Welcome to the For Love and Money podcast, the show where business and social purpose meet to inspire a movement for positive change. Here's your host, Carolyn Butler-Madden. Welcome to another episode of For Love and Money, the podcast where we explore the intersection of profit and purpose in business. Today, we're diving into the fascinating world of fashion with a guest who is redefining what it means to create and consume clothing.
Joining me is Lolita Lowe. She's a TEDx speaker, author, fashion designer and ethical fashion advocate whose TEDx talk, Every Piece of Clothing Has a Story, inspires people to think differently about what they wear. Lolita's work is a powerful reminder of the impact our choices have, not just on the environment but also on the lives of people involved in the fashion industry.
In our conversation, Lolita shares her journey from working with renowned designers in Paris and New York to championing sustainable and ethical practices in fashion right here in Australia. She challenges us to consider the stories behind the garments we wear and she highlights the economic and environmental costs of fast fashion and inspires us to make choices that align with our values.
Whether you're a business leader, a purpose-driven entrepreneur, or simply someone curious about how we can create a better future through conscious decision-making, this episode will give you plenty to think about. So, without further ado, let's dive in with Lolita Lowe and uncover the stories behind our clothes.
Lalita welcome to the for love and money podcast thank you so much I'm so grateful to be here and I think we have so many synergies that I feel really excited about you know whatever we're going to talk about today me too and having having seen your TEDx talk yeah I'm super excited for our listeners to hear what you have to say for them to understand your story and your mission what you're trying to achieve.
So we'll kick off with the first question on love. In your view, is there a role for love in business? I love that you have this question and I definitely think there is a role for love in business. I think that love is something that connects us, it bonds us as individuals, as communities, and I think it's a force for change, for innovation, and for growth. And I think, you know, there are two ways that people can be motivated, either by love or in fear.
And I think it's love that truly motivates us, motivates people, motivates communities and creates the biggest impact. You know, it's something that's interwoven in everything I do in my business. And you will, you know, we'll talk about it more in terms of my TED talk and what I covered in my TED talk.
But I think, you know, when we communicate with people and we're motivated by love and the intention of care and purpose, that it enables others to expand, to open up to possibility and to really reach their potential in whatever it is that they do. And that's what facilitates and motivates the greatest change. So it's definitely a force for good. And, you know, if you think in terms of business, when there's a stressful environment and the pressure is really running high.
What do people do? They often disengage. And it's a huge issue. There's studies by Gallup studies that show that 71% of people disengaged and actively disengaged in the work that they do. And that's massive. And what does that lead to? Apathy, low morale, poor performance, so many things. But on the other side, when people feel valued, appreciated, empowered, and they believe in the mission of the organisation, then they want to get on board.
Like I said, they thrive and they contribute, come together and work together towards a common goal. So, you know, it's not fluffy and it's really foundational, I think. How? And we're off and running. There's so many, there's so much in what you just shared, that whole thing of love and fear.
I'm with you 100% that belief that those are the two big emotions you know the opposite ends of the spectrum and just knowing that today there are people and there are forces that are really channeling fear and and division and it's just taking us down this negative track and taking us away from you know what we're capable of what we can achieve as humans and and you see it you know when people do things with love and that whole thing about disengagement, Lolita,
yeah, 100%, 71% disengaged or under-engaged, that I keep coming back to how much is that costing businesses? In Australia and around the world, but also how much is it costing our economy when you scale it up? And I have a bit of a laugh because I see this sort of smug look on people's face like, oh, yeah, that's terrible, but not our business. And it's like, well, which business then? Maybe it isn't your business, but it's happening in most businesses.
So, you know unless you know for sure maybe it's something you should check into because how much opportunity are you leaving on the table totally because people are disengaged dispassionate you know not emotionally invested don't love what they do and don't care about what they're doing particularly aren't motivated by the higher cause of the you know the workforce that they're in and I think you know often people can't see often where there is fear
or where there is possibility if they're tied into the current emotions and and state of the business or to be able to see higher you need to take a higher view and you know love does that love enables us to rise out of the current issues that we're facing to be able to look forward to the future yeah Yeah, that sounds like a song. I might sing. I have done singing lessons before. Oh, have you? But I won't sing. I won't sing.
