Darcey Sergison recommends the best sustainable podcasts to inspire you.
Podcasts are one of the greatest ways to stay informed while on the go. I find that sometimes if you have a train journey or even going to the shops, I like to listen to a good podcast to keep me thinking even while doing the most mundane tasks.
You can never know enough about sustainability and environmentalism, so podcasts can be the best way to keep up to date with environmentalism and new ways to combat fast fashion. Second-hand clothes are a great way to boost a sustainable lifestyle rather than consuming new, short life clothes, so here are my picks of the best sustainable podcasts:
This Old Thing?
Bay Garnett is the “Queen of Thrift” and has recently launched this podcast to further explore her passion for second-hand. As the curator of Selfridge’s Second-hand September Oxfam boutique Bay is one of the best people in fashion to take style advice from.
Interviewing guests about their greatest finds and memorable childhood outfits, you can be inspired by their love for thrifting and can inspire your own find. My favourite episode has been “Option Overload” with journalist Pandora Sykes, who discusses the consumption choices fast fashion has pressured us with. As a mother and journalist, her relationship with fashion has changed through time as she realised the benefits of thrifting clothes for the environment as well as her own style.
The Sustainability Agenda
Hosted by Fergal Byrne, this podcast discusses sustainability thinkers’ experiences and views regarding sustainability challenges. Guests include Naomi Klein and other experts in their field. I found this podcast really interesting in discovering how experts have experienced the issues faced by the world and how they handled effects of climate change and the advice on what we can do to contribute to changing our world for a greener future.
Climate Queens
This podcast will have you on the edge of your seat waiting for the next monthly instalment. Aiming to raise awareness about the effects of humans’ current existence on the planet, Katie and Clodagh cover all sorts of topics, including: fast fashion, climate activism, and reusables. Having met when volunteering, this podcast aims to provide a chatty but informative view from two friends on environmentalism today.
Ethical Fashion Podcast
Investigating how fashion can be a force for good, hosts Simone Cipriani and Clare Press speak with different fashion insiders about what is wrong with current fashion practices and how this can be changed in the future to promote sustainability within all aspects of this industry. The first episode takes on the issue of fashion shows and what the future holds for these practices. Looking at how we can make it less polluting and more inclusive, a switch to digital only shows is a popular result. Along with many other topics, this podcast provides expert analysis of what it means to be ethically fashionable.
Climate Connections
Short but informative podcasts by Dr Anthony Leiserowitz from the Yale Centre for Environmental Communications. This podcast will inform you of the factually correct realities of the world and how by abandoning trends, such as fast fashion, we can do our bit to learn more about how we can prevent further damage to the environment.
Pre-Loved Podcast
Pre-Loved focuses on the love of second-hand clothes in weekly episodes. Through interviewing guests, this show tells you about the best vintage style steals and encourages conscious consumerism. One of my favourite interviews has to be with Allison Dredge who is a freelance costume designer. As an avid thrifter, Allison discusses what it takes to be a freelance costume designer including the costume design process from the start to finish. In particular, she discusses retro dressing and how vintage pieces hold their own story and a moment in history. Vintage clothes really can give a new story to your wardrobe and this podcast proves how!
It Never Gets Old
Hosted by Meredith Fineman this podcast breaks down the ins and outs of buying, selling and everything in between. Delving into what it means to buy vintage clothes as well as resell or thrifting, this series is perfect to discover new ways to buy secondhand. I found her episode on secondhand skincare, perfume, and candles very interesting, as this is a sector of fashion and beauty that I had never considered buying second-hand.
