The Lexy Show: Fashion That Gives A Damn

Can one purchase really make a difference? Rosalie believes the answer starts with understanding who made your clothes and choosing brands that put people and the planet first.

In this episode of The Lexy Show, Lexy Silverstein talks with Rosalie Roberts, founder of World Changer Co., a sustainable shopping guide created to help consumers find ethical and environmentally responsible brands across fashion, beauty, food, and lifestyle. Rosalie built World Changer Co. around the idea that every purchase is a vote for the kind of world we want to create. 

Lexy and Rosalie discuss the realities of fast fashion, why transparency and worker rights matter, and how consumers can navigate the overwhelming world of sustainable shopping. They explore what makes a brand truly ethical, the importance of fair trade and responsible materials, and why finding better alternatives is one of the most powerful tools consumers have. Rosalie also shares her journey creating a resource that highlights hundreds of sustainable and ethical brands while making conscious shopping feel more accessible. 

Whether you're just beginning your sustainability journey or looking to make more intentional choices, this conversation offers practical advice for building a wardrobe and lifestyle that align with your values.

Follow World Changer Co:
📍 Instagram: @worldchangerco
🌎 Website: https://www.worldchangerco.com

If you enjoyed this conversation, be sure to subscribe to The Lexy Show, leave a review, and share this episode with someone who's ready to make more mindful choices for themselves and the planet. For more information visit https://lexysilverstein.com/

What if living more sustainably could make your life feel bigger, more creative, and more connected instead of more restricted?

This week on The Lexy Show, Lexy sits down with Alexa Pavan, the sustainability copywriter, strategist, and content creator behind Go Green with Alexa. Raised in a family that valued composting, ocean conservation, and protecting the natural world, Alexa brings a practical perspective to environmentalism that replaces guilt and perfectionism with curiosity and action.

Alexa explains how her family’s scuba diving business shaped her relationship with the ocean and why protecting coral reefs remains personal to her. She breaks down what “reef safe” sunscreen really means, why the phrase can be misleading, and which active ingredients consumers can look for when choosing mineral sunscreen. Lexy and Alexa also talk about climate anxiety, finding small ways to spend more time outside, and how volunteering or attending local events can help people feel less alone.

The conversation explores intentional shopping, secondhand furniture and clothing, community gardens, composting, supporting small businesses, reducing single-use plastic, and getting involved with local government. Alexa’s message is simple: you do not have to adopt every sustainable habit at once. Start with one area that interests you, make it part of your life, and build from there.

Listen now, follow The Lexy Show, and subscribe for more honest conversations about fashion, sustainability, and creating meaningful change.

Socials

Instagram: @gogreenwithalexa

If you enjoyed this conversation, be sure to subscribe to The Lexy Show, leave a review, and share this episode with someone who's ready to make more mindful choices for themselves and the planet. For more information visit https://lexysilverstein.com/

This week on The Lexy Show, Lexy sits down with Kelsey Reese, the designer and creative force behind ReeseCycled. What began as a pandemic closet cleanout grew into a fashion brand built around thrift flips, secondhand materials, one-of-one designs, and a willingness to create before consuming.

Kelsey shares how she taught herself to sew, turned vintage reselling into a business, and developed a design process that can begin with anything from a finished garment to an old blanket or a pile of neckties. She and Lexy talk about the patience behind made-to-order clothing, why a custom piece can create a stronger connection between the wearer and the garment, and how slowing down can make shopping feel more intentional. Kelsey also speaks honestly about the challenges of building a size-inclusive upcycled brand when every piece of thrifted material comes with limits. The conversation gets into common myths about secondhand clothing, the pressure on independent designers to do everything perfectly, and simple ways to rethink what you already own before buying something new.

Whether you love thrift stores, want to learn how to upcycle your clothes, or are simply trying to shop with more intention, this episode is a reminder that creativity often starts with using what is already in front of you.

Socials

Instagram: @reese.cycled
TikTok: @reese.cycled
YouTube: ReeseCycled

If you enjoyed this conversation, be sure to subscribe to The Lexy Show, leave a review, and share this episode with someone who's ready to make more mindful choices for themselves and the planet. For more information visit https://lexysilverstein.com/

How much clean water goes down the drain while you wait for the shower to warm up?

This week on The Lexy Show, Lexy sits down with Elle Turner, co-founder of SEVAS Water, to talk about the simple household habit that inspired a new approach to water conservation. Growing up in drought-prone Australia taught Elle to treat every drop as valuable, but years of carrying awkward buckets from the shower also convinced her there had to be a better way.