Well, feel welcome. You are very welcome to add some song into this episode. I would love it. I would love it. So, yeah, what I'd love you to do is to introduce yourself to our listeners, just, you know, a quick overview because I'm going to ask you to share your backstory. Story, but just to give them context, you know, if you could explain where you are right now. Sure. So at the moment, I am, I'm an author.
I've written the book, It's Time to Rethink Your Fashion. I'm currently working on another book. Every piece of clothing has a story, which goes along with my TED talk and a speaker, a keynote speaker.
I'm a fashion designer. if we want to use this word sustainable we can add that in there it's very important to me sustainability and ethical production however I tried to use other words to talk about that why because it's just been overused it's overused it's overused I mean I think it's good for people to to understand you know what what we're doing but I think it can also be a bit of a roadblock for people to really understand what it is that
you're trying to do and what you want to communicate. Yeah, and I educate about sustainability or all of these things. The work that I do... In fashion so I am in fashion and the the slower side of fashion and the more considered side of the industry and really my passion is to inspire people and to motivate people that their choices and their decisions do make a difference from the small to the very big but it's behavior change that is the biggest link between the issues that we face.
Well, this is my view that the biggest link between the issues that we face with the impact of fashion on the environment and people and the action because we need behaviour change.
You know, I was speaking with someone recently at an event and a woman said to me that her daughter had done this amazing project at university all about tracing the supply chain of a company and she was so passionate about it she understood the implications she really got on board but the challenge for her at that age is her peer group because they all have to wear a new outfit every day and tick tock you know instagram every every look having to be different
that the peer pressure is so huge that where does she default back to that activity, that activity of needing to buy something new every day or wear something different every day. And it may be a throwaway piece of clothing that is plastic that will never biodegrade in the environment. And I understand it's so highly nuanced. And how do we motivate behavior change? That's the big question. And we will get into this, but I just want to, before you share your background, it's fashion is fun.
Fashion is something we can all enjoy, right? But it's like we've become slaves to it. And it is such an economic driver. You know, the changing fashions every season means you have to keep replenishing.
You have to keep updating. if you are a slave to fashion and it it's a monumental task because it's so entrenched in people's psyche you know fashion is is a very powerful way to show your identity show who you are you know so it's yeah it it's it's interesting and it's it's monumental task but but what you're doing is so important and I just love your approach so so Lolita you know if you could share some of your background the key you know the key things that really formed your your
view and what you're doing today drove you to what you're doing today well when I first got into fashion it was really all about fashion I worked in fashion for many years in boutiques and different things. And then I did a marketing degree. And then I realized that, you know, I really wanted to be at the heart of it all. And I went to Paris and studied fashion in Paris, design and business, and had an amazing opportunity to work with designers there. To work with designers in New York.
And it was incredible. And then I realized that what I really wanted to do was create myself you know I am a creative and I came back to Australia for numerous reasons and I realized I wanted to I really wanted to learn, so much more about creating, what it really takes, what the process is, how to do it myself, all of those things.
So I went back to study later and during this time, the years leading up to that, I was starting to become aware of the impact of fashion on the environment and people. And then while I was studying, I just kind of had this moment, this light bulb moment where it was like, it's not the industry that I. Why I got into it. It's completely changed.
And it really is about, you know, commodity and numbers and creativity was really being squeezed out of the industry, of designers, of having to produce more and more and more and more, all of these things and seeing the impact on the environment of people was just huge. Now, when was this? When was this? This was about 10 years ago. Okay.
Yeah. So, you know, during my time in Paris, that's when I started to really become aware of it and the conversation was starting even though, you know, the issues had been around for a long time but the conversation was really starting to pick up. And so I thought, well, what do I want to do with this? Do I want to create a fashion brand or work in fashion in the old way or do I want to be more engaged for the future? and that's when I wrote my book.
I mean, it took time. That's when I started writing my book because I thought, like I said, it's not the industry that it was and I really wanted to get the message out there and I wanted to share my thoughts on it and my understandings. And so I did that. I wrote my book and after that I kind of in tandem actually started developing my own fashion brand but really considered really all about local production, you know, ethical materials, sustainable materials, all those things very, very slow.
