Show #270 – Marci Zaroff on Building the Ecorenaissance

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And on this week’s show!

Marci Zaroff is a powerhouse who has been innovating in the health and fashion space for 3 decades now, coining the term ‘eco fashion’, being at the helm of the formation of certifications such as GOTS (global organic textile certification) and fair trade parameters for fashion with Fair Trade USA. She also co-founded the celebrated nutrition school, IIN – Institute of Integrative Nutrition. I interview Marci because It’s always so interesting to me how we can make the act of buying something NOT a disaster for the planet. How entrepreneurialism can play a significant role in creating global change – it’s not always about less, it’s sometimes just a matter of choosing differently. We discuss self-care, health, attitude to life, fostering growth in our everyday lives, and thinking… It’s jam-packed and I hope you enjoy meeting Marci and being inspired by what we can all do in our lifetimes to change the conversation from our own corner of the world. Enjoy the show and head to the show notes for more details over at lowtoxlife.com/podcast

Questions I asked Marci:

Your dedication – let’s take a minute to remember Horst Rechelbacher – why such a significant person in the eco-consciousness awakening and how personally he impacted you on your journey
Did you show signs of being a creator/business owner in your childhood?
At what point did you know your life was going to be in the “better for people and planet space” – what drew you there?
And, from someone who is a fellow city girl, how do you explain your deep appreciation and connection to nature while loving life in a Manhattan High Rise?
What do you think have been key moments of realisation for you in your career – moments where you stepped into the unknown/lessons learned…
How have you seen eco-fashion consciousness grow over the past 25 years?
There’s a huge movement to buy less / op shot / upcycle which is awesome, but there’s also the reality of the many jobs that depend on us buying clothes worldwide (so many still in terrible conditions/pay which is a whole other conversation) Can we hit home runs in job-keeping/creation, land care in terms of raw materials used, as well as waste reduction? Is it possible?
You’ve written a book called Eco Renaissance which I’ve enjoyed reading very much – and I love that you’ve included a Manifesto – I’m a big fan of these as the ultimate distillations of people’s understandings of a subject. Let’s talk about it as it’s broad and all-encompassing – treat others as you want to be treated and treat the EARTH as you’d want to be treated. Build Win-win relationships. Trust your gut. Cultivate self-care. Serve others knowing that ultimately your actions toward others serve you… I’ll read out the whole thing then I’ll ask a bit about these and how they come to life for you
Let’s talk about the 5 pillars of the eco renaissance – Creativity/Connection/ Consciousness/Community/Collaboration
You talk about Light Is the New Black – things are quite dark in the collective consciousness right now – so much vitriol, sarcasm, suspicious, war language/fighting words, so many large swaths of people feeling they are persecuted and oppressed even in democratic societies, women’s freedoms seem to be eroding… and I can see light trying to come through… I’d love to see how you feel about these times and how you’re showing up, teaching your daughters to show up when there’s so much disconnect.
You clearly view Art as an essential part of eco-consciousness awakening – can you share a few examples of this in artists and their impact on you/the world?
You’re also a firm believer that change through conscious business accelerates progress for people/planet. Something I wrestle with is corporate social responsibility – where a company who perhaps manufacturer something from petroleum-based virgin raw materials or who makes junk food or don’t pay employees a living wage, then doing amazing work to support various community and even health/environment initiatives – how do we reconcile this? How can we make it better?
And let’s talk about some of the business types to look out for – and of course for business owners out there, to embody and create in – B Corp / Organic, etc.
What is your hope for the world in the next 20 years?
Many of us have switched products, started buying less in general, minimising plastic, taking our basket to markets, etc… What are some important questions we can all ask ourselves today to ensure after deep reflection, we move forward as stronger forces of positive change in the world?

About Marci Zaroff:

Since coining the term “ECOfashion” in 1995, Marci Zaroff has spent several decades driving positive change through business. She has been planting seeds of consciousness globally; as a serial ecopreneur, (Institute for Integrative Nutrition, Under the Canopy, Good Catch Foods, and Beyond Brands) keynote speaker, mentor, innovator and advisor. The seeds have now taken root, with ECOfashion Corp, her GreenHouse of brands that includes YES AND–contemporary, GOTS-certified sustainable apparel; Farm to Home—GOTS-certified bed and bath available on QVC; Seed to Style—GOTS-certified, size inclusive apparel, available on QVC; and MetaWear—a B2B turnkey sustainable fashion manufacturing solution that is the engine behind all her brands. Marci’s leadership in transforming the industry from within— building innovative and transparent supply chains, spearheading sustainable fashion retail launches, and serving on an array of non-profit boards, has solidified her position as an organic authority and expert trailblazer. In fact, Marci was a key driver in defining the Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) as well as the world’s first Fair Trade textile certification with Fair Trade, USA. She shares her expertise in a regular column in Women’s Wear Daily, “The Outside View.” Marci is a Henry Crown Fellow of the Aspen Institute and is the author of “ECOrenaissance: a Lifestyle Guide for Co-creating a Stylish, Sexy & Sustainable World.”

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