Season 2, Episode 2: Are We Literally Dying For Fashion? w/ Sustainable Fashion Designer Mahdiyyah Muhammad
Episode Summary:
Public health is fashion. You got that right. In this week’s episode, “She Really Gets It” will be in conversation with regenerative fashion designer and researcher, Mahdiyyah* Muhammad to discuss what our clothing has to do with housing, climate change and that strange rash that appeared after your hospital stay. After this episode, you’ll be flipping tags and contemplating cleaning out your closet.
If you’ve ever wondered wanted a better understanding of sustainability, natural fibers and why you should care then this episode is for you.
*Pronunciation Update: Mah-DEE-yuh and an audio update can be found on our guests LinkedIn page located here.
In this episode, you’ll learn:
How the clothing and textile industry affects the health of Black communities.
The exact process fashion designer Mahdiyyah Muhammad uses to make sustainability a daily practice in her work.
How marginalized communities can demand access to natural fibers and protect their health.
Timestamps:
00:00 Intro
01:01 Meet Mahdiyyah Muhammad: Fabric Alchemist
01:56 The Impact of Synthetic Fibers on Black Communities
04:31 From Fabric Design to Research
09:41 Practical Tips for Sustainable Fashion
12:46 Global Impact of Fast Fashion
22:42 Combating Fast Fashion and Building Sustainable Networks
About Mahdiyyah Muhammad:
Mahdiyyah, the Fabric Alchemist, is an Upcycle Textile Artist, Regenerative Fashion Instructor, and Textile Waste Consultant. Mahdiyyah has been a recipient of the Fibers Fund Fibershed Grant, Slow Factory Garment 2 Garment Grant, a board member of the Black Fiber Textile Network and a winner of the Wear We Are Going Eco-Design Program. She has facilitated her workshop series with Cornell University, Cooper Hewitt Smithsonian Design Museum, Fibershed, GAP Inc, San Jose Museum of Quilts and Textiles, Oko Farms, Good Life Garden, East New York Farms, Harlem Children’s Zone High School, and more. Her work has been featured in Vogue, Forbes, WWD, and on shows like Tamron Hall, Showtime’s The Chi, and FuseTV’s Upcycle Nation.
Links & resources:
Newsletter: https://shereallygetsit.substack.com/
Guest: Mahdiyyah Muhammad
How to support: https://www.mahdiyyah.co/ ; https://www.blackfibernetwork.com/
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