And, you know, it's my passion to tell great stories through those clothing and to communicate where the value is all along the production of a piece of clothing. And so, you know, I've done numerous projects to communicate that. Last year, I showed a collection at the Tasmanian Fashion Festival, all using ethical, sustainable, we'll use those words again, wool, sourced from a farm that is really It's about the biodiversity of the land.
And it was really a campaign to bring awareness to understanding where the fibers in our clothes come from, the impact that they have, what it means for a garment to be made in a considered way, and all the stories all along the way, which we'll talk more about anyhow. So yeah, that's where I am today. And I also educate on sustainability and do
keynotes and different things. so. And in amongst all the amazing things you just shared there there's one thing that really stands out to me and that is when you were thinking you know this isn't the industry it was what do I want to do with this that question you asked yourself right you decide to figure out what role you were going to play in the story of fashion today.
And, you know, maybe that's obvious to listeners, but I just feel like there is such a feeling at the moment of disempowerment, you know, because people feel that things that are happening are just too big. They can't do anything about it. But what just lights me up when I speak to you, when I speak to my other guests, when I speak to other people who are acting is they've all decided that they are going to play a role in the story and that the end of the story is not written yet.
And I just think that is such a powerful place to be because it doesn't mean that you need to have world-changing impact. But if you can change one person or two people or 10 people, you know, whatever it is, there is a ripple effect. And the most important thing is that you're playing a role. So thank you for sharing that background.
I think that's really, really powerful. So you're a fashion designer, you're an author on your way to being a two-time author, you are a TEDx speaker, you're an educator, I'd call you an activist as well. What I really am keen to dig into in this particular interview is your TEDx talk, because it is, you know, it is such a powerful talk.
And when you and I spoke before, the process of you doing that talk and, you know, how it shaped your perspective, I just think it's something that our listeners would get so much value out of. So what I'd love you to do first is give us a bit of background on, you know, on the TEDx talk, why you did it and what you hope to achieve from it.
So much in there. I think I love what you were saying about deciding to be a part of the story and the impact that we make, whether it be on one person or many, many people, you know, just being a part of that.
Deciding where to put our attention and energy is so important and I think you know we had a conversation about this recently in terms of you know the storytelling that is out there about the climate and all of these things you know I know that when I hear all the really frightening stories they make me contract and I realized that I wanted to be telling the good stories to encourage people to open up and to see the possibility. The same thing that I was mentioning at the beginning about love.
And, you know, I just spoke about my project for the Tasmanian Fashion Festival. It was really a campaign. It was a campaign to bring awareness and to motivate people to think differently about the clothes that they buy. Then this opportunity came up to apply for the TEDx Talk and the theme was Ripple Effect.
And you said the word ripple effect just before, and it really is about that ripple effect, one small action that we just don't know, you know, what the ripples will be from those small passionate acts of love that we take. And so, you know, I applied. So this is TEDx Hobart. TEDx Hobart. And my story was very, very Tasmanian that I wanted to tell with TEDx.
And I applied online and a friend of mine had also applied to do a talk and and I and I didn't get a confirmation email and I said to them did you get one they and they said yes and I was like okay well it didn't work so I applied again did not get a response I applied another time because I said okay I'm just gonna make sure anyway they messaged me on Instagram and said don't worry, we've got three applications it's fine you're you're major, so at least you know I made an impact showing them
how passionate I was about applying to do a TEDx talk and then I got through you know to the second round and then out of 300 applicants which is pretty exciting you know out of 10 people I was chosen to do this TEDx talk which is just such a huge honour and the team was so amazing and we worked on the talk for a while and I also worked with Andrew Griffiths who is an amazing speaker coach as well as the incredible speaker coach Kate Cashman.
As part of TEDx and we worked on the talk together and you know I just really thought about you know this question of behavior change and choices and and how can I inspire people to to think differently and to take those new actions and my campaign around my collection for the Tasmanian Fashion Festival that was the focus of my talk and I it was called every piece the clothing has a story and I what I did was compare the story of the dress the
dresses that I created for the collection which is also what I'm wearing now beautiful beautiful thank you thank you so much with you know fast fashion garments and what are all the the points along the creation process um that we can compare them against so yeah what was your question again have i gone off no no no you're 100 on topic okay and so what i'd love you to share so this this this theme of every piece of clothing has a
story i love it and it it resonates on on a number of different levels but in the tedx talk you tell a good story and you tell a bad story good story and bad story is that how you put it yeah and you use that you use your beautiful dress. And you share the 10, is it the 10 considerations, wasn't it? Eight considerations. Eight considerations.
