Chandralika: It’s great to be here, Spiffy! 30% to 50% of all apparel items bought online are returned, up to 84% of which are destroyed through land-filling or incineration which has a huge impact on the environment. 70% of these returns are due to incorrect size, fit, or look.
Stephanie: Thanks for having me, Spiffy. Are you naked right now? You're not because you're using fabric. It's everywhere. It’s your clothing. The material on your chair. The inside of your car. The carpet under your feet. It's clearly where it's supposed to be, covering things like us. And guess what? It’s also where it’s not supposed to be. Every second of every day one truckload of clothing is wasted and burned in landfills.
Amanda: Thanks for having me, