Dear Friend,

"Think of the possibilities for impact when we free ourselves from the grips of consumption. That’s a movement I want to be a part of." - Megan O’Malley, co-founder of Walk Sew Good and a writer on Eco Warrior Princess. This quote resonated with me so deeply when I read this incredible article titled "An Open Letter to the Ethical Fashion Movement". In this article Megan shares that just buying sustainable fashion or even practicing conscious consumerism is not enough. Quite the opposite - ethical fashion is one of the "hottest" trends in fashion. It sounds like an oxymoron to me. Curious to hear your thoughts on this! In my consulting practice, in most cases, I refuse to work with brands who are creating simply another sustainable & ethical fashion brand, unless they are open to brainstorm on daring innovation focused on circularity and create completely new business models and weave activism along with their products. I enjoy working with innovators and tech companies in fashion tech space who are looking to be part of the circular fashion economy, set to completely restructure the way our industry works and actively contribute to a movement.

Megan clearly states in her article: "It’s time to broaden our focus and start acting collectively for change beyond the individual consumer. We must release the fashionable activist within who is yearning for a more fair and equitable world. We must insist that brands and governments take action now and make it known that business as usual is not acceptable. We must connect with and support organisations who are already fighting for social and environmental justice in the fashion industry and have been doing this difficult work for years, before it was considered on trend. The system needs to change and that starts when the ethical fashion movement demands more from those within and without."

So what does participation in ethical fashion look like beyond consumption? Megan shared a solid list of resources to get you started in joining the movements that already exist, check it out here.

Recirculating here: during the very first days of 2019, I wrote this article on how to navigate through the collective shift in consciousness to develop your business, where I unfold the 5 ways to use spiritual wisdom for your fashion company's development. I believe in a few years' time, conscious businesses will become a norm, not a weird and unclear, fancy title that noone fully understands yet.

At Balanced Fashion consulting I focus on helping companies and individuals make conscious decisions for themselves and their companies, connect with their higher purpose and as a result build businesses of the future that are in line with their values and beliefs. It is so satisfying to see individuals' careers align with what they are most excited about at this given moment and see them strive and contribute to the meaningful change in the world. If you're interested in finding out more, email me at nataliya@balancedfashion.com and I'd love to speak with you!

TOP EVENTS:

Quick update re monthly Balanced Fashion events: Some of you know that I live in South-East Asia this winter, so for now I have to postpone our BF events series for until I come back to NYC later this year. Even though hosting events remotely has been quite an interesting experience, I feel much more value in organizing them when I'm physically present at my events as a panel moderator. That's why we are postponing our Fit Tech event untif further notice - we've refunded everyone who bought tickets. Sorry for the inconvenience and please stay tuned for the updates!

Monday, January 14th

7:00 pm #SustainingSustainable: Fund your (ad)Venture by SewEthico

Sustaining your sustainable brand is tough, and sometimes it can feel like it's impossible for you. Join us for an evening with Danielle Josephs, Investment Officer at Closed Loop Partners, to talk about all things VC and Funding! We're going to cover why VC may or may not be right for you, how to find great investors, who you should consider working with (and why!), how to prep for your first few meetings, what to expect when you're making your first pitch deck, and more. PLUS we're going to do a live critique of a designer's pitch deck RIGHT THERE on the spot, so you'll see what's good, what to avoid, and learn how to build an awesome deck of your own. Price: $20 Location: The Arlo NoMad, 11 E 31st St

Tuesday, January 15th

6:00 pm XRC Labs Cohort 7 Launch

Meet the XRC Labs cohort 7 startups focused on retail & consumer innovation. Price: Free Location: Theresa Lang Center, 55 W 13th St, 2nd Fl

Thursday, January 17th

6:00pm From Sustainability to Resiliency

Come join us on January 17th for another fun night of JC Tech where we'll learn about some of the tech behind local sustainability and resiliency efforts, as well as their environmental, social and economic implications. Not sure what both or either of these words even refer to? We have a panel of local rock stars who will be diving into these topics to help you understand exactly what they mean, how they are affecting the world around us, and what YOU can do in your everyday life to be a part of the positive change that this planet needs. Don't miss out on this important night! Price: Free Location: Andco 201 Montgomery Street, Jersey City, NJ

Monday, January 21 - Wednesday, January 23

Texworld USA - Texworld Fashion Designer Mentor Sessions

Winter 2019’s Texworld USA for the East Coast’s largest sourcing event for apparel fabric buyers, research and product development specialist, designers, merchandisers and overseas sourcing professionals. Held bi-annually, Texworld USA provides the opportunity to meet directly with a wide range of manufacturers from Asia, the Middle East, North America and from many other regions from around the globe. See in-demand, affordable apparel fabrics, trims and accessories for every product line – women, men, juniors and children/infant wear. This is a must attend event for professionals in every facet of the industry – ready to be inspired by fabrics, influenced by the latest trends and introduced to a host of reliable, cutting-edge apparel textile companies. Price: Free Location: Javits Convention Center, 655 W 34th St