So, yeah, if you can, I'd love you to share what those eight considerations are and you might not be able to do the whole thing on each of them, but maybe just zero in on the ones that really are important to you. It's so interesting. I mean, I think you may have just seen me squinting. I was just got the points up on the screen just to make sure that I had them all there and I was counting them while you were talking.
But, look, I think this talk really aligns with the purpose of your podcast, which is, you know, is business and purpose and how do they all connect and what does that mean and how we're all intertwined in that and involved in that narrative and what are the choices we're making. And that's what I really focused on from the beginning, from extraction from the environment right to the end, to the end of life of a product, what happens then and what are the impacts.
You know, if we think about love and money, let me start from closer to the end, which is economic benefits. So if you think about, you know, a really fast-fashioned company, The economic benefits, barely any of them, are local.
You know, when you think about Australia, these huge fast fashion companies, everything's done, you know, out of Australia, all the tax, no tax get paid in Australia, there's no local production, companies shut down within Australia, skills are disappearing because these huge fast fashion brands, are, you know, really garnering much of the attention and purchasing power. So, you know, we've had lots of skills in Australia because of these fast fashion companies.
We've had, you know, huge loss of an economy. But you know that Australians are some of the second largest, I think it is the second largest, purchasers of clothing online. You think about how small we are, how small we are. What per capita or something like that? I'm going to have to find the statistic and you can put it in the notes. But it's massive. I mean, we just buy so much crap and we throw it away. And none of the money is having an impact here.
Yeah. You know, and I remember, you know, amazing, beautiful businesses in Australia shutting down over the last 10 years. And there's been so many brands closing down, local brands closing down in the last couple of years because of this shift. So I really focused on economic benefits in my talk because it's a huge part of it. Absolutely. You know, on the other side with my business and what I was creating, everything was done in Australia. Everything was focused on local.
And I know even what I said in my talk was that I know it's the puppies and unicorn wood story and the dark story on the other side. And, you know, me talking about all local production can be a bit of a pipe dream for most people, but it was really to highlight, highlight what's possible and to paint a picture. And you did that so well. Like the two stories of, you know, the beautiful dress and then the T-shirt, which is, you know, a staple in everyone's cupboard, right?
So everyone can relate to that. But the way you did it, you did the mirror, you know, you compared that with that and you went through those eight considerations. I think it tells such a strong, powerful story that most people don't even think about. and if you can get them to think as which was your aim, wasn't it? So that was my aim. And if we talk about love and if we talk about emotions, emotions are what motivates people.
Most purchases happen on emotion, but it's also emotion that creates a memory and it makes us want to do things in the future. And emotion motivates our actions. And so, you know, this has been my fascination in terms of behavior change and emotion and, you know, why are people doing what they, you know, why this mass consumption? I mean, I know it's a huge highly nuanced conversation.
So what I did at the beginning of my talk, which, you know, it was one of my most favorite things was I said the wool that I used was from an amazing farm in Tasmania. Run by a previous CSIRO scientist, incredible woman, so passionate about what she does. She's figured out a way, when you talk about economics, about a way to be super efficient and also protect the biodiversity of the land and, you know, look after her sheep in really amazing ways, really, you know,
yeah, really great ways. This is Nan Bray? Nan Bray from White Bumble. Yeah, right. And there's a brand in New York called Another Tomorrow, which is a huge, really amazing, beautiful luxury women's wear brand. And so I spoke about the farm, Nanbray, the wool, and then I put up a picture of a sheep. I love that. I love that. Alice Jr. And then I showed them a little card and everyone had received a card with wool from Alice Jr.
From that farm. the same farm that I'd made the dress in my collection. And I asked people right at the beginning of the talk to close their eyes and touch their clothing and ask themselves, do they know where their clothing comes from? Do they know the stories? Do they know the impact or the people that were involved? All of those things. And that kinesthetic emotional thing, that's so much of what I loved about, you know, weeding that into the talk.
