GTN 0:06

Hi, I'm Glynis Traill-Nash, and welcome to In Fashion. In all my years as a fashion journalist, one of the most inspiring people I've ever met is Andie Halas. Today, everybody knows how much waste is produced by the fashion industry. But unlike most people, Andy came up with a solution that not only helps with the waste, but also helps people in need in the process. That solution was not-for-profit organization Thread Together, which is now in its 11th year. As you'll hear the stories of those people are at the heart of Thread Together and what drives Andy and the team. I hope you enjoy this episode of In Fashion. Andie, thank you so much for joining us today on In Fashion.

Andie 0:55

Thank you. Thanks for having me.

GTN 0:57

Look, it's been such an incredible journey. That thread together has had over 11 years pretty much, isn't it?

Andie 1:02

Yep. And you were there from the beginning. You were the first one to actually interview me and try and give thread together some profile when it had none.

GTN 1:14

Well, it's, it's an extraordinary initiative that you came up with. Can you tell us, for the uninitiated what exactly it is that you guys do?

Andie 1:21

Hmm. It's a very simple concept, and I'm sure people go, oh, that's really simple. We work with, yeah, we work with the fashion industry and at the end of the season there's always excess stock, you know, things that haven't been sold through, and any fashion company that tells you they don't have excess stock, It may not be telling the truth, but with that excess stock, we decided, well, rather than putting it into landfill, what else could we do with it? So we distribute it through a number of charities around the country. So instead of these beautiful new clothes going straight from factory to landfill, they're going onto the backs of people who really need them. So it was a simple concept. Lots of

GTN 2:03

logistics, lots of, and I imagine that was one of the early challenges. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. And what was the, um, the initial spark for you that started this off?

Andie 2:14

I'd been on a trip to China because I was working in the fashion industry and everything was being manufactured overseas and I was just really overwhelmed with the amount of things that was being produced, and that did make me feel uncomfortable. When I returned to Australia, it was probably six months later that we had some towels that had a small production problem and we didn't know what to do with them. And so I literally drove around the corner to the Asylum Seeker Center and said, look, would these be of any use to you? And they were thrilled. But it was at that moment when I was in that organization and I could see that there were lawyers in there helping people with legal matters and doctors, and there was food being donated. But all there was was an old box with old clothes, old shoes, old bras, and donated by well-meaning people. And there was just a young girl looking for something and she was holding tight to her violin. And I'm not sure what her backstory was, but she couldn't find anything. And I just thought, oh, we can do better than this. Because I know so many people in the industry that have warehouse with boxes hidden in the corner with, with stock that they don't know what to do with. But it's perfectly new. It's brand new. So probably two weeks later we returned, um, with the bags in the back of my S U V and we unpacked them and we presented them beautifully, and I just realized that element of dignity and having choice to choose what you wanted and the fact that the clothes were new and they'd never been worn before it, it was just a really respectful way of giving these people who had likely escaped trauma just the opportunity to feel dignified.

GTN 4:05

Yeah, it's incredible. Well, I mean, so what were those early years like? I mean, like you're really having to work out, as you say, the logistics and where to put things and how to connect people.

Andie 4:16

Mm-hmm. Look, the first years were quite bumpy about how to make this happen and, and was, was this really gonna happen? And you know, particularly when young people ask me, oh, how did you start this? And how did you make it? You know? And I always say the truth is I was very lucky in that I had Seafolly, which was the family business behind me. So there was a warehouse there. And even though I could shove all the excess stock up on the top level and beg the warehouse manager to bring it down for me. Um, I did have that support and I didn't have that cost. And the staff that at Seafolly were amazing, but it was very much family and friends sorting through things and getting on the phone, ringing the Smith family and very much trial and error and, and probably the big turning point was when we got a shipping container at the back of a charity and um, I was able to get the shop fitters to fit it out and we called it The Change Room. Mm-hmm. And it serviced local charities and that was a great success and, and also learning. And you know, then suddenly I go, oh, we need more menswear. Okay, well who do I know in men's wear? Or We need more bras and underpants, you know? Okay. Get on the phone to Bonds And the response from the industry was fantastic. They wanted to be part of the story.

