From ethical innovators to purpose-driven brands, The Woke Supplement celebrates the people, products and ideas championing conscious choices, responsible living and positive change, proving that doing good and doing well can go hand in hand.
First Among Equals
Even in old age, Nawal El Saadawi remains fiercely strong in democratic spirit.
Nawal El Saadawi is a woman of many firsts. The 88-year-old was the first woman in Egypt to become a physician. She was the first feminist writer from the Arab World. She was, and still is, a pioneer activist in the global gender rights movement as well as feminist politics, and she has committed her life to the liberation of women. In fact, as both a psychiatrist and a social commentator she has authored 20 books in Arabic that have gone on to be translated to more than 30 languages worldwide. As such she is a rare, living, global, Arab icon.
And while she used to be incarcerated and censored, El Saadawi is now a regular columnist for Al-Ahram, an Egyptian state-owned newspaper. “That is a government paper, but I write in it. So there is progress,” she says. She also sees hope in the #MeToo movement and points out that for decades she has been dismissing the notion that Arab countries were sexually repressed and backward in contrast to the progressive West. “They thought that it is only women in Arab societies or in Muslim societies that are harassed and that women in the U.S. and Europe are free. I was saying, ‘No, we are all in the same boat.’ I was saying that in the mid-1950s. They laughed at me.” No more.
Pushing Clients Along
Goldman Sachs has created a new IPO rule: no more white, male boards.
David Solomon, the chief executive of Goldman Sachs, raised eyebrows in Davos this past January when he announced that the bank won’t work on the stock market listings of companies that don’t have at least one woman on their boards.
“Starting on July 1st 2020, in the US and Europe, we’re not going to take a company public unless there’s at least one diverse board candidate with a focus on women,” he told CNBC in an interview at the World Economic Forum, “and we’re going to move towards 2021 requesting two. We realise this is a small step but it’s a step in the right direction.”
The move makes Goldman one of the first investment banks to mandate diversity among clients. “We have four women out of eleven [on the board],” adds Solomon, “as well as a black lead director. I really value the diverse perspectives I’m getting that are helping me run the company.”
Stopping the Bull
Bic leads the way by admitting a razor is a razor.
Have you ever wondered why women’s razors are nearly always pink and given soft names while men’s razors are black and rugged? Doesn’t make sense, right? Well, Bic didn’t think so either and, followng some market research that found 69 per cent of consumers between the ages of 18 and 34 believe that companies should create more unisex personal care and beauty products, they’ve launched a line called ‘Made for You’ that includes razors for all, plus body care and grooming products that come with a light citrus scent and moisturizing, skin-nourishing ingredients like aloe vera and Vitamin E.
All Smiles
A recyclable plant-based alternative.
Almost two thirds of people are unaware that you can’t recycle toothpaste tubes. Luckily Colgate’s new Smile For Good range comes in a first-of-its kind recyclable plastic tubes. It’s also comprised of vegan, natural ingredients and clearly explains the purpose of each ingredient on the box.
Taking a Stand
A fashion label seeking to bring the #MeToo movement to Palestine.
Launched in 2017 by a then 20-year-old Palestinian-American, Yasmeen Mjalli, ‘Baby Fist’ is a clothing label that’s championing gender equality. Mjalli says the idea to create the brand came about in response to her own experiences of street harassment but it quickly grew into something bigger. And now, thanks to her range of jeans, jackets, hoodies and T-shirts, many of which are adorned with her signature catchphrase – ‘Not Your Habibti’ – as well as other Arabic, English and French wordplay to express feminist messages, she has managed to create a Made-in-Palestine fashion brand with an international customer base. Indeed, Mjalli says that as much as 70 per cent of her online sales are coming from abroad.
Material Gain
Breitling and Kelly Slater lead the way with their cleaning of the oceans.
Nowadays we are reading more and more about brands using Econyl but honestly we only discovered the material in 2018 when Breitling went and updated its 61-year-old Superocean dive watch via a collaboration with Outerknown, the sustainable clothing company co-founded by eleven-time world surfing champion Kelly Slater. And though we’ve admittedly witnessed a multitude of Superocean variants over the years, this one (which costs 7,100 USD) does more than just help divers measure time underwater – it also helps support the massive cleaning effort required to rid our oceans of discarded fishing nets. How does it do that? Well, those colourful NATO straps are made from Econyl yarn, a material created from nylon waste, one source of which is lost, discarded, or abandoned fishing nets that are currently polluting the sea and killing creatures, well after their fishing days are over.
Sales Resistance
An ice cream brand that staunchly upholds its core values.
Ben & Jerry’s has never been shy to take a stand but this time they’re railing against their own country’s president – Donald Trump. And by paying forward the future sales of a new limited edition ice cream called Pecan Resist (which comprises chocolate ice cream with white and dark fudge chunks, walnuts, fudge-covered almonds, and pecans), the company has donated 100,000 USD to be split among four organisations working with minority groups, women, people of colour, LGBTQ people, refugees, and immigrants.”The company cannot be silent in the face of President Trump’s policies that attack and attempt to roll back decades of progress,” the company said in a statement.
