Special episode by No Ordinary Cloth x Fashion District

In this episode, Mili speaks with Sol Escobar, founder of Give Your Best, and Anoli Mehta, founder of Circular Threads, two inspiring women tackling fashion’s social and environmental challenges from different angles. Sol’s award-winning social enterprise helps bridge the gap between clothing waste and clothing poverty by allowing people in need—such as refugees and survivors of domestic violence—to shop donated fashion online for free, preserving choice and dignity while promoting circularity. Meanwhile, Anoli’s platform gives South Asian wedding and occasion wear a meaningful second life by creating a space for people to buy, sell, and rediscover preloved garments, extending their lifespan and reducing waste.

Both founders are proving that community-driven circularity—whether through redistribution or resale—can reshape the fashion system, reducing waste while building inclusivity and meaningful connection in how we consume and value clothes

Key Topics Discussed:

• How Sol and Anoli’s businesses address fashion waste and offer alternatives to buying new
• The problem of clothing poverty in the UK and how Give Your Best gives agency and dignity to vulnerable individuals through free shopping for donated clothes
• The challenge of overconsumption and the cultural significance of South Asian fashion, and how Circular Threads is building a dedicated marketplace for preloved occasion wear
• The power of community: building genuine connections with buyers, sellers, donors and volunteers
• Stories of personal identity, belonging, and the emotional meaning tied to clothing
• Behind-the-scenes experiences in entrepreneurship, including overcoming failure, learning resilience, and finding inspiration from lived experiences
• What success looks like—impact, culture shift and empowering others

Calls to Action:

• Listeners are invited to support both projects by donating clothing, becoming a volunteer, attending events, or simply spreading the word to raise awareness
• Anyone with South Asian outfits or formalwear they no longer use is encouraged to visit Circular Threads’ store or online marketplace
• For Give Your Best, all are welcome to donate clothes, connect with local volunteers (“Besties”), and help extend the platform’s mission
• Join these communities to help fashion last longer than an evening out

Follow and connect with Sol Escobar and Anoli Mehta:

• Give Your Best: Website I Insta
• Circular Threads: Website I Insta

Connect with me

Mili Tharakan: LinkedIn I Insta I Website I Buy me a coffee

If you enjoyed this, please share the episode with a friend or colleague. Subscribe and leave a review, I love to hear your feedback.

Recommended listening:

Ep 22. Beyond the Bin: fighting against Fashion Waste

Ep 21. Circular Fashion in Action: Insights From Luxury and Highstreet Brands

Cover art: Photo by Siora, Photography on Unsplash

Music: Inspired Ambient, Orchestraman

In this episode, host Mili Tharakan, dives deep into the extraordinary mind and career of Amanda Parkes—a true pioneer at the intersection of science, fashion, and engineering. Amanda has consistently challenged boundaries and redefined what’s possible in textiles and sustainability.

Amanda Parkes is a renowned fashion scientist with more than 20 years of experience pioneering innovation, sustainability, and smart materials across the fashion and technology sectors. As founding scientist and Chief Innovation Officer at Pangaia, she led the creation of market-first, sustainable materials, helping to earn the brand a top spot on Fast Company’s Most Innovative Brands list. She holds a PhD and MS from the MIT Media Lab and degrees in Mechanical Engineering and Art History from Stanford. As an Advisor at Regeneration VC Amanda also advises leading climate tech and biomaterials startups and is an internationally recognised speaker, honoured by the Business of Fashion and Vanity Fair for her influential work shaping the industry.

In this episode they explore Amanda's latest venture - Mothership Materials, where she is translating cutting-edge molecular separation technology to turn waste into valuable ingredients for the next generation of textiles and glucose for microbes. Amanda's insights offer a hopeful and innovative vision for the future of the textile industry.

Key takeaways from this episode include the potential of waste valorisation in creating sustainable textiles, the importance of interdisciplinary approaches, and the need for robust business models in sustainable fashion.

