Reducing the fashion industry’s waste problem will take a while so maybe try wearing your clothes until they’re threadbare.
Hey, I’m Lindsay, the host of Make Sense w/ Lindsay T., Lady Engineer®, a weekly podcast where my guests and I simplify complex topics at the intersection of people & technology. We analyze whatever hot mess is in the news, evaluate trending innovations through a human-first lens, and take deep dives on a need-to-know basis.
Sign up to get weekly updates below, and I promise to keep it simple…in a way only a Lady Engineer® can!
A little tidbit of information for the curious: Luxury leather bag brands want to make a single item using 1 large piece of leather.
If that large piece of leather has a little nick in it, then they throw the whole piece out. Wow!
In comes Cassandra Kane, founder of Sieme, upcycled luxury accessory company and co-founder of Zerolab in Florence, the first leather upcycling center and sustainable design hub in Italy.
In this week’s episode of Make Sense, I sit down with @ Cassandra Kane to chat:
- How can technology help fashion’s circular economy?
- The material sourcing challenge in the supply chain
- Whether the industry can collaborate to reduce their contribution to global warming
Buck the media hype cycle. Calm the fear-mongering. Laugh at the inanity of Tech CEO “hero culture.” Be the smartest person in your peer’s LinkedIn feed:
Key Takeaways with Cassandra Kane
Here are Cassandra’s takes on the predictions I pitched her in the segment Crystal Ball: What does the future hold?
- AR and VR Make E-commerce Immersive: Yes
- Hyper-Personalization (of consumer goods) Becomes the Norm: No
-
Sustainability, a growing factor in customers’ decision-making process, will push brands to meet green-minded consumers’ demands: Yes
-
Reporting on material sustainability issues in the value chain will be highly challenging: Yes
Show Notes
00:00 Introduction
2:10 Crystal Ball: All About Augmented Reality
03:54 Crystal Ball: Hyper-Personalization in Fashion
7:22 Crystal Ball: Material Sustainability Reporting Challenges
19:21 Sustainability and Circular Economy
32:02 Technology and the Circular Economy
45:58 Challenges with RFID and Consumer Education
47:03 Recyclable Materials
52:50 The need for technology to serve stakeholders
57:00 The Challenge of Collaboration in the Fashion Industry
About Cassandra Kane & Where to Find Her
Cassandra is an outerwear and accessories designer with over 10 years of experience in the design, sourcing, and development of outerwear, luxury bags, and accessories. She has extensive experience with international product development and production oversight, working with independent designers, brands, retailers, and private labels worldwide.
Cassandra is the the founder and designer of Sieme, an ethical luxury accessories brand that crafts beautiful handwoven accessories from rescued luxury leather, handcrafted in Tuscany. She’s also the co-founder and chief impact officer of Zerolab, the first leather upcycling center and sustainable design hub in Italy.
Cassandra is passionate about designing circular solutions that eliminate material waste and build the circular fashion industry of the future. She is based in both NYC and Florence, and a certified member of the Female Founder Collective.
- Shop Ethical Luxury at https://www.wearesieme.com/
- Follow @we.are.sieme, @casssandrakane and @zerolab_firenze on Instagram
- Connect with Cassandra on LinkedIn
Where to find Lindsay Tabas
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lindsaytabas
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lindsaytladyengineer
New to Make Sense?
Get Caught Up with the Top 10 Clips from Make Sense’s First Year
Make Sense is a video-first podcast dedicated to simplifying complex issues at the intersection of people and technology. There are many!
Access our Top 10 Clips from the first 30 episodes and get caught up with the latest tech predictions, headlines, and discussion points via accessible and easy-to-understand discussions with innovators across climate, HR, finance, connectivity, and healthcare.
Continue to be the smartest person in the room with this mobile-friendly list: