In Collective Fashion Justice’s new podcast, join a New Yorker and an Australian who love fashion but hate what it does to life on our planet, as they gossip about the month’s fashion industry stories and how they impact people, animals and the planet. Quick, critical, a little sarcastic and queer, this is a podcast for people in and into fashion. Who feel like creativity could make our culture better. Who want to talk about the serious problems and have a bit of fun. Because we can.
Fashion, Really? is a podcast from Collective Fashion Justice’s founding director, Emma Hakansson, and CFJ board member, Joshua Katcher. With one brand, four books, a charity and endless lectures on responsible fashion between them, each episode touches on culture, sustainability, ethics, and another idea for transforming fashion that they can’t shut up about.
BONUS: A CPHFW panel on shiringa bio-leather, design and fashion’s future
This bonus episode features a panel discussion that took place at Copenhagen Fashion Week in August 2025. The talk was moderated by Giorgia Feroldi, a fashion journalist writing for the likes of Vogue Italia. The conversation explores our SHIRINGA film which was screened before the conversation, and examines how shiringa bio-leather could be used within the fashion industry.
Panelists include Veronica D’Souza, board member of Danish Design Council and sustainable leader; Rebecca Bay, Chief Creative Officer at Marimekko who emphasises the shift to material-first design; Sine Christiane Gerstenberg, a writer, editor and creative advocating for positive industry change; and our founding director (and director of SHIRINGA), Emma Håkansson.
The discussion delves into ethics, sustainability, and the need for systemic changes in fashion, highlighting the importance of respecting Indigenous knowledge and addressing the industry's pace. The panel also discusses the importance of material transparency, legislative support, and the potential for a more ethically-driven fashion industry. Lastly, the episode underscores the need for deep knowledge and collaboration within the industry to foster meaningful change.
Learn more about shiringa bio-leather and watch our short film
See coverage of the exhibition
24 Jul 2025
Fast fashion’s final destination: waste colonialism with OR Foundation’s Sammy Oteng
In this bonus episode of Fashion, Really?, we’re looking at where wasted fashion goes, and the fashion industry’s dirty global secret of waste colonialism. Our guest, Sammy Oteng, is a designer based in Accra, Ghana, working as Senior Community Engagement Manager at the OR Foundation. He joins us for a powerful conversation about where our clothes really go when we’re done with them.
Spoiler: It’s not all thrift shops and upcycling.
Sammy walks us through both the creative ingenuity and the harsh social and environmental realities of Kantamanto Market in Accra, one of the largest secondhand clothing markets in the world. We're talking mountains of discarded clothes, environmental fallout, and a system stacked against the very communities forced to clean up the Global North’s mess.
Amongst the dark there is also light: Sammy shares how Ghanaian creatives, traders, and tailors are innovating: reclaiming and reimagining waste into something new. We also unpack extended producer responsibility (EPR), and why it might be one of the few policy tools with real teeth to solve this problem.
It’s an episode about power, justice, and what it means to take responsibility for fashion’s footprint.
00:00 Introduction to Sammy Oteng and The OR Foundation
00:59 Defining waste colonialism
02:05 Impact of waste colonialism in Ghana
06:53 Kantamanto Market: a model of sustainability
12:05 Challenges and Innovations in fashion design
19:48 Consumer responsibility and education
26:32 Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR)
38:40 Final thoughts and call to action
Actions you can take:
Speak Volumes campaign by The OR Foundation
Sign our total ethics fashion manifesto
Try the rule of 5 challenge
More resources:
Learn more with the OR Foundation and support their work
CFJ’s page on mass consumerism and its impact
Read: Consumed: The Need for Collective Change, by Aja Barber
Read: Total Ethics Fashion, by Emma Hakansson
Follow:
Sammy’s design Instagram
OR Foundation
20 Jun 2025
What’s next for ethical fashion? recycling, AI, and industry shifts
Hosts Emma and Joshua explore ethical fashion's future, covering recycling breakthroughs, AI's role, industry shifts, greenwashing, and legal cases, while highlighting progress signs.