Mothership Materials

00:00 Introduction to the No Ordinary Cloth Podcast

00:43 Meet Amanda Parkes: A Pioneer in Sustainable Textiles

05:52 Defining the Role of a Fashion Scientist

13:53 Amanda's New Venture: Mothership Materials

36:03 Navigating Interdisciplinary Skills and Innovation Diplomacy

43:44 Challenges and Strategies in Scaling Sustainable Technologies

51:53 Insights from Leading Innovation at Pangaia

01:09:40 Future of Emerging Textile Technologies

01:10:33 AI in Textile Innovation

01:11:18 Regeneration VC Fund's Mission

01:12:50 Challenges in Impact Measurement

01:15:12 Investment Nervousness in Fashion Startups

01:18:43 Career Path and Advice for Young Professionals

01:42:22 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

Pangaia Lab I Regeneration VC

🎧 Recommended Listening:

Ep 14. Farm to Fibre

Ep 15. Brewing Beer for Bio Leather

Ep 2. From Garden Waste to Leather

Ep 16. Catalyst Shaping the Future of Sustainable and Ethical Fashion

Connect with me

Mili Tharakan: Linkedin I Insta I Buy me a coffee I Email

❤️ Subscribe and leave a review, I love to hear your feedback

Cover art: Photo by Siora, Photography on Unsplash

Music: Inspired Ambient, Orchestraman

In this episode, host Mili speaks with Bradley Seese,(“The Yarn Geek”), VP of Operations at Clothing 2.0 and a lifelong textile innovator and technical visionary, about the future of medicine-embedded textiles. Learn how Clothing 2.0 is infusing active ingredients like capsaicin (the spicy compound in chili peppers) into yarns to create health-promoting, pain-relieving garments. The conversation spans the science, safety, sustainability, regulatory landscape, and exciting possibilities for smart wearables that do more for our wellbeing—as well as Brad’s passionate journey from North Carolina yarn mills to the frontlines of textile innovation.

Key Topics

• What are medicine-embedded textiles, and how do they work?
• Capsaicin for pain relief: benefits, science, and use in smart clothing.
• Sustainability, wash durability, and minimizing waste in health textiles.
• The challenges and opportunities in bringing textile technology to market.
• Upskilling and creating new job pathways in US-based manufacturing.
• Brad’s personal journey and vision for the next wave of smart wearables.

Clothing 2.0: Website

Resources mentioned by Brad:

Manufacturing Solutions Center (for textile innovation and workforce training)

Advanced Textile Association

Synthetic Yarn and Fabric Association

Southern Textile Association

SEAMS: The Association for the US Sewn Products Industry

Hohenstein Institute: International textile test lab and standards organization

Connect with Mili Tharakan: Website I Linkedin I Insta I Buy me a cofffee

Cover art: Photo by Siora, Photography on Unsplash

Music: Inspired Ambient, Orchestraman

Special episode by No Ordinary Cloth x Fashion District

In this episode of No Ordinary Cloth, host Mili speaks with Jennifer Droguett Espinosa, a Colombian and Chilean Sustainable Fashion Designer and Creative Director, and the founder of Anciela. Jennifer shares how her early experiences with migration, identity, and upcycling shaped her personal and creative outlook. She discusses her journey from making her own clothes as a child through to studying fashion in Amsterdam, interning with Viktor & Rolf, and building her career and community in London.

Jennifer talks about the origins of Anciela, a brand deeply rooted in storytelling, South American folklore, and experimental tailoring, and grounded on the pillars of culture, sustainability, community, and visibility. She details her creative process, how she layers history, literature, music, and personal memory into collections, and the stories behind some of her signature pieces.

The conversation covers Anciela’s approach to circularity, including sustainable material choices, zero-waste techniques, refresh and repair services, and pioneering digital product passports for transparency. Jennifer opens up about collaborating with Latinx creatives, working with diaspora charities, and making fashion more accessible through inclusive events and workshops. She reflects on her time with the Fashion District’s Evo Fashion programme and the British Fashion Council’s low-carbon initiative, highlighting the challenges and rewards of growing a purpose-led business.

Jennifer concludes with advice on conscious consumption, the importance of small actions, and the need for more brands to center community, inclusivity, and honest storytelling.

