S02 Episode 65 | REMAKE + CONNECTIVE HUMAN STORIES

In episode 65 of Conscious Chatter, Kestrel welcome Ayesha Barenblat to the show. The founder of Remake, Ayesha is hugely passionate about the power of storytelling and human connection. Remake is a platform that builds human connections between all of us as people who shop - and the makers whose hands create the fashion we wear. 

Ayesha shares how her connection to the garment industry started early - in Pakistan - where she grew up and where her family runs garment factories. After working with BSR (a global nonprofit business network and consultancy dedicated to sustainability) and the International Labour Organization, and being very connected to the policy behind how businesses work, she realized that there was a seat at the table missing: consumers.

Ayesha explains how Remake is really about telling stories, especially in ways that help us "meet" the women who make our clothes, so we can connect with them and empathize with them on a human level. She also reminds us that companies aren't going to change their ways to benefit the people who are making our clothes, because it's not benefitting their bottom line. The human piece of the supply chain just doesn't have the business case that environmental sustainability does today. Which is why Ayesha says that Remake is a platform to help consumers use their power to help push for that change.

Kestrel and Ayesha discuss their thoughts on the millennial shopper, and what the future may look like for designers, and their approach to sustainability. One of Remake's most powerful initiatives brings young designers on a journey overseas to meet with the makers who bring their designs to life. Last year, they teamed up with Parsons in NYC and Levi's to bring 3 students to Cambodia for this experience, and they produced a short film documenting the process. Watch for more of these eye-opening films in the near future.