#5 GOTS & Cradle-to-Cradle: What does circular fashion really look like? I Interview with MELA

#8 If you love wool, listen to this I Interview with Sascha Camilli from PETA UK

Most people know about the cruelty behind fur and leather. But wool? It's just a haircut, right? While the industry sells wool as a natural, harmless material, the reality for sheep (and the environment) is far darker than most people ever imagined. To find out what really happens to sheep in the wool industry, we sat down with Sascha Camilli, Manager of PR Projects for PETA UK and author of Vegan Style. From cruel shearing practices to innovative plant-based wool alternatives, this is everything you need to know to leave wool behind, for good. In this episode, you'll find out: ★ Why wool is nothing like a simple haircut for sheep ★ What mulesing is, which country has already banned it, and why "mulesing-free" wool is still far from ethical ★ What PETA found across 100+ wool facilities on 4 continents (and why it was never just a few bad apples) ★ Why wool is one of the least sustainable materials in fashion ★ And that you don't have to choose between wool and synthetics, there are plenty of plant-based alternatives already out there 🐑 Learn more about Sascha Camilli's work: https://www.saschacamilli.com/ 💚 Stay in touch with Sascha Camilli: https://www.instagram.com/saschacamilli Mentioned in the episode: 📚Vegan Style: Your plant-based guide to fashion + beauty + home + travel by Sascha Camilli 📚Animalkind by PETA Founder, Ingrid Newkirk 📚Kind of Wild (Sascha Camilli's Substack): https://saschacamilli.substack.com/ 📚PETA UK: https://www.peta.org.uk/ 📚Wool facts: https://www.woolfacts.com/ 📚 Pulse of the Fashion Industry report: https://www.copenhagenfashionsummit.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Pulse-of-the-Fashion-Industry_2017.pdf 📚 Human hair sweater? If your first thought is “Ew”, read this: https://www.shoplikeyougiveadamn.com/blogs/human-hair-sweater-if-your-first-thought-is-ew-read-this/bl-463 📚 Why Don't Vegans Wear Wool?: https://www.shoplikeyougiveadamn.com/blogs/why-dont-vegans-wear-wool-/bl-261 📚 No wool collection (alternatives): https://www.shoplikeyougiveadamn.com/blogs/no-wool-collection/bl-411 Find us on: 💚 Website: https://www.shoplikeyougiveadamn.com 💚 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shoplikeyougiveadamn/ 💚 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@shoplikeyougiveadamn Chapters: 00:00 – Welcome & introduction 1:44 – Why so many sheep die prematurely in the wool industry 4:12 — PETA's investigations in 100+ wool facilities 6:21 — Is cruelty the exception or the norm in the wool industry? 8:37 — A sheep's life in the wool industry 13:14 — Wool is not “natural” nor sustainable 17:04 — Why wool is not ours to use 17:43 — Plant-based alternatives to wool 22:19 — Final reflections

#7 Wool is not just a trim: What happens to sheep in the wool industry | Interview with Claire Hamlett

