Interview with Joseph Redsure of Artigiano on the Aspects of Sustainable Fashion

Hello and welcome to this episode of Conscious Design. I'm your host, Ian Peterman, and author of the Conscious Design book. With me today, I have Joseph Redshire. He's co-founder of Artisiano. They make sustainable fair trade accessories. And welcome to the show.

Thank you so much, Ian, for inviting us. I'm so excited to be with you, with all the people that is watching. this amazing podcast about sustainability. And let's talk about this topic that it's trendy, but the most important is that it's urgent.

Yes, trendy, but, but for a good reason, which is, which is rare. Well, let's, let's start. Everybody loves a good origin story. So let's start at the beginning. How did you, you and your one of 4 partners, so how do the 4 of you Get together and get get this project going.

Totally. Thank you so much for the question. For me, it's very important to talk about the team because the team is the heart of the brand. We are four people right now, but we started with six persons in the team: Estefania, Brenda, Giovanna, Erica, Jonathan, and me. And basically, Jonathan grew up in a family in Colombia, and they used to make these accessories. Marroquinería in Spanish. We we said like that. The people that is dedicated to make these belts and wallets, and they work with animal leather. So he grew up in this family, in this industry, and once he decided to create something different, he just started realizing the importance of materials, procedures, and everything. And he just moved to Mexico with his wife Giovanna, that is an amazing person that is dedicated into the commercial sector. and transnationals, whatever. So they just talked about this, and I arrived to this project because they invited me to this sustainability part, because I was working as a television host, and also I was working in humanitarian affairs and environmental. So we made an amazing team, and then we started inviting more people. Erika arrived because she's a friend of them, and she's worried about climate change. She's living in the States. So amazing, because they created this idea about accessories, but in a sustainable way. And then they started inviting each one of us for different reasons, and we created an amazing team. And right now we are 4 co-founders that— yeah, 3 from Colombia and I'm from Mexico, but we are spreading the word because I'm living in Belgium, Erika is living in the United States, and Jonathan and Giovanna, even if they are Colombians, they are living in Mexico. So yeah. We are a very international team.

That's amazing. Yeah, you kind of swapped there. You moved to Europe and they moved to Mexico.

Yes, yes, yes, yes.

There's a lot of time zones to coordinate across.

Imagine the meetings. Imagine the meetings every Tuesday is like, okay, 7 hours. Then when the meetings have a change, all the agendas change. So yeah, sometimes, for example, for interviews that I'm very grateful with you, I need to attend some interviews in the night that I have here, but in Mexico is the afternoon. So it's a little crazy, but it's part of this thing. So we love it.

Yeah, well, that's awesome. You guys are making it work. I love— you mentioned materials. So that's something that, you know, a lot of people think about it, which is a good thing. So what you could talk a little bit about the materials you guys have chosen and your thought process on what you've looked at and how you've arrived on that. I think that would be really, really great to share.

Sure, Ian. I want to ask you first, have you ever heard about Cactus Leather?

I have. I actually interviewed a company about it.

Amazing. So actually, I want to talk about them because they are Mexicans. They are amazing. They are creating different things. So like, that's the heart of our products right now. We are looking forward in the future to create different accessories with different materials. But right now, talking about Mexico and about sustainability, cactus leather for us is the main reference. And for us, it's amazing. So we are using cactus leather for these products. And actually, we want to say also that we are trying to be more sustainable every time, not just in the product, also in the experience. So for example, we are working with zero-waste packaging. That is very important. Even if the wallets and the belts are made like with cactus leather, sorry, and Mexican artisans, because that's very important. We will talk about fair trade and these things after. But about materials also, the zero waste context is very important because we're working with MDF to make different boxes that can be— yeah, can be durable. So in the time, and that's one of the principles of circular economy and sustainability, to make things last. So when we think about packaging, we think about plastic, we think about many things that are not sustainable. So we are trying to make all the business in a sustainable way. So until now, cactus leather or cochal, for example, we know that metal Is for the belts is one of the most important parts, but we're trying to make it in a different way. So we're working also with the metal, but with OcoShal, with a community from Mexico. So they are making this amazing design. So we're trying to be more sustainable every day.

That's awesome. Yes, it's always the packaging and the product as well. Zero waste is great. That's Hard. Yeah, it takes effort to get there.

Yeah, actually, actually, I want to, I want to say something again. It's very important because when we talk about a sustainable product, we think in the product, but I think we need to think about everything since the product is created and then when it arrives to the client, actually the packaging, you know, and also the shipping, it's another situation. So we are trying to think into the business model in a sustainable way also. In the— yeah, with the communities when we work with them.

Yeah, I think it's a whole system, right?

It's a whole thing.

And that's a great point you bring up because that's something that I talk to people about. It's like, well, the product and packaging, that's 2, but this is a long checklist to go through. There's a lot.

Traceability. Traceability is called.

Exactly. Now I'd love to jump over a little bit because you mentioned super briefly fair trade, artisan. Can you dive into that a little bit more? Because that's a— I think the food side, right? The food industry has definitely gotten fair trade. You get fair trade this, fair trade that, um, but not as much, not as much on the other side, the non-food items. So I'd love for you to dive into how you You've built that and what that means for you guys and how you're running the business.

Of course. Well, in Mexico we have a lot of talent with different artisans communities. For example, in León, Guanajuato, Puebla, Mexico City, Guadalajara. There are different places. Mexico is beautiful. I'm very proud of my country. I love the things that we have to offer to the world when we talk about fashion and when we talk about quality. So yeah, with different artisans' communities, we're working into different designs, but also products. For example, with León, Guanajuato, we made some things. In Puebla, we made the packaging. So we're working in that sense. And when we talk about fair trade, it's paying what it's worth and what the people tell you that it works. So, for example, if a community of artisans tells you, okay, this is my price, this is my product, Sometimes the big companies, what they do is to fight for the price. Okay, if— and if I buy this, and if we made this, and if I give to you this thing, we can make an agreement. So it's like this negotiation. But for us, it's like, okay, so for you, this is the cost, we're going to sell it in this. Are you agree? You're not agree? Do you want to gain more? Okay, do you want whatever? So it's— Everything about honesty. Okay, and we're, we're working through e-commerce. So we, we are selling in a platform, and most of the communities don't know about it. So for us, it's very important since the beginning to talk about our conditions, our business model, what we're doing, what we're expecting, and of course to hear them, because companies are used to talk, talk, talk, but not to hear. And when we— when you listen and when you hear carefully what the people want to say to you, I think we learn more. And that's for us very important, because that's artigiano in Italian. So that means artisan. And yeah, sustainability and artisans are the heart of this amazing brand that we're creating.

Yeah, I think that's a great, great point, the listening part, which I think You mentioned, you know, you learn more. Well, you can't learn anything at all if you don't.

Yeah.

It's impossible. You can't, you can't understand, which I think is great. You're pulling in these, these things and you're being able to craft them and keeping it all pretty close. So you said the material is in Mexico, you have artisans in Mexico keeping it all, you know, you're not, you're not shipping it from Mexico to Argentina to Spain and then over to China. You're keeping it, which also is more sustainable. It keeps— yes, your supply chain is actually, well, faster and cheaper and it's more sustainable altogether, which is a great combination that you guys are putting together.

Yes. And I want to say something very important because when we talk about shipping, even if it's more sustainable to keep it local, kilómetro cero, We talk that we always say that we can, we need to be honest also in the business model and we need to know that we are in a worldwide globalization. So it's important also to explore new markets, but we know that we have the potential because, for example, we have some products in a partnership with a boutique in Venice, also in a boutique in Mons here in Belgium, some clients in Spain, in the States, for example, is one of the Yes, I told you when we met each other, it's one of the countries that have more reaction around our products. So we need to be very conscious. If we see that there's the market there and the people start buying, probably 1, 2, 3 times is fine, but this is an indicator that we need to find a partnership to not make many shippings. Okay, so let's find a boutique, let's find a consumer, let's find a partner. to not making this because our sustainable model can be broken just because of the shipping part.

It's so true.

Yeah, 100%. But we know that the people want it. We need to be— yeah, we need to do it because for us it's important to lead and to promote what we're doing. But it's better if I found a partner that wants to buy 50 things or 100 things, for example, and I send to them that shipping just one time. and it starts making local trips. So also in this traceability model, we need to think about that because it's not just selling for selling, because that's the problem of the model that we have nowadays. It's just about selling, and what about the other effects? So also Artigiano is worrying about, about that. When a country starts buying some things, the focus is, okay, let's find someone where we can trust, when we can share our values, and let's go.

Hey, it's Ian here. So glad you're enjoying this episode of Conscious Design. If you want the full scoop on Conscious Design, what it is, how we do it, how you can do it, then check out our book. We wrote it so creative entrepreneurs like you can code social and environmental responsibility right into your brand's DNA. You can download the first chapter for free. Link is in the description. Enjoy the rest of the episode. Don't forget to like, subscribe, and share. Amazing. Yeah, that is a great model to use of not trying to ship one thing because it's a lot more impact, negative impact.

Totally, totally. And we explain, for example, I can tell you that last month here in Europe, we had 2 interested people that contacted us through the platform. And for us was pretty cool because we said, okay, so there's potential, let's go, the pricing. The Mexican community, people is proud, you know. So there's a dilemma, and for me it's very important to say it because as an entrepreneur, as a business team, not just me, a team, sharing good practices and also failures are important to grow together because nothing is perfect, of course. And in that moment we decided to— we had 2 options, Ian. The first one was, okay, I can sell it to you. It's fine, I'm shipping, whatever. And the second was, okay, even if I'm not going to sell another thing, I will connect you to the nearest store that you have to sell the products. Okay, so for us, it's not a direct selling because you already sold that to the store. Okay. But it's in the mission and the vision of the company, it's the most sustainable way To let the people be near to our product. So we decided, of course, to maintain that contact through the Venice store and these customers. And it was amazing. Of course, it didn't represent at the moment an important soul, for example, or selling movement, but it was important for the boutique because we supported them. We promote their work and talking about environmental stuff. It was the most sustainable option.

Right. Yeah, that's a good— that's a great, great thing to do. I think it's important, and it's good you guys are using this to test out and find out, okay, well, who's interested where in the product, and then figuring out the most sustainable supply chain in order to get them the product rather than just selling one product at a time, which is what most people do because it's higher profit and it's easier to just say yes and send a product.

I think, as you said, it's easier, but when we started the project, we said, okay, let's go. And when we start watching this phenomenon and talking with people from the industry, it was okay. So we are thinking about The design of a 100% or not 100%, 90%, 80%, 70% sustainable product. Okay, it depends on the phase of your product. But when you make this shipping, like, you destroy all the things that you made before. So let's think about the whole package. And also with the zero waste stuff, amazing products, but it's in plastic bag, single-use plastic. Nonsense. Let's try to make it— let's try to make it congruent. Okay. So that's what we think. It's hard, but it's amazing because we all are growing.

Yeah, I've seen some of those products they have. You're like, oh, this is an eco-friendly product or whatever, and then you get it and it comes in plastic that you can't recycle. It's not even recyclable plastic, it's just really single-use. Or worse, I've seen some of that in like Styrofoam, which is terrible.

Yes, it's easy to say this, this part is sustainable, it's eco-friendly. And we really said, okay, an A+. But what about the traceability? So let's think deeper. Because if not, the business model is the same, just a little greener. And for making a difference, I'm not that sure. We don't have a lot of time.

No, as you mentioned in the beginning, it's an urgency to this as well. So little— you can make a big step. Just take the big step. It's gonna— it's much better to do that. So as, as far as like products go, you guys are working in accessories, wallets, belts. Are you looking to expand? Kind of what's your guys' vision for the company?

Amazing. That's a great question because we are 4 people and when we work as a team, it's very cool. But of course, it's a challenge to organize like the vision of the company. We really know that We want to go, of course, higher or going better or bigger in Mexico, always based in Mexico, because that's the heart, you know, the Mexican artisans and everything. But as you can see, our products are respecting 2 principles of sustainability. They are atemporal and they don't have collections. Because if a product has collection and has a temporality, it's not sustainable because it's creating, creating, creating. So for the moment we have colors, we have classic models, we have for women, for men, also unisex that we love, that genderless concept that we have. It depends if you like it, take it. So that's pretty nice. We're going in the new campaign around this concept because We also saw that in the last 1 year and a half that we started working on the project, many people, yeah, just, you like it, take it. It's not a problem. Okay, you want to use it, it's fine for you. And in the vision, we would like to explore with new materials. It would be amazing. Let's, let's try to, to find— we are studying new materials. For example, here in Belgium, I met a girl that she's making different fibers with fungi, you know, with fungi, like mushrooms.

Oh yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

Mushrooms, very nice. Here in Italy, people is making also leather, but well, of course not leather, but you know, the, the, the synthetic with grapes, with the grapes of the, of the vineyards. It's pretty nice also.

I like the, like the leftover grapes after they Yes. Wow, it's pretty cool. Yeah, I hadn't heard of that one.

Amazing. Just like you can write a great, great letter for fashion or something like that, and it's in Italy. And it's— I was living in Italy one year, so I was just meeting these people and just sharing a little bit. Also upcycling, you know, these things, using the clothes that we already have to create new things. So I think we're going to be more on that direction to create Create things with the same values, atemporal and without collections.

