Not every brand is a scam—but some are built on marketing magic.
Factory Settings breaks down your favorite brands, how things are made, what goes wrong behind the scenes, and how to tell what’s worth buying… and what just looks good on social.
Influencer-backed brands that rise overnight could turn out to be mass-produced catalog items with a fresh logo slapped on. Others call themselves “sustainable” while churning out goods made of questionable materials.
The hosts hold brands accountable- including their own.
This isn’t another "feel-good" founder podcast.
From collapsing collars to collapsing ethics… this episode of Factory Settings with special guest Mallory Brooks (@plzdontbuythat) pulls back the curtain on fast fashion, influencer culture, and the marketing tactics brands don’t want you to question.
Mallory and I dig into:
Parke’s viral crewnecks - what happens when hype and scarcity marketing outweigh quality, and why those “mock necks” look like bacon.
White labeling & knockoffs - how brands buy blanks, slap on tags, and sell them as “premium.”
Greenwashing - why “sustainable” and “ethical” are often nothing more than shiny labels.
Factory transparency - what we’ve actually seen behind the scenes (including child labor in “ethical” factories).
Influencer culture - PR boxes piling up in trash rooms, brands prioritizing influencers over actual customers, and why I left influencing even though it was “stupid money.”
Children online - the dark reality of parents turning their kids into content, and why “children are not content” needs to be the baseline.
Better ways forward - how to actually spot quality as a consumer, and my $1-per-day shopping rule.
This conversation is raw, unfiltered, and important. If you’ve ever wondered how to tell when a brand is lying to you- or why so much of what you see online feels off- this episode will change the way you shop, share, and think!
Instagram: @factorysettingspod (https://www.instagram.com/factorysettingspod/?hl=tl)
Tiktok: @factorysettingspodcast (https://www.tiktok.com/@factorysettingspodcast)
25 Jun 2025
Woman-Owned Does Not Mean Ethically Made
Chelsey and Marinda expose the harsh realities of factories in Asia, revealing child labor and sweatshop conditions that challenge the ethical claims of some "woman-owned" brands.
5 Jun 2025
Making an "Odd" Impression: Pretty Packaging, Messy Messaging
Hosts Chelsey and Marinda examine the controversy around fashion brand Odd Muse, exploring accusations of a lack of transparency and accountability after a social media dispute.
27 May 2025
TRAILER: Introducing Factory Settings - Coming on June 3rd
Hosts Chelsey Brown and Marinda Frazier introduce "Factory Settings," a podcast that dissects brands, their manufacturing processes, and marketing tactics to help listeners distinguish quality products from deceptive ones.
Reach and audience
Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.
Apple Podcasts (US)
5.0 / 5
1 ratings
Spotify
4.2 / 5
5 ratings
Podcast Authority Score: 20 / 100
A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.
Quality
28
Social presence
0
YouTube
0
Engagement
32
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