GTN 5:42

And I think what is interesting is that you, I guess you recognized early on that you can't be the ones having to find the people you need to get the people brought to you in a sense. So working with charities to triage, I think you always say.

Andie 5:55

Yeah, no. Well, I think that was really important because Social work is a real skill. We're not social workers. I wanted to help provide people with dignity and support people when they were going through really difficult times. But I wanted to work with the agencies. That was really important to me. I didn't wanna say the wrong thing, you know? And even today, you know, when people go, oh, we wanna volunteer in one of your hubs. Cause we wanna work with the people and we wanna feel it and touch it. I mean, these are people with, with real issues and, and big issues. And it's not something anyone can, no it's not. Yeah, it's not. And uh, it's a very delicate sort of situation. That's still today how, how we work is we work with the agencies. So they bring in their clients, the case worker brings in their clients and we all help dress them. But we don't help solve all their, their issues that they're currently confronting I just realized very early on, you know, drug addiction, alcohol addiction, domestic violence, you know, these are big areas. and I don't feel equipped to, to know how to deal with that. Yeah. And I specialized, yeah, it's super specialized.

GTN 7:16

So tell me a little bit about the hubs that you have, because I think you've got how many?

Andie 7:20

We've got nine clothing hubs around the country. Yeah.

GTN 7:23

Pretty much all around the place. They're kind of like a shop, right?

Andie 7:26

Yeah, they are like a shop. they are fitted out beautifully. We use shop fitters to help us do it, and it's merchandised beautifully. And then, Case workers, you make an appointment and we have some volunteers who will come and help you and they bring in their clients. It's very quiet, it's very relaxed, and they get to choose what they need. Yeah. So sometimes we get a couple of families in with young children, um, and just women sometimes we get young kids in youth at risk.

GTN 7:59

And, um, how many pieces of clothing would a person be able to take away with them.

Andie 8:04

Look, it varies. You know, it's really what they, what they need. So you could say a wardrobe is, you know, six items. But really sometimes people walk out with 15 and sometimes they'll walk out with three. Yeah. And it just, yeah. Depends.

GTN 8:21

And then you've also got the mobile vans. Yeah. Tell me about these, cuz these, this is a really interesting little idea.

Andie 8:26

Mm-hmm. So I think we realized with the hubs, and it was a very early vision that we had because there were certain areas in Australia that you can't really get access to. We have a lot of services in the city, like when you think of food shelters and. There's a lot of focus in the city, but there's a lot of need and there's a lot of poverty and disadvantaged and outside. And so we wanted a way to be able to go there. So the mobile vans allow us to do that and go into communities. So before we go there, we'll find out exactly what that community needs. Is it summer? Is it winter? Is it young children? Older people? So during the floods and during the fires, we literally fill up the, and we, we've got a fleet of vans now, and then like Lismore or Maruya, we can go in there straight away with bras, underpants, all the necessities, the sleepwear, and, and help people that have lost everything. And it's all brand new.

GTN 9:26

Because that was never part of your, your original plan, was it? To like fires and floods?

Andie 9:32

No. Well we didn't really have, that wasn't really going on. I mean, we did have some fires, but you know, It was the, the last couple of years definitely. Yeah. Has, um, been a lot of need.

GTN 9:45

And so how do you factor that sort of, I mean, Because you would, obviously it's,

Andie 9:51

it's factored into our planning. It is factored into our planning where we, it sounds really pessimistic, doesn't it? But we factor in a, a few natural disasters while we're planning a year, five year plan.

GTN 10:07

And I mean, can you tell me how many people you've managed to help so far?

Andie 10:14

It's approximately 750,000. So it is a lot of people, but it's, it's an incredible, but it, it really, the numbers, they do mean something to me, but it is actually more about the people and it's more about the stories to me and the difference and, you know, As we are just over 10 years old. You know, I was looking through old photos and, and I can't help but wonder like that first young girl you know, where is she now? Or the first woman we ever helped who was victim of domestic horrific domestic violence. I do know bits and pieces. I actually know she's now practicing nurse in aboriginal healthcare

GTN 10:56

I remember you telling me ages ago, it was just a terrible, she had a number of kids?

