In episode 226, Kestrel welcomes Matty Hickey, the founder of Be Kind Vibes, to the show. A social impact brand, Be Kind Vibes creates ethically-made goods that inspire love & compassion for each other and our natural world.
“Kindness is a way forward for us out of these times — it’s a chance for us to be able to reconnect with ourselves, and then, that way, we can kind of express that out into the world and to others. It’s one of the values, one of the pillars of the brand, and it’s how I guide the direction of the brand in everyday decisions — it’s a powerful thing, and I think if we can really tap into it and use it, it is a way forward and I think it’s a way that can unite all of us, really.”On this week’s show, we take a little journey down memory lane, as Matt was the person who suggested Kestrel start a podcast over 5 years ago now. The two discuss those early ideas, and how Matt really helped spark the early idea for Kestrel to build out this audio community.
The two explore several facets of "kindness”, as that is the driving force behind Matt’s work. Also, Matt shares a bit more on his future vision for the brand, and how his priorities have evolved over the years, bringing him further back to a place where natural materials, natural dyes and hyper localized production are king.
Promoting The Power Of Kindness, story from CBS Sunday Morning that Kestrel mentions, that discusses a new documentary called “The Antidote”
“I think kindness and being kind — it’s an action word and phrase — it’s doing. It’s a way to express and show others compassion and love, and that also extends to our natural world and the environment. I see it as a common thread that connects all of humanity — it’s something that is inside of all of us and it’s something that we can all turn to and begin to express to others.” -Matt
BKV “Of The Earth” Bandana Capsule, created in collaboration with Kristin of All Species and Paul Cannon of Iron Sage Wood
Follow Matt on Instagram >
Follow Be Kind Vibes on Instagram >
Nelson ZêPequéno of Black Men With Gardens and Cayetano Talavera of Hecho By Caye on why fashion needs to listen to nature’s lessons on slowing down, tuning in, practicing patience & cultivating c
Teju Adisa-Farrar of Black Fiber & Textile Network and Author Layla K. Feghali on geography and what our relationship to place can teach us about *sustainability*
Wafa Ghnaim of Tatreez and Tea & Dr. Tanveer Ahmed of Central Saint Martins on preserving culture, decolonial frameworks, and how intersectional reform can be a pathway toward sustainable fashion futu
Sustainable fashion podcasters unite — Emily Stochl of Pre-Loved Podcast & Stella Hertantyo of Conscious Style Podcast help us reflect on 11 years since Rana Plaza, celebrating collective movements
Upcycling artists Francisco Alcazar & Ella Wiznia of Series NY are redefining sustainable fashion while reimagining craft & challenging the gender binary
How gender plays into the devaluing of knowledge and its links to sustainable fashion & wellness with Megan Schnitker of Lakota Made and Niha Elety of Tega Collective
Celebrating the cultural tradition, past and present, of Palestinian Tatreez with artists / educators Lina Barkawi and Eman Toom & why sustainable fashion must include cultural sustainability
Intergenerational knowledge & sustainable fashion — how clothing is more than just aesthetics; it’s about the upholding of cultural practices and the amplifying of knowledge & traditions
Vintage stylist Beth Jones & Dounia Wone of Vestiaire Collective on whether fast fashion brands fit into the resale experience
Why self work is integral to advocating for transformation in fashion & why we must deeply question our personal values to truly get active in creating a more sustainable fashion future
Denali Jöel on fashion as an art praxis rooted in Afro-Indigenous philosophies, interrogating the emphasis placed on the *industry* & reminding us of the possibility of creating new ecosystems
Julius Tillery aka the "Puff Daddy Of Cotton" on the need to remix both the perception of the cotton industry and the business model
Cassandra Pintro of Consumption Project on welcoming her community to challenge their buying habits and question what is *enough*
Jeanell English on navigating the pressure to project a certain image in business & across climate spaces and balancing the worlds of activists & execs as a leader in impact
Muchaneta Ten Napel on utilizing tech as a tool to change how fashion does business, not a crutch that will *save us all* & preparing for the fashion policy changes that are on the horizon
*Breaking It Down* with Rachel Arthur, lead author of The Sustainable Fashion Communication Playbook, an actionable guide co-published by UNEP and UN Climate Change
Tameka Peoples of Seed2Shirt on rebuilding equitable + just cotton systems & fostering the reclamation of cotton acreage for Black farmers
Lisa Diegel, Global Sustainability Director, on Faherty's Native Initiatives, what mutually beneficial relationships can look like in practice, and the nuanced ways brands must take responsibility for
Eric Liedtke of UNLESS on pressing fashion to ditch the plastic ingredients and ideating on what it will take for corporations to truly change
A new era of storytelling at Conscious Chatter, meet our newest team member Natalie Shehata & what slow media means for us in practice
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