Episode 139 | THE BETTER SHOP + COMMUNITY OVER COMPETITION

In episode 139, Kestrel welcomes ethical fashion blogger Benita Robledo and Casey Dworkin, founder of sustainable footwear brand, ​Sylven New York​, to the show. Benita + Casey together are the co-founders of The Better Shop, a new Brooklyn-based pop-up, open this November + December 2018.

“We want people who are as interested in community and collaboration as we are, because we feel like - that’s how the sustainability movement is going to grow is if we foster community over competition.”
- Benita Robledo, Cofounder of The Better Shop


THE BETTER SHOP

In this episode, Benita and Casey talk a lot about how they bonded over wanting to make the sustainable and ethical fashion conversation + shopping experience more accessible.

They also share more on how they feel The Better Shop stands out from the crowd. For Benita + Casey, they want the shop to bring people in from the community, which is why they are hosting an array of activations to connect people with sustainable lifestyle activities.

The below thoughts, ideas + organizations were brought up in this chat:

  • “And that was I think a really important aspect for Casey and I when working with brands - is that we’re all striving to be better every single day, even if we don’t get it 100% right, 100% of the time.” -Benita

  • “For us, we wanted to have an even level of both brand ethos and brand aesthetic, and I think the marriage of those two things has been what’s set up our full list of brand partners.” -Casey

  • The Better Shop is located at 155 Grand St. Brooklyn, NY // it’s open 7 days a week from 11 am - 7pm from November 1st - December 30th


This week’s Conscious Chatter episode is brought to you by:

 

Pala Eyewear make premium quality eyewear, with a focus on ethics and aesthetics.

Download this week’s show to hear directly from Pala’s founder about what sustainability means to their company and their dreams for the future.


Shop Kestrel’s Faves From Pala Eyewear



Kestrel asked Pala Eyewear’s founder, John Pritchard, why he created the brand. Here's what he had to say:

“For me, I started with a cause firstly - I wanted to do something that would help leverage eye care in Africa. And so Pala, as an eyewear brand, is sort of retrofitted onto the backend of a cause.”

john-bio-image.jpg


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