Gittemarie Johansen, The Global Guru of Sustainability Takes On Fast Fashion
Fashioncast®
Episode #47, February 15, 2024
Gittemarie Johansen, The Global Guru of Sustainability Takes on Fast Fashion
Hey Fashionistas! On this episode we introduce you to sustainability educator, author, speaker, and YouTube sensation, Gittemarie Johansen.
Smart, witty, and experienced, Gittemarie has been living and teaching the zero-waste lifestyle for a decade. It’s fascinating to hear how Gittemarie stumbled into her career, found her passion, and has made her livelihood teaching the rest of us how to think and behave sustainably. Even better, she walks the talk living as close to a zero-waste life as anyone you’ll ever meet.
Johansen is clearly an intellectual force on the topic of sustainability and has created her own unique definition for the word sustainable. And, why not?The word has been so misused and diluted, especially by the fashion industry, it has no meaning. For the record, Fashioncast agrees with the Gittemarie definition!
Given Gittemarie’s early background as a fashion influencer and reporter, it’s rare for such an individual to transition to the sustainable movement, but that’s what is so captivating about her story. She hasn’t simply done the research on this important industry topic, she’s lived it! And that kind of transformation brings an inner knowing that few can replicate.
Johansen is brilliant in this interview as she verbally slays topics from greenwashing and sustainable designers to consumer overconsumption and worker rights. It’s a joy to hear one so experienced articulate fashion’s many paradoxes but offer solutions too. Johansen has indeed thought long on the big issues surrounding sustainability, and it shows.
What we found so compelling is how Johansen answered a myriad of tough questions in such a thoughtful and precise way. Her answer to what is most troubling about fast fashion is a perfect example when she stated without hesitation, “exploitation.” There are so many things troubling about fast fashion, it may be difficult to list them all, but exploitation would be at the top. Bravo Gittemarie!
Lastly, we loved Gittemarie’s interview so much, we are already working on her next visit! Enjoy!
@Gittemary
