March 1, 2025 • 39 mins
Kate Hall from Ethically Kate joins to discuss living an ethical and sustainable life.
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Speaker 1 (00:05):
You're listening to the Weekend Collective podcast from News Talks.
Speaker 2 (00:13):
Jacomo demands start and Empire's.
Speaker 1 (00:37):
Welcome back to the Welcome back to the show. This
is the week in Collective and Beverage. By the way,
fascinating chat actually with our callers as well and some
of the texts coming in, but our interviews with a
mart Mature they're on the on the Fiums publition orders
and also our chat with Jeffrey Miller the around you know,
what's the way back for the Europe Ukraine USA relations
(01:00):
and who's going to be the conduit for that and
how it's how's it going to end? It is? It's complex,
it's a little frightening but also fascinating at the same time,
isn't it. So you can check it out by going
and listen to our podcast and the News Talks at
the website, just look for the Weekend Collective so you
can check that out. But right now, welcome to the
health Hub and so slightly different change of pace. We
(01:20):
have a new guest as well on the health Hub
today and it's in connection with the popularity of ethical
and sustainable lifestyles which has been on steady rise for
years now, and more broadly speaking on the health front,
I guess it's how we eat and the sort of
products that we use. More cynically speaking, you want to
(01:42):
avoid products are actually not safe for you either, regardless
of the environment. But it also there's the potential that
it could be out of reach for people because either
they don't understand what it takes to sort of make
ethical choices around your living, or they can't afford it.
There's a great quote in My Fair Lady, which is
an old West End Broadway musical, where Eliza doolittle father
(02:05):
at the dustman Alfred Doolittle, who's a bit of a
sort of pub philosopher. He gets he basically asks is asked,
don't you have any morals? That's right? He says something
a little bit cheeky, and one of the characters says,
goodness me, man, don't you have any morals? And he
goes morals, God, No, I can't afford them. Actually think
it can be a little bit like that at times. Anyway,
(02:28):
to discuss these issues, Kate Hall is the founder of
Ethically Kate, and she's joining us to discuss how you
can approach your life and your health ethically, and she
joins me, Now, Kate, Hello, Hi Tim, how did you
get involved in? How did you get involved in the
whole ethical thing?
Speaker 3 (02:48):
So it first started when I was thinking about ethical fashion.
So about twenty fifteen, I watched a documentary called The
True Cost. And I wasn't really someone who overshopped at Maul's.
That wasn't a place I love spending time in. But
I hadn't really looked at my clothes came from what
they were made from, and ask questions like that. So
(03:09):
after watching that documentary, I thought, Oh my goodness, you know,
we're all wearing clothes. Where do my clothes come from?
Speaker 4 (03:15):
Where we go?
Speaker 3 (03:16):
Yeah, all those types of things, and I think you
kind of can't really ask that question about your clothes
without then asking, okay, what about my food? What about
O water? And it just kind of snowballed from there.
Speaker 4 (03:27):
Really.
Speaker 1 (03:28):
Yeah, actually, the fashion thing, I mean, it's it's sort
of that we have an overlap with health and then
we get outside the health sort of aspect. But I
remember when I saw the headline around or you know,
the first news stories about the problems I think it
was to do with it came from probably somebody pointing
out that the red there's this sort of red carpet
hypocrisy where everyone gets up in these amazing gowns and
(03:48):
things and talk. But at one stage they'll be talking about,
you know, how to treat the planet ethically and stuff.
And then yet the fashion industry itself is responsible for
actually huge amount of wastage and landfill and all sorts
of things, isn't it.
Speaker 3 (04:01):
Oh? Absolutely, I mean we're also it's something I meant
similar to the food industry. We are all part of it,
you know, whether we care about what we're wearing or not.
We wear clothes at some point in our day, and
it's you know, it's we're talking about the social impacts,
you know, the people who make it. I think that
is a health concern when you think about the you know,
(04:24):
they say that you can tell what trend, what colors
are on trend, when you look at the color of
river Weys in certain parts of the world, which is
pretty devastating, and think about, yeah, the fumes from all
the toxic chemicals. A lot of our clothes are made
from plastic polyester these days. And then there's you know, yeah,
there's a there's a human there's social, there's environmental parts
(04:47):
to it, and honestly, I feel like even when you
know watching that documentary, the true cost and reading and
learning so much since sometimes you know that's the stuff
we know about it too, but there's so much that's
just not transparent and not traceable, and so I hate
to think of the actual devastations and impact that you
know just aren't recorded and what that's going to do
(05:08):
to us long term.
Speaker 1 (05:09):
Did you start so? You? I gather you so you
sort of started from the etheric point of view looking
at clothes and the fashion industry. How far did you?
I mean, because obviously we're a company like ethically, Kate,
you must have some guilty pleasures, I'm guessing where you're like,
h but how did you extend that from the fashion
industry to making other choices in your life that were
(05:30):
around ethics?
Speaker 3 (05:32):
Yes, so my philosophy has always been do what you
can and do not do it perfectly, because otherwise you're
going to fail if you have you set up with
that intent. So I guess everything I've I've learned, I've
done quite slowly and thoughtfully to make sure that it
is instilled as a habit and a value and a
core belief rather than you know, a moment that I'll
(05:56):
kind of just catch onto that trend because I watched
that documentary and it will you know, when it becomes hard,
I'll stop doing it.
Speaker 1 (06:03):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (06:03):
So I've always given myself and my readers and listeners
may work a lot of grace because you know, it's
I believe it's a privilege to live within your values.
And you talked about, you know, the expense of it,
but there's also the convenience of it. I think I
can bust if you missed around the expense.
Speaker 1 (06:26):
Well, actually, I think because but I would say that
the shift to an ethical choices around clothing is actually
one of those ones where actually it is financially an
easier decision to make, because I mean, I've for instance,
I was involved in a concert last night when one
of my guests dressed absolutely stunningly, but all her outfits
(06:49):
were recycled, and you know, she was boasting about how
little her seemingly thousands and thousands of dollars of outfits
and gosp but in fact that, in fact, that's probably
the first change you can make, is with just the
choices you make on clothing isn't it.
Speaker 3 (07:05):
Absolutely. I think I was a student back in twenty
fifteen when I first thought, okay, I want to know
who made my clothes before I purchased something. It was
really hard to look at a seventy dollars organic cotton,
fairly made black tank top single it from Koto, and
then look at a mall and find one that's seven
(07:27):
dollars And it was a hard decision. But that tank top.
Speaker 1 (07:31):
I still have the seventy dollars one, the.
Speaker 3 (07:35):
Seventy dollars one, and you know that's ten years ago
and I've worn a lot. Cost per wear is probably
much lower than if I had bought that seven dollars
one from the mall.
Speaker 1 (07:47):
Yeah, because because I lasted five seconds and then you
would have thrown it out and then we go exactly.
But also that thing about it, sorry, carry on, all right.
Speaker 3 (07:56):
I paid money for it, so I invested in it,
so therefore I'm going to care for it better. I'm
going to repair it if it needs repairing. If it's broken,
it's been very hearty and doesn't need that, but I'm
going to wash it carefully and actually follow care instructions.
So I think when we buy cheap clothing, we just
think of it like a disposable kind of snakeskin, you know,
that we can just shed and replace and just kind
(08:19):
of not think about it like we do with bigger
appliances or bigger investments. So cost per bear I talk
about a lot, because that's when sustainable fashion actually becomes
far more affordable, because firstly, you're probably not buying it
in the first place, because you're using something you already have,
or like your friend, you're using up cycle things or
things from up shops. And then if you look at
(08:41):
cost per bear, generally obviously not everything that's ethically made
is quality, but generally it actually does saving money.
Speaker 1 (08:51):
I guess for some people who have got kids and
families and things, that is a harder investment to make though,
because it involves a bigger out, a higher investment, doesn't it.
I mean, did you start your ethical decisions around how
you're clothing yourself with recycled on you? Because recycled is
an easy argument, doesn't it? Because it's already there if
(09:13):
you're stopping at going to landfill. The more the more
people who wear it, what's your starts on that stuff?
And where do you sit in that argument.
Speaker 3 (09:21):
Yeah, I think, you know, there's different people who will
fiercely only buy things that are secondhand or third or
fourth hand, the things that aren't new, and then there's
people who only buy New Zealand made things because you know,
they want to support a local economy. I kind of
I sit and double in all spaces because I'm also
(09:42):
passionate about ensuring that where a lot of our clothes
are made, places like India and Bangladesh, that there are
fair wages and workplaces for people there. So I sput
a lot of companies like Hollybully and Recreate Clothing who
they employ people over there and give them awesome workplaces
they can feel really proud of their work. It's training systems,
(10:05):
it's you know, a really pleasant place that any one
of us would would love to work. And buying those clothes,
you're supporting that huge change in the villages and places
where those factories are. So I'm passionate about that and
supporting that type of kind of fashion industry that grows
and changes and moves forward. But I also am very
(10:26):
aware that there are so many clothes that already exist.