Elle shares how SEVAS went from a rough idea to a shower water catcher that can collect up to five liters of clean water before someone steps into the shower. She explains how families can reuse that water for plants, pet bowls, cleaning, laundry, and other everyday tasks, potentially saving thousands of liters over the course of a year. Lexy and Elle also discuss why household water waste is easy to overlook, how drought and water scarcity affect communities differently, and why sustainable habits are more likely to last when they are simple, useful, and easy to fit into daily life.

The conversation also gets honest about creating a sustainable product made from plastic. Elle walks through the company’s manufacturing choices, including recyclable materials, closed-loop water cooling, reusing production offcuts, replaceable parts, biodegradable packaging, and small production runs. She also shares how SEVAS supports clean-water access, mangrove restoration, and renewable-energy projects through every purchase.

Socials

Website: https://sevaswater.com/

Instagram: @sevas_water

If you enjoyed this conversation, be sure to subscribe to The Lexy Show, leave a review, and share this episode with someone who's ready to make more mindful choices for themselves and the planet. For more information visit https://lexysilverstein.com/

This week on The Lexy Show, Lexy sits down with Mecca McDonald, co-founder of Mo.Na. Gems, a jewelry brand creating colorful, biodegradable accessories from a potato-based biomaterial. Mecca and her co-founder, Mia Dunn, began experimenting in a college kitchen during the pandemic, using the tools and ingredients they could access when their Johns Hopkins lab spaces were closed. What started as a creative experiment became a material that looks and performs like plastic without relying on fossil fuels.

Mecca explains why potatoes were a practical starting point, from their abundance to the existing agricultural systems that could support larger applications in the future. She clears up the biggest misconceptions about biodegradable materials, including the idea that they must be fragile, moldy, or constantly falling apart. Lexy and Mecca also talk about why sustainability does not have to look beige or boring, and how bold design can make environmental conversations feel more approachable. The conversation explores the relationship between art and science, designing for a product’s end of life, and Mecca’s long-term hope of using the material for products such as beauty packaging.

Mecca also shares what it is like to build a science-driven fashion company as a young Black woman, why creative founders are often underestimated, and how she communicates her vision to different audiences without losing its integrity.

Listen now, follow The Lexy Show, and subscribe for more conversations with the people reimagining fashion, materials, and what sustainability can look like.

Guest Social Media

Instagram: @mona.gems
TikTok: @mona.gems

If you enjoyed this conversation, be sure to subscribe to The Lexy Show, leave a review, and share this episode with someone who's ready to make more mindful choices for themselves and the planet. For more information visit https://lexysilverstein.com/

What happens when clothing donated with good intentions becomes another country’s waste crisis?

This week on The Lexy Show, Lexy sits down with Rowaiye Olanrewaju, founder of the Larry Rowbs Foundation. With a background in economics, international trade, and fashion entrepreneurship, Rowaiye brings a business-minded approach to addressing textile pollution and creating economic opportunity across Africa.

Rowaiye explains how traveling through several African countries changed the direction of his fashion career. He saw how large volumes of inexpensive secondhand clothing and poor-quality fast fashion were hurting local businesses while leaving communities responsible for garments that could not be resold or reused. Rather than beginning with a factory, the foundation chose to focus first on education and awareness so people could better understand fashion’s effects on their health, environment, and local economy.

The conversation explores the foundation’s plans for a clothing recycling facility, free sustainable-fashion training, and small production centers that could create jobs within local communities. Rowaiye also introduces an educational video game designed to teach younger audiences about textile waste and the e.don Movement, which uses the Don-K character to start conversations and raise support. He and Lexy discuss why better-quality clothing matters, the limitations of traditional donation systems, and why staying quiet allows harmful practices to continue.

Socials

Instagram: @thelarryrowbsfoundation

If you enjoyed this conversation, be sure to subscribe to The Lexy Show, leave a review, and share this episode with someone who's ready to make more mindful choices for themselves and the planet. For more information visit https://lexysilverstein.com/

What changes when we stop treating clothing like disposable content and start seeing it as art?

This week on The Lexy Show, Lexy sits down with Raphaella Godoy, the self-taught Brooklyn designer creating bold, one-of-one wearable art. Raised in a creative family of painters, musicians, and performers, Raphaella approaches clothing as another artistic medium, combining sewing with painting, embroidery, screen printing, found objects, and unexpected materials.

Raphaella shares how experimenting with her mother’s old sewing machine helped her discover the work she wanted to pursue. She and Lexy talk about developing personal style in a culture driven by microtrends, finding inspiration in thrift stores and fabric scraps, and giving secondhand garments an entirely new identity. Raphaella also explains how her Mexican roots, Catholic imagery, punk influences, bones, and the unconventional women in her family find their way into her designs.

