The Food Heals Podcast with Allison Melody and Suzy Hardy

Let’s be honest, almost all of us have shopped at a fast fashion outlet at one point or other, for that last minute party outfit or a quick shopping fix. But often these clothes last all of a day, disintegrating after one wash. They may be cheap, but they’ve got a heavy ethical and ecological cost: made in sweatshops, laced with lead, they quickly end up on landfill sites. Is it possible to be fashionistas with a conscience? YES! As a vegetarian and now vegan, Sugandh Agrawal knew she didn’t want to wear animal byproducts and set about finding an alternative. Leather, while known the world over for being “luxurious”, is a dirty industry—not just cruel to animals, but cruel to the people who work with it, and the environment. The journey to launching an ethical fashion brand wasn’t easy—she had to find different materials and artisans willing to work with them, not to mention finding factories that treat workers fairly. But it was worth it! In 2009 she launched GUNAS New York, our favorite, 100% vegan, 100% s