Tuesday, January 22nd

4:00 - 6 pm Textile Tuesday: Huston Textiles

Once each month, BFDA invites a sustainable textile vendor to come present their materials and processes. Join us for January’s Textile Tuesday with Huston Textiles. Huston Textile Co. began with a fascination for vintage, American-made machinery that soon evolved into a passion for recreating heirloom fabrics. All of their textiles are American-made in California from natural, American-grown raw materials. As the only selvage fabric maker left in the United States, they are proud to take part in the resurgence of vintage-quality fabrics and the revival of American textile production. Price: $10 Location: Brooklyn Fashion + Design Accelerator 630 Flushing Ave, Brooklyn

7:00-10 pm Texworld Fashion Industry Networking Night

Fashion Mingle is the largest nationwide network for fashion industry professionals and we're hosting a free networking night at ROW NYC near Times Square. Mix and mingle with Texworld attendees and return home with even more clients and collaborations! Price: Free Location: Row NYC, 700 8th Avenue

Wednesday, Thursday 23rd

6:00 pm How To Successfully Raise Your Seed Round (From Someone Who's Done It)

With founder/CEOs Lisa Barnett (Little Spoon), Melanie Travis (Andie), Esosa Ighodaro (Cosign). Price: $20 Location: Fenwick & West, 902 Broadway

Friday, January 25th

6:00 - 8 pm Sustain x Brooklyn Art House: Eco-Art Showcase

For one weekend only on Jan. 25-27 you will get to immerse yourself amongst local artists from photography, paintings, and more that centers around our Mother Earth: environmentalism & sustainability. The showcase is free and open to the public. But for one night only on January 25th from 6-10 pm you can experience the showcase first hand while networking with sustainable professionals and experts in their relative fields. Enjoying complimentary drinks/light bites. With a special performance throughout the night. Price: Free Location: 132 Bedford Ave, Brooklyn

Tuesday, January 29th

6:00 pm American Fashion Podcast - New York Fashion Week Pregame Show

With Lauren Sherman (Chief Correspondent, The Business of Fashion) & Gary Wassner (Founder, Interluxe Holdings). Price: $25 Location: The Cutting Room, 44 E 32nd St

Tuesday, February 5th

4:00 - 6 pm TEXTILE TUESDAY: Organic Fabric Presentation with Xoomba

Once each month, BDFA invites a sustainable textile vendor to come present their materials and processes. Join us for November’s Textile Tuesday with Xoomba, a young design company producing organic fabrics in Burkina Faso, West Africa. Xoomba abides by the highest environmental and ethical standards to create sustainable livelihoods in Sub Saharan Africa. This revolutionary line is delivered with an upbeat sense of style at a moderate price. Price: $10 Location: Brooklyn Fashion + Design Accelerator 630 Flushing Ave, Brooklyn

Tuesday, February 12th

7:00 - 10 pm Adalinda Sustainable Fashion Show

A showcase of Designers Committed to Social Progression and Environmental Awareness through Fashion. Price: $20 Location: Garment District, 35 West 38th Street

7:00 - 9pm #SustainingSustainable: Legal Logistics

One of the topics that feels the heaviest and most confusing for designers and entrepreneurs falls into the legal department. Between legal lingo and the potential for getting into a huge amount of legal trouble or being sued, and having to pay fines or throw out extra cash to fix legal mistakes, we end up hiring lawyers for things we don’t necessarily need. Price: $20 Location: Arlo SoHo, 231 Hudson Street

Sunday, February 24th

12:00 pm – 8:00 pm Volunteer: Sustainable Fashion Clothing Swap & DIY Event!

A d.i.y. party that teaches D.I.Y. and mending tutorials, saving unwanted clothing from hitting landfills! Price: Free Location: Project Farmhouse, 76 East 13th Street

COOL FINDS:

Neonyt Trade Fair takes place in Berlin on Jan 15th - 17th, which includes the Fashionsustain and #Fashiontech conferences, showcases, events and parties. I was on it last year in July and it was pretty mindblowing, so if you're in Berlin for the big trade shows this week - do attend this one of the most innovative sustainable & tech conferences! Neonyt brings together a community defined by fashion, a forward-looking approach, an affinity for technology and sustainable awareness. Unified by the desire to drive a process of change in the fashion industry, from which companies as well as people and the environment will profit.

Stay Inspired,

Nataliya Makulova
Founder of Balanced Fashion, Conscious Fashion Tech Consulting Agency

Conscious Fashion Tech News & Events in NYC | 1.14.19 - 2.24.19 | Ethical Fashion: Trend vs Movement

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