
with locally grown food in this city in the last decade we as humans have
the last decade we as humans have
the last decade we as humans have created as a culture have created these
created as a culture have created these
created as a culture have created these problems are on exploitation and
problems are on exploitation and
problems are on exploitation and pollution that means that they’re
pollution that means that they’re
pollution that means that they’re entirely human constructs there’s no law
entirely human constructs there’s no law
entirely human constructs there’s no law of nature that says this is the way that
of nature that says this is the way that
of nature that says this is the way that we have to act we’ve created these
we have to act we’ve created these
we have to act we’ve created these businesses and these values and we can
businesses and these values and we can
businesses and these values and we can change them now when you raise your hand
change them now when you raise your hand
change them now when you raise your hand if you could not buy any clothes for the
if you could not buy any clothes for the
if you could not buy any clothes for the next month and it wouldn’t be a problem
next month and it wouldn’t be a problem
next month and it wouldn’t be a problem do you think you could go a full year
do you think you could go a full year
do you think you could go a full year without adding anything to your closet
without adding anything to your closet
without adding anything to your closet and still walk around with a shirt on
and still walk around with a shirt on
and still walk around with a shirt on your back good I know that that I could
your back good I know that that I could
your back good I know that that I could and that puts us in a special position
and that puts us in a special position
and that puts us in a special position it means that we don’t have immediate
it means that we don’t have immediate
it means that we don’t have immediate needs it means that we have the power of
needs it means that we have the power of
needs it means that we have the power of choice it’s a blessing it’s a privilege
choice it’s a blessing it’s a privilege
choice it’s a blessing it’s a privilege and it’s also a huge responsibility it’s
and it’s also a huge responsibility it’s
and it’s also a huge responsibility it’s not those it’s not up to those at the
not those it’s not up to those at the
not those it’s not up to those at the bottom of the system to change it those
bottom of the system to change it those
bottom of the system to change it those that don’t have the power of choice it’s
that don’t have the power of choice it’s
that don’t have the power of choice it’s up to us what does that look like it’s
up to us what does that look like it’s
up to us what does that look like it’s different for all of us but here are a
different for all of us but here are a
different for all of us but here are a few things that I’ve found helpful I
few things that I’ve found helpful I
few things that I’ve found helpful I remember finding out about that factory
remember finding out about that factory
remember finding out about that factory collapse in Bangladesh and wanting to
collapse in Bangladesh and wanting to
collapse in Bangladesh and wanting to throw out my entire wardrobe I quickly
throw out my entire wardrobe I quickly
throw out my entire wardrobe I quickly realized that one I couldn’t afford it
realized that one I couldn’t afford it
realized that one I couldn’t afford it and two the most sustainable clothing
and two the most sustainable clothing
and two the most sustainable clothing the most sustainable fashion is the
the most sustainable fashion is the
the most sustainable fashion is the stuff that’s already in our closet so I
stuff that’s already in our closet so I
stuff that’s already in our closet so I set out to purposefully knowing that I
set out to purposefully knowing that I
set out to purposefully knowing that I didn’t have any immediate needs by the
didn’t have any immediate needs by the
didn’t have any immediate needs by the things that I loved when I’m shopping I
things that I loved when I’m shopping I
things that I loved when I’m shopping I look for things that fit me and fit my
look for things that fit me and fit my
look for things that fit me and fit my personality because I don’t have room in
personality because I don’t have room in
personality because I don’t have room in my life and neither do you for things
my life and neither do you for things
my life and neither do you for things that don’t excite you and I know that
that don’t excite you and I know that
that don’t excite you and I know that for me I can’t get excited about
for me I can’t get excited about
for me I can’t get excited about something that doesn’t match how I’m
something that doesn’t match how I’m
something that doesn’t match how I’m trying to live my life
trying to live my life
trying to live my life so I would encourage you to take this
so I would encourage you to take this
so I would encourage you to take this responsibility and not think of it as a
responsibility and not think of it as a
responsibility and not think of it as a burden but to recognize this is an
burden but to recognize this is an
burden but to recognize this is an opportunity to make meaningful choices
opportunity to make meaningful choices
opportunity to make meaningful choices meaningful contributions and focus on
meaningful contributions and focus on
meaningful contributions and focus on what matters in life thank you
what matters in life thank you
what matters in life thank you [Applause]
”
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