Blaze a Trail
English trailblazer repurposes fire-hoses into accessories.
Back in 2005 London-based handbag brand Elvis & Kresse forged a unique path for itself when it began repurposing a waste product that even the most environmentally conscious of consumers would probably never have thought of, namely decommissioned fire-hoses. At that time, the London Fire Brigade alone was culpable of dumping over three tonnes of their fire-hoses (which, by the way, are so sturdy they won’t decompose for decades) into the city’s landfills every year. So Elvis & Kresse stepped in and have been acquiring all of the LFB’s waste for 15 years now, turning it into highly durable bags, accessories, and home goods. And as if that wasn’t enough, they also donate 50 per cent of their profits to The Fire Fighters Charity.
Direct Message
Fun, female empowering fashion brand.
Lingua Franca is a NYC-based fashion brand that’s pro-women, cares about social issues and also tries not to not to take itself too seriously. They’ve become world renowned for their hand-embroidered-tagline cashmere sweaters (‘who run the world’ and ‘you don’t own me’ etc) but also make accessories, home and travel products, as well as toys that should start your kids off on the right foot.
Decoding Skincare
New disruptive skincare line with minimal formulas and recycled packaging.
Skin Sapiens is a new skincare brand with a novel mantra: nothing hidden, nothing wasteful, nothing oversold. “Having worked for some of the biggest cosmetics companies out there, we know that the world is full of products that don’t fully list their ingredients. So, we locked ourselves in a dark room and thought hard about a different approach,” says the brand’s London-based Spanish founder James Jardella. “Something natural that’s good for the skin and good for the planet. We put everything in to leave everything out.”
Their dermatologically tested products are natural, vegan, unperfumed, contain 12 ingredients or less, and come in packaging that’s made entirely from recycled UK drinks bottles.
Not A Rubbish Idea
Reducing waste simply and effectively.
“According to Eurostat data, the average European citizen produces as much as 169.7 kilos of waste per year, just from discarded packaging,” claims the Croatian toilet paper brand Violeta. “We took this figure to heart and decided to design a new line of products that minimise damage to our environment.”
Their solution was simple but effective: the packaging of their 8-pack can be reused as a rubbish bag. The company estimates this will eliminate over 10,500 kg of waste per year. “It may be a small step but it’s the first in a responsible direction,” they conclude.
Eco Trip
The most environmentally friendly city.
It may already be the world’s greenest major city but Copenhagen won’t rest on its laurels until it becomes carbon-neutral, something it hopes to achieve by 2025. Achievements to date include Copenhill, a power station that turns waste into energy (but remarkably is also covered by a year-round artificial ski and snowboard slope), bicycles have become the preferred mode of local transport, nearly all buses are now electric and there’s an amazing 32 sqm of green space per person!
Above the Curve
Body positivity expressed through art.
‘My Fat Lady’ is a collection of watercolour paintings by a Lebanese former advertising creative, Ghida Younes. “I first made these drawings for myself. It’s a deeply personal process but of course I am touched by how many people have connected with my alter ego,” says Younes. “It’s true she is fat, but in her head, she is thin. She does pole dancing, acrobatics, wears a two-piece swimsuit and can afford anything! Above all though, she doesn’t take herself seriously.” And therin lies the key to Younes’ body positive message. My Fat Lady is able to fearlessly celebrate the deliciousness of life, in all its technicolour glory. She’s light in spirit and so should we all be.
Packing Heat
A watch that destroys criminals’ guns.
Swedish brand TRIWA takes its name very seriously (Transforming the Industry of Watches) because not only do they manufacture great looking, reasonably priced watches, they’ve also pioneered products like this Humanium Metal 2.0 timepiece, made from melted down illegal firearms. And though it may be but a humble 300 USD watch, it has garnered the acclaim of the Dalai Lama, removed 4,500 guns off the streets, helped raise 100,000 USD towards local violence prevention projects, and is in the UN’s permanent exhibition of disarmament.
It’s in the Jeans
Denham and Candiani collaborate to launch a world-first exclusive product.
Denham the Jeanmaker is a hip brand of jeans that was founded in Amsterdam 12 years ago by an Englishman, Jason Denham. “When I launched, it was with very stiff, rigid, 14 ounce Japanese selvedge, unwashed jeans, which was heritage and on trend at that time,” says the founder. “But what we’ve done as a brand is evolve, and we’ve grown with great weaving mills like Candiani [the Milan-based denim mill Denham’s worked with since its first season].” In fact, it was thanks to this long-standing relationship that they’ve now become the first brand to offer a game-changing sustainable denim.
The Bio-Stretch Selvedge developed by Candiani is a new stretch fabric made from organic cotton wrapped around a natural rubber core that is both free from plastics and microplastics. “By replacing the common synthetic and petrol-based elastomers with a new, custom-engineered component, we have created an innovative biodegradable stretch denim fabric without compromising elasticity and recovery properties,” adds Alberto Candiani, the fourth generation leader of the Candiani mill. “In a world where resources are diminishing and landfills are overflowing with discarded garments, it’s our duty to look for renewable resources, in addition to biodegradable and compostable materials. Denim has to take the lead as the indigo flag of this revolution. We are not doing this because there is a demand, but because it’s the right thing to do.”