So I personally go I double in New Zealand made ethically,
made overseas and secondhand, and I really respect that some people,
you know, fiercely hold on to one of those, because
that's strong value they hold on to. And that's why
I called my brand ethically cap because we all have
(10:47):
you know, even you and I have different ethics, and
there's no black and white or right wrong, and I
think it's just important to respect each other's ethics and
to yeah, trial best to align our actions with what
we decide is right.
Speaker 1 (11:04):
Okay, look, we want to take your calls on this.
By the way, I we eight hundred eighty ten and
eighty about do you consider the ethics of stuff you consume?
And of course, while this is the healthub and things
that we're taking a broader sort of approach to things
because obviously food wastage is a huge thing and where
you shop and buy your food and what sort of
products and do you care about how it's grown. And
I'm not going to get into the whole pesticide sort
(11:25):
of thing like that because that can become a very
science based argument as well. But we want your calls
eight hundred eighty ten eighty text on nine two nine
two do ethics matter for you when you're making your
decisions around consumption and what you wear, what you eat,
et cetera. Give us a call on eight hundred and
eighty ten eighty. We're with Kate All, she's the founder
of Ethically Kate will be back with Kate in just
(11:47):
a moment, but give us a call. Eighteen past four,
this news talk said, be we're with Kate All, she's
the founder of Ethically Kate talking about making a few
more sort of sustainable or ethical choices. I guess, Kate,
are there particular when it comes to clothing. Let's keep
that thing going for a bit. Are there particular materials
(12:08):
that are less troublesome than others? So, for instance, I think, well,
cotton is generally seems like it's an organic sort of product,
but by the time we wear it, what's the story
with that?
Speaker 3 (12:18):
So there are I mean, not all cotton is made equally.
When you think about the environmental impact. Some cotton is
made just from rain water, so grown just with you know,
seasonally when the rain happens, rather a whole lot of
water added a whole lot of pesticides and things. So
(12:39):
organic cotton that has been grown with rain water is
fairly sustainable in my opinion. There's a lot of politics
and contention about all sorts of different fabrics, but I
think that's a pretty safe one when you know it's
organic cotton, which is also great for your health too,
because you know things are grown with pesticides and potentially
(13:00):
dyed with all sorts. Then you know who wants to
put that close to their body? Not me particularly, So I.
Speaker 1 (13:07):
Mean it's a difficult one, isn't it, Because I guess
if I mean, there are a lot of people who
don't care about the sort of pesticides aspect, and depending
on the nature the kind of pesticides on us, it's
becomes a bit of a scientific argument as to what
the bad ones are and the good ones are. What
sort of how do you discern? I mean obviously the
website sort of dedicated to that, isn't it, But how
do you discern whether something's got the sort of cotton
(13:29):
that is it? Basically just on those things you've outlined
in terms of it. But how would pete the average
person find out which brands maybe you're the safer ones,
because there'll be a lot of people are listening to go, well,
how I'm not in a position where I'm going to
pay eighty bucks for a T shirt.
Speaker 3 (13:44):
It's really really hard to be honest to find out
where your fabric is grown. You know where it's come from,
even because we look at the label and it may
say made in New Zealand, but you know, have you
seen a cotton farm here in New Zealand or we
just we don't really produce cotton here, so it's often
come from overseas, and the transparency behind the brick is yeah,
(14:07):
generally not there. So what I would say is look
for a transparency when you're looking at a brand and
you want to purchase something. Also know that you can
ask questions. I think a lot of us become really
passive consumers and forget that we can ask questions, and
as a customer, it is our right to know these things.
We can look for different certifications, so they may have
(14:27):
a fair Trade symbol, BCA, Cotton Initiative symbol. Again, all
these certifications have pluses and minuses, and they also cost
a lot of money, so a lot of small companies
actually don't have the money to have these certifications, which
is again really really hard. That's why I've built my
directory so that people can know. I've asked these companies
(14:49):
and gone back and forth phone calls, emails with a
whole bunch of questions because I know it's really difficult
for the everyday.
Speaker 1 (14:55):
Person honest to these companies. I mean, how hard you
dig into it because there are people who like to
make claims and you find out, okay, well five percent
of it they didn't tell us about the other ninety
five percent, which was sourced from X because they had
supply problems.
Speaker 3 (15:07):
Yeah. I So I've formulated a list of questions which
I've adapted over the last ten years, and I can
immediately tell in the answers if they have said things
like well, we're one hundred percent sustainable, you know, our product.
When they're making big, broad claims like I'm perfect, that
is a red flag for me because every single company
(15:30):
has an impact and every single company has something they
can work on. So if they're not ready to own
up to those things and be transparent about them with me,
then that's like pretty much a no go for me.
So I don't you know, all the brands are my directory.
They're not perfect brands. They're brands who are always working
to innovate and to you know, we're also discovering new things, right,
(15:53):
Like there's different things Like bamboo is a fabric. You think, okay, cool,
it's great, it's natural, it can break down, it's really soft.
But we know that not all bamboo is created equally,
and actually bamboo can be not such a great thing.
It can involve a lot of chemicals to break that
really strong plant down into a lovely soft fiber. And
(16:13):
if those chemicals aren't kept you in a closed loop system,
then they're destroying the environment somewhere and leaking out. So
the companies who are transparent and able to own up
to the stuff that they don't do, right, I am
some more likely to purchase from or work with and
have them on my website than the ones who are
(16:34):
trying to claim that they do everything.
Speaker 1 (16:35):
Yeah, all right, let's take some calls ethics and you
know what role do the dos ethical considerations play in
your shopping decisions, whether it come to clothing or food
or whatever. Weight one hundred and eighty ten eighty Natalie Gooday.
Speaker 5 (16:50):
Oh, hi, hi Kim, how are you good?
Speaker 1 (16:52):
You're with Kate Harf ethically Kate as well? You have
a question or an opinion.
Speaker 3 (16:56):
Ah, yeah, Well.
Speaker 5 (16:57):
I took clothing and textiles at high school as a subject.
But I don't know a hick of a lot about
this subject.
Speaker 1 (17:05):
Well, you know more than some might I at least
if you're studied it in some level, even if it's
just at home.
Speaker 5 (17:10):
What they're organic growing kiwi fruit and orange and that
kind of thing.
Speaker 1 (17:14):
Well, I would have thought that would be a good idea,
wouldn't it, Kate, Growing your own, that's got to be
a win.
Speaker 3 (17:19):
I think growing your own is probably the best thing,
because that's not only good for your body, but it's
also has great things. You're outside, you're tending to.
Speaker 5 (17:26):
Something, the apples, you're gonna spray them all with the
fruit for the Yeah, you want to eat it?
Speaker 3 (17:35):
Yeah, But we know like Haber's just on the food
farm in Amberley, just north of christ Church yesterday and
they have amazing fruit trees. They use permaculture theories and
they don't use any sprays or pesticides or you know,
things that are going to damage the environment. And it's
amazing to see how life and fruit and food can
(17:56):
just flourish under those conditions.
Speaker 1 (17:58):
It is a difficult one, isn't it. Cake because they
say if it weren't for using modern pesticides and ge
for instance, is that one where people get quite triggered
by it. But that does enable a hell of a
lot of food production as well that are more resistant
to either they better at caping a drought and disease
and things like that. Where are you on that personally?
Speaker 3 (18:21):
Yeah, I think I am in quite an investigative kind
of mode absorbing a lot. But from what I know,
I have the privilege of visiting a lot of farms
like the one yesterday, who have yeah, permaculture and kind
of you know, they're very steering clear from adding anything
or doing anything that nature kind of doesn't already already do.
(18:44):
And I see it work so brilliantly, and so it
feels much more sustainable in the sense that it can
keep on happening. So when you think about all the
interventions and things we're doing to make lots of food
and make it now for you know, all the people like,
what are the long term effects of that? Over time,
(19:07):
we're going to see what we have seen degradation in
our soil. You know, we're seeing a change in nutritional
value of our food. So we're again we're thinking about
that upfront. Okay, you know what's easy, what can we
do now to get a whole lot of food? But
actually we're losing out on the nutrition. We're losing out
(19:28):
on a long term system that if we just you know,
paused a little bit and thought about how can we
do this, you know, in the long term and work
with nature. I see it work really really well, even
with market gardens where they are, you know, creating a
lot of food for a lot of people, even mangedoa
(19:48):
farms and upper Hat it's possible. I see it with
my own eyes. So doing on a much larger scale,
I think we're finding that it actually does work.
Speaker 1 (20:00):
Yeah, okay, let's take some more calls.
Speaker 6 (20:02):
Peter, Hello, Yes, and then your guests. I'm ringing up today.