To really kind of, you know, bring up that connection to the topic in so many different ways and stimulate all those different sensory perceptions. Brilliant. And it was so effective in activating, even watching it, right? Not being there, but watching it, but activating the senses, the sense of touch. Like, you know, right at the beginning of the talk, you asked everyone to close their eyes and touch, you know, a piece of their clothing. And yeah, it's so, so powerful.
Yeah, it was some, I could, I could, you know, see people touching their clothing and, and just the feeling in the room at that moment, if it going quiet and the people, you know, taking that time to consider, which in this crazy, crazy world.
A lot of the actions that we take and the things that we do there's not much consideration involved i'm not saying we're not considerate but you know it's just it's a it's a really bustling world and fashion is getting faster and faster and faster yeah so that i focused on the purpose of what was the purpose of creating this clothing that i created and also what's the purpose of a fast fashion garment the impact you know they're
not thinking about the the purpose in terms of a personal scale or the environment. It's about money. It's only about money and profit and efficiency only. What's the quantity that we can make? So in the fastest amount of time to make the most profit and the one fabric that people use, that companies use to do this, that, you know, is the cheapest to produce with is plastic.
I you know in the end it's actually plastic is polyester or synthetic fibers and then I'd spoke about you know the impact on the environment of these fibers and and compared it with wool which is such an amazing fiber that you know breaks down in the environment in little to no time really compared to polyester or synthetic fibers which basically you know stay in landfill for a really long time and when you think about scale I spoke about scale you know so much clothing being produced that
is really designed to be thrown away yeah and then it ends up in landfill whereas I spoke about this dress it took oh my gosh I hope I can remember the number.
179,000 stitches approximately I can't remember now um did I write it down the other day it was it was I thought it was 200 and something thousand stitches but anyway it's a lot of stitches I'll find it while I'm talking yeah but this dress you know was made by hands that that you know took many many hours to create and and this is the other thing about you know when I was talking about love at the beginning collaboration and and coming together to create something amazing
the whole project was about collaboration the whole project was about working together to have the best outcome so even with the artisans that i worked with i listened to them we developed this product together no i wasn't going to them saying this i mean i had a timeline it was really really important but I wanted to get the best outcome for them as well looking after their health you know asking how they are take a rest if you need to all of those things so there's so
much to consider in in the creation of a product that's what I focused on comparing the two types of stories good story and a bad story and the other thing is transparency you know I can tell you exactly where the wool came from, almost down to the sheep, you know, how long it took. Alice Jr. Alice Jr., how many kilometres it travelled, whereas in one t-shirt, you have no idea how many kilometres that thing has done before it has even gotten to your doorstep.
I mean, it's just, you know, it's raked up more, say in the talk, more frequent fly miles than you and I have, you know, have done or will ever do. Yeah. So the impact on the environment is huge. And then one that I'm also really passionate about, which is a huge conversation, and it led into what are the actions that people can take, which is end of life. When you think about the end of life of that product, when you can no longer wear it, what is going to happen?
I mean, I made this garment purely from wool, so knowing that it will biodegrade in the environment easily, if it has to, But really with the intention that it won't ever get to that thing because it will become an heirloom piece, be loved forever. Whereas comparing it with fast fashion, these garments, really, there's no thought about the end of life of the product. They're really just designed to be thrown away.
And, and then they have a huge impact on the environment and not to mention the people who have created them. Yeah. But yeah, if you think about going forward, what does that look like for the future? Didn't, didn't you say it takes up to 200 years for that garment to break down? Yeah. Approximately. Yeah. Depending, you know, other things involved in soil and other things, but yeah. Of course.
But then scale that up to all of those garments, you know, you're looking at one t-shirt, but then you think about oh my god the amount of this stuff that is out there and the fact that you know it does take so many years to break down it's just crazy that we're still churning it out yeah churning it out and you know it's not made to last so that's the other thing is that like I remember when years ago when I got excited about fast fashion
before I knew about the impact and I bought some clothing and I could only wear it once and then it just looked horrible but just out of shape and what could I do with it you know nobody likes to last but it lasts but it lasts forever yeah yeah and nobody else wants to buy it like you think about my mother used to volunteer in op shops and you know she saw a change like you know she used to find for herself the most amazing things in op shops that were like high high quality, such a good find.