Nonfat Farm
An eco-lodge in Mexico where you harvest your own meals.
If an eco-friendly hotel experience musters as much excitement in you as re-using the towels and sheets at some dull, generic airport motel then think again. Acre Baja is a new eco-property that can be found 40 minutes from Mexico’s Cabo International Airport, in San José del Cabo (Cabo San Lucas’s artsier and more down to earth sibling). Set on a 100,000 sqm farm, it comprises 12 beautifully designed, private, airconditioning-free, thatched-roof guest houses positioned above the treeline, on stilts, right in the middle of a palm grove. Each 300-USD-a-night stay comes with a complimentary morning yoga session, as well as breakfast at their award-winning farm-to-table restaurant. Days here can be spent tanning by the infinity-edge pool, relaxing at the spa, surfing off local beaches, or attending free, hands-on, back-to-the-land style classes like how to milk a goat or tend to the crops.
Undie Siege
Rihanna’s lingerie brand Savage x Fenty leaves Victoria’s Secret exposed.
L Brands’ CFO Stuart Burgdoerfer told investors during the holding company’s earnings call last November that the decision had been taken to finally cancel the world-famous Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show (which has aired since 2001) due no doubt to rapidly dwindling audience figures. And though it had become obvious the show had failed to evolve and keep pace with a more inclusive society, it’s still surprising how many analysts credit Rihanna’s lingerie brand ‘Savage x Fenty’ as the final nail in the VS Special’s coffin. You see, Rihanna doesn’t just make lingerie for women of all shapes and sizes, she also celebrates that fact in her annual runway extravaganza, with models as diverse as the shades in her Fenty makeup line. Yet her most prescient move was to bypass cable television and sign her show to Amazon Prime, thereby making it available to over 100 million subscribers in 200 countries.
In Full Shroom
A high quality, ethical, biodegradable, alternative to leather debuted in Feb.
The real-versus-faux-leather-and-fur debate has raged on for years with little progress, but what no one can refute is that neither option is very good for the environment. The longterm solution is therefore material innovation that avoids both plastics and animals. In other words, we need a vegan way out. But, if plant-based leather sounds too good to be true, you need to check out Reishi by MycoWorks. It’s a biomaterial that took over a decade to be developed but it was worth the wait as it’s totally groundbreaking. The proprietary fungi-based ‘fine mycelium’ is not just biodegradable, it looks, feels, and even smells like leather. Best of all, it requires so little energy to produce that Reishi has us believing in a future free from factory farms and animal skins.
New From Old
H&M leads the way with Circulose, the world’s most sustainable material.
H&M may be all about fast fashion – which is often correlated to increased pollution, waste, and sometimes even the mistreatment of workers – but they’ve been offsetting that reputation with their Conscious Exclusive collections, released twice a year since 2009. The collections have helped the brand source out designers and scientists alike to introduce never-before-used sustainable materials into their work. But the SS20 Conscious Exclusive collection really raised the bar, as H&M has become the first brand to retail a garment made from Re:newcell’s Circulose (a revolutionary new material formed on a molecular basis from old discarded clothes). As such, this ruffled easy blue day dress (right) marks a major milestone in fashion.
Global Commitment
Fighting climate change with a refusal to design energy-negative buildings.
The Norwegian architecture firm Snøhetta has made a pledge to design only carbon-negative buildings, meaning their projects will need to generate more energy than they consume. Unfortunately that’s not yet feasible – it’ll take around 20 years they think – but, in the meantime, they won’t be designing any projects that aren’t carbon neutral (which requires offsetting the carbon emitted during the production of building materials, as well as construction, operation and decommissioning at the end of the building’s life).
Carrying Weight
A brand helping disadvantaged women.
The idea of establishing ‘Sarah’s Bag’ was born while its Lebanese founder, Sarah Beydoun, was conducting research inside women’s prisons as part of her Sociology degree.
“The only way the women can come out of any misery, be it prostitution, prison or abuse, is through work,” Beydoun explains before adding that her company doesn’t just provide income to the disadvantaged, it provides a sense of purpose, as well as helps to reintegrating them back into society. That’s because, once out of prison, Sarah’s Bag encourages its artisans to train other women in their towns and villages, thereby creating much-needed jobs in some of the poorer communities of Lebanon. It’s little wonder then that the brand won a prize in Oslo for positively changing the face of business.
Paper-free Cards
Greeting cards you plant not throw.
Plantable paper is probably the only kind of paper you should still be using for birthday, Valentine’s and other occasion cards. It’s made from a biodegradable, paperless, post-consumer material that’s embedded with seeds so that, instead of throwing away your card (once the occasion has passed of course), you plant it in a pot of soil. The seeds grow and the paper composts.