I'm wearing a shirt which is the brand of Dynasty,
and I've got a swing ticket that had was on
the garment. This garment is made from twenty four recycled
plastic bottles. And I thought, well, that's another another thought
(20:26):
for us. I work in the in a a second
hand shop, you know, an op shop there, and yes,
I'm selling reselling items there all the time. But I thought,
this is a good point also that garments can be
made from recycled plastic bottles.
Speaker 1 (20:46):
Yeah. That's interesting, isn't it, because well, we don't like
plastics as much recycling. No where are you on that one, Kate?
Speaker 3 (20:54):
Yeahhpe Peter, thanks for calling in. Okay, I have yeah myself,
I have some active wear that is made from recycled plastics,
from recycled plastic bottles or just guarded fishing nets. And
I think, you know, especially for things like active where
that you need that fabric to be a certain way.
You may not want an ultra marathon runner and things
(21:16):
like that may may not be able to do what
they need to do in cotton and things that are
under suitable. And it's a great it's a great material
that we have discovered very recently. However, you know, like
anything there comes with some question marks around its sustainability
in the long term. For example, the fact that we
(21:37):
are still you know, even if it's made from recycled plastics,
if you're still washing it, there's microfibers, microplastics getting into
our waterways, which is becoming quite a big issue that
we're seeing macroplastics everywhere. And that garment again when we're
talking about those bottles that have been recycled turn into
(21:58):
some pants or a T shirt. That garment generally can't
be recycled again and put back into the resource loop.
So when we when we think about recycling that's kind
of only been reused once, you know, it's been a
bottle and then it's been a shirt, and then can't
really move on from that point. So it's it's I
(22:21):
love the innovation behind a lot of these pieces of
clothing that are made from recycled things, but I think
we're going to figure out how we can continue in
this wavelength in a more sustainable way with all the
other impacts too.
Speaker 1 (22:33):
Actually got a text It just says Peter can't win
because he's trying to do something good, recycling something. But
then there's a problem with that. I mean, is that
the problem is that there's everything's problematic ultimately or is
obviously obviously oversimplifying it.
Speaker 3 (22:48):
No, you're not you can't win. But are we? You
know what are we trying to win? Right? We are?
We're learning, we're discovering we can't. You know, I by
no means have a plastic perfect pantry. You know. I
people I think think that my life is perfectly sustainable
and ethical. But you know what is that I think
(23:09):
if we all keep an open mindset and understand, you know, yeah,
it is really cool that something's made from plastic bottles,
but not just kind of take that. Let's make all
of our clothes from plastic bottles from now on and
move on. We always I mean, that's how we've survived
on this earth as a species, isn't it that we're
always learning and innovating and changing. And also, I think
(23:34):
in the sustainability space, and that's why I really enjoy
my work, and I think why a lot of people have,
you know, listen and follow on with my Instagram account
and my daily life is that there's no absolutes and
that we shouldn't be saying, oh, you know, but you're
wearing a recycled plastic top and it's going to leach
to micropastics. That's that's a fact, and it's not great,
(23:57):
but we're still learning and evolving and it's not necessarily
it's not about winning. It's about exploring and discovering and
actually being okay when we're wrong, and and just having
all the different sorts of options too.
Speaker 1 (24:12):
Yeah, that'd be a pretty depressing conversation at a party,
wouldn't it. I love your birds, but I hope they're recycled.
Speaker 3 (24:17):
I know, and we should never say that too. Like
I think a lot of people, you know, I try
to encourage people, you know, like, don't look at someone
else's supermarket trolley, you know, don't focus on what you
can control and what you're comfortable with. And imagine if
we all did just so much more of that rather
than there's there's just too much, too much kind of
(24:39):
absolutes and if you care about sustainability, you have to
do this, this and this, and it's really damaging to
people who just want to try their best and yeah,
interested in different things.
Speaker 1 (24:50):
Hey, how does your website work? Just so people know
what's what's the story behind that and what you do.
Speaker 3 (24:56):
Yeah. Solicate dot com has a few functions. The main
one is the shop good brand so I ordit companies,
you know, their fashion brand, food brands, even some eco
accommodation options. All sorts that are on there, and you
can search. You could type in T shirt or may
come up with ten different options. So that's a place
(25:17):
where I've done the work. I've done the research and time,
and I'm always rechecking into these brands as much as
possible too, So yeah, do that shopping.
Speaker 1 (25:26):
So you have a commercial relationship with each company you've
gone into, So it's sort of a symbiotic sort of
thing where you're presenting them to the audience who wants
to shop ethically, and that's your commercial sort of connection
with those companies.
Speaker 3 (25:38):
Yep, exactly. And then I have a blog space too
where I write different blogs that may be you know,
fifteen sustainable, also make companies, or my thoughts on carbon
offsetting and things like that. So that's those main functions of.
Speaker 1 (25:52):
The same stuff. Okay, let's tell you let's take another call.
Where are we up to? Richard?
Speaker 4 (25:57):
Hello, Hey Tim, how are you doing good?
Speaker 1 (25:59):
Thanks?
Speaker 4 (26:01):
Thanks, thanks for the segment. Case. It's a I'm really
interesting top so just a bit of a background. I'm
a sheep and beef farmer, so yeah, the topic today
sort of hits quite close close to home for me
and my business. I was just curious, what's your position
on New Zealand wools. I have been in and out
(26:22):
of the ute, so I may have missed you discussed this,
but to me, it's in their perfect fiber to be honest,
it's natural, it's biodegradable, it's flame retardant. We grow it
on sort of the whole country of New Zealand where
you can't have cropping cotton and the like. So would
you endorse wider use of New Zealand woolf.
Speaker 3 (26:44):
Hey, Richard, good to hear from you. And I was
fist pumping and going yeah as you said those things,
because I'm totally in agreement with you, that's fine. I
like where this in a nutshell. I have a lot
of WILL. My pillow is filled with will from kind
face wise will, and yeah, I wear and use a
(27:06):
lot of WILL. I have a baby on the way
and I am am looking forward to using a lot
of wool products with that little creature, too, wool carpets.
I even had a woolen dog at one point. But yeah,
I think I've I have a few friends who are
sheep funders, and I know that will has been a
(27:29):
really tough commodity to sell in a really space to
be And I heard some good news, which I'm not
sure how far and wide this good news has affected people,
but that wool was on the uptake, on the increase
I'm not sure. Maybe Richard, you have some more pots.
Speaker 4 (27:49):
Yeah, well, when you're coming from such a low base,
a teen or fifteen percent increase, while it is positive,
it's not going to turn things around completely. I'm just
a bit of a background. So the beauty of sheepherds
are you're purpose animals, so you get the income from
the from the meat, but also also the fiber. So
(28:11):
Marino will finer will that it is certainly and has
always fetched a premium. But the vast majority of New
Zealand sheep are strong walled and that's the wall. That's
that's really struggling.
Speaker 1 (28:24):
Is that the carpets and stuff the strong wall or what.
Speaker 4 (28:28):
Yeah, So primarily it's carpets and insulation, which yeah, and
we're directly competing with synthetics, which is really frustrating. I mean,
it can be used for clothing, probably preferably not against
the skin, but it's just and you must come across
this quite a bit kate. People will say the right
thing and say they support support sustainability and things like that,
(28:51):
but when it comes to their willingness to pay, it's
not always there. And look to me, that's understandable.
Speaker 1 (28:57):
Their ability to be fair Richard. For instance, I'll be
completely honest. We have to recarpet our house at some stage,
and there's unlikely I'm going to go wool because I
can't afford the extra sixty percent to do the job.
Speaker 4 (29:09):
Yeah, and in a global recession and the people are
struggling to put food from the table. That yeah, possibly understand.
Speaker 1 (29:16):
I love a woolen. I love a good woolen jersey
and I hat and all that sort of stuff. But
it does get back to that slightly cheeky proposition is
that the ethics are fine up to a point that
you can afford them.
Speaker 4 (29:28):
Yeah. Yeah, absolutely, And Kate must come across that quite often.
I assham, she might.
Speaker 1 (29:33):
Have been up on me. Now have you still.
Speaker 3 (29:36):
Yeah? I hung up.
Speaker 1 (29:38):
Gone, Yeah, So I carry.
Speaker 3 (29:43):
On the will thing. It is difficult, and I think
in the ethical space too, a lot of people, you know,
we're talking about the cost set of things, but a
lot of people also assume that I'm vegan and wouldn't
touch animal products, and that's a false assumption. I am
very much for you know, utilizing animals in an ethical way,
(30:04):
and happy to know Richard. I hope I've done my
part in sharing about my will carpet and my will
clothing and things with thousands of people at least at
least monthly, often weekly. So I'm trying my best to
help the wool industry. But yeah, I think when done
in an ethical way, it can. You know, just just
(30:24):
like you said, I agree with with all your points.