You don't find those things in op shops anymore. You're really lucky to. Most of the racks. From fast fashion brands and you touch it and you just don't want to buy it or you look at it, you know.
I've just been reminded of a quote my husband shared with me many, many, many years ago and as I said to you before, he's always been into fashion and his quote was, I'm too poor to buy cheap things and, you know, the idea behind it, the philosophy behind it is exactly what you're talking about buy something of such high quality that yes you'll be spending more on it but over time you're not going to be spending more because you're going to love it you're going to use it
over and over it's going to last for a long time so we're actually spending more on these cheap things because we have to keep replacing them than we would if we just said okay you know we're going to invest in one beautiful quality piece. And I think that's a really good point you make. And, you know, you said earlier that, you know, we were talking about a certain part of culture that really loves fashion and buys fashion and consumes in this way.
But everybody is involved in fashion, whether we think we like it or not. We all are buying clothing, each one of us.
And so when we go to a store do we know you know if it's a last minute purchase and we have to buy something and we're in a rush what decision are we going to make if we're not educated and we don't really understand like you know who really knows about fabrics not many people know about you know fabrics and their impact and these things are really important more so more now than ever because of the saturation of synthetic fibres in stores.
And, you know, I'm always really impressed when I go into a store and the messaging is really clear about this garment is made from cotton, you know, it's a better choice because, you know, some basic messaging. It doesn't need to be an encyclopedia. But, you know, I think like if we can individually just be armed with a little bit of information, even if we don't, you know, think clothing is just functional, it's still a decision.
We still have to buy clothing at the end of the day. And like you think about sneakers. Everybody wears sneakers and they run out really quickly and then we have to buy new ones. What's going to happen with them? I mean, there's just, you know. I have so many old sneakers in the coven. Because I'm like, oh,
maybe I'll do a mud run one day. Yeah. And, you know, I'm like, enjoying the podcast if you're looking for more inspiration head to our website thecauseeffect.com.au for more resources on how you can start using your business as a force for good or buy the for love and money book every copy sold allows us to protect one square meter of rainforest.
Us one thing in your talk that that really had a huge impact on me and and that's where you shared that some fashion designers are embedding codes which allow you like in your dress which allow you to scan it and see the full story of the garment and you know see where the fiber was sourced from, you know, where it was made and who made it.
And I love the fact that you added to that, that, you know, you become part of that story as the owner of the piece and then if you pass it on to someone else. It's just such a beautiful idea and takes us back to simpler times, which I feel like people are yearning for. I think so. I feel like that. I mean, they're conversations that I'm hearing from people.
And if you see the trends that have happened in the last few years, you know, I mean, there's a fashion forecaster called Lee Edelcourt, and she predicted before COVID that people would be moving away from the cities and wanting to go and live in more, you know, rural areas or, you know, natural environments. And this was nothing to do with COVID, but she's an incredible, you know, just has this incredible section about things.
And, you know, aside from COVID, I think, you know, people definitely did that during then, but I think people are really wanting that now. We're craving that slowdown. If you think about, you know, you hear on so many podcasts, people talking about changing careers so that they can lead a better quality of life and change their lifestyle. And I think, you know, that kind of links in with profit and purpose and love
and money. It's like, okay, what do I really value and where do I want to head in my life and what does that mean to me? And there's a real tension, isn't there, because you've got that yearning to slow down for simpler times, to enjoy quality time with the people you care about. But then there's the treadmill of, oh, my God, and I need to get this and I need to get the bigger house and I need to get. And that fear of missing out that is really, you know, thrown at us.
And, yeah, we're all struggling with that. We've just sold our house and bought a unit to downsize to, you know, get rid of the mortgage and to be able to make more considered choices and decisions and things like that. And doing it rather than waiting till we're too old to be able to enjoy the benefits of it, doing it when we're a bit younger.
But it is, I think there is that yearning, but there's that tension because it's almost like people are trying to pull you back to just maintain that, you know, that drive up the ladder and everything else. So it's fascinating. The whole thing is fascinating. And your TED Talk, Lolita, has really got me thinking more deeply Absolutely. About my fashion choices, but also on a bigger scale is, you know, every piece of clothing has a story, but every business has a story. Every product has a story.