Andie 11:00

Yeah. Five, six kids. And, um, some with disabilities and, and literally had to just, and, and physically very broken. She really, And, and mentally. And, but with all the support around her and with her strength, I mean, she's an incredible woman. She's managed to rebuild her life. She's extraordinary. You know, went to TAFE, went and just kept going, kept going. Amazing. Mm-hmm.

GTN 11:26

And who, what are some of the other stories like, cuz you have, I mean, the sort of people you help, it, it's such a broad cross section, isn't it?

Andie 11:33

Oh yeah, it's like, it's men, it's women, it's children, it's new arrivals, it's people transitioning, people leaving jail. I mean, that was one, there was, I was in the warehouse and this man came in and, um, I thought he was a volunteer. He was a volunteer and we had our volunteers and they were busy. And then I was leaving the warehouse and I said, oh, you know, thank you for coming and helping out. And he said, oh, are you Andie? And I said, yes. He said, well, I, I tried to find your number, but we don't have a phone number because we just get too many calls. And he said, but I just left jail after 10 years and I was given this little bag with nothing in it. And I left with the suit that I'd been to court in 10 years beforehand. And it was just swimming on me because I'd lost so much weight. And he said, look, I did something bad and, and I, I did my time. And he said, but walking out those gates was so daunting. But when he arrived At his, uh, temporary housing, there was a box for him and it was filled with underpants and jeans all in his size because they knew his sizing. And so we'd put together this box and just saying, you know, wishing you all the luck on your next chapter. And he just said it meant so much to him just to know that someone cared and that he could just get out of this suit and put some normal clothes on and, and go to the shops and get a phone cuz he didn't have a phone. You know, he, when he went into jail, there weren't the phones that we have now. So, um, and he comes in every fortnight and he still volunteers. Wow. Yeah. And I'm talking, this was a year and a half ago. Those stories. And there's just so, so many of them. So I think it is about the clothing, but it's also about the human connection. It's about a lot of people that are at a time when they're really vulnerable, that just saying, you know what? Someone cares for you. It'll be okay. It'll, yeah. We, we are here to support you. Yeah. Um,

GTN 13:46

Yeah. Which is the most extraordinary work. I think it's, it's fashion at its most powerful, I think, you know, at its most fundamental.

Andie 13:54

Mm-hmm. And I think it's also important to remember like when, you know, we talk about the homeless or we talk about victims of domestic violence and we sort of put them in these categories of people, which in a sense, distance ourselves from who they really are. That they're just people and they have the same expectations that we do. They've got the same, like they're no different. Their children are their priority, you know, health, all those things. They're just no different. When you put people in a category, somehow...

GTN 14:31

...it sort of strips them of that individuality? Yeah. Yeah. Yes. And so this is one way for them to be able to reclaim that for themselves.

Andie 14:41

And you do see the transition, uh, I think it was for International Women's Day and, um, We chose not to have any big lunches or anything, but we did run a, a day with a very small charity, who were housing, you know, six women who experienced domestic violence. And we had a small day for them where they came in and we actually had some stylists from some big fashion brands that attended the day as well. And we actually offered to do their hair and their makeup and, and whatever. It was a really special day, and when everyone was there and I was just welcoming everyone, I felt really uncomfortable. I thought, oh, this is gonna be a disaster. They feel so awkward, and I feel awkward, and oh, and by the end of it, we were all laughing. They were doing fashion parades, they were smiling It was just joyous and it was just about women coming together just like,

GTN 15:39

let's do this,

Andie 15:40

let's do this. Let's have some fun with this.

GTN 15:42

I remember you, you mentioned the new arrivals and you've um, got a lot of refugee clients. I mean, can you tell me a little bit about their needs cause you've got them from Afghanistan, from Ukraine, yep.