23 May 2025
Brand new vintage... huh? + Orsola de Castro's repair rebellion
Hosts Emma and Joshua examine fashion's role as resistance against carelessness, dissect climate action failures, and question brands' misleading claims, while Orsola de Castro discusses fashion repair as protest in this interview.
17 Apr 2025
Pay up, babe: fashion worker wages
Fashion, Really? is back with a fresh take on the fashion industry's latest chaos: from half-baked sustainability policies to corporate greenwashing with a glossy finish.
This week, we’re catching up after a whirlwind of fashion events and runways, before it’s time to unpack some big moves (and missteps): the EU’s watered-down sustainability regulation, India’s bold decoupling strategy, and whether the fashion industry is actually making a dent in its decarbonisation promises.
We’re also joined by the brilliant Delphine Willot from Fashion Revolution, who gets into the thick of it on what it really means to pay a living wage to fashion’s garment workers.
And of course, it wouldn’t be an episode without our favourite segment—greenwash of the month. This time, we’re calling out the Natural Fiber Alliance and WWF for dressing up misinformation in eco-friendly packaging.
Make yourself comfortable, this episode is jam packed. It’s fashion and politics for people, animals and the planet—unfiltered.
Each of our episodes will be broken down into short and sharp sections, find episode one breakdown below:
0.00: Welcome!
1.36: First things first: what are we wearing?
4.53: The latest fashion gossip and news… but green
19.58: You’ve got to read this
31.42:: Our two cents: wages: with guest Delphine Willot from Fashion Revolution
45.47: Green-wash of the month
56.07: Wrap-up and next time
Book, articles and other things to look at:
The EU has massively watered down what were meant to be landmark sustainability regulations impacting large fashion brands
Vogue Business: is fur still a faux pas?
Vogue Business: Can India triple the value of its fashion sector while halving emissions?
Ecotextile: US secondhand fashion market ‘up 14% last year’
Learn more about next-gen leather materials
full 26 page complaint by Tanja Gotthardsen and Forbrugerrådet Tænk (a consumer council think tank) submitted to the Danish Consumer Ombudsman reporting both CPHFW and participating brands for green-washing.
PwC’s second annual state of decarbonization report
Fashion Revolution
Fashion Transparency Index by Fashion Revolution
20 Mar 2025
We’re gettin' wild, and SHEIN is ridiculous
Fashion, Really? is back with another deep dive into the messy and hidden truth behind our clothes. This time, Emma and Joshua unpack the political forces shaping fashion from the California Fashion Act and a French fast fashion bill to Vietnam’s push for a circular economy.
We also shine a light on the hidden victims of fashion’s supply chain: wildlife. From deforestation for leather and wool to the far-reaching impact of land use on global biodiversity, we’re exposing how biodiversity destruction is tied to animal exploitation that’s literally woven into the industry’s fabric.
Plus, we’re back with one of our favourite segments, green-wash of the month. This time, we’re chatting about the sneaky misuse of "recycled" labels to the illusion of ethical productivity in marketing. Join us as we challenge the status quo and explore what it really takes to make fashion responsible when considering people, animals, and the planet. We’re doing it while keeping it cute.
Each of our episodes will be broken down into short and sharp sections, find episode one breakdown below:
0.00: Welcome!
1.27: First things first: what are we wearing?
4.41: The latest fashion gossip and news… but green
15.30: You’ve got to read this
23.49: Quick fire summary: wildlife
39.40: Green-wash of the month
48.09: Wrap-up and next time
This episode kicks off with a very special ‘what are we wearing’ with Joshua sharing the stories woven into his vintage ensemble and Emma breaking down the incredible innovation behind her shiringa bio-leather jacket. (watch this episode on YouTube for full effect as well as our documentary, SHIRINGA: Fashion Regenerating Amazonia).
We also tackle some of the industry’s biggest headlines from the last month: the devastating Kantomanto market fire in Ghana, UK parliamentary scrutiny of Shein’s labor practices, and the ethical minefield of vintage fur’s resurgence. Plus, we unpack key fashion legislation updates, from the New York Fashion Workers Act to the latest greenwashing controversies in the wool industry (AI images on a webpage about transparency and sustainability?!).
Join us as we challenge the status quo and explore how fashion can (and must) do better – while looking good.
