All the way from Kula Lumpur, 9,275 miles from our podcast studio in Detroit, Adam Minter, best-selling author and journalist joins the show via Skype to answer a myriad of questions regarding the secondhand fashion industry including “Who will be the last to kill your hoodie?”

In Secondhand, Minter traces the lifespan and travels of various secondhand items donated to US charities and thrift stores, with a particular interest in clothing, only to find they have very specific geographic destinations based on quality, condition, durability, and demographics.

For those in the fashion industry beating the sustainability drum, the book is a wakeup call and demonstrates the challenging work and complexity of issues that face the industry. For example, Minter applauds the industry for advances in reuse and rentables through the growth of such businesses as The RealReal and Poshmark, but justifiably derides the industry for its lack of transparency regarding detailed fabric content and chemical toxins.

Secondhand is extremely well written, and for a non-fiction book, it reads like an intriguing “who done it” novel. Ultimately, Minter is optimistic about the fashion industry and is betting on technology, especially blockchain, to boost sustainability.

Christine and Michael were impressed with Adam Minter for his journalistic integrity, his deep knowledge of the secondhand fashion industry, and his overall talent as a writer. Please enjoy the podcast. You can find the book here.