Episode 130: Meet Nicole of Swap Society

This episode is super sized because Amanda is taking next week off!

Nicole Robertson had a career in beauty (and she’s got some wisdom to share), before starting Swap Society in 2017. Swap Society is an online clothing swap that is really redefining how the clothing swap –usually an IRL event–can exist virtually via technology and an alt-currency called SwapCoin.  So you’re kinda getting two episodes in one today! First, we’ll hear about her experiences in the beauty industry, and then we’ll shift into the hows and whys of Swap Society. And Amanda explains why we can't use "there's no ethical consumption under capitalism" as a reason to give up and buy a Keurig!

Find Swap Society on IG: @swapsociety

Interested in trying Swap Society (do it!!)? Get 15% off membership for new members by using promo code CLOTHESHORSE.
(This is not a paid sponsorship).

NEW AUDIO ESSAY SERIES!!!
In honor of Clotheshorse's upcoming TWO YEAR ANNIVERSARY(!), let's share our own sustainability/slow fashion journeys!

• What made you start to care more about sustainability, particularly in regards to things you wear?
• What changes were most difficult? What were the easiest?
• How do you think slow fashion could be more accessible to others?
• And how do you find yourself making changes on a regular basis? Do you have any tips for others?

Okay, but what is an audio essay?

It’s a recording you make--using either your phone or your computer.

You email it to me at [email protected], and I edit and mix it, and add it to an episode. I will not accept written essays for this.  

I recommend that you write it all out, then record it.  It’s okay if you make a mistake while recording, just say that part again and keep talking. I’ll edit it when I put it in the episode!

Record in a quiet room, away from fans/air conditioners.

The deadline for this project is July 1, so you have a few weeks to get this done.  Your recording should be anywhere from 3 minutes to 10 minutes long.

Have questions/comments/cute animal photos? Reach out via email:  [email protected]

Find this episode's transcript (and so much more) at clotheshorsepodcast.com

Want to support Amanda's work on Clotheshorse? Learn more at patreon.com/clotheshorsepodcast

Clotheshorse is brought to you with support from the following sustainable brands:

Cute Little Ruin is an online shop dedicated to providing quality vintage and secondhand clothing, vinyl, and home items in a wide range of styles and price points.  If it’s ethical and legal, we try to find a new home for it!  Vintage style with progressive values.  Find us on Instagram at @CuteLittleRuin.

Thumbprint is Detroit's only fair trade marketplace, located in the historic Eastern Market.  Our small business specializes in products handmade by empowered women in South Africa making a living wage creating things they love like hand painted candles and ceramics! We also carry a curated assortment of  sustainable/natural locally made goods. Thumbprint is a great gift destination for both the special people in your life and for yourself! Browse our online store at thumbprintdetroit.com and find us on instagram @thumbprintdetroit.

Country Feedback is a mom & pop record shop in Tarboro, North Carolina. They specialize in used rock, country, and soul and offer affordable vintage clothing and housewares. Do you have used records you want to sell? Country Feedback wants to buy them! Find us on Instagram @countryfeedbackvintageandvinyl or head downeast and visit our brick and mortar. All are welcome at this inclusive and family-friendly record shop in the country!

Selina Sanders, a social impact brand that specializes in up-cycled clothing, using only reclaimed, vintage or thrifted materials: from tea towels, linens, blankets and quilts.  Sustainably crafted in Los Angeles, each piece is designed to last in one's closet for generations to come.  Maximum Style; Minimal Carbon Footprint

Salt Hats:  purveyors of truly sustainable hats. Hand blocked, sewn and embellished in Detroit, Michigan.

Republica Unicornia Yarns: Hand-Dyed Yarn and notions for the color-obsessed. Made with love and some swearing in fabulous Atlanta, Georgia by Head Yarn Wench Kathleen. Get ready for rainbows with a side of Giving A Damn! Republica Unicornia is all about making your own magic using small-batch, responsibly sourced, hand-dyed yarns and thoughtfully made notions. Slow fashion all the way down and discover the joy of creating your very own beautiful hand knit, crocheted, or woven pieces. Find us on Instagram @republica_unicornia_yarns and at www.republicaunicornia.com.

Gentle Vibes:  We are purveyors of polyester and psychedelic relics! We encourage experimentation and play not only in your wardrobe, but in your home, too. We have thousands of killer vintage pieces ready for their next adventure! 

Picnicwear:  a slow fashion brand, ethically made by hand from vintage and deadstock materials - most notably, vintage towels! Founder, Dani, has worked in the industry as a fashion designer for over 10 years, but started Picnicwear in response to her dissatisfaction with the industry's shortcomings. Picnicwear recently moved to rural North Carolina where all their clothing and accessories are now designed and cut, but the majority of their sewing is done by skilled garment workers in NYC. Their customers take comfort in knowing that all their sewists are paid well above NYC minimum wage. Picnicwear offers minimal waste and maximum authenticity: Future Vintage over future garbage.

Shift Clothing, out of beautiful Astoria, Oregon, with a focus on natural fibers, simple hardworking designs, and putting fat people first.  Discover more at shiftwheeler.com

​High Energy Vintage is a fun and funky vintage shop located in Somerville, MA, just a few minutes away from downtown Boston. They offer a highly curated selection of bright and colorful clothing and accessories from the 1940s-1990s for people of all genders. Husband-and-wife duo Wiley & Jessamy handpick each piece for quality and style, with a focus on pieces that transcend trends and will find a home in yo...