Circularity in Food & Fashion

Summary of our August Circular Salon

***This post only: Your comment gets you our paid content through Climate Week NYC, on us! Trust us, we have exciting news to share and opinions we think you’ll appreciate***

Have you ever considered how the clothes you wear and the food you eat are more connected than you think?

While most of us separate our closets from our kitchens, the principles driving circular fashion and circular food systems share surprising similarities. What if the way we think about circularity in fashion could reshape our approach to food—and vice versa?

Earlier this month, a handful of New Yorkers (many new to Reclypt) joined our Circular Salon. Circular Salon: an evening to discuss the importance of systemic change, innovation, and collaboration at the grassroots level in the circular economy with like minded and passionate individuals. Topics included: Is organic a scam?, Clotheshorse Jamboree, rice cooker recipes, & a breakdown of NYC community compost’s second location (where does it go when you drop it in those bins - more on this below)!

Since we were meetings at our favorite zero waste coffee shop in Brooklyn, IXV Coffee, it was only fitting to discuss circularity in fashion and food.

Of course, I’m biased, but I LOVE the diversity of perspectives that join Reclypt events. It enriches the discussion beyond what I could plan for or design. This is the beauty of these meet-ups. I won’t bore you, yet, with how underwhelmed I am with the sustainability/circularity conversation that hasn’t changed since I started Reclypt 4 years ago. These meet-ups are where the real conversation and action are happening.

I can’t be the only one rolling their eyes at the corporate bullshit that’s about to happen during Climate Week NYC, right?

Ok, I’m reeling myself back in before so you can get a glimpse of what our Circular Salons are like.

August Circular Salon: Circularity in Fashion & Food

As mentioned, we met at IXV Coffee (also where Reclypt had it launch party in 2021!) on a warm August evening. Reclypt brought cookies from a To Good To Go trip and IXV served homemade ginger hibiscus tea (it’s better than you’re imagining).

Overview

Circularity is gaining traction in both fashion and food industries as the proactive alternative to whatever “sustainable” means.

• This system challenges our current linear models of production and consumption (make, take, and waste).

• Our discussion highlighted how both industries are addressing waste, resource efficiency, and the need for systemic change.

• Most importantly, inequality to awareness and access to sustainable options must be a priority!

Food for thought (pun intended)

• Are plastic containers the cigarette of today?

  • 🤯

• Is organic a scam?

  • No, pesticides are PFAs, aka plastic in our diet.

    • This may help: Clean 15 & Dirty Dozen

• Similarly - turns out there ARE farmer’s market police that enforce farmers market guidelines too!

• It’s frustrating trying to eat healthy & avoid harmful stuff.

  • I feel this one!

• Rice Cooker Recipes

  • Throw veggies and eggs in with your rice!

    • PLEASE comment if you have done this or tried?! I need to know

• Cyanotype on your clothes is cool!

• Why do we make so much food? So much fashion?

  • Food: Institutions/restaurants/etc. having this notion/feeling that they CANNOT run out or ppl will get made

    • Thoughts?

  • People/consumers need to get comfortable with limits!

• Scaling isn’t sustainable

• The Goodwill Bins MUST be a social experiment, right?

• As fashion gets worse/cheaper, how does that impact circularity?

  • Thrift stores are not like they used to be.

    • For so. many. reasons.

  • TLDR: it limits the garments lifecycle; which is why designing for circualritty is so important!

Of course… NYC Community Composting defunded.

• What are all of these bins, systems? We gotchu!