S05 Episode 234 | Rethinking upcycling, questioning trends & reimagining what "seasons" mean

<p class=""><img src= "https://assets.libsyn.com/secure/show/99761/LOTI-ep234-final-libsyn.jpg" alt="" width="600" height="600" /></p> <p class="">In episode 234, Kestrel welcomes Lottie Bertello, the founder and creative director at LOTI, to the show. An upcycling design studio recently launched in 2021, <a href= "https://lotiloti.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">LOTI</a> reuses materials that would otherwise end up in landfills.</p> <h2 id="yui_3_17_2_1_1620658002651_344051">“We’re gonna be really vocal with our platform to show people that we don’t need to be following these trends. I think trends is what has pushed this overconsumption in massive amounts. And there’s the misconception that trends are the only fun clothes you can use — like trendy clothes equal fun and sustainable clothes equal boring, which is absolutely not the case at all.”<br /> -Lottie Bertello</h2> <p class="">On this week’s show, Lottie shares more of her experience working within the conventional fashion industry, and how for her, that made her realize that building her own project was where she could make the most positive impact.</p> <p class="">Lottie highlights some amazing stories from the beginnings of building the brand — one day, she was browsing the racks at a Goodwill, and she ended up buying 300 men’s button up shirts, without having a plan as to <em>how</em> to use them. Those shirts became the first building blocks of what LOTI has become today.</p> <p class="">Also, Kestrel and Lottie also explore some of the nuances around “trends” and where they fit into the sustainability and fashion movement.</p> <ul> <li> <p class="">“I think developing our aesthetic was the most challenging part of developing LOTI because as much as our brand stands for textile waste reduction and ethical manufacturing, we have nothing without a good product that people like — it’s unsustainable for us to sell a product based on the fact that it’s quote unquote sustainable. You know, if you don’t love it, then you’re not going to wear it, and if