284 - Are Your Clothes Killing You? With Fashion Designer Lydia Wendt

Episode • May 29, 2024 • 1h 15m

In a world where petrochemicals and other toxins pervade our clothing and impact our health, we’re thrilled to welcome Lydia Wendt, the visionary Founder and Design Director of California Cloth Foundry, to the show. Throughout her remarkable career, Lydia has worked with iconic designers and brands like Tom Ford, Calvin Klein, and Jones New York. A true pioneer in regenerative fashion, she launched CCF in 2014 to revolutionize the fashion industry through eco-friendly and ethical practices. Tune in to hear about Lydia’s inspiring journey, her innovative approaches to creating sustainable clothing, and practical tips to protect yourself and your loved ones from the dangers of conventional fashion.

“I was working towards a sustainable fashion job and, you know, moving my career because I had a boatload of knowledge about the toxins and about what we were doing contributing to the rise of fast fashion. When I was diagnosed with breast cancer, I had my second child, and I was breastfeeding her when I was diagnosed. That was the turning point where I not only dove into sustainable fashion but also knowing that there were environmental impacts and reasons why, as a young mom, I was diagnosed with breast cancer when that's not really an average age. I knew it was environmental, but I also wanted to know whether it had something to do with clothing in the supply chain.” - Lydia Wendt

What we discuss in this episode:

- Microplastics and dangerous chemicals lurking in places you might not expect.

- Why 100% cotton clothing might not be as safe as you think.

- Lydia’s career turning point.

- What differentiates CCF from other clothing brands?

- What petrochemicals are doing to our waterways?

- How the rise in fast fashion is causing a rise in toxicity.

- The difference between slow, fast, and natural fashion.

- How to get safe, quality clothes on a budget.

Resources:

- California Cloth Foundry - https://clothfoundry.com/

- Instagram: California Cloth Foundry (@caclothfoundry) • Instagram photos and videos - https://www.instagram.com/caclothfoundry/?hl=en