The conversation gets honest about teaching yourself a creative skill without expensive fashion school, searching online for answers when you do not know the technical language, and accepting mistakes as part of the process. Raphaella also opens up about being a one-woman business, balancing creativity with content and order fulfillment, and why she prefers making unique pieces over repeatedly producing the same popular design.

Social Media

Instagram: @raphaellagodoy
TikTok: @raphaellanyc 

If you enjoyed this conversation, be sure to subscribe to The Lexy Show, leave a review, and share this episode with someone who's ready to make more mindful choices for themselves and the planet. For more information visit https://lexysilverstein.com/

What does it take to make swimwear that feels playful, personal, and genuinely better for the planet?

This week, Lexy sits down with Gigi Scholbi, the founder and designer behind Cheeki Swim, a Hawaii-based brand creating handmade swimwear with recycled and deadstock materials. Gigi started the brand from a college dorm room after struggling to find swimsuits that combined quality, individuality, and a fit that made her feel confident. Her approach offers a thoughtful alternative to mass-produced swimwear and the constant churn of fast-fashion trends.

Gigi shares how Cheeki Swim grew from an idea into real collections, what goes into making each suit by hand, and why the time behind a garment matters. She and Lexy talk about sourcing lower-waste materials, supporting other small businesses, and designing pieces that customers will want to wear beyond a single season. They also explore the tension between sustainability, affordability, creativity, and growth when you are building an independent fashion brand. Along the way, Gigi explains how Hawaii influences Cheeki Swim’s colorful identity and why slow fashion can still feel bold, fun, and full of personality.

Listen to the full conversation, then subscribe to The Lexy Show for more honest stories from the people working to change fashion.

Social Media

 Instagram and TikTok @thecheekiswimwear 

If you enjoyed this conversation, be sure to subscribe to The Lexy Show, leave a review, and share this episode with someone who's ready to make more mindful choices for themselves and the planet. For more information visit https://lexysilverstein.com/

What happens when something as ordinary as an orange prescription bottle becomes the starting point for a pair of sunglasses?

This week, Lexy sits down with Claire Ring, founder of Cocoplum, a circular eyewear brand turning discarded prescription pill bottles into bold, wearable frames. Claire proves that recycled materials do not have to look dull or feel like a compromise. They can be functional, stylish, and part of a much smarter system.

Claire shares how Cocoplum transforms plastic waste through a process of collecting, cleaning, shredding, melting, and molding pill bottles into new sunglasses. She and Lexy talk about why these small plastic containers are so difficult to recycle through normal curbside programs and what it takes to build a product around material most people overlook. They also explore Cocoplum’s closed-loop approach, which allows customers to send worn frames back so the materials can stay in use instead of ending up in a landfill.

The conversation gets honest about starting a sustainable company without a background in recycling, manufacturing, or eyewear design. Claire discusses learning through experimentation, adapting when early ideas did not work, and creating a brand that challenges fashion’s dependence on virgin plastic and disposable products. It is a practical, hopeful look at circular fashion and the creative possibilities hiding inside everyday waste.

Listen to the full episode, subscribe to The Lexy Show, and share it with someone who believes sustainability should look just as good as it feels.

Social Media

Cocoplum: @cocoplumsunglasses
Website: cocoplumco.com

If you enjoyed this conversation, be sure to subscribe to The Lexy Show, leave a review, and share this episode with someone who's ready to make more mindful choices for themselves and the planet. For more information visit https://lexysilverstein.com/

Can fashion slow down without losing its edge?

This week, Lexy sits down with Ruben Nowak, founder and designer of the Berlin-based fashion label NOWRUBI. After serving as a German Air Force officer, Ruben taught himself how to sew, studied fashion design in Berlin, and built a brand that combines structured military influences with individuality, rebellion, and bold storytelling.

Ruben explains how NOWRUBI’s made-to-order model allows the brand to produce clothing only after a customer places an order, reducing excess inventory while helping a small independent label survive financially. He and Lexy discuss why shoppers have become conditioned to expect instant delivery, how transparency can help customers appreciate the work behind their clothing, and why waiting a few days for a garment should become normal again.

They also explore Ruben’s Berlin Fashion Week collection, Innocence, which follows three stages of growing up: childhood imagination, teenage rebellion, and adulthood. Ruben shares how Berlin Fashion Week evaluates participating designers through sustainability reporting and why other major fashion weeks should hold brands to stronger environmental standards. The conversation closes with his seven-day rule for avoiding impulse purchases and choosing pieces more intentionally.

Social Media

NOWRUBI: @nowrubi
Website: nowrubi.de

If you enjoyed this conversation, be sure to subscribe to The Lexy Show, leave a review, and share this episode with someone who's ready to make more mindful choices for themselves and the planet. For more information visit https://lexysilverstein.com/