Yeah, that's a good idea. I mean, so you're gonna stay there either. So you're really just expanding on that as long as it's something that is more permanent, long-term, and meets all your other requirements. Then those are products that you'll start to explore materials too.

Yeah, I think— well, we think as a team, Ian, that that's the principle of sustainability. Because if we are a fashion brand that is making collections, collections, collections with materials, it's nice. But for me, for us, we respect, but for us it's a little bit like it's the same speech but with different fibers. And it's nice, but Let's try to make a difference. So for us, it's very— that's what we think, and it's working so much. You know, there's a big company right now that may— I love that campaign. Actually, it was part of my wallpaper in the cell phone because it was this jacket, and it was like— I don't know if you know what I'm talking about, but it was this jacket, and it says, don't buy this jacket. And then in little, in little letters, was written, until you need it. If you don't need it, you don't need to buy anything. And they were promoting clothes, but that's the way of promoting clothes. If you need it, buy it. If you don't need it, don't do it.

Yeah, yeah. I talked, I talked to somebody else recently about kind of that whole concept of, um, because she was in— when she was a little kid, her mom would always, if she was like, oh, I want something, I want something, her mom would always be like, well, wait till tomorrow. If you still want it tomorrow, then it's a real want. It's not just an in-the-moment, no, nothing relative to it. You haven't really thought about it. Yeah. I think that's something that— and she's in fashion, and fashion is such an impulse, right? There's a lot of impulse buy, impulse marketing, kind of really focused on, well, just get it and then whatever happens after, whatever happens after, just get it right now. And she was talking about slow fashion. And one of the things that she thought about slow fashion, like, well, slow down your purchasing, slow down and think, just what you said, well, do you need this jacket? Like, if you don't need it, don't buy it. There's no—

Exactly.

There's no reason to do that. So I think there's—

Exactly.

That idea is starting to come up more and more in this fashion of, well, yeah, it's not only will we release, you know, only maybe 4, you know, 1 set per season or something like that, but let's think about how we purchase products as well and not just buy everything and then have them just sit there.

And that's the thing is Think deeper, like, okay, I'm selling products, but I want an informed consumer. Actually, we the other day, because I was just making some things with Esade here in Barcelona with the University of Business, because they were they were interested in our product. So we were talking with business here in Europe, different fashion business, and and yeah, it's it's the way of selling things. It's like you need to be honest if if you want to. sell and sell and sell. Yeah, just do like all the people do. But if you want to, to sell to an informed consumer, give to them the information. It's like social media nowadays. You want to sell something, you need to post 4 informative things that can make a consumer more informed, more intelligent, smartest, and then the 5th can be a selling. But create a community, and we really want to have an artesano community. And for us, the artesano community is people that know what they're buying, buying less, buying good, and promoting values. So I prefer that. And I think fashion— that's why we're selling belts and wallets, because we think that it's something that all the people use every day. A wallet, all the people use it every day.

Right.

A belt, not all the people every day, but most of the people every day to go for going to work, whatever. So we think if you have this cactus leather, it's like a, a slightly message every day, like, okay, you're making the difference, you're consuming different, you're consuming for artisans, cactus leather. And probably in the future can go deeper, but for us it's like a little way to communicate. Thank you so much for, for For making the difference with this acting. So yeah, that's why we're creating these things.

Well, and I think it's also— they're great items to start with because they're not fast fashion. People don't go and buy a new wallet every couple days.

No. That's not a thing.

I don't have 52 belts sitting in my closet unused just because. So you're kind of already attaching it to something where people are already— they're not just consuming it. They're like, oh, well, I buy it because I want it to last. I don't know why, but for some reason these are things that are just more long-term. You use them until they fall apart and then you get a new one.

For example, Ian, I want to ask you personally, how many wallets or how many belts do you have?

Oh, I probably have like 3.

You don't need more.

No, I have no— I know one's falling apart, and then I'll wait till it's all the way gone, and then I'll replace it. But I think I've worn the same— I've used the same wallet every day for probably 3 or 4 years.

Totally. It's perfect because it's buying less Buying good and buying conscious. So if you have 3 cactus leather belts, for example, you have the cream, the black, and the cognac that is like brown. You can use it all the year, many years, and you know cactus leather, as you, you were talking with these partners, like these last from 7 to 10 years. So it's perfect, its durability. And having the wallet, you can change your wallet every 3, 4, 5 years. So it's perfect, and we think that For example, these kind of products for women, for men, can be also a gift. And if you give these as a gift to someone, it's like I'm inviting you to make the difference. And it's always pretty nice when people wrote us through social media or by WhatsApp or by email, like, hey, I give my— I give this cactus leather wallet to my dad on his birthday, for example, or on Mother's Day, or whatever, or to my boyfriend or my girlfriend. And we start talking about sustainability like for many days, and this product started the conversation. So for us, it's pretty nice because that's what we want.