Andie 15:51

Very different. So, I mean, that's the whole thing. It's like we, we want to ensure that we can, they can choose what they want. So when the people arrive from Afghanistan, uh, they required lots of scarves and stockings and longer skirts. And so we, we literally ran out of them. And so we had to go and see whether we could find some more. Where the people from Ukraine there seemed to be a lot of, or the ones that we encountered, like more professionals, um, who had fled the country, and so they required more tailored clothes. Um, they like to dress sort of in, in suits even during the day. And I mean, even that was an incredible story. We got a phone call and, uh, a lot of the new arrivals being housed in an apartment block and, um, She was actually a judge and she'd arrived in Australia and she had no clothes and like nothing. And, but she was very particular about you because she wanted to just, she'd lost everything. Yeah. And So the one thing that she could have is to dress how she felt comfortable with, you know, who she was. Yeah. Who she wants to be. Who she is.

GTN 17:11

Exactly. Tell me, there was a great story last year that you helped a bunch of, um, school students with their school formal.

Andie 17:21

In Lismore.

GTN 17:22

After the floods?

Andie 17:22

Yeah, after the floods. So, uh, I mean, Lismore was something else. I mean, it was a war zone. It was really a war zone. Um, I certainly, and you know, the fires would. Different because everything just sort of got burnt to the ground. The floods, it was just furniture on the road and cows walking it, it felt like a third world country. And it was also, for whatever reason, there wasn't that much assistance. I, I still don't, I think there is now, but in the very early days it was, it was pretty light on and, um, The school had kind of gone, but they're rebuilding a school and they were having a formal, uh, but again, they didn't have anything. So we had a really special event where, um, a group of thread together, people flew up and, but we learned a lot, actually. We learned a lot because we, we did it in conjunction with a women's retailer. and we made assumptions. You can never make assumptions. And we made assumptions that there were girls and there were boys, and so we'd need this many dresses and this many suits, and we'd have enough for them to choose from. But when we arrived, we actually realized there were a lot of, theys and, and a lot of girls that wanted to wear suits and, and boys that wanted to wear dresses, so we, we got that wrong a bit. But that's the whole thing is learning thing. Just keep learning and just don't make any assumptions. Yeah. Just do not.

GTN 19:00

Did they have a great ball?

Andie 19:02

They had a ball.

GTN 19:04

So good. So, so good. Now your, your latest initiative, the Wardrobe Project is a very specific Yes initiative. Can you tell me a little bit about this?

Andie 19:15

Yes. So, um, you know, we've got also an online capability. So we have the hubs, which is like the shops that people make an appointment. They come in, we have the wardrobes that go out into. The vans. Yep. The vans, they just go out into their areas, into different communities and use a first response. And then we have some permanent wardrobes in very large charities. And an online service. And during Covid, that was so important. Then we realize, cuz we keep on learning and we keep on growing, there was a gap. So for the women's shelters, when families arrive, they often arrive in the middle of the night or the early morning, and it's all very traumatic. And they often arrive with nothing. By the time they order from us, even though we can turn it around in 24 hours, we still wanted to do better than that. So we came up with this wardrobe idea. So it's the basics. It's the bras, the underpants, the sleepwear. And you can have different sizes of the wardrobe. So it's like a modular system. So if you're a big shelter, you can have a big one. If you're a small one, you can have a small one. And that has been brilliant. And we've got some kids wear in there as well. Uh, so it just means when they arrive, at least they get some fresh underwear, they get some sleepwear, they have some tracksuits to put on the next morning. And that, I'm very, very proud of that one. Yeah. And that was an initiative that came, that was not my idea. That came from people that are working in the organization and I think it's fantastic.

GTN 20:57

Yeah. And how, how many will be around the country?

Andie 21:00

A hundred. Wow. Yeah, I think we're up to about 40. I think there's 60 more to be installed. Yeah.

GTN 21:08

Wow.

Andie 21:09

Yeah. And then they can then go online, like if they can't get into a hub or then they can go online and then they can order specifically what they need. So it may be shoes for their child so that their child can go to school and resume a, you know, a new normal life.

GTN 21:25

Because it's every, it's, it's people at every level, isn't it? Mm-hmm. Like it's kids, it's teenagers, it's adults, it's...