And when it comes to the with the cost factor
to you know, I am totally aware that I am.
I'm currently child free, live with my husband. You know,
we were able to afford things like amazing wool products,
and even you know, even if the cost per weeer
is lower, it is that upfront, you know, we're not
(30:46):
living week by week. We have the money to invest
in good quality fibers. But I think there are ways.
Often when I talk to people about budgets and living
more sustainably, you know, they go, Okay, I'd love to
live like you, but I just don't have the money.
And then I watch them spend money on just different priorities.
(31:07):
So generally, a lot of what people say to me,
and this is keep you in mind totally. I understand
the people who can't afford in a thinking week bay week,
but they don't mean they can't afford it. They're just
unable to prioritize it, and they're locked into a certain
mindset or framework around what something should cost. So I
(31:29):
really challenge people. Maybe yourself included him around your carpet, Yeah,
but I challenged people to think about is it that
I can't afford it or is it that I can
actually get more creative with where I'm prioritizing my resource.
Speaker 1 (31:42):
Well, we could keep the old nineteen sixty nine champagne
pink nylon carpet, but it's going to have to go,
I'm afraid. But hey, thanks for call Richard. I really
appreciate it. We'll be back in just a moment. It's
nineteen minutes to five. Yes, welcome back to the Health
Hub and we're with Kate Hall. She's the founder of
Ethically Kate. Hey, Kate, I do have a question. I'm
not sure if I want to mention the brand. But
(32:04):
there's a certain brand of exercise where which is it
is know and almost by its brand universally because it's
so popular, but those you know the sort of brand, Oh,
it's Lululemon. Let's just say it. I yeah, okay, where
are we at with exercise clothing? Whether it be that
brand or other stuff, because it does look like, while
(32:26):
it might not necessarily be fashionable forever, it does look
sort of like nuclear in tournaments in terms of its
half life.
Speaker 3 (32:34):
I personally stay as far away from that brand as possible.
Speaker 1 (32:39):
As ethically possible, humanly possible.
Speaker 3 (32:42):
As humanly possible, as physically possible.
Speaker 1 (32:44):
You've got your work cut out, because it's it's almost
I mean, I just drive home today, I'll probably see
you probably fifty percent of everyone who's going for a walk,
at least with women who are wearing that, wearing that
sort of exercise clothing. That's a hard trend to break.
Speaker 3 (32:58):
Yeah, it is a hard trend. And again I try
to focus less on you down with Lulu Lemon because
it's it's a huge company and everyone's so so I
like to you know, at the moment, I am wearing
some second hand exercise pants which no idea what brand
they're from. I think the brand's worn off from the
(33:21):
multiple people who have worn it before me.
Speaker 1 (33:23):
So is it all like, what is it actually made from?
Because it does well, it wasn't around it seems like
it wasn't around a few years ago, and all of
a sudden, it's this flattering sort of exercise where yeah.
Speaker 3 (33:36):
A lot of it is nylon, polyester, stand deck all,
you know, plastic based materials. And you know, even the
secondhand stuff I wear is still nilo and a lot
of it. Some people wouldn't choose to do that for
health reasons, you know, just having it on their body,
but I personally am okay with wearing second hand synthetic clothing.
Speaker 1 (33:58):
Well, so we all make up our own. As you
said at the start, everyone no one's perfect. I always
think that if you, if you're aware of things and
you make a few decisions, at least as long as
you know what the decision you're as you're making, rather
than just blithely sort of going on and go, oh,
I wish i'd known that.
Speaker 3 (34:13):
Yeah, exactly, And as long as we're not just following
a kind of trend, kind of cult brand as it were,
just because the ten other people in the gym were
in the same thing, you know. So that's what I
try to do when I share my everyday life online
on Instagram is to be like, Okay, you can actually
look really cool secondhand exercise where you can also buy
(34:35):
it from places who make it from recycl plastic bottles
like Xenia and lead active where from bamboo you can
you can also probably have less active where. I know
a lot of people who you know you Yeah, you've
got a lot of tights, a lot of tops, and
(34:56):
I generally just have one or two in my life,
even though I exercise every day. So it's just being yeah,
practical and heroing a good side of things. That's my whole.
Speaker 1 (35:09):
Ask a quick question just as a bit of advice
on things, because if you are using second hand clothes,
theres a lot of people people would be look, I'd
want to make sure that I put that through the
fire of hell in terms of getting rid of any
anyone else's sort of stuff, cleaning them, you know, making
sure it's clean so you feel like I can make
this my own now.
Speaker 3 (35:30):
Yep, I definitely, to be honest, I wash all of
my clothes in either thirty degrees or less, just colder,
because it means my clothes lasts much longer. I do
a lot of spot washing. I use the sunshine. I
know that sounds also like you know, borderlining on that
happy use the sunshine to clean your clothes, but scientifically
(35:53):
it's actually.
Speaker 1 (35:54):
In terms of drying them.
Speaker 3 (35:55):
You may, yeah, to dry them, but it's also just
great antibacterially to you know, have them outside. You can
get stands out really really well that haven't come out
even with laundry products you're trying to use.
Speaker 1 (36:08):
Well, I hang on, did you mean Sunshine the soap
or you mean Sunshine as in sunshine?
Speaker 3 (36:13):
I mean the sunshine that I'm seeing as I look
out my.
Speaker 1 (36:15):
Mind, because there is a brand of soap there called
Sunshine in fact, one of those old school Yeah, yeah, okay, hey,
look sorry, carry on.
Speaker 3 (36:25):
I definitely I definitely washed my clothes after being in
a second hand shop. And I know some people, some
people would never buy certain things from a second hand shop,
like Active Where maybe, But honestly, a lot of the
Active where I see in second hand shops it's there
because no one has worn it. If they've worn it
and thrashed it, it likely hasn't made it to a
(36:46):
second hand shop. You know, it's made it to unfortunately
the bin, but it's been worn and worn and worn
and used. So there are particular items, and I would
say Active were would be one of them that you
can find often even brand new pieces that have really
been worn because people had a great idea in the
new year that oh yeah.
Speaker 1 (37:04):
Oh yeah, yeah, yeah, of course you know the sort
of warms. Yes, given there, that's.
Speaker 3 (37:08):
A great category of clothing to phone second hand.
Speaker 1 (37:11):
Okay, look, we might have time to squeeze another call,
but we just got to have another break. We'll be
back in a take. It's nine minutes to five. It's
news Talk, z'd be. We're with ethically Kate. Kate Hall
is with us and got time for one very quick
call Helen. Hello, Yeah, Hi, Hi.
Speaker 7 (37:23):
Tim and Kate. Now, given the problems with synthetics and cotton,
why are we not using alternative fibers like hemp and
flax harakeke. In fact, you could actually have buss plantings
called ke flax along rapirian plantings, which would also protect
(37:43):
the rivers. But why are we not using these alternative fibers.
Speaker 1 (37:48):
Well, I imagine we are, Helen, But let's ask Kate
about that. Good, right, Kate, that's a great.
Speaker 3 (37:53):
Question, Helen, and you'll be happy to know that we
are using them far more than ten years ago when
I started in this space and was investigating we see
kind of transitioning, So I see a lot more hemp
cotton blends. The unfortunate thing, especially being in New Zealand,
is companies are so small and infrastructure to process those
(38:15):
types of fibers is really difficult to come across. And yeah,
difficult to kind of have that upfront cost which is
huge to get that machinery to turn a plant into
a fiber. So it is growing those spaces of I
think hemp is amazing. Having worn it as a consumer too,
(38:38):
It's a really, really incredible product. So I'm hoping that
we just see a continuing incline of those uses of
different fibers.
Speaker 1 (38:46):
Good stuff. Hey, thanks for your call, Helen. Hey, Kate,
thanks so much. Fascinating conversation. Isn't an ongoing one about
the whole sustainability and ethical choices. We had to touch
the sides on the food side of things, but there
we go.
Speaker 3 (38:58):
We could talk for hours and hours. I'm really grateful
to have this chat with you.
Speaker 1 (39:01):
Tim, good stuff, Hey, thanks so much. That is Kate Horse.
She's from Ethically Kate. You can check them out. Their
websites very easy to find and you just google it
and we'll be back shortly. With Smart Money. Max whiteheads
with us. He's an employment relations expert, looking at well,
looking at the little signs you may give people that
might just an employer go oh no, not that person,
(39:23):
and you go, what did I do wrong? The CV
looks great, doesn't it? What are the little things you
can do wrong? And we'll be taking your questions and calls,
of course, on any of your employment or at whether
you be a boss or an employee. Give us a call.
Max will be in the studio next eight hundred eighty
ten to eighty News Talk SEDB For more from the
weekend collective. Listen live to News Talks EDB weekends from
(39:44):
three pm, or follow the podcast on iHeartRadio
You're listening to the Weekend Collective podcast from News Talks.
