98. Fighting Fast Fashion: Knowing the Stories We Wear, with Kathleen Audet

Earthkeepers: A Circlewood Podcast on Creation Care and Spirituality

In the last episode, we talked about the enormous impact that relatively mundane choices like what we eat have on the health of the planet. In this episode, we talk about another part of our everyday habits that we might not normally think about in earthkeeping terms: what we wear—and the impact of the clothing choices we make on the planet as a whole. To get us thinking about our OWN fashion habits, let me ask you a couple of questions: First though, pick just one item of clothing you are wearing right now. Do you know where that garment was made, and how far it had to travel to get to you? Or let me ask this: Do you know anything about the people who actually made the fabric this item is made of . . . . or anything about the people who stitched all the pieces together . . . or how much they were paid to do it? Do you even know what this item of clothing is made of—or importantly, what impact the making of that material had on the environment?

I think a lot of us would be hard pressed to answer even one of those questions. But for those of us who long to become better at loving and caring for all creation, these are the kinds of questions we need to ask of ourselves and of our habits. And that is why we talked with Kathleen Audet, owner of an image consulting firm called Allegory. She has made it her mission to promote awareness about the things we wear—and to think about social and environmental justice when it comes to buying, owning, and even getting rid of clothing. Also, as part of our focus on “greening all vocations” in this season of the podcast, Kathleen shares the story of how she has found ways to do good for people and planet through her work as an image consultant.”

Guest: Kathleen Audet

• Allegory Styling
• LinkedIn

Mentions:

• The True Cost
• Rana Plaza collapse
• Stewards of Eden by Sandra L Richter
• James Speth
• For Days
• Allegory Resource Page

Keywords: image consulting, sustainability, spirituality, religion, style, fashion, fashion industry, personal image, pollution, waste, consumers, affordability, ethics, fair labor, child labor, traceability, social justice, awareness, fast fashion, greening, scripture, creation care, capsule wardrobe, environment

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