By Chrislande Dorcilus / Source: EcoChick

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As someone who may spend hours doing research for graduate school which includes some not-so-fun and even menial tasks like coding manuscripts, I love to take the stress off of those hard working hours by inviting some of my favorite people into the living room of my mind.

Podcasts have become a wonderfully effective way to learn about any topic, and to engage with some of our favorite topics. Podcasts are a great companion to cooking meals, cleaning my apartment, and help spark some of my favorite google search sessions!

So, I was elated to learn that Kestrel Jenkins at AWEARworld started Conscious Chatter: a podcast for those of us totally infatuated with new ways of looking at, and encountering fashion—especially on the ethical and sustainable side.

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Conscious Chatter‘s special focus is the larger fashion story and its production. Kestrel’s expertise and passion are clear in all of her interviews. She brings the stories of those who innovate, design, and produce our clothes in a thoughtful, careful, and beautiful way.

We experience their stories which include their questions and their struggles. One of my favorite stories includes a conversation with Gretchen Jones: project runway winner, ethically conscious super designer, and founder of Neutral Territory.

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I really enjoyed hearing how Gretchen and Kestrel’s dug deep into the fashion industry’s many unanswered questions from a production, design, and intellectual perspective.

The two brilliant women dived into the reasons why technology, fashion, sustainability are a part of the larger social questions like a sound financial future of designers in the maker’s movement.

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We recently interviewed Kestrel about her podcast:

Eco-Chick: What inspired you to start Conscious Chatter?

Kestrel Jenkins: A good friend of mine & the founder of Be Kind Vibes brought it up to me one day. He said, “Kes – what if you started a podcast to be able to dive further into the topics you share on AWEAR World?” I thought about it and initially turned it down in my head thinking I wouldn’t be able to pull it off. Then, it wouldn’t go away. I started researching, reading blogs about podcasting and listening to podcasts about podcasting. For some reason, I felt like this was potentially a great new avenue to reach the mainstream in an open and welcoming discussion about the fashion industry today.

EC: How do you find your guests?

KJ: Multiple ways, but often from previous guests. I always like to ask guests I have on Conscious Chatter who they would recommend, or ideas they see as important to discuss. It’s a great way to learn further from the “insiders”.

EC: How did you learn to podcast?

KJ: I’m still learning. It’s a work-in-progress. I studied international journalism and interned at a public radio station during college. I find myself actually going back to that experience, and reminding myself of simple tricks I learned from my boss back then when I’m editing or framing up the bones of a conversation. When all else fails, I just Google it, and keep asking questions.

Don’t miss out on more Conscious Chatter with Orsola de Castro: the founder of Fashion Revolution Week and we all can get involved, and find out who makes our clothes. It’s free to listen and to download.

Read more @ EcoChick