Episode 237: Billionaire Boycott List, with Ariel of Cobbled Goods

Would you be surprised to hear that your favorite shoe brand is neither family-owned nor as punk as it portrays itself to be?
Did you know that wealth inequality and shoes are directly connected?

Could your latest shoe purchase be subsidizing lobbying efforts to fight a rise in the minimum wage or reduce taxes for the wealthiest people?

Amanda is joined by Ariel, the founder of Cobbled Goods to talk about how shoes, wealth inequality, and politics are entangled. He will introduce us to his Billionaire Boycott List. In this episode, we will also cover the following topics:

• The environmental and ethical impacts of shoe production
• Common greenwashing tropes used by the shoe industry
• Who really owns a lot of the shoe companies that we might think of "heritage" brands or "countercultural"
• How you can make better decisions when shopping for a new pair of shoes
• And how where, when, and how often you shop are political decisions!

And guess what? Ariel has a reading list for you:

Wealth Supremacy: How the Extractive Economy and the Biased Rules of Capitalism Drive Today’s Crises

One of my favourite books, written by Marjorie Kelly. She really has her finger on the heart of the issue. I’d recommend listeners start by checking out her podcast interviews. I also have to add my first encounter with her work, which rocked my world — The Architecture of Enterprise: Redesigning Ownership for a Great Transition.

Foot Work: What Your Shoes Tell You About Globalisation

An incredible first-person look into shoe production around the world. Tansy Hoskins also has a great newsletter.

Imagining a Decentralised Footwear Industry at the Global Fashioning Assembly

I didn’t mention this but I hosted a speculative fiction workshop last fall with Tansy and few other footwear founders where everyone shared their ideas on what the industry would look like in a world with big businesses. It ties in nicely with our conversation and the boycott list.

Dispatches: The truth about Nike and Adidas

The Channel 4 investigation into recycled ocean plastic. I actually confused Nike and Adidas on the episode. Both brands are covered but the ocean plastic bit was about Adidas. The original broadcast is not available on demand: But there is an article with part of the video here: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-10821693/Channel-4s-Dispatches-reveals-greenwashing-trainer-brands.html

License to Greenwash: How certification schemes and voluntary initiatives are fueling fossil fashion

A very compelling report on greenwashing through certifications and standards. I alluded to it a bit with the HIGG index, but I meant to dive deeper because it is highly prevalent.

Money Heist: COVID-19 Wage Theft in Global Garment Supply Chains

A report on how big brands dodge accountability to the workers making their products. It gives estimates on how many millions of dollars different brands owe the workers that were laid off without severance due to their cancelled orders during Covid.

Nowhere to Hide: How the Fashion Industry Is Linked to Amazon Rainforest Destruction

A thorough report mapping out leather supply chains connected to Amazon deforestation.

ALSO: get your tickets for Clotheshorse LIVE!

10/23 Seattle, WA @ Here-After
10/26 Portland, OR @ Holocene

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