As a woman who studied science, I know how important it is to have strong role models in STEM to look up to. STEM is a term to describe a group of academic disciplines – Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics. In an age of climate change and growing populations, STEM roles are crucial and growing....
Food waste and fashion are two of the most wasteful industries in the world. Roughly one third of the food we produce in the world is lost or wasted, from snobby supermarkets to wasteful households. This also doesn’t take into account the parts of the plant or animal we don’t use, such as banana skins...
In an increasingly globalised world, it’s becoming more difficult to have any connection with the maker of any of our products. That’s why, there is nothing more beautiful than a piece of jewellery that’s been lovingly handmade by someone. Many people often believe that handmade means expensive, which isn’t necessarily true. Yes a machine is...
I’ve always had a big issue with idolizing random people and influencer culture, it leads to false perceptions of the real world. Style icons are another warped reality that Instagram has both expanded and damaged with influencers and fast fashion. I know because I’m a target of it too, mindlessly scrolling through someone’s social feed,...
Writer’s note: This is an opinion piece based on experience and research, I am not a medical professional nor a naturopath. I’ve always been a natural pessimist, maybe because I’m British, but probably because I question everything. When I first moved to Australia a few years ago, I didn’t even understand the word naturopath, until...
There’s nothing more frustrating than a painfully ironic clothing brand, classic example; t-shirts that say “female empowerment” made by female garment workers that aren’t paid a fair living wage (I’m looking at you Beyonce). I’ve always felt that some surf brands are also a prime example of this irony, with mainstream surf brands promoting outdoor life...
For a long period of time, consumers have been left in the dark when it comes to understanding clothing labels. Most of us complain about how scratchy or annoying they are, cutting them out completely from our garments. As brand transparency is increasing globally, this is the time not only for label tags to become more...
In Kenya, selling plastic bags can get you four years in jail or a $38,000 fine. In Australia, Woolworths banned the plastic bag a week ago, introducing thicker bags costing five cents, and already a shopper has throttled an employee. People’s negative reactions to the Woolworths plastic bag ban is so pathetic, that the worldwide media...
For years, I’ve been obsessed with traditional and modern Japanese textiles. When I finally travelled to Japan, I realised why; Japanese textiles have a deep culture of minimalism, connection, and no waste. The ancient term ‘Mottainai’, linked to Buddhist philosophy, means too good to waste. This term has been rooted into the history of beautifully handcrafted...
Sydney, Australia: Hemp, marijuana, cannabis, hash, weed, pot, skunk, Mary Jane, grass, joint…whatever you want to call it, it’s a name variation from the same species – the cannabis plant ‘cannabis sativa’. Cannabis contains multiple active components which react with receptors in the brain, most commonly known is tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) which is the chemical that causes...
Sydney, Australia: Since I was about 13 years old, I’ve been crippled by (not-so-obvious) anxiety. The truth is, I never thought I’d actually ever tell anyone about it. To this day, I’m not even sure some of my closest school friends knew I was suffering from anxiety – how could they when I didn’t know how to...
The secret is well and truly out that plastic that was once a ‘magical material’, has turned into an environmental disaster. The synthetic and man-made material has been around for decades, with multiple applications from clothing to cutlery. It’s difficult to imagine a world that hasn’t involved plastic, trickling its way into our lifestyles and...