Yeah, that's amazing. It's great to be a conversation starter. That's a pretty great feedback for your product. So that's— yeah, I can see you definitely being excited about hearing that kind of feedback. That would be great. Be able to help other people start talking about it, because that just means more people are thinking and doing, doing more about it, which we need. So it's great your sustainable product is kind of being a catalyst to really, really keep that going, which is always impressive. So yes, kudos to doing that.

Yeah, thank you. And as you can see, just for closing that part, they are not talking about the wallet or they are not talking about the belt. This is the— yes, you said, no, like the catalyzer, you said catalyzer?

Yes.

Yes, the catalyzer that starts the conversation around sustainability. So it's not about— because the belt or the wallet are not the main characters of the discussion. They just invite you to talk about it. And that's what we want, to make people question about these things. And for example, you can see here on the screen the little cactus. So it's also very nice because people just keep it in their keys or put it in the house. So when people see it, it's like, oh, that's pretty cool, that's pretty nice. And they start, yes, it's from a product that we bought from Mexico communities and cactus. Hi, may I see? Yes, of course. So you can see that our environmental values have a conversation that can shape the way of thinking of a person in a positive way. So probably in the future we can create, I don't know, a laptop cover or something like that, so people can arrive to the office and can say like, oh, what's that? And you start talking about social responsibility in business, for example. So we are in that, we are in that mood.

That's all. Yeah, that's a great way to think about your products is how, how can you make a product that is so interesting that it starts another conversation? Like, that's like, that's an amazing way to think about it. Um, well, I want, before, before we wrap up, I'd love to just give you opportunity to share if there's anything else you want to share that we skipped over or didn't, didn't catch. And then of course where people can find you guys and buy your products, reach out to be a partner, all that kind of stuff.

Of course, Ian. Thank you so much. First of all, thank you because We think that your project is pretty nice because you're giving voice to the people that really want to make a change like us and like our partners that already talked to you. If you want to talk with more people from Mexico that is working in this line, feel free to reach me because we have many people that want to share.

Absolutely.

Yes, they have amazing projects, and we have to, to make this community stronger. And to all the people that is watching, watching us, I just invite you to think deeper as we just talked all these 40 minutes. Think deeper, think what's behind your products, your lifestyle, if it's congruent with the way you're thinking. Because at the end, we don't have many chances to make a difference. And if we have today, and we can take a decision today, let's make it. Yeah, with intelligence, being smart with the information that we have, and never be afraid of asking. Ask where the things come from. I think that's the key.

Yeah, good point. Asking questions is not bad. It's actually good. You should.

Yeah, it's the best way to arrive to an answer. Yes, it is.

It is. Back to that whole learning thing. You have to ask the question and then listen. And then, then you can actually learn something.

All that we talked today, it's connected. Listening, learning, full circle here, everything. Thank you, Ian. You're amazing. Thank you so much for trusting us.

Yeah, well, thank you so much for taking some time out of your, your busy day to, to do this interview, and I really look forward to the episode going live. So thank you so much, Joseph.

To you, thank you so much. You can find all the products in artigianostore.com. Buy it if you need it, and if you don't need it, you can buy it for someone that needs it. That's important. And you can find also Artillano on Instagram and Facebook, and we are going to have a new project, a new promotion for Father's Day that is in Latin America, also in the States, I think the 3rd Sunday of the month.

Yes, June. Yeah, I think— yes, yeah, this month now, the 3rd Sunday, because yesterday we had the meeting.

And we are going to— I'm giving to you like the big news. We are going to create a pack with a belt and a wallet, and you can combine green with red, black with whatever, or just the same color, for example. So you can buy it and you can give the pack to one person, or you can just split it and give it to whatever or whoever you want it for the moment, or also for the future because it's temporal. So you can buy the pack and you can give one thing to your dad and the other to your boyfriend or to your friend or whatever in the future. So we're going to start with this campaign in 3 more days. So yeah, keep, keep attending the social media because it's going to be pretty nice to give a little bit of sustainability conversation in Father's Day.

Well, everybody should take a look when this goes live. And yeah, I appreciate your time.

Thank you.