In this episode of Ecotextile Talks our host, Philip Berman, is joined by Shivam Gusain a former innovation analyst at Fashion For Good, and now an independent consultant and writer.

The conversation was inspired by his recent substack post entitled: 'Crash Testing the Circular Economy.' in which he argues that we should investe in 'failure', not just success, to reveal the real boundaries of textile-to-textile recycling.

Drawing on his experience across industry, engineering, and business, Shivam discusses with Philip what we can learn from other industries, and challenges us to reconsider where our money, attention, and optimism are best spent.

Listen in as Shivam asks some tough questions every apparel and textile industry professional should be considering.

How to Listen & Subscribe

Ecotextile Talks is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, and wherever you listen to podcasts.

Previous stories on the topic

Renewcell troubles:

https://www.ecotextile.com/2024032648446/news/features/renewcell-when-risk-doesn-t-equal-reward/

For more news and analysis, visit our website at ecotextile.com.

Shivam's substack

Contact & Feedback

For questions, feedback, or to suggest a guest, email philip@larchmontfilms.com

In this episode, host Philip Berman sits down with Dr Talia Hussain, whose recent academic paper on circular fashion sparked lively debate across the industry.

Dr Hussain, a PhD in design innovation and MBA, is known for her critical analysis on the mainstream circular fashion narrative.

Together, they take a deep dive into the promises—and potential pitfalls—of circularity in the textile sector, with a particular focus on the influential 2017 Ellen MacArthur Foundation (EMF) and its A New Textiles Economy: Redesigning fashion’s future report.

Key Topics Discussed

The EMF’s $460 Billion Claim

Dr Hussain questions the widely cited figure from the EMF report, its assumptions and real-world implications for industry revenues and the potential size of the reuse sector.

She explains why she thinks greater scrutiny is needed when using such reports to drive regulation, and discusses what gets overlooked when focusing solely on circular models.

Further Reading & Resources

Dr Talia Hussain’s academic paper:

The Emperor’s old clothes: a critical review of circular fashion in gray literature

The Ellen MacArthur Foundations 2017 Report:

A New Textiles Economy: Redesigning fashion’s future

How to Listen & Subscribe

Ecotextile Talks is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, and wherever you listen to podcasts.

For more news and analysis, visit our website at ecotextile.com.

Contact & Feedback

For questions, feedback, or to suggest a guest, email philip@larchmontfilms.com

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In light of their 2024 Annual and Sustainability Report, Philip Berman catches up with Krishna Manda, Lenzing’s VP corporate sustainability, and Thomas Matiz, Lenzing’s global product sustainability lead, to chat about Lenzing's GHG emissions reporting, what is needed to achieve net-zero, and how Lenzing supports its customers and partners in achieving its climate goals.

If you want to trace Lenzing's sustainability journey via Ecotextile Talks - do please check out our previous episodes featuring Lenzing guests:

2023

Viscose Voyages - uncovering Lenzing's plans in Indonesia

Inside the minds of sustainable shoppers

2022

How Timberland and Lenzing tackled traceability

How Lenzing has its sights set on a zero carbon target

2021

Why Lenzing is big on biodegradability

2020

Textile fibre traceability - is blockchain the answer?

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