Anciela: Website I Linkedin I Insta

Mili Tharakan: Website I Linkedin I Insta I Buy me a coffee

Resources

Evo Fashion - a four-month experiential support programme for emerging brands and fashion technology businesses. It will help you to integrate sustainability into every aspect of your business, taking a holistic approach to business strategy and focusing on supply chain sustainability, ethical working standards, channels to market, and investment readiness. Deadline: 4th August 2025

Low Carbon Transition Programme for SMEs report by British Fashion Council

Ellen MacArthur

Fashion Revolution

The travels of a T-shirt in the global economy, book by Pietra Rivoli

One Hundred Years of Solitude, book by Gabriel García Márquez

If you enjoyed this, please share the episode with a friend or colleague. Subscribe and leave a review, I love to hear your feedback.

Cover art: Photo by Siora, Photography on Unsplash

Music: Inspired Ambient, Orchestraman

Join host Mili Tharakan as she sits down with Annabel Hought from Round Retail and Yayra Agbofah from The Revival to discuss innovative business models for sustainable fashion, the global crisis of textile waste, and the power of cross-border collaboration. This episode dives into the realities of the secondhand clothing market, the importance of community, and creative solutions for reducing waste while supporting vulnerable communities.

• Textile waste is a global problem that requires local and international collaboration.
• The rise of fast and ultra-fast fashion has led to a flood of low-quality, unsellable garments, overwhelming markets like Kantamanto in Ghana.
• Innovative business models like Round Retail and The Revival show how fashion can be a force for good.
• Consumer awareness and action are crucial for driving systemic change in the fashion industry. Consumers can drive change by voting with their money and supporting responsible businesses.
• Reduce stigma around secondhand fashion and foster a more conscious, circular fashion ecosystem.

How to Support
Donate or consign clothes to Round Retail
Follow and support The Revival’s ongoing efforts to rebuild Kantamanto market and community in Accra, Ghana - Donate
Advocate for extended producer responsibility and more transparent fashion supply chains

Fashion District Festival 2025

Fashion District Festival 2025: 3rd - 8th June 2025, Spitalfields, London

Launch and performance showcase: immersive fashion show

Rebuild and Reimagine with Round Retail: bring old clothes for creative upcycling sessions.

Accelerating Regenerative Fashion: workshop

Circular Design Practice: workshop

Past and Future fabrics: talks

Connect with me

Mili Tharakan: Linkedin I Insta I Website I Buy me a coffee

If you enjoyed this, please share the episode with a friend or colleague. Subscribe and leave a review, I love to hear your feedback.

Cover art: Photo by Siora, Photography on Unsplash

Music: Inspired Ambient, Orchestraman

In this episode of No Ordinary Cloth, host Mili Tharakan is joined by three pioneering voices in sustainable fashion and textiles: Dr. Laetitia Forst (University of the Arts London), Patrick McDowell (designer and founder of Patrick McDowell), and Philippa “Philly” Grogan (Sustainability Manager at Nobody’s Child). Together, they break down the jargon around circular design, and circular business models-exploring why these concepts matter and how the fashion industry can shift from linear to circular ways of thinking and working.

What We Cover:

• What circular design really means in fashion and textiles, and the three core pillars of circularity
• How circular design is being implemented at different scales-from luxury, made-to-order brands to large high street labels
• The creative opportunities and technical challenges of designing for recycling, durability, and closed-loop systems
• How circular business models like rental, repair, and resale are changing the way we use and value clothing
• The importance of storytelling, emotional durability, and customer engagement in making circularity a behaviour change.
• The role of emerging technologies, policy, and regulation in accelerating circular innovation

⭐️ Fashion District Festival: 3rd - 8th June 2025, London, UK ⭐️

Check out these events and buy your tickets here:

• Launch and performance showcase
• Accelerating Regenerative Fashion
• Circular Design Practice - join our guests for this hands-on workshop
• Past and Future fabrics

💛 Support FLOCC:
Help transform Madras lace waste into valuable cotton flock fibre by supporting the FLOCC crowdfunding campaign. Your pledge helps scale sustainable material innovation and keeps textile waste out of landfill. FLOCC Crowdfunder Campaign

Resources & Further Reading:

• Circular Design with Next Gen Materials Guidebook – UAL Research Online (Laetitia Forst)
• Garment Lifecycle Map – Interactive Tool
• British Fashion Council’s Institute of Positive Fashion
• Future Fabrics Expo
• Centre for Circular Design
• Try your hand at sewing or repairing a garment-engage with your clothes in a new way!

