With Barnardo's reporting that on average clothing items are only worn 7 times before they are thrown away, the fashion industry is clearly responsible for overproduction and excessive use of resources. However, many emerging brands are encouraging their customers to shop more mindfully to reduce their personal environmental impacts so I was keen to speak to an expert to find out more.

In this episode, I speak with the founder of the eponymous fashion brand Aoife McNamara who has always placed transparency at the centre of her business.  In contrast to fast fashion brands, she prioritises quality over quantity and encourages customers to care for their garments to make them last. 

Aoife shares advice on building an environmentally transparent fashion business and how important transparency and sustainability are to customers. 

Aoife’s advice: 

• Sustainability means putting the planet, people and local materials first
• Believe in: earth logic not growth logic
• Have your “why” foremost in your mind and if you believe in this it will help you take the more difficult route
• Be curious; have mentors/ a board of advisors; network; take courses; go to talks
• Never be ashamed to ask
• Internship is a useful way to learn an industry
• When making decisions on sustainability you need to show responsibility
• Supply chain transparency is vital; be honest with your customers (in fashion this means being honest about the fabric, the makers of the garment, its origin)
• Educate your consumers,  not to make a profit from them but for the sake of doing it
• Make each item you create as good as it can possibly be
• You will never be perfect but as long as you try that’s the main thing

If you'd like to contact Aoife, you can reach her via [email protected] or @aoife_ireland

FF&M enables you to own your own PR. We also offer podcast production services.

Recorded, edited & published by Juliet Fallowfield, 2023 MD & Founder of PR & Communications consultancy for startups Fallow, Field & Mason.  Email us at [email protected] or DM us on instagram @fallowfieldmason. 

FF&M recommends: 

• LastPass the password-keeping site that syncs between devices.
• Google Workspace is brilliant for small businesses
• Buzzsprout podcast 'how to' & hosting directory
• Canva has proved invaluable for creating all the social media assets and audio bites.
• For contracts check out Law Depot.

MUSIC CREDIT Funk Game Loop by Kevin MacLeod.  Link & Licence

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