Resisting Fast Fashion -- our first story from a listener

Cocktails & Capitalism

In this episode, we read our very first story from a boozarino! I purchased two beautifully crafted masks from @made.by.lauren.b (IG), and when they arrived I discovered a lengthy hand-written letter from Lauren. Her letter quickly opened our eyes to the horrors of the textile and fashion industries, and Hillary and I soon found ourselves deep down the rabbit hole of research about fast fashion and its effects on people and the planet. These industries produce so much waste, toxic pollution, and human suffering, so Lauren has made it an act of resistance to produce masks using entirely reclaimed materials.
Tune in to learn more!
Here is a little bit of information about Lauren's masks, taken from her shop:
https://laurenb-102559.square.site/s/shop

-------+ MASK SPECS +-------

• Made from 100% COTTON fabric
• Comes with sewn-in adjustable padded metal nosepiece
• Each mask has a unique interior (( we always use dark and/or patterned cotton for the main mouth covering. Lipstick exists, we can all get in a hurry, & the last thing we want to do is make your life more difficult. ))
• Stretch jersey tie-back cord
• Double-wall construction includes a filter pocket.
• Each mask is handmade from reclaimed materials (and magic, maybe) in Chicago, Illinois!

-------+ RECLAIMED MATERIALS, you say? +-------

Lauren is ... especially good at sourcing second-hand materials. With years of experience using reclaimed materials & salvaged fabric, Lauren is a textile wizard. We absolutely do source fabric from thrift stores & individual resellers but the more we can avoid venturing into risky public spaces, the better (and SAFER).

Between dye-ing, screen-printing, & other fancy tricks, the finished product looks pretty uniform. We focus on comfort & practicality for the lining fabrics. Varying the lining colors allows us to up-cycle fabric as needed. Changing up the lining colors also makes it infinitely easier for YOU to keep track of clean vs. dirty masks.

...but why? seems like a huge pain.

Lauren is thoroughly committed to using second-hand as much as possible. Down to the thread, machines, needles, etc.. It

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