Andie 21:33

yep. Even yesterday I was at a hub in Central Station, and this young man just came in and he his gorgeous, but all his clothes, he's staying in a hostel and all his clothes were stolen from the hostel. And he needs to go to court cuz he's got himself in a mess and he came in with his case worker and he just, Said, you know, I just feel a million bucks and maybe this will get me off and I just wanna start again. Like,

GTN 22:04

yeah, it gives people hope.

Andie 22:07

Yeah, definitely. Yeah, that's what I'm saying. So more. Than, I mean, look for some it is about, we need clothes because we found ourself with nothing and we wanna stay warm. Or you know, we've arrived in the country and it's really hot here and we need a pair of shorts. So there are those practical elements that we're able to provide. It's just a absolute bonus that they're new and that that feels so much better to put on something new when you're going through such a tough time. But the other thing that I think the clothes do is tell people you're not forgotten. Here you go. And that element of hope. Yeah. And connection and dignity as you always said. And dignity. Yeah. Yeah. It's just a bit of a no-brainer.

GTN 22:56

Is anyone else doing this anywhere else that you know of? Not, not that we know of. We have been approached from the US to launch it there with some fashion brands. I probably didn't cover that we've got a thousand fashion brands in Australia. Yeah, so we really backed in Australia and we have been approached by a number of brands in the US and charities to open it up there, but I just dunno if we could make it work because there's so many logistics and, and we've just got so much support in Australia. I don't know. Who knows? Yeah. It is amazing though that No, it's one of those ideas that you think, how has this not been done before? You know? And it just takes someone like yourself that sees the problem and says, well, we've gotta do this. We've gotta have the drive to see it through.

Andie 23:45

Thank you. I don't know. I don't know if it, it wasn't such a clever idea. It's just, Somehow lucky enough to just make it happen and Yeah. And do some good. Yeah. And

GTN 23:55

in terms of what you thought you would be doing when you first started compared to what you are doing now, how do

Andie 24:00

they differ So different? I mean really when you think it was one charity, one fashion brand, literally one family that we just started with and um, and now it's incredible, but it's so many people that have come together to, to make it what it is. You know, from the support we get from the fashion industry who really wanna do the right thing, who have like a really tough job at the moment. You know, how do they work out new ways of being commercial and sustainable? Like, how are they gonna survive this change? And that change is gonna take quite a while. And so in the meantime, at least, so I feel the industry has been incredible and really want to support and really wanna do the right thing. So they've been amazing. Then we've got the volun. I mean, we've had 35,000 hours of vol just last year. I mean, that's incredible. Well, we couldn't do it. We couldn't sort through. We couldn't pay people to sort through all the product that we get. So then you've got the volunteer part of it. Then you've got, you know, the corporate partners that we've had that are willing to, and not just put their money, but actually provide us with help. You know, like helping us with how to work the warehouse, how to help us with social media, with marketing. Like they don't just offer the money, they get involved and that's key.

GTN 25:33

So they're invested in it as much. Like personally.

Andie 25:37

They are. They come in, they volunteer in terms of just packing or we get expert professional advice about how to run the business because it has to be run like a business. It's a not-for-profit. Yeah. But that doesn't mean the thought process. You don't have to run it like a business.

GTN 25:55

Because the really lean team that you've got, isn't it?

Andie 25:57

Yeah, yeah. We have six people working full-time in there, which is not a lot considering the amount, but we use a lot of, a lot of things. I don't know. Our current CEO is a tech genius and I don't know, everything's Trello and Slack and you know, everything's automated, so, so it does cut the cost down a lot. Yeah.

GTN 26:21

And the brands are very involved as well, aren't they?

Andie 26:23

The brands are also involved. They, they come and they volunteer and they, you know, raise extra money for us. Or they'll have days where they ask their consumers to, you know, round off the dollar and so they're hugely involved.

GTN 26:40

And what about the scale of it? could you have imagined the scale of it when you first

Andie 26:44

started? No, because I couldn't have imagined the scale of. How much excess stock. Like I knew there was, I knew there was excess, but I didn't realize how much, and I didn't realize how many people really are doing it tough in, in, in so many areas. so no, I didn't realize the scale on, on either end. So at the moment we're helping two and a half thousand. People a week. So whether it's through, they're coming through the hubs or we're packing online orders for them So it is a lot of, it's a lot of people. It's a lot of clothes.

