Wednesday, July 2, 2008

NWL on the Kojo Nnamdi Show

I'll be appearing on WAMU's Kojo Nnamdi Show this afternoon from 1:06-2:00. You can listen online if you don't live in the Washington, DC area. (As a serious KN fan, I will try not to behave like a schoolgirl.) Here's an advance listing of websites I'll probably be mentioning:

FTC (Look for the light green "eco in the market" button on the right side, or search for a fiber name)
Organic Clothing A great source for detailed information about organic fibers
Greenloop Of course! Home to "In the Loop", a terrific blog about designers and manufacturers.
Treehugger Eco-fashion and much, much more
Wardrobe Refashion Feeling crafty? Into DIY style? Take the pledge or just get ideas here.



3 comments:

Aysia Wright said...

Hi there - I have popped in to read your blog a few times and I love your straight forward approach. I also just wanted to say thank you for your support too. I hope the show goes well today.

Sincerely,
Aysia Wright
Greenloop

~Binkles said...

I was personally offended by your lack of knowledge on the KN show.

For one, there are many options for vegetarian shoes (I see you have a link on your website - not sure why you didn't mention it). One could spend 3 minutes on the internet and discover places like MooShoes (NYC) and Pangea (Silver Spring) that sells a wide variety of shoes, including professional grade. My girlfriend's shoe collection is completely vegetarian, and she needs professional shoes.

Secondly, and more importantly - One cannot get high from hemp. There is practically immeasurable amounts of THC in hemp. In addition to clothing products, hemp is sold as food - it is a great vegetarian substitute for fish, providing omega fatty acids. I have been working on ways to promote hemp as a longer lasting and earth friendly alternative to cotton and many other products.

By your comment on the radio that when one purchases a hemp shirt, they must promise not to smoke it - you've done a world of damage to my cause.

Please look into the viability of hemp, and do some good, or at least try not to do any more harm.

Unknown said...

Binkles, I am truly sorry to have offended you.

As you correctly point out, hemp will not get anyone high. (Organic Clothing, my go-to source for intense fiber information, notes that anyone trying to smoke hemp socks "would get nauseous before they get high...) I knew that, but went for the "humorous" comment as a nervous reflex. (Imagine a big-time Myers-Briggs Introvert finding herself on the radio for only the second time in forty years.) As soon as the words were out of my mouth, I thought "sh_t"! and then the conversation sped on. I thought about it all the way home.

As to the shoe issue, my mileage has varied, and I just had to be honest about it. I've purchased and worn inexpensive polyurethane/cotton blend shoes(including a pair from Pangea, probably ten years ago) and been unhappy with them. I have checked out Mooshoes and was turned off by the prices (most are $95 and up) and the lack of information about materials. If a consumer can get ballet flats in manmade materials for $25 at Payless, it's hard to explain to them why a "vegan" pair at Mooshoes is worth $85. And for me, the choice between polyurethane/cotton and leather is not so simple. (Add vintage leather or maintaining leather shoes so they last longer, and it gets even more complex.) See this 2007 Slate article http://www.slate.com/id/2179086/ for technical details.

What I was trying to accomplish in the segment -- which was really too short for the topic, don't you agree? -- was raise awareness of a few of the issues and resources available for consumers. "Ethical fashion" carries a wide range of meanings, and not everyone will make the same choices.

I do appreciate your comments, and the opportunity to clarify.