Speaker 2 (00:13):
Jacomo demands start and Empire's.
Speaker 1 (00:37):
Welcome back to the Welcome back to the show. This
is the week in Collective and Beverage. By the way,
fascinating chat actually with our callers as well and some
of the texts coming in, but our interviews with a
mart Mature they're on the on the Fiums publition orders
and also our chat with Jeffrey Miller the around you know,
what's the way back for the Europe Ukraine USA relations
(01:00):
and who's going to be the conduit for that and
how it's how's it going to end? It is? It's complex,
it's a little frightening but also fascinating at the same time,
isn't it. So you can check it out by going
and listen to our podcast and the News Talks at
the website, just look for the Weekend Collective so you
can check that out. But right now, welcome to the
health Hub and so slightly different change of pace. We
(01:20):
have a new guest as well on the health Hub
today and it's in connection with the popularity of ethical
and sustainable lifestyles which has been on steady rise for
years now, and more broadly speaking on the health front,
I guess it's how we eat and the sort of
products that we use. More cynically speaking, you want to
(01:42):
avoid products are actually not safe for you either, regardless
of the environment. But it also there's the potential that
it could be out of reach for people because either
they don't understand what it takes to sort of make
ethical choices around your living, or they can't afford it.
There's a great quote in My Fair Lady, which is
an old West End Broadway musical, where Eliza doolittle father
(02:05):
at the dustman Alfred Doolittle, who's a bit of a
sort of pub philosopher. He gets he basically asks is asked,
don't you have any morals? That's right? He says something
a little bit cheeky, and one of the characters says,
goodness me, man, don't you have any morals? And he
goes morals, God, No, I can't afford them. Actually think
it can be a little bit like that at times. Anyway,
(02:28):
to discuss these issues, Kate Hall is the founder of
Ethically Kate, and she's joining us to discuss how you
can approach your life and your health ethically, and she
joins me, Now, Kate, Hello, Hi Tim, how did you
get involved in? How did you get involved in the
whole ethical thing?
Speaker 3 (02:48):
So it first started when I was thinking about ethical fashion.
So about twenty fifteen, I watched a documentary called The
True Cost. And I wasn't really someone who overshopped at Maul's.
That wasn't a place I love spending time in. But
I hadn't really looked at my clothes came from what
they were made from, and ask questions like that. So
(03:09):
after watching that documentary, I thought, Oh my goodness, you know,
we're all wearing clothes. Where do my clothes come from?
Speaker 4 (03:15):
Where we go?
Speaker 3 (03:16):
Yeah, all those types of things, and I think you
kind of can't really ask that question about your clothes
without then asking, okay, what about my food? What about
O water? And it just kind of snowballed from there.
Speaker 4 (03:27):
Really.
Speaker 1 (03:28):
Yeah, actually, the fashion thing, I mean, it's it's sort
of that we have an overlap with health and then
we get outside the health sort of aspect. But I
remember when I saw the headline around or you know,
the first news stories about the problems I think it
was to do with it came from probably somebody pointing
out that the red there's this sort of red carpet
hypocrisy where everyone gets up in these amazing gowns and
(03:48):
things and talk. But at one stage they'll be talking about,
you know, how to treat the planet ethically and stuff.
And then yet the fashion industry itself is responsible for
actually huge amount of wastage and landfill and all sorts
of things, isn't it.
Speaker 3 (04:01):
Oh? Absolutely, I mean we're also it's something I meant
similar to the food industry. We are all part of it,
you know, whether we care about what we're wearing or not.
We wear clothes at some point in our day, and
it's you know, it's we're talking about the social impacts,
you know, the people who make it. I think that
is a health concern when you think about the you know,
(04:24):
they say that you can tell what trend, what colors
are on trend, when you look at the color of
river Weys in certain parts of the world, which is
pretty devastating, and think about, yeah, the fumes from all
the toxic chemicals. A lot of our clothes are made
from plastic polyester these days. And then there's you know, yeah,
there's a there's a human there's social, there's environmental parts
(04:47):
to it, and honestly, I feel like even when you
know watching that documentary, the true cost and reading and
learning so much since sometimes you know that's the stuff
we know about it too, but there's so much that's
just not transparent and not traceable, and so I hate
to think of the actual devastations and impact that you
know just aren't recorded and what that's going to do
(05:08):
to us long term.
Speaker 1 (05:09):
Did you start so? You? I gather you so you
sort of started from the etheric point of view looking
at clothes and the fashion industry. How far did you?
I mean, because obviously we're a company like ethically, Kate,
you must have some guilty pleasures, I'm guessing where you're like,
h but how did you extend that from the fashion
industry to making other choices in your life that were
(05:30):
around ethics?
Speaker 3 (05:32):
Yes, so my philosophy has always been do what you
can and do not do it perfectly, because otherwise you're
going to fail if you have you set up with
that intent. So I guess everything I've I've learned, I've
done quite slowly and thoughtfully to make sure that it
is instilled as a habit and a value and a
core belief rather than you know, a moment that I'll
(05:56):
kind of just catch onto that trend because I watched
that documentary and it will you know, when it becomes hard,
I'll stop doing it.
Speaker 1 (06:03):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (06:03):
So I've always given myself and my readers and listeners
may work a lot of grace because you know, it's
I believe it's a privilege to live within your values.
And you talked about, you know, the expense of it,
but there's also the convenience of it. I think I
can bust if you missed around the expense.
Speaker 1 (06:26):
Well, actually, I think because but I would say that
the shift to an ethical choices around clothing is actually
one of those ones where actually it is financially an
easier decision to make, because I mean, I've for instance,
I was involved in a concert last night when one
of my guests dressed absolutely stunningly, but all her outfits
(06:49):
were recycled, and you know, she was boasting about how
little her seemingly thousands and thousands of dollars of outfits
and gosp but in fact that, in fact, that's probably
the first change you can make, is with just the
choices you make on clothing isn't it.
Speaker 3 (07:05):
Absolutely. I think I was a student back in twenty
fifteen when I first thought, okay, I want to know
who made my clothes before I purchased something. It was
really hard to look at a seventy dollars organic cotton,
fairly made black tank top single it from Koto, and
then look at a mall and find one that's seven
(07:27):
dollars And it was a hard decision. But that tank top.
Speaker 1 (07:31):
I still have the seventy dollars one, the.
Speaker 3 (07:35):
Seventy dollars one, and you know that's ten years ago
and I've worn a lot. Cost per wear is probably
much lower than if I had bought that seven dollars
one from the mall.
Speaker 1 (07:47):
Yeah, because because I lasted five seconds and then you
would have thrown it out and then we go exactly.
But also that thing about it, sorry, carry on, all right.
Speaker 3 (07:56):
I paid money for it, so I invested in it,
so therefore I'm going to care for it better. I'm
going to repair it if it needs repairing. If it's broken,
it's been very hearty and doesn't need that, but I'm
going to wash it carefully and actually follow care instructions.
So I think when we buy cheap clothing, we just
think of it like a disposable kind of snakeskin, you know,
that we can just shed and replace and just kind
(08:19):
of not think about it like we do with bigger
appliances or bigger investments. So cost per bear I talk
about a lot, because that's when sustainable fashion actually becomes
far more affordable, because firstly, you're probably not buying it
in the first place, because you're using something you already have,
or like your friend, you're using up cycle things or
things from up shops. And then if you look at
(08:41):
cost per bear, generally obviously not everything that's ethically made
is quality, but generally it actually does saving money.
Speaker 1 (08:51):
I guess for some people who have got kids and
families and things, that is a harder investment to make though,
because it involves a bigger out, a higher investment, doesn't it.
I mean, did you start your ethical decisions around how
you're clothing yourself with recycled on you? Because recycled is
an easy argument, doesn't it? Because it's already there if
(09:13):
you're stopping at going to landfill. The more the more
people who wear it, what's your starts on that stuff?
And where do you sit in that argument.
Speaker 3 (09:21):
Yeah, I think, you know, there's different people who will
fiercely only buy things that are secondhand or third or
fourth hand, the things that aren't new, and then there's
people who only buy New Zealand made things because you know,
they want to support a local economy. I kind of
I sit and double in all spaces because I'm also
(09:42):
passionate about ensuring that where a lot of our clothes
are made, places like India and Bangladesh, that there are
fair wages and workplaces for people there. So I sput
a lot of companies like Hollybully and Recreate Clothing who
they employ people over there and give them awesome workplaces
they can feel really proud of their work. It's training systems,
(10:05):
it's you know, a really pleasant place that any one
of us would would love to work. And buying those clothes,
you're supporting that huge change in the villages and places
where those factories are. So I'm passionate about that and
supporting that type of kind of fashion industry that grows
and changes and moves forward. But I also am very
(10:26):
aware that there are so many clothes that already exist.