GTN 27:27

How many clothes do you think?

Andie 27:28

We Received last year, 2022, received 1.4 million units and we distributed 1.2 million units, which is, you can see why it's logistical. It is huge. Hugely logistical. Yeah, The sorting, the packing, the distributing. It's a lot of people that hopefully we've had some impact on. Yeah.

GTN 27:51

And what, what happens next? I mean, I know that you, you're also trying to sort out a solution for the excess of the excess.

Andie 27:58

That's right. Yeah. But we could, the excess of the excess so it gets harder and harder basically. So yeah, we, what we've found is some. Of, you know, we work, it's a huge demographic. Yeah. And it's a huge clientele, but there are some areas where the people that we are working with, they just don't need that. You know, like suits. Yes, there are people that are going to court or people that are looking for a job. They may want some suits, but we have more than we can actually distribute. So we've kind of inherited the problem, which I don't mind cuz gimme a problem and I'm gonna work it out. Apparently. Work it out. I dunno. Well, we'll do my best, although I'm finding this one rather challenging. Um, cause suits are really hard. So, you know, I was kind of excited at the beginning cuz I thought, oh, what amazing opportunity. Um, and the other area that we find we've got an excess with is, uh, activewear, which surprises me frankly. But Yeah, I know. Well I suppose we produce a lot. We do. Yeah. Yeah, I know. If you walk around, we wear a lot. Sydney wear a lot. Sydney, seven o'clock in the morning. That's all you see. Oh. Um, so at first I was quite, Excited. Well, right. Well, let's see what we can do with this. And there's gotta be, there's gonna be a machine and we can put in the machine and outcome will come, this new fabric and how wonderful is this? And circular. And we can sell this fabric and it will help, you know, it can be run by long-term, unemployed and oh, had it all sorted until I didn't, because I learned how complicated it is. Um, it's so, so very complicated. Recycling fabrics is so, yeah. hard, and I really hope there's more investment made into it because it will be possible. I mean, if we can fly to the moon and we can have chat. G p t I mean,

GTN 29:55

surely yeah, we can work out how to recycle fabric. We can work this out because it's very specific at the moment. It has to be like purely cotton. All this, it's like the mixed fabrics are really hard, I think, isn't it? Yeah.

Andie 30:06

So we are doing a cotton project in conjunction with Cotton Australia and um, so we are trying to dabble in, in certain areas. I don't understand the technicalities of it, but the cotton is good for the soil that helps regenerate. It's too complicated, but they know what they're doing. Um, so we provided the cotton shirt, so we took all the buttons off and then we sent them over thousands of, of shirts, which, and that's the other thing, the stock feeded, the amount of stock feeded that you need to actually make something new. And then you wanna make sure if you're gonna make something new, it's something that you really, we really need. I kind of, I don't really feel like making more stuff for the sake of stuff when there's so much stuff already. Um, but the first thing is, can we actually break it down? And we've researched quite a lot and we are working with different companies And there are some good companies doing some really good work, but it's just not, I mean, particularly with suits, you know, you've got the pads, the shoulders. Yeah. And then stiffening the glue that they use so how you break that all down? I'm not quite, Sure. But we, we haven't given up and we're still gonna get there. And I, I think it will happen. And I think the investment, I hope sometimes I think, you know, like fashion, because of the word fashion, it's not taken seriously enough.

GTN 31:36

It's been a problem. For years. Yeah. Yeah. Government never took it seriously. Huge. Until, but it's huge recently. It's a huge, yeah. Well

Andie 31:44

it's a huge industry. Mm-hmm. It's a huge, economically, it's a huge industry in terms of the number of people it employs, the number of women it employs. Mm-hmm. And then also the impact that it has on the environment is also massive. Yeah. So it really does need to be taken seriously. It does.

GTN 32:02

And uh, especially that end of life stage of clothing I know there's the Australian Fashion Council are doing a lot of work around that at the moment, as you would be aware. And it's, it's about time government took this stuff seriously.

