Something Borrowed, Never New
a new name, no new things
Hello again,
To those of you who read Other Mother, thank you! It’s wild to look back at those first three issues—one was about content on your commute, and the next was about how to help the planet while stuck at home. No need to recap that moment in time, but from that, I decided to take a step back to listen and learn (so much so that I got a Master’s in Sustainability 👩🏼🎓 at Columbia).
Other Mother was a place to share news from the sustainability space, across the board. However, it’s an extremely broad topic—to say there is a lot going on in that world is an understatement.
Welcome to the re-brand! I’m giving this space a new name, plus a new focus too: something borrowed, never new is a platform that examines the intersection of sustainability and style. Are these two things mutually exclusive? I don’t believe so, but it’s not as easy as just buying an organic cotton t-shirt, or dumping worn-out clothes from your fast-fashion days at your nearest goodwill. We have to be more intentional about how we engage with the fashion industry, and that is where something borrowed, nothing new comes to life.
I hope to be your educational resource on fashion’s impact on the planet. I’m here to guide you on the circular fashion economy, to make sure we keep clothing out of landfills. I’ll answer all your second-hand fashion questions, like “what do I do with the bridesmaid dresses in my closet I’m not actually going to wear again?” I’m also here to help you source the perfect secondhand Valentino runway-inspired cape for your wedding dance entrance.*
*based on a true story
in the news
Despite setting lofty goals to reduce carbon, big brands including h&m, lululemon, zara, & nike have actually increased emissions this year
Material sciences company Pangaia has partnered with Timberland for a shoe collection made with renewable materials
“vegan-leather” might sound better but often it’s just a marketing buzzphrase to distract from the fact it’s derived from fossil fuels. The good news is there are some new materials out there like alternatives from grape and plant waste
Ganni commits to removing virgin leather by backing Bolt Threads, the materials startup focused on mycelium leather (Mylo), and wants other brands to do the same
And of course, the best alternative to virgin and plastic-based leather is buying secondhand pieces, of which there are copious amounts out there. I’m currently in search of a leather jacket that emulates Julia Roberts in a 90s movie, taking inspiration from Stepmom and Notting Hill, peep the list below if you’re into that too.
eight *not new* leather jackets for this fall
Black Leather Blazer Jacket (L) from I Am That
Leather Trench (S-M) from Thriftwares
Donna Karan croc-embossed leather coat on Etsy
Deadstock Leather Blazer by Hyer Goods
Fringe leather jacket from Oluchi Vintage
90s Leather Trench (12-14) from Mothball Memoirs
Belted Leather Trench on Etsy
Versace leather blazer on 1stDibs
Thanks for reading!
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Something borrowed, nothing new is written by @hilliaryb, and edited by @julianaradich.
Hilliary is a climate advocate who is passionate about sustainability practices within the fashion industry. She has ten years of experience working in fashion marketing and recently graduated from Columbia University with a Master’s in Sustainability.