So I personally go I double in New Zealand made ethically,
made overseas and secondhand, and I really respect that some people,
you know, fiercely hold on to one of those, because
that's strong value they hold on to. And that's why
I called my brand ethically cap because we all have
(10:47):
you know, even you and I have different ethics, and
there's no black and white or right wrong, and I
think it's just important to respect each other's ethics and
to yeah, trial best to align our actions with what
we decide is right.
Speaker 1 (11:04):
Okay, look, we want to take your calls on this.
By the way, I we eight hundred eighty ten and
eighty about do you consider the ethics of stuff you consume?
And of course, while this is the healthub and things
that we're taking a broader sort of approach to things
because obviously food wastage is a huge thing and where
you shop and buy your food and what sort of
products and do you care about how it's grown. And
I'm not going to get into the whole pesticide sort
(11:25):
of thing like that because that can become a very
science based argument as well. But we want your calls
eight hundred eighty ten eighty text on nine two nine
two do ethics matter for you when you're making your
decisions around consumption and what you wear, what you eat,
et cetera. Give us a call on eight hundred and
eighty ten eighty. We're with Kate All, she's the founder
of Ethically Kate will be back with Kate in just
(11:47):
a moment, but give us a call. Eighteen past four,
this news talk said, be we're with Kate All, she's
the founder of Ethically Kate talking about making a few
more sort of sustainable or ethical choices. I guess, Kate,
are there particular when it comes to clothing. Let's keep
that thing going for a bit. Are there particular materials
(12:08):
that are less troublesome than others? So, for instance, I think, well,
cotton is generally seems like it's an organic sort of product,
but by the time we wear it, what's the story
with that?
Speaker 3 (12:18):
So there are I mean, not all cotton is made equally.
When you think about the environmental impact. Some cotton is
made just from rain water, so grown just with you know,
seasonally when the rain happens, rather a whole lot of
water added a whole lot of pesticides and things. So
(12:39):
organic cotton that has been grown with rain water is
fairly sustainable in my opinion. There's a lot of politics
and contention about all sorts of different fabrics, but I
think that's a pretty safe one when you know it's
organic cotton, which is also great for your health too,
because you know things are grown with pesticides and potentially
(13:00):
dyed with all sorts. Then you know who wants to
put that close to their body? Not me particularly, So I.
Speaker 1 (13:07):
Mean it's a difficult one, isn't it, Because I guess
if I mean, there are a lot of people who
don't care about the sort of pesticides aspect, and depending
on the nature the kind of pesticides on us, it's
becomes a bit of a scientific argument as to what
the bad ones are and the good ones are. What
sort of how do you discern? I mean obviously the
website sort of dedicated to that, isn't it, But how
do you discern whether something's got the sort of cotton
(13:29):
that is it? Basically just on those things you've outlined
in terms of it. But how would pete the average
person find out which brands maybe you're the safer ones,
because there'll be a lot of people are listening to go, well,
how I'm not in a position where I'm going to
pay eighty bucks for a T shirt.
Speaker 3 (13:44):
It's really really hard to be honest to find out
where your fabric is grown. You know where it's come from,
even because we look at the label and it may
say made in New Zealand, but you know, have you
seen a cotton farm here in New Zealand or we
just we don't really produce cotton here, so it's often
come from overseas, and the transparency behind the brick is yeah,
(14:07):
generally not there. So what I would say is look
for a transparency when you're looking at a brand and
you want to purchase something. Also know that you can
ask questions. I think a lot of us become really
passive consumers and forget that we can ask questions, and
as a customer, it is our right to know these things.
We can look for different certifications, so they may have
(14:27):
a fair Trade symbol, BCA, Cotton Initiative symbol. Again, all
these certifications have pluses and minuses, and they also cost
a lot of money, so a lot of small companies
actually don't have the money to have these certifications, which
is again really really hard. That's why I've built my
directory so that people can know. I've asked these companies
(14:49):
and gone back and forth phone calls, emails with a
whole bunch of questions because I know it's really difficult
for the everyday.
Speaker 1 (14:55):
Person honest to these companies. I mean, how hard you
dig into it because there are people who like to
make claims and you find out, okay, well five percent
of it they didn't tell us about the other ninety
five percent, which was sourced from X because they had
supply problems.
Speaker 3 (15:07):
Yeah. I So I've formulated a list of questions which
I've adapted over the last ten years, and I can
immediately tell in the answers if they have said things
like well, we're one hundred percent sustainable, you know, our product.
When they're making big, broad claims like I'm perfect, that
is a red flag for me because every single company
(15:30):
has an impact and every single company has something they
can work on. So if they're not ready to own
up to those things and be transparent about them with me,
then that's like pretty much a no go for me.
So I don't you know, all the brands are my directory.
They're not perfect brands. They're brands who are always working
to innovate and to you know, we're also discovering new things, right,
(15:53):
Like there's different things Like bamboo is a fabric. You think, okay, cool,
it's great, it's natural, it can break down, it's really soft.
But we know that not all bamboo is created equally,
and actually bamboo can be not such a great thing.
It can involve a lot of chemicals to break that
really strong plant down into a lovely soft fiber. And
(16:13):
if those chemicals aren't kept you in a closed loop system,
then they're destroying the environment somewhere and leaking out. So
the companies who are transparent and able to own up
to the stuff that they don't do, right, I am
some more likely to purchase from or work with and
have them on my website than the ones who are
(16:34):
trying to claim that they do everything.
Speaker 1 (16:35):
Yeah, all right, let's take some calls ethics and you
know what role do the dos ethical considerations play in
your shopping decisions, whether it come to clothing or food
or whatever. Weight one hundred and eighty ten eighty Natalie Gooday.
Speaker 5 (16:50):
Oh, hi, hi Kim, how are you good?
Speaker 1 (16:52):
You're with Kate Harf ethically Kate as well? You have
a question or an opinion.
Speaker 3 (16:56):
Ah, yeah, Well.
Speaker 5 (16:57):
I took clothing and textiles at high school as a subject.
But I don't know a hick of a lot about
this subject.
Speaker 1 (17:05):
Well, you know more than some might I at least
if you're studied it in some level, even if it's
just at home.
Speaker 5 (17:10):
What they're organic growing kiwi fruit and orange and that
kind of thing.
Speaker 1 (17:14):
Well, I would have thought that would be a good idea,
wouldn't it, Kate, Growing your own, that's got to be
a win.
Speaker 3 (17:19):
I think growing your own is probably the best thing,
because that's not only good for your body, but it's
also has great things. You're outside, you're tending to.
Speaker 5 (17:26):
Something, the apples, you're gonna spray them all with the
fruit for the Yeah, you want to eat it?
Speaker 3 (17:35):
Yeah, But we know like Haber's just on the food
farm in Amberley, just north of christ Church yesterday and
they have amazing fruit trees. They use permaculture theories and
they don't use any sprays or pesticides or you know,
things that are going to damage the environment. And it's
amazing to see how life and fruit and food can
(17:56):
just flourish under those conditions.
Speaker 1 (17:58):
It is a difficult one, isn't it. Cake because they
say if it weren't for using modern pesticides and ge
for instance, is that one where people get quite triggered
by it. But that does enable a hell of a
lot of food production as well that are more resistant
to either they better at caping a drought and disease
and things like that. Where are you on that personally?
Speaker 3 (18:21):
Yeah, I think I am in quite an investigative kind
of mode absorbing a lot. But from what I know,
I have the privilege of visiting a lot of farms
like the one yesterday, who have yeah, permaculture and kind
of you know, they're very steering clear from adding anything
or doing anything that nature kind of doesn't already already do.
(18:44):
And I see it work so brilliantly, and so it
feels much more sustainable in the sense that it can
keep on happening. So when you think about all the
interventions and things we're doing to make lots of food
and make it now for you know, all the people like,
what are the long term effects of that? Over time,
(19:07):
we're going to see what we have seen degradation in
our soil. You know, we're seeing a change in nutritional
value of our food. So we're again we're thinking about
that upfront. Okay, you know what's easy, what can we
do now to get a whole lot of food? But
actually we're losing out on the nutrition. We're losing out
(19:28):
on a long term system that if we just you know,
paused a little bit and thought about how can we
do this, you know, in the long term and work
with nature. I see it work really really well, even
with market gardens where they are, you know, creating a
lot of food for a lot of people, even mangedoa
(19:48):
farms and upper Hat it's possible. I see it with
my own eyes. So doing on a much larger scale,
I think we're finding that it actually does work.
Speaker 1 (20:00):
Yeah, okay, let's take some more calls.
Speaker 6 (20:02):
Peter, Hello, Yes, and then your guests. I'm ringing up today.
