19. Fashion Forward: PANGAIA, a Material Science Company Disguised as Fashion Brand

Join Karl and Erum on Grow Everything as they discuss sustainability in the fashion industry with Amanda Parkes, a fashion technologist and Chief Innovation Officer at PANGAIA. Amanda emphasizes the need for transparency and education in the industry, sharing how her company's website explains the science behind their sustainable products. She also discusses her passion for ocean conservation and the potential of microalgae as a sustainable material for clothing. Amanda touches on her work with startups in this space and her teaching experience at Harvard. The conversation also delves into the challenges of sustainability in fashion, including the overproduction of synthetic materials and microplastic pollution. The hosts ask Amanda about her sources of inspiration, including Coifs, a company that makes beautiful dyes for clothing. This episode provides valuable insights into the importance of sustainability in the fashion industry and the innovative solutions being developed to address its challenges. Grow Everything brings to life the bioeconomy when hosts Karl Schmieder and Erum Azeez Khan share stories from the field and interview leaders and influencers in the space.  Life is a powerful force and it can be engineered. What are we creating? Learn more at www.messaginglab.com/groweverything Topics Covered: 00:00:00 - Bridging the Communication Gap between Startups and Fashion Companies 00:01:11 - Safety and Sustainability Questions Raised by Prospect Park Celebration 00:04:08 - Living in Brooklyn: A Perpetual South by Southwest Experience 00:05:33 - Passion for Innovative Products and Biotech: Interview with Amanda 00:08:12 - Passive Lens Technology and Flashing Light Effect in Water Treatment 00:11:24 - Consistent Light's Importance for Microalgae Growth and Journey to PANGAIA 00:13:43 - Fashion Industry Needs to Learn from Silicon Valley's R&D Approach 00:17:32 - New Fashion Model: Collaboration and Innovation for Industry Change 00:19:12 - Enabling Technology for Sustainable Fashion: Importance of Materials and Innovation 00:22:37 - High-Tech World of Fashion 00:27:07 - PANGAIA's High-Tech Naturalism Philosophy and Patented Material 00:30:32 - Spier's Biotech for Sustainable Fashion with Brewed Protein 00:36:05 - Fashion and Accessory Favorites of the Speaker 00:39:17 - Balancing Crop Yield and Biofabricated Solutions for a Sustainable Future 00:40:56 - Importance of Developing Feedstock for Biofabrication Technologies to Avoid Crisis 00:42:51 - Harvard's New Institute for Climate: Teaching Through Sustainability and Longevity 00:46:03 - Finding Inspiration in the Ocean: Scientist's Perspective 00:48:37 - Praise for a Book and NYC's Biotech and Material Innovation Scene 00:50:14 - Getting to Know Amanda: Her Bio Reactor Journey on a Podcast Interview 00:53:51 - Exciting Companies in the Fashion Industry 00:55:57 - Science of Mouth Feel and Sensory Perception in Food Engineering 00:58:32 - Upcoming Episodes to Cover Materials, Beauty, and Food Episode Links: Pangaia Amanda Parkes on LinkedIn Companies Mentioned: Spiber Colorifix Twelve Suggested Reading: Invention of Nature by Alexander von Humboldt Facing Gaia by Bruno Latour  Doughnut Economics by Kate Raworth Call or Text the Grow Everything Hotline:  +1 804-505-5553 Have a question or comment? Message us here: Instagram / TikTok / Twitter / LinkedIn / Youtube / GrowEverything website Email: [email protected] Support here: Patreon Music by: Nihilore Production by: Amplafy Media