Podcasts are the perfect accompaniment to wrapping, crafting, card-writing, vegetable peeling, and tree decorating – keeping you company while your hands are busy. Unsurprisingly, most of our podcast subscriptions are sustainable fashion-themed, so we’re sharing our top ten list to keep you informed and entertained while you’re prepping for the big day. From workers’ rights and pre-loved style to sustainable tech and industry insider info, these sustainable fashion podcasts cover all the relevant issues, making it easy to stay up to date with what’s happening in the world of sustainable fashion.
Remember Who Made Them
Remember Who Made Them is a collective effort by a group of women including Venetia La Mana, Swatee Deepak and Gina Bak. They collaborate with workers groups, campaigns, influencers, and media outlets to raise awareness and prompt action. Their six-part podcast series of the same name is incredibly informative, covering topics such as feminist fashion, racism in fashion, labour organising, and consumer activism. Guests on the podcast include Ayesha Barenblat of Remake, Nazma Akter of the Awaj Foundation, and author Aja Barber. A short series that will teach you a great deal about the nuances of fashion manufacturing and the industry at large.
Wardrobe Crisis
Wardrobe Crisis is hosted by Clare Press, former Sustainability Editor for Australian Vogue, and a standout voice in sustainable fashion. There are over 180 episodes to listen to across 9 series, and topics include biotechnology, accessible fashion, regenerative farming, activism, forever chemicals, slow fashion, circularity, and artisan fashion. The list of high-profile guests and brands who feature on the podcast is near endless. You’ll find Roland Mouret, Outland Denim, Lily Cole, Ganni, Cary Somers of Fashion Revolution, Amber Valletta, Mara Hoffman and more.
Conscious Style
Conscious Style asks the question, “what will it take to cultivate a more sustainable and equitable future for fashion?”. Each episode features a conversation with a new guest to explore that very question. Isaias Hernandez (aka QueerBrownVegan) discusses choosing hope over climate doomism, Safia Minney talks regenerative fashion, Elizabeth Cline educates the audience about fashion policy and collective action, Jasmin Malik Chua talks about the role of the journalist, and Oshadi founder Nishanth Chopra tackles how to build a seed-to-sew supply chain. There are so many insightful conversations to choose from.
Conscious Chatter
Another consciously themed podcast, this time Conscious Chatter. It’s hosted by Kestrel Jenkins and invites listeners to “unlearn and relearn” everything they know about fashion. This is another one with a serious archive to choose from. Across six seasons, Jenkins has talked equitable cotton, fashion psychology, greenwashing, anti-sweatshop action, single use plastic, local manufacturing, resale, and community building. There is also a six-part miniseries called The Root which was created in collaboration with Dominique Drakeford, which focuses on decolonising the sustainable fashion agenda.
Manufactured
Manufactured, as you might guess from the title, is all about the making of clothes, materials and fibres. There are nearly 100 episodes to choose from, with a host of interviews with industry insiders. You’ll learn about cotton, silk, garment finishing, decarbonising supply chains, audits, climate targets, fashion buyer codes of conduct, sourcing and more. It’s such an expansive list, there are so many opportunities to learn something new. If you’re looking for something more quick-fire, check out Loose Threads, mini episodes which provide quick answers to complex questions.
Ethical Fashion Initiative Podcast
The Ethical Fashion Initiative was founded in 2009 with a mission to “promote sustainable and inclusive development in emerging economies through increased trade and employment in the creative and cultural industries, fashion and textiles”. It works with a wide variety of artisans, designers, brands, and fashion institutions to push for progress so as you can imagine its in-house podcast plays host to some pretty impressive guests. The late Virgil Abloh, renowned trend forecaster Li Edelkoort, international Vogue editor Suzy Menkes, and Uganda’s top model agent Joram Muzira all feature on this far-reaching, in-depth podcast.
Pre-Loved Podcast
If you love vintage and secondhand fashion, this is one for you. The weekly vintage fashion interview show features conversations with guests you’ll want to go thrifting with, as host Emily Stochl describes it. Stylists, vintage dealers, avid thrifters, store owners, vintage experts, climate activists, fashion designers, and costume designers have all appeared on the show discussing everything from slow fashion, styling tips, fashion week, personal style, and upcycling to garment restoration and plus size vintage. It’s a fun, friendly podcast for when you’re looking for something a little lighter.
American Fashion
The American Fashion podcast focuses on innovation and sustainability in the fashion industry, taking a weekly deep dive into “how the fashion industry works under the hood”. There are some big-name guests on this one including Donna Karan, Rebecca Minkoff, and Tim Gunn, and the topics range far and wide. You’ll find episodes on 3D fashion design, the New York fashion design scene, fashion law, entrepreneurship, fashion forecasting, and fashion history. Launched in 2014, there’s a wealth of episodes to choose from.
Sustainably Influenced
The Sustainably Influenced podcast comes from the platform of the same name which was founded to help consumers make more sustainable life choices. Hosted by platform founder Bianca Foley, it helps listeners navigate the sustainable fashion landscape, covering tricky topics like blockchain, AI, consumer activism, and the eco-friendly status of certain materials. Although it is largely fashion-focused, you’ll also find episodes dedicated to beauty, food, electric vehicles, and science. There’s something for everyone.
Big Closets Small Planet
Big Closets Small Planet is hosted by Mike Schragger, founder of the Sustainable Fashion Academy. A solutions-focused podcast, Big Closets Small Planet focuses on the people and innovations that can change fashion for the better, as well as dedicating some episodes to digging into the biggest issues of the day. Tax reform, chemical use, psychology, digital fashion, ethical finance, and consumer behaviour are all on the cards, so each episode makes for an eye-opening listen which really unpicks just how far the impact of the fashion industry spreads.
Bonus episode: Net Zero
Listen to our pioneering founder Peri Drysdale on the Net Zero podcast to learn more about the history of Untouched World and what it takes to make real environmental commitments.
The sustainable fashion landscape is ever-changing - there’s always something new to know and learn. Thankfully it’s easier than ever to stay informed with these whole host of brilliant podcasts that tackle all the relevant issues from workers’ rights and pre-loved style to sustainable tech and industry insider info. We hope you enjoyed our top ten sustainable fashion podcasts that are on high rotation at Untouched World HQ. Happy listening!