I'm wearing a shirt which is the brand of Dynasty,
and I've got a swing ticket that had was on
the garment. This garment is made from twenty four recycled
plastic bottles. And I thought, well, that's another another thought
(20:26):
for us. I work in the in a a second
hand shop, you know, an op shop there, and yes,
I'm selling reselling items there all the time. But I thought,
this is a good point also that garments can be
made from recycled plastic bottles.
Speaker 1 (20:46):
Yeah. That's interesting, isn't it, because well, we don't like
plastics as much recycling. No where are you on that one, Kate?
Speaker 3 (20:54):
Yeahhpe Peter, thanks for calling in. Okay, I have yeah myself,
I have some active wear that is made from recycled plastics,
from recycled plastic bottles or just guarded fishing nets. And
I think, you know, especially for things like active where
that you need that fabric to be a certain way.
You may not want an ultra marathon runner and things
(21:16):
like that may may not be able to do what
they need to do in cotton and things that are
under suitable. And it's a great it's a great material
that we have discovered very recently. However, you know, like
anything there comes with some question marks around its sustainability
in the long term. For example, the fact that we
(21:37):
are still you know, even if it's made from recycled plastics,
if you're still washing it, there's microfibers, microplastics getting into
our waterways, which is becoming quite a big issue that
we're seeing macroplastics everywhere. And that garment again when we're
talking about those bottles that have been recycled turn into
(21:58):
some pants or a T shirt. That garment generally can't
be recycled again and put back into the resource loop.
So when we when we think about recycling that's kind
of only been reused once, you know, it's been a
bottle and then it's been a shirt, and then can't
really move on from that point. So it's it's I
(22:21):
love the innovation behind a lot of these pieces of
clothing that are made from recycled things, but I think
we're going to figure out how we can continue in
this wavelength in a more sustainable way with all the
other impacts too.
Speaker 1 (22:33):
Actually got a text It just says Peter can't win
because he's trying to do something good, recycling something. But
then there's a problem with that. I mean, is that
the problem is that there's everything's problematic ultimately or is
obviously obviously oversimplifying it.
Speaker 3 (22:48):
No, you're not you can't win. But are we? You
know what are we trying to win? Right? We are?
We're learning, we're discovering we can't. You know, I by
no means have a plastic perfect pantry. You know. I
people I think think that my life is perfectly sustainable
and ethical. But you know what is that I think
(23:09):
if we all keep an open mindset and understand, you know, yeah,
it is really cool that something's made from plastic bottles,
but not just kind of take that. Let's make all
of our clothes from plastic bottles from now on and
move on. We always I mean, that's how we've survived
on this earth as a species, isn't it that we're
always learning and innovating and changing. And also, I think
(23:34):
in the sustainability space, and that's why I really enjoy
my work, and I think why a lot of people have,
you know, listen and follow on with my Instagram account
and my daily life is that there's no absolutes and
that we shouldn't be saying, oh, you know, but you're
wearing a recycled plastic top and it's going to leach
to micropastics. That's that's a fact, and it's not great,
(23:57):
but we're still learning and evolving and it's not necessarily
it's not about winning. It's about exploring and discovering and
actually being okay when we're wrong, and and just having
all the different sorts of options too.
Speaker 1 (24:12):
Yeah, that'd be a pretty depressing conversation at a party,
wouldn't it. I love your birds, but I hope they're recycled.
Speaker 3 (24:17):
I know, and we should never say that too. Like
I think a lot of people, you know, I try
to encourage people, you know, like, don't look at someone
else's supermarket trolley, you know, don't focus on what you
can control and what you're comfortable with. And imagine if
we all did just so much more of that rather
than there's there's just too much, too much kind of
(24:39):
absolutes and if you care about sustainability, you have to
do this, this and this, and it's really damaging to
people who just want to try their best and yeah,
interested in different things.
Speaker 1 (24:50):
Hey, how does your website work? Just so people know
what's what's the story behind that and what you do.
Speaker 3 (24:56):
Yeah. Solicate dot com has a few functions. The main
one is the shop good brand so I ordit companies,
you know, their fashion brand, food brands, even some eco
accommodation options. All sorts that are on there, and you
can search. You could type in T shirt or may
come up with ten different options. So that's a place
(25:17):
where I've done the work. I've done the research and time,
and I'm always rechecking into these brands as much as
possible too, So yeah, do that shopping.
Speaker 1 (25:26):
So you have a commercial relationship with each company you've
gone into, So it's sort of a symbiotic sort of
thing where you're presenting them to the audience who wants
to shop ethically, and that's your commercial sort of connection
with those companies.
Speaker 3 (25:38):
Yep, exactly. And then I have a blog space too
where I write different blogs that may be you know,
fifteen sustainable, also make companies, or my thoughts on carbon
offsetting and things like that. So that's those main functions of.
Speaker 1 (25:52):
The same stuff. Okay, let's tell you let's take another call.
Where are we up to? Richard?
Speaker 4 (25:57):
Hello, Hey Tim, how are you doing good?
Speaker 1 (25:59):
Thanks?
Speaker 4 (26:01):
Thanks, thanks for the segment. Case. It's a I'm really
interesting top so just a bit of a background. I'm
a sheep and beef farmer, so yeah, the topic today
sort of hits quite close close to home for me
and my business. I was just curious, what's your position
on New Zealand wools. I have been in and out
(26:22):
of the ute, so I may have missed you discussed this,
but to me, it's in their perfect fiber to be honest,
it's natural, it's biodegradable, it's flame retardant. We grow it
on sort of the whole country of New Zealand where
you can't have cropping cotton and the like. So would
you endorse wider use of New Zealand woolf.
Speaker 3 (26:44):
Hey, Richard, good to hear from you. And I was
fist pumping and going yeah as you said those things,
because I'm totally in agreement with you, that's fine. I
like where this in a nutshell. I have a lot
of WILL. My pillow is filled with will from kind
face wise will, and yeah, I wear and use a
(27:06):
lot of WILL. I have a baby on the way
and I am am looking forward to using a lot
of wool products with that little creature, too, wool carpets.
I even had a woolen dog at one point. But yeah,
I think I've I have a few friends who are
sheep funders, and I know that will has been a
(27:29):
really tough commodity to sell in a really space to
be And I heard some good news, which I'm not
sure how far and wide this good news has affected people,
but that wool was on the uptake, on the increase
I'm not sure. Maybe Richard, you have some more pots.
Speaker 4 (27:49):
Yeah, well, when you're coming from such a low base,
a teen or fifteen percent increase, while it is positive,
it's not going to turn things around completely. I'm just
a bit of a background. So the beauty of sheepherds
are you're purpose animals, so you get the income from
the from the meat, but also also the fiber. So
(28:11):
Marino will finer will that it is certainly and has
always fetched a premium. But the vast majority of New
Zealand sheep are strong walled and that's the wall. That's
that's really struggling.
Speaker 1 (28:24):
Is that the carpets and stuff the strong wall or what.
Speaker 4 (28:28):
Yeah, So primarily it's carpets and insulation, which yeah, and
we're directly competing with synthetics, which is really frustrating. I mean,
it can be used for clothing, probably preferably not against
the skin, but it's just and you must come across
this quite a bit kate. People will say the right
thing and say they support support sustainability and things like that,
(28:51):
but when it comes to their willingness to pay, it's
not always there. And look to me, that's understandable.
Speaker 1 (28:57):
Their ability to be fair Richard. For instance, I'll be
completely honest. We have to recarpet our house at some stage,
and there's unlikely I'm going to go wool because I
can't afford the extra sixty percent to do the job.
Speaker 4 (29:09):
Yeah, and in a global recession and the people are
struggling to put food from the table. That yeah, possibly understand.
Speaker 1 (29:16):
I love a woolen. I love a good woolen jersey
and I hat and all that sort of stuff. But
it does get back to that slightly cheeky proposition is
that the ethics are fine up to a point that
you can afford them.
Speaker 4 (29:28):
Yeah. Yeah, absolutely, And Kate must come across that quite often.
I assham, she might.
Speaker 1 (29:33):
Have been up on me. Now have you still.
Speaker 3 (29:36):
Yeah? I hung up.
Speaker 1 (29:38):
Gone, Yeah, So I carry.
Speaker 3 (29:43):
On the will thing. It is difficult, and I think
in the ethical space too, a lot of people, you know,
we're talking about the cost set of things, but a
lot of people also assume that I'm vegan and wouldn't
touch animal products, and that's a false assumption. I am
very much for you know, utilizing animals in an ethical way,
(30:04):
and happy to know Richard. I hope I've done my
part in sharing about my will carpet and my will
clothing and things with thousands of people at least at
least monthly, often weekly. So I'm trying my best to
help the wool industry. But yeah, I think when done
in an ethical way, it can. You know, just just
(30:24):
like you said, I agree with with all your points.