And, you know, when we buy from businesses, more and more and more, I look around and I'm like, you know, I'd buy from Patagonia and who gives a crap and and and it's can get a bit exhausting sometimes thinking about you know all of the stuff but it's also rewarding and fulfilling you know because it is an intentional choice wherever wherever I can to support businesses that I know are trying to do the right thing and and that idea of what is the story of your
business what is the story of the businesses you support I think that is incredibly powerful thinking about the whole value chain not just a not just as a large concept but actually thinking about it as you as you showed it on the map you know with with the little symbols of you know where the fiber was sourced from where the designer who designed it and all of that so just beautiful just beautiful So what would you want our listeners to take away from this podcast?
I think that we all have a choice. We all, you know, every moment we have a choice about what we want to engage in. And I think I'd love people to ask, you know, what am I motivated by? You know, what am I making my decisions based on? Am I motivated by, you know, that kind of faster paced society? Or am I caught up in something that really I'm actually not engaged in and involved in with my decisions?
Or am I motivated by something that's higher than that, that's by my own choice on how I want to be engaged with my life and my decisions and the impact that I can have and knowing that every impact, every choice has an impact and it doesn't have to be earth-shattering, you know, it can just be little things and it has an impact on our own individual lives and as a greater whole as well. Every choice has an impact. Every choice has an impact.
Every choice has a story. Yeah, and every choice has a story. Absolutely. Is it a good story or is it a bad story? Yeah, yeah, brilliant, brilliant. Lolita, we will share on the show notes your website. What's the best way for people to contact you on LinkedIn or? LinkedIn or my website is a contact section, I think, on my emails there or something, but LinkedIn's probably the best way. Yep. Okay, before I ask you the final question, is there anything else that you want to add to this?
I don't think so. I think we've covered so much. It's just been such a great honour to be able to talk about this with you and give this another space for this story and this mission to be heard. I'm just really grateful. And, you know, if there's one thing that people can take away from it, I think, you know, that's just fantastic. So, Beautiful, beautiful, and it is such an important story to share. So I'd like you to close out the episode with Lolita's dream.
If you could dream big, knowing that, you know, this actually could come to life in a few years' time, so let's say 2030, what would your dream be? I have a personal dream and I have a purpose-driven dream. They are intertwined. The purpose-driven dream is that people do take the time to slow down and think about what they're driven by. And that behaviour change really does take place in such a way that we do make a shift in terms of, you know, the companies that we support.
We're thinking about buying products. that behaviour change really does take place in terms of, you know, the things that we've been doing and the things that we do see are important and making that shift. I would really love to see, you know, a huge change in that arena because there's a lot of talk and a lot of symposiums and all of those things happening in this space that I work in. But is there change happening?
I don't know how much change is actually really, really happening and I want to see actual change.
I want to see people really doing the things that matter and people being prepared to, I mean, I think in terms of companies, take that leap and consider the fact that they could be more efficient and just as profitable if they adopted different strategies that took the environment and people into consideration because it's shown that it can happen and there's many you know studies out there that are that have proven that you
know there is a way to do this you know we don't have to be bound up in the old ways of doing things in our companies and our businesses to reach the outcomes that we want for the motivation of business to shift in that direction. That's my dream. Share that one with you. And your personal dream? My personal dream is I would love to see wool production come back to Australia because I think it's one of our greatest resources.
There's so much value in wool and it's a huge, you know, it's a textile that Australia produces 91% of the wool used in fashion. Something like that, something crazy. It could be a bit less. None of the statistics that I'll have to share with you. So it's a huge resource, but it's all processed and done offshore. And so I would love to see it come back to Australia. I love that. And even your personal dream is a purpose-driven one. Exactly.
Always purpose-driven. Lolita, thank you so much for coming on the show and sharing your story, your TEDx talk. We will link to that and my hope is people take the time to watch that TEDx talk it really will make you think differently and act differently which you know that's what we're talking about action aren't we so thank you so much Lolita thank you thank you so much. Music. Thanks for listening to this episode of the For Love and Money podcast.
If you'd like to take a deeper dive into the purpose movement, visit us at thecauseeffect.com.au. And remember, doing good is good for business. So if you're not doing good, then what are you doing?