Sustainable Fashion for the Future | Jeff Garner

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We put them on our bodies every day. We run in them. Sleep in them. Have our best and worst moments in them. I’m talking about clothes, and they’ve been a part of human history for thousands of years. But what we may not be aware of is what our clothes are made of can impact our health. Sustainable clothing is something we all should be thinking about, for ourselves and for the future. 

WELCOME TO THE DARIN OLIEN SHOW. 

Jeff Garner wants to know what your underwear is made of.

We don’t think much about the clothes we put on in the morning. But for Jeff, it’s all he thinks about. Growing up in a Civil War town on a horse farm in Tennessee, his friends weren’t much into fashion. But that didn’t stop him from designing all their clothes. He appreciated the little things about clothes that most of us take for granted. An old cardigan from his grandfather, a lacy scarf from his grandmother – all these things were timeless inspiration pieces for him.

But it wasn’t just about looks for Jeff.

As a successful fashion designer, he cares about the fabrics and materials he uses in each design. His childhood was full of organic, natural materials that his family valued. But as he entered California’s fashion world, he realized “natural” wasn’t always what it claimed to be. 

With his couture line Prophetik, Jeff’s mission is to offer beautiful, unique clothing dyed with plants and made with naturally sustainable fiber. Jeff is an artist at heart, and he showcases that in every piece he creates. 

But it’s more than just fashion to Jeff. In this episode, he explains the toxic chemicals present in most store bought garments and the horrible effects they have on our health. He tells me why the fabric we choose for our underwear and sheets is the most important. I’m not a fashion guy, so Jeff really opened my eyes to things I was never aware of. Our addiction to cheap clothes is not only harming our health, but it’s also fueling an industry free from regulation and free from accountability. This trickle-down effect is detrimental not only to us, but to the people around the world forced to work under inhumane conditions, and their surrounding environments. Jeff has renewed my focus for sure, and I hope this conversation will do the same for you.