Each of our episodes will be broken down into short and sharp sections, find episode one breakdown below:
0.00: Welcome!
0.47: First things first: what are we wearing?
9.40: The latest fashion gossip and news… but green
25.12: You've got to read this
42.59: Green-wash of the month
49.25: Wrap-up and next time
Book, articles and other things to look at:
Scaling next-gen materials in fashion: an executive guide
Coyote America by Dan Flores
Biodiversity: The next frontier in sustainable fashion
Circumfauna
Designer Nancy Gonzalez sentenced to prison for smuggling crocodile and python handbags
Collective Fashion Justice submission into the Australian Parliamentary inquiry into greenwashing
21 Feb 2025
AI instead of transparency… no thanks
This episode kicks off with a very special ‘what are we wearing’ with Joshua sharing the stories woven into his vintage ensemble and Emma breaking down the incredible innovation behind her shiringa bio-leather jacket. (watch this episode on YouTube for full effect as well as our documentary, SHIRINGA: Fashion Regenerating Amazonia).
We also tackle some of the industry’s biggest headlines from the last month: the devastating Kantomanto market fire in Ghana, UK parliamentary scrutiny of Shein’s labor practices, and the ethical minefield of vintage fur’s resurgence. Plus, we unpack key fashion legislation updates, from the New York Fashion Workers Act to the latest greenwashing controversies in the wool industry (AI images on a webpage about transparency and sustainability?!).
Join us as we challenge the status quo and explore how fashion can (and must) do better – while looking good.
Each of our episodes will be broken down into short and sharp sections, find episode one breakdown below:
0.00: Welcome!
0.47: First things first: what are we wearing?
9.40: The latest fashion gossip and news… but green
25.12: You've got to read this
42.59: Green-wash of the month
49.25: Wrap-up and next time
Book, articles and other things to look at:
SHIRINGA- watch on Waterbear
Watch Fashion, Really? on YouTube
SHIEN UK Parliamentary Hearing
Grazed and Confused
United Nations. convention to combat desertification report on fashion and land called ‘Unraveling the Environmental Impact of Fibers’
Hello Beautiful by Ann Napolitano
24 Jan 2025
New year, new you, new fashion system?
Fashion, Really? is back for 2025, baby! We’re kicking off the new year by sharing our personal and industry-wide resolutions—like advocating for living wages, tackling overproduction, and pushing for more sustainable and ethical material sourcing.
We celebrate London Fashion Week’s bold move to ban wild animal skins (spoiler: we helped make it happen), give you the latest on New York’s Fashion Act legislation, and dig into the troubling rise of wild animal skin use under the guise of conservation, and even by brands claiming to be ethical. Transparency, responsible investment, and some actual action for animal protection are high on our list of hopes for the year ahead.
Join us as we unpack the issues, share insights, and uncover how all of us can push fashion toward a more ethical and sustainable future in 2025.
Each of our episodes will be broken down into short and sharp sections, find episode one breakdown below:
0.00: Welcome!
1.33: First things first: what are we wearing?
4.36: The latest fashion gossip and news… but green
19.53: New Years Resolutions
34.11: Greenwashing - you can’t hide from us!
45.03: Wrap-up and next time
Book, articles and other things to look at:
https://www.theguardian.com/fashion/2024/nov/29/london-fashion-week-first-of-big-four-to-ban-exotic-animal-skins
https://sourcingjournal.com/sustainability/sustainability-news/new-york-fashion-act-assembly-passed-legislation-due-diligence-513784
https://www.drapersonline.com/news/primark-cuts-carbon-emissions
https://vmagazine.com/article/actress-sarah-snook-poses-for-new-stella-mccartney-ryder-bag-campaign/
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19 Dec 2024
Wearing fast fashion to curb overconsumption?!
Fashion experts Emma Gannon and Sarah Krasley delve into the dark side of the fashion industry, exposing green-washing, exploitation, and overconsumption, and offering practical tips to reduce fashion's devastating impact on the planet.
26 Nov 2024
Want to wear bacteria? Next-gen materials and ethical fashion scandals
Fashion, Really? hosts Rachel Klemek and guest experts expose the dark side of the fashion industry, revealing how next-gen materials and legislation can transform the industry's ethics and sustainability.