And when it comes to the with the cost factor
to you know, I am totally aware that I am.
I'm currently child free, live with my husband. You know,
we were able to afford things like amazing wool products,
and even you know, even if the cost per weeer
is lower, it is that upfront, you know, we're not
(30:46):
living week by week. We have the money to invest
in good quality fibers. But I think there are ways.
Often when I talk to people about budgets and living
more sustainably, you know, they go, Okay, I'd love to
live like you, but I just don't have the money.
And then I watch them spend money on just different priorities.
(31:07):
So generally, a lot of what people say to me,
and this is keep you in mind totally. I understand
the people who can't afford in a thinking week bay week,
but they don't mean they can't afford it. They're just
unable to prioritize it, and they're locked into a certain
mindset or framework around what something should cost. So I
(31:29):
really challenge people. Maybe yourself included him around your carpet, Yeah,
but I challenged people to think about is it that
I can't afford it or is it that I can
actually get more creative with where I'm prioritizing my resource.
Speaker 1 (31:42):
Well, we could keep the old nineteen sixty nine champagne
pink nylon carpet, but it's going to have to go,
I'm afraid. But hey, thanks for call Richard. I really
appreciate it. We'll be back in just a moment. It's
nineteen minutes to five. Yes, welcome back to the Health
Hub and we're with Kate Hall. She's the founder of
Ethically Kate. Hey, Kate, I do have a question. I'm
not sure if I want to mention the brand. But
(32:04):
there's a certain brand of exercise where which is it
is know and almost by its brand universally because it's
so popular, but those you know the sort of brand, Oh,
it's Lululemon. Let's just say it. I yeah, okay, where
are we at with exercise clothing? Whether it be that
brand or other stuff, because it does look like, while
(32:26):
it might not necessarily be fashionable forever, it does look
sort of like nuclear in tournaments in terms of its
half life.
Speaker 3 (32:34):
I personally stay as far away from that brand as possible.
Speaker 1 (32:39):
As ethically possible, humanly possible.
Speaker 3 (32:42):
As humanly possible, as physically possible.
Speaker 1 (32:44):
You've got your work cut out, because it's it's almost
I mean, I just drive home today, I'll probably see
you probably fifty percent of everyone who's going for a walk,
at least with women who are wearing that, wearing that
sort of exercise clothing. That's a hard trend to break.
Speaker 3 (32:58):
Yeah, it is a hard trend. And again I try
to focus less on you down with Lulu Lemon because
it's it's a huge company and everyone's so so I
like to you know, at the moment, I am wearing
some second hand exercise pants which no idea what brand
they're from. I think the brand's worn off from the
(33:21):
multiple people who have worn it before me.
Speaker 1 (33:23):
So is it all like, what is it actually made from?
Because it does well, it wasn't around it seems like
it wasn't around a few years ago, and all of
a sudden, it's this flattering sort of exercise where yeah.
Speaker 3 (33:36):
A lot of it is nylon, polyester, stand deck all,
you know, plastic based materials. And you know, even the
secondhand stuff I wear is still nilo and a lot
of it. Some people wouldn't choose to do that for
health reasons, you know, just having it on their body,
but I personally am okay with wearing second hand synthetic clothing.
Speaker 1 (33:58):
Well, so we all make up our own. As you
said at the start, everyone no one's perfect. I always
think that if you, if you're aware of things and
you make a few decisions, at least as long as
you know what the decision you're as you're making, rather
than just blithely sort of going on and go, oh,
I wish i'd known that.
Speaker 3 (34:13):
Yeah, exactly, And as long as we're not just following
a kind of trend, kind of cult brand as it were,
just because the ten other people in the gym were
in the same thing, you know. So that's what I
try to do when I share my everyday life online
on Instagram is to be like, Okay, you can actually
look really cool secondhand exercise where you can also buy
(34:35):
it from places who make it from recycl plastic bottles
like Xenia and lead active where from bamboo you can
you can also probably have less active where. I know
a lot of people who you know you Yeah, you've
got a lot of tights, a lot of tops, and
(34:56):
I generally just have one or two in my life,
even though I exercise every day. So it's just being yeah,
practical and heroing a good side of things. That's my whole.
Speaker 1 (35:09):
Ask a quick question just as a bit of advice
on things, because if you are using second hand clothes,
theres a lot of people people would be look, I'd
want to make sure that I put that through the
fire of hell in terms of getting rid of any
anyone else's sort of stuff, cleaning them, you know, making
sure it's clean so you feel like I can make
this my own now.
Speaker 3 (35:30):
Yep, I definitely, to be honest, I wash all of
my clothes in either thirty degrees or less, just colder,
because it means my clothes lasts much longer. I do
a lot of spot washing. I use the sunshine. I
know that sounds also like you know, borderlining on that
happy use the sunshine to clean your clothes, but scientifically
(35:53):
it's actually.
Speaker 1 (35:54):
In terms of drying them.
Speaker 3 (35:55):
You may, yeah, to dry them, but it's also just
great antibacterially to you know, have them outside. You can
get stands out really really well that haven't come out
even with laundry products you're trying to use.
Speaker 1 (36:08):
Well, I hang on, did you mean Sunshine the soap
or you mean Sunshine as in sunshine?
Speaker 3 (36:13):
I mean the sunshine that I'm seeing as I look
out my.
Speaker 1 (36:15):
Mind, because there is a brand of soap there called
Sunshine in fact, one of those old school Yeah, yeah, okay, hey,
look sorry, carry on.
Speaker 3 (36:25):
I definitely I definitely washed my clothes after being in
a second hand shop. And I know some people, some
people would never buy certain things from a second hand shop,
like Active Where maybe, But honestly, a lot of the
Active where I see in second hand shops it's there
because no one has worn it. If they've worn it
and thrashed it, it likely hasn't made it to a
(36:46):
second hand shop. You know, it's made it to unfortunately
the bin, but it's been worn and worn and worn
and used. So there are particular items, and I would
say Active were would be one of them that you
can find often even brand new pieces that have really
been worn because people had a great idea in the
new year that oh yeah.
Speaker 1 (37:04):
Oh yeah, yeah, yeah, of course you know the sort
of warms. Yes, given there, that's.
Speaker 3 (37:08):
A great category of clothing to phone second hand.
Speaker 1 (37:11):
Okay, look, we might have time to squeeze another call,
but we just got to have another break. We'll be
back in a take. It's nine minutes to five. It's
news Talk, z'd be. We're with ethically Kate. Kate Hall
is with us and got time for one very quick
call Helen. Hello, Yeah, Hi, Hi.
Speaker 7 (37:23):
Tim and Kate. Now, given the problems with synthetics and cotton,
why are we not using alternative fibers like hemp and
flax harakeke. In fact, you could actually have buss plantings
called ke flax along rapirian plantings, which would also protect
(37:43):
the rivers. But why are we not using these alternative fibers.
Speaker 1 (37:48):
Well, I imagine we are, Helen, But let's ask Kate
about that. Good, right, Kate, that's a great.
Speaker 3 (37:53):
Question, Helen, and you'll be happy to know that we
are using them far more than ten years ago when
I started in this space and was investigating we see
kind of transitioning, So I see a lot more hemp
cotton blends. The unfortunate thing, especially being in New Zealand,
is companies are so small and infrastructure to process those
(38:15):
types of fibers is really difficult to come across. And yeah,
difficult to kind of have that upfront cost which is
huge to get that machinery to turn a plant into
a fiber. So it is growing those spaces of I
think hemp is amazing. Having worn it as a consumer too,
(38:38):
It's a really, really incredible product. So I'm hoping that
we just see a continuing incline of those uses of
different fibers.
Speaker 1 (38:46):
Good stuff. Hey, thanks for your call, Helen. Hey, Kate,
thanks so much. Fascinating conversation. Isn't an ongoing one about
the whole sustainability and ethical choices. We had to touch
the sides on the food side of things, but there
we go.
Speaker 3 (38:58):
We could talk for hours and hours. I'm really grateful
to have this chat with you.
Speaker 1 (39:01):
Tim, good stuff, Hey, thanks so much. That is Kate Horse.
She's from Ethically Kate. You can check them out. Their
websites very easy to find and you just google it
and we'll be back shortly. With Smart Money. Max whiteheads
with us. He's an employment relations expert, looking at well,
looking at the little signs you may give people that
might just an employer go oh no, not that person,
(39:23):
and you go, what did I do wrong? The CV
looks great, doesn't it? What are the little things you
can do wrong? And we'll be taking your questions and calls,
of course, on any of your employment or at whether
you be a boss or an employee. Give us a call.
Max will be in the studio next eight hundred eighty
ten to eighty News Talk SEDB For more from the
weekend collective. Listen live to News Talks EDB weekends from
(39:44):
three pm, or follow the podcast on iHeartRadio
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