Mili Tharakan: Linkedin I Instagram I Website I Buy me a coffee

Connect with me: mili@militharakan.com

Cover art: Photo by Siora, Photography on Unsplash

Music: Inspired Ambient, Orchestraman

Special episode: No Ordinary Cloth x Fashion District

Guests:

• Amy Tsang, Head of Europe at The Mills Fabrica
• Georgia Parker, Innovation Team at Fashion for Good
• Helen Lax, Director of Fashion District London

This is the 5th in a series of episodes in collaboration with Fashion District - a dynamic hub for fashion innovation in East London, connecting fashion technology, business, and education to support startups with innovation networks, affordable spaces, business guidance, and investment opportunities.

This episode of No Ordinary Cloth podcast features an insightful discussion with three prominent ecosystem builders in the fashion and textile industry: Amy Tsang, Georgia Parker and Helen Lax. They delve into the crucial role of ecosystem partners in driving innovation and sustainability within the industry.

The conversation covers various aspects of supporting startups, including common challenges faced by innovators, such as funding, scaling production, and navigating the complexities of the fashion industry.

The guests highlight the importance of collaboration and alignment among different stakeholders to accelerate the adoption of sustainable solutions. They also stress the need for greater alignment with policymakers to drive meaningful change in the industry.

The episode explores the role of ecosystem builders in supporting startups through various stages of growth, from incubation to scaling. The guests share insights on impact measurement and the importance of founder wellbeing as well.

Looking ahead, the guests envision an even more critical role for ecosystem builders in facilitating industry-wide collaboration, addressing knowledge gaps, and helping stakeholders navigate the complex landscape of innovation and sustainability in fashion and textiles. The episode concludes with personal anecdotes about cherished textile items, highlighting the emotional connections we form with clothing and the potential for long-lasting, quality garments to be passed down through generations.

Key Topics Discussed:

• The role of ecosystem builders in driving innovation in fashion and textiles
• Common challenges faced by startups in the fashion industry
• Programs and support offered by The Mills Fabrica, Fashion for Good, and Fashion District London
• Building successful fashion innovation ecosystems
• Emerging technologies and trends transforming the fashion industry
• The importance of collaboration between ecosystem partners
• Funding and investment opportunities for fashion startups
• Measuring impact and success in fashion innovation

Fashion District London l Fashion District Festival 2025

Fashion for Good

The Mills Fabrica

World of waste

Mili Tharakan: Linkedin l Insta l Buy me a coffee

Contact me: No Ordinary Cloth

Recommended listening:

Ep 18. Investor Insights for Fashion and Textile Startups

Ep 12. Strategies and Ecosystems for Fashion / Textile Startup Success

Cover art: Photo by Siora, Photography on Unsplash

Music: Inspired Ambient, Orchestraman

In this special episode of No Ordinary Cloth, we're joined by Victoria, the Material Innovation Lead at the World Textile Information Network (WTIN). Victoria shares her insights on the rapidly evolving field of smart textiles, highlighting key innovations and challenges in this industry. We discuss how smart textiles are bridging the gap between textiles, electronics, and computing, and explore emerging trends such as self-powered textiles and bio-based solutions. Victoria also discusses the importance of sustainability and circularity in the smart textile industry.

About WTIN:
WTIN is a leading provider of specialist insights and data-driven intelligence for businesses across the textiles and power value chain. Their primary focus is on high-growth markets such as material innovation, industry digitalisation, and technical textiles. WTIN operates on a subscription basis, offering a wide range of digital content, including in-depth reports, company profiles, podcasts, and conferences.

Key Points:

• Smart Textiles Database: Victoria discusses her comprehensive smart textile database, which connects companies across the supply chain, from conductive yarns to integrators who help develop commercially viable products.
• Emerging Trends: We explore emerging trends in smart textiles, including self-powered textiles and bio-based solutions.
• Collaboration: This episode is a special collaboration with WTIN's Textile Innovation Podcast, welcoming their listeners to our community.

World Textile Information Network (WTiN): Website l Linkedin

Textile Innovation: Podcast

You can connect with me here: Linkedin l Insta l Buy me a coffee

Email me: No Ordinary Cloth

Cover art: Photo by Siora, Photography on Unsplash

Music: Inspired Ambient, Orchestraman