Wool is often marketed as a natural, sustainable, and animal-friendly material. But that's actually very far from the truth. What's really happening to the sheep in the wool industry? In this interview, we sit down with Claire Hamlett, PhD researcher in animal ethics & freelance journalist covering animals, environment, and climate. We pull back the curtain on the wool industry's less talked-about dark side, from selective breeding and routine mutilations to its high environmental impact. In this episode, you'll find out: ★ Why sheep "needing" to be sheared is a human-made problem ★ What sheep in the wool industry are put through: mulesing, tail docking, and castration ★ Why the so-called high UK animal welfare regulations fall short in practice ★ Why sheep grazing in open fields isn't the idyllic picture it's painted as ★ The environmental impact of wool, and how it compares to cotton ★ What to wear instead of wool (and no, it's not synthetics) 🐑 Learn more about Claire Hamlett's work: https://clairehamlett.weebly.com/ Mentioned in the episode: 📚 HOGWOOD: a modern horror story (about multiple investigations by Viva! into a pig farm in Somerset): https://viva.org.uk/animals/campaigns/hogwood-a-modern-horror-story/ 📚 Shear Destruction: Wool, Fashion and the Biodiversity Crisis by the Center for Biological Diversity & Collective Fashion Justice (environmental data comparing Australian merino wool sweater vs. cotton one): https://www.biologicaldiversity.org/programs/population_and_sustainability/pdfs/shear_destruction_final_report.pdf 📚 Human hair sweater? If your first thought is “Ew”, read this: https://www.shoplikeyougiveadamn.com/blogs/human-hair-sweater-if-your-first-thought-is-ew-read-this/bl-463 📚 Why Don't Vegans Wear Wool?: https://www.shoplikeyougiveadamn.com/blogs/why-dont-vegans-wear-wool-/bl-261 📚 No wool collection (alternatives): https://www.shoplikeyougiveadamn.com/blogs/no-wool-collection/bl-411 Find us on: 💚 Website: https://www.shoplikeyougiveadamn.com 💚 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shoplikeyougiveadamn/ 💚 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@shoplikeyougiveadamn Chapters: 00:00 – Welcome & introduction 01:52 – Is wool a byproduct of the meat industry? 03:26 – The UK's insufficient animal welfare regulations 04:04 – Why sheep are always kept outside in open fields 05:57 – The "sheep need to be sheared" myth 09:19 – The mutilations in the wool industry 10:39 – What's mulesing? 12:55 – Why "wool is natural" is misleading 13:40 – Animal-free wool alternatives & wool vs. cotton 15:44 – Final reflections

#6 Deep dive on regenerative cotton & fashion supply chains | Interview with DAWN & Cotton Diaries

Cotton is one of the most misunderstood materials in fashion. Is it really a “thirsty crop”? Does organic cotton actually use less water than conventional cotton? And what does regenerative cotton truly mean for farmers, soil health and the fashion industry as a whole? In this panel interview, we sit down with Anna Marie Pawliczek, Chief Sustainability Officer at DAWN Denim, and Ani Wells & Anne Oudard, consultants from Cotton Diaries, to unpack the complexity behind cotton production, supply chain traceability, certifications and regenerative agriculture. In this episode, you’ll find out: ★ What regenerative cotton is and how it differs from conventional and organic cotton ★ Why the “10.000 litres of water to make one pair of jeans” stat is misleading ★ What the limitations of fashion certifications are ★ Why knowing your individual cotton farmers might not be realistic or necessary ★ How exactly brands can support farmers transitioning to organic and regenerative cotton ★ How relationships in fashion supply chains need to change 👖Discover DAWN and its collection: https://www.shoplikeyougiveadamn.com/sellers/dawn/v-248 Mentioned in the episode: 📚 Cotton: A case study of misinformation by Transformers Foundation: https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5efdeb17898fb81c1491fb04/t/615e06bfe1c0673ad2ae61c5/1633552067271/CottonPaper_071021_TransformersFoundation_.pdf 📚 2025 Materials Market Report by Textile Exchange: https://2d73cea0.delivery.rocketcdn.me/app/uploads/2025/09/Materials-Market-Report-2025.pdf 📚 ICAC Cotton Data Book 2025 (paywalled): https://icac.org/publications/databook Find us on: 💚 Website: https://www.shoplikeyougiveadamn.com 💚 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shoplikeyougiveadamn/ 💚 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@shoplikeyougiveadamn Chapters 00:00 Welcome & introduction 01:43 – Cotton facts vs. myths 04:49 – What makes organic cotton better? 07:37 – Why switching to organic cotton is difficult for farmers 11:38 – Community-based cotton: more complex, but bigger impact 21:07 – Where fashion certifications fall short 26:31 – Traceability & rebuilding trust in supply chains 32:07 – Regenerative cotton, explained 39:25 – DAWN Denim’s approach to regenerative cotton farming 45:26 – Final reflections & key takeaways

#5 GOTS & Cradle-to-Cradle: What does circular fashion really look like? I Interview with MELA

