Resisting Fast Fashion -- our first story from a listener

In this episode, we read our very first story from a boozarino! I purchased two beautifully crafted masks from @made.by.lauren.b (IG), and when they arrived I discovered a lengthy hand-written letter from Lauren.  Her letter quickly opened our eyes to the horrors of the textile and fashion industries, and Hillary and I soon found ourselves deep down the rabbit hole of research about fast fashion and its effects on people and the planet. These industries produce so much waste, toxic pollution, and human suffering, so Lauren has made it an act of resistance to produce masks using entirely reclaimed materials. Tune in to learn more!  Here is a little bit of information about Lauren's masks, taken from her shop:https://laurenb-102559.square.site/s/shop-------+ MASK SPECS +-------Made from 100% COTTON fabricComes with sewn-in adjustable padded metal nosepieceEach mask has a unique interior (( we always use dark and/or patterned cotton for the main mouth covering. Lipstick exists, we can all get in a hurry, & the last thing we want to do is make your life more difficult. ))Stretch jersey tie-back cordDouble-wall construction includes a filter pocket.Each mask is handmade from reclaimed materials (and magic, maybe) in Chicago, Illinois!-------+ RECLAIMED MATERIALS, you say? +-------Lauren is ... especially good at sourcing second-hand materials. With years of experience using reclaimed materials & salvaged fabric, Lauren is a textile wizard. We absolutely do source fabric from thrift stores & individual resellers but the more we can avoid venturing into risky public spaces, the better (and SAFER).Between dye-ing, screen-printing, & other fancy tricks, the finished product looks pretty uniform. We focus on comfort & practicality for the lining fabrics. Varying the lining colors allows us to up-cycle fabric as needed. Changing up the lining colors also makes it infinitely easier for YOU to keep track of clean vs. dirty masks....but why? seems like a huge pain.Lauren is thoroughly committed to using second-hand as much as possible. Down to the thread, machines, needles, etc.. It CAN be difficult & laborious to take these steps. That's why you pay us to take those steps so you don't have to.This ethos applies to everything Lauren makes! (Lauren has been low key patiently waiting for the barter economy to emerge from the ashes of late-stage capitalism since she was a child. People have the power!)We are serious about getting masks on as many faces as we can. We can afford to keep selling masks for $10 by using reclaimed materials (& by chaining Lauren to her sewing machine. it's fine.) which we really very much want to continue to do.-------+ TRADES +------If you are cash poor but cotton sheet rich, we'd love to trade for masks. Find more info in the mask pdf as well as in this instagram post. If you have materials to spare, do not hesitate to email us !!-------+ MORE INFO +-------PLEASE CONTACT US for FUNDRAISING efforts, to supply ORGANIZATIONS with masks, or for WHOLESALE. We'd be pleased as punch to work with you!We're happy to help! We love you! Be safe!!Support the showCocktails & Capitalism is an anticapitalist labor of love, but we could use your help to make this project sustainable. If you can support with even a dollar a month, that would really help us continue to educate, agitate, and amplify the voices of those who are working to dismantle capitalism and create a better world.https://www.patreon.com/cocktailsandcapitalismFollow us on Instagram and TwitterSome episodes on YouTube. Subscribe & enjoy! Cheers!