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Emma Hakansson is the founding director of Collective Fashion Justice, a not-for-profit dedicated to creating a total ethics fashion system which prioritises the wellbeing of human and non-human animals, as well as the planet, before profit.

Total ethics fashion is a term coined by Emma and it recognises that (to quote https://www.collectivefashionjustice.org/)

Conversations around improving fashion have been tunnel-visioned by looking at only one pillar of justice, be it environmental, humanitarian, or anti-speciesist. Our mission is to combat all three key injustices together.

I was struck by how much sense this mission makes.

How as an animal rights activist surely we must also care deeply about the rights of human animals? How an environmentalist surely must also care about the animals living in the environment they are so dedicated to protecting? Certainly it can all seem a little overwhelming and perhaps that is why we are inclined to “pick a cause” and stick our heads in the sand about the rest.

Yet also, it makes me think of my recent realisation shared in E809 Why I Stopped Being An Angry Vegan, Love is easier than hate.

It is easier to have love and compassion for everyone and everything caught up in an exploitative cycle. It takes less energy and feels infinitely better to see yourself as part of a whole rather than closing your heart to components of a system that undeniably hurts us all.

Emma is an activist, passionate about anti-speciesism and collective liberation with impact beyond her years. 

She has a powerful role in Rebecca Cappelli’s feature length documentary Slay which uncovers some of fashion’s best kept secrets in a harrowing story of greenwashing, cover-ups, environmental destruction, unjust treatment of workers, and of cruel animal exploitation.

Emma has produced her own multi-award winning short documentary Willow and Claude and proof of concept knitwear collection to demonstrate: the future of knitwear is made of plants, not animals.

Her first book, How Veganism Can Save Us, was published by Hardie Grant in 2022, and her writing, research and projects have featured across The Guardian, Earth Island Journal, Vogue Business, Fashion Journal, and many more.

Please enjoy this conversation about Total Ethics Fashion with Emma Håkansson of Collective Fashion Justice.

In this conversation we discuss:

• Collective Fashion Justice and how we can change the fashion industry to one that “upholds total ethics” when we use our collective voices and dollars.
• Fashion is a way of expression. It’s time our choices reflect what we really want for our shared planet.
• Why the most effective way to move beyond injustices in the fashion industry is by primarily addressing fashion’s animal-derived product supply chains,
• Agricultural Gag laws that stifle transparency in industries killing billions of animals every year.
• Government impact on Animal Agriculture via subsidies funding animal agriculture and lack of effective animal protection laws.
• Greenwashing and Ethics-washing from the fur, leather and wool industries exists to deceive people trying to make fair and kind choices.
• The importance of Collaboration and Innovation as we work towards a total ethics fashion system.

If like me, you found Emma to be incredibly compelling and impressive please connect with her and follow the work of Collective Fashion Justice especially that second book later in 2023. I have you all linked up in the show below.

Emma’s film Willow and Claude is a short, free and fascinating watch that might well inspire you to play a bigger game.

Just because something is hard and complicated. Just because we don’t know how or if we might be able to do it. Absolutely does not mean we should not try.

In fact, I would say the hard things tend to be the things most worthy of our effort. And even if we do not succeed personally or in the timeframe we expect and hope for, our efforts absolutely will serve to encourage and serve those who follow in our footsteps.

Connect with Collective Fashion Justice across the socials: Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | TikTok

Via the Collective Fashion Justice website:

Connect with Emma via her website, https://emmahakansson.com.au/

Purchase, How Veganism Can Save Us:

Watch Willow and Claude:

Watch Slay: the film that gets under fashion’s skin:

That’s it for this week in Healthification. If you’re yet to rate, review and subscribe please do! It counts big time in letting this little show – and the amazing guests I get to chat with achieve some visibility among the millions of podcasts out there.

Exciting news! My Plant Positive Journal is the proud sponsor of The Healthification podcast.

Perhaps you are plant-based curious? Maybe you are already vegan but need a healthier approach to nutrition?

In this daily journal you will learn how to consistently prioritise food, exercise and other healthy habits that build on each other to have a compounding and lasting effect.

To help you create a BODY and LIFE you LOVE by successfully managing your TIME and your MIND.

It makes a great gift to YOU! Or, for the loved one who is vegan curious or who has been a valuable vegan ally to you.

To learn more check out: strongbodygreenplanet.com/journal

With love and gratitude plant friends.

If you liked “Total Ethics Fashion with Emma Håkansson of Collective Fashion Justice.” you’ll also like Slay Film and The Ethical and Ecological Impact of Exploiting Animals For Their Skin with Rebecca Cappelli.

If you liked “Total Ethics Fashion with Emma Håkansson of Collective Fashion Justice.” you’ll also like Ending Speciesism with The Weetbix Gang and Aussie Animal Rights Activist Joanne Lee.

If you liked “Total Ethics Fashion with Emma Håkansson of Collective Fashion Justice.” you’ll also like Meat The Victims with Animal Activist Leah Doellinger.

If you liked “Total Ethics Fashion with Emma Håkansson of Collective Fashion Justice.” you’ll also like Liberating All Animals By Healing The Wound Of Animal Agriculture with Dr Will Tuttle.

If you liked “Total Ethics Fashion with Emma Håkansson of Collective Fashion Justice.” you’ll also like Dr. Will Tuttle and The World Peace Diet.

If you liked “Total Ethics Fashion with Emma Håkansson of Collective Fashion Justice.” you’ll also like PETA’s Aleesha Naxakis and Stopping The Victorian Kangaroo Processing Facility.