Andie 32:15

They're, I mean, they're doing some incredible work, the Australian Fashion Council, but it's going it's gonna take some time. I'd love, love to see it speed up a little bit maybe. Um, but meanwhile, what I have learned is the best thing you can do is if something has been made, keep it on the planet. And keeping it, its original form. Because you're not using the water and the energy to make something new out of it. Um, but look, I'm certainly no expert in this area, but I have read a lot and learned a lot. So I know that what we are doing is actually the best thing we could be doing at the moment, which is it's not going to landfill. No. And putting it on the backs of people that really need it. Yeah. So it is a bit of a double tick tick.

GTN 33:00

Yeah, absolutely. It's look, it's extraordinary. Andie, I remember once that you said that you wish, your hope is that you don't exist. Exist.

Andie 33:09

Mm-hmm. Yeah. That is the hope that we don't exist, but we're not there yet. And there's so many things like I think fashion. Will always be around, you know, and, and it's just, it's,

GTN 33:23

it does bring joy.

Andie 33:25

Well, it's more, it's just innate. I think, you know, we've been adorning ourselves forever and ever in whatever form. It's kind of tribal, even it's artistic, it's creative, So the industry is really, A very important one. I suppose. I just hope we can produce enough, but not too much. I mean, we certainly know we are definitely producing too much and, and we know that fast fashion is just, it's just not necessary. I mean, I, I actually think it was developed originally. Well meaning. Mm-hmm. And uninformed. Yeah. You know, we didn't know what we know now. Yeah. And it was actually kind of democratic. Exactly. You could dress like a Hollywood superstar or you know, you had access to those things. It's only now it's just got out of control. Absolutely. I mean, it's just, Out of control. And I think the next generation, they're kind of, they're almost split. I don't know if you agree that they're kind of split in two you, you're very fast fashioned that can't buy enough. Mm-hmm. And then you've got the others that will only buy secondhand Yeah. Vintage and want to know exactly where everything's been made.

GTN 34:44

I'm pleased about that. Yeah. Yeah. Rise that we've seen with that.

Andie 34:47

Oh, there's definitely, mm-hmm. There's definitely, um, and it, and it will be the future I really do believe that. but that's why it's so important that we've gotta work out. We don't want the industry to disappear. So how do we do this in a way...

GTN 35:03

that things are balanced?

Andie 35:05

Yeah, yeah. Yeah. The merchandise planning, I don't know, maybe we should have. Chat, G P T, what they think, how to do it. I don't know my golden talk, but I do think cbt, I'm terrified of it. Are you terrified of it? Yeah, I'm a journalist. I'm terrified of it. Yeah. They actually don't, they say that that's our biggest threat to humanity is ai. Yeah, I believe it. Yeah, I think I do too. So Andie, what, what is it that still drives you every day? For me it's, like even yesterday going into the hub. The Central Station hub and, just realizing the impact that we're having on people. The social stories definitely being a part of the bigger story about doing things better for the environment, for people. You know, it's just a really kind organization to be involved in. I love the people I meet. I love the people I work with. I love that I've got a seat at the table now to do even more. Um, So just really, that sounds so sucky. Doesn't it make a difference? But you do. I know, but it's, it's, um, but yeah, it just gives meaning. It just is purpose.

GTN 36:26

Well, I think what you guys are doing is absolutely extraordinary and thank you for Thank you. Having the vision to do it. Thank you. And thank you for joining us

Andie 36:35

today and thank you for always being there right from the beginning and all the way through, it's just meant so much. I mean, one of the first articles you did for us, you can't imagine, are you getting teary?

GTN 36:48

I'm getting te. I always get teary with you. Oh, really?

Andie 36:51

But it really was, you know, we needed that. We needed people to take us seriously and having you do that for us was an absolute game changer.

GTN 37:01

Oh, my pleasure. Thank you so much. That's so beautiful. Thanks for listening. If you enjoyed this episode, please share with your friends and on social media and subscribe, rate, and review on your podcast platform of choice. You can also get in touch via Instagram at in fashion underscore podcast. Thanks again for listening. Until next time.