What does truly circular fashion look like? And how do GOTS certification and Cradle-to-Cradle principles make it possible? In this in-depth conversation, Larissa Wood, Sustainable Supply Chain Manager at MELA, explains what sets GOTS-certified cotton apart and how MELA is pushing the boundaries of circular fashion and innovation. In this episode, you’ll find out: ★ What strict criteria GOTS certification imposes, and why it matters for your skin too ★ Why MELA produces in India instead of Europe ★ How MELA designs for circularity and recyclability ★ What innovations MELA introduced to avoid virgin polyester in its collections ★ What the limitations of recycled cotton are ★ How MELA keeps sustainable fashion affordable without cutting corners ★ Which cotton greenwashing claims to watch out for 👖Discover MELA and its collection: https://www.shoplikeyougiveadamn.com/sellers/mela/v-307 Larissa’s favorite organic cotton products: ⭐ Rib Knit Cardigan Bhuma Cream Melange: https://www.shoplikeyougiveadamn.com/rib-knit-cardigan-bhuma-cream-melange/p-96189 ⭐ Socks 10x Cream Melange: https://www.shoplikeyougiveadamn.com/socks-10x-cream-melange/p-110030 ⭐ Bed Linen Set Majuli Natural White: https://www.shoplikeyougiveadamn.com/bed-linen-set-majuli-natural-white/p-97210 Find us on: 💚 Website: https://www.shoplikeyougiveadamn.com 💚 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shoplikeyougiveadamn/ 💚 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@shoplikeyougiveadamn Chapters 00:00 Welcome & introduction 00:48 – What makes GOTS certification special & strict 03:35 – Chemicals in organic textiles 06:04 – Why Mela produces in India 08:01 – Cradle-to-cradle & circular fashion, explained 09:16 – Mela’s innovations to replace virgin polyester 11:24 – Mela’s textile recycling program 14:28 – Recycled cotton’s limitations 17:35 – Can sustainable fashion be affordable? 20:33 – Mela’s favorite organic cotton products 25:42 – Sustainability myths & greenwashing around cotton

#4 Circular denim: Everything you need to know about recycling jeans | Interview with MUD Jeans

Can jeans, one of fashion’s most polluting items, be made entirely from recycled denim? In this in-depth conversation, we sit down with Bert van Son, founder of MUD Jeans, to explore the innovations and challenges of sustainable, circular denim. With over 40 years of experience in the fashion industry, Bert walks us through denim production, from turning old denim into new jeans to (non-)toxic indigo dyes and ozone denim washing. In this episode, you’ll find out: ★ Why recycling post-consumer cotton waste (old jeans) is far harder than recycling pre-consumer waste (production leftovers) ★ The difference between mechanical and chemical cotton recycling ★ Why stretchy jeans are a disaster for the circular denim economy ★ How MUD Jeans achieves up to 55% post-consumer recycled content in their jeans ★ Whether it’s possible to make jeans 100% from recycled old denim ★ Why MUD Jeans cannot be cradle-to-cradle certified despite making the most circular jeans in the world 👖Discover MUD Jeans and their collection: https://www.shoplikeyougiveadamn.com/sellers/mud-jeans/v-202 Bert’s favorite recycled denim jeans: ⭐ Jeans Wyde Sara Flow Stone Vintage: https://www.shoplikeyougiveadamn.com/jeans-wyde-sara-flow-stone-vintage/p-81042 ⭐ Jeans Mid Straight Bryce Strong Blue: https://www.shoplikeyougiveadamn.com/jeans-mid-straight-bryce-strong-blue/p-95580 ⭐ Jeans Mid Loose June Rinse Blue: https://www.shoplikeyougiveadamn.com/jeans-mid-loose-june-rinse-blue/p-110664 Find us on: 💚 Website: https://www.shoplikeyougiveadamn.com 💚 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shoplikeyougiveadamn/ 💚 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@shoplikeyougiveadamn Chapters 00:00 Welcome & introduction 01:02 Organic & recycled cotton 02:21 Why recycling old jeans is so difficult 04:54 What sets MUD Jeans apart from other brands 06:38 Why pre-consumer recycling isn’t enough 08:38 Bert’s favorite recycled denim products 15:49 Traceability of MUD Jeans’ cotton 19:10 Further reducing the environmental impact of MUD Jeans 21:25 Final thoughts