23 Oct 2024
Thrift store pop stars + certified fashion lies
In this episode of 'Fashion, Really,' brought to you by your favourite charity Collective Fashion Justice, we continue to explore the critical interplay between fashion, ethics and sustainability.
We’re chatting about outfits and innovation highlights from New York Fashion Week, discussing how the pop girly’s influence fast fashion, and addressing the troubling lack of emissions reduction targets in the fashion industry. From there, we’re uncovering green-washing tactics, unpacking emission scopes, and discussing what we’ve been reading.
We’ll also dive into key material certifications and if they’re really worth anything or full of loopholes. We talk about luxury fashion’s unjust labour problem and a controversial ad full of green-washing.
As always, there’s light and shade, serious stuff and fluff. We hope you enjoy listening as much as we did creating this for you!
Each of our episodes will be broken down into short and sharp sections, find episode one breakdown below:
0.00: Welcome!
1.14: First things first: what are we wearing?
5.00: The latest fashion gossip and news… but green
15.20: You’ve got to read this
24.55: Diving in: material certifications
40.38: Wrap-up and next time
The latest fashion gossip and news: articles for you
https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/chappell-roan-good-luck-babe-fame-fans-1235094314/
https://www.voguebusiness.com/story/sustainability/with-new-brand-partnerships-next-gen-materials-are-picking-up-steam-ganni-burberry-christian-siriano
https://www.collectivefashionjustice.org/climate-action-failure
https://www.collectivefashionjustice.org/articles/wool-standards-explained
You've got to read this
The Anti-Capitalist Book of Fashion by Tansy E. Hoskins
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IG: @collectivefashionjustice
LinkedIn
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20 Sept 2024
Don’t be mad, we made a podcast… and gossiped about fashion’s impact
On today’s (first ever!) show, we introduce our hosts, Emma Hakansson and Joshua Katcher, an Australian and a New Yorker who love fashion but hate what it does to life on our planet. They jump in with what’s most important, what they’re wearing — obviously. Emma is wearing a jacket Joshua’s label made (a shameless plug) and Joshua feels like he’s won double sustainability points for finding an organic cotton boiler suit… second hand.
On this episode of our podcast for people who want to talk about serious problems but still have a bit of fun, we cover fashion week progress towards sustainability, just transitions, GANNI’s next-gen material progress, visiting the Amazon (the rainforest, not the billionaire nightmare), fashion's deforestation problem, making materials from greenhouse gases, and plenty more.
Each of our episodes will be broken down into short and sharp sections, find episode one breakdown below:
1.08 - First things first: what are we wearing?2.40 - Meet your hosts7.09 - The latest fashion gossip and news... but green29.00 - You’ve got to read this36.20 - Deep dive: deforestation48.27 - Wrap up and next time
The latest fashion gossip and news: articles for you
Copenhagen Fashion Week teams up with Berlin Fashion Week to accelerate sustainability efforts
What's Behind the Slow Fashion Recession
Bloodbath: Nike Reportedly Deeply Cut Sustainability Teams
Shifting design, adjusting profits: Inside Ganni's sustainability-first business model
Deep dive - deforestation: keep learning
Collective Fashion Justice: deforestation and biodiversity
Report: Under their skin
You've got to read this
The Ganni Playbook written by GANNI co-founder Nicolaj Reffstrup with industry writer Brooke Roberts-Islam
Ways of Being by James Bridle
And some more... for fun
Total Ethics Fashion by Emma Hakansson
Fashion Animals by Joshua Katcher
Follow us on
IG: @collectivefashionjustice
LinkedIn
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Reach and audience
Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.
YouTube views
314
Score snapshot 15 Sept 2025
Apple Podcasts (US)
5.0 / 5
5 ratings
Podcast Authority Score: 35 / 100
A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.
Quality
31
Social presence
0
YouTube
66
Engagement
32
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Questions about Fashion, Really?
Who hosts Fashion, Really??
Emma and Joshua host the show. Published by Collective Fashion Justice.
How often do new episodes come out?
The show publishes bi-weekly, based on its RSS feed.
Does Fashion, Really? take guests?
Yes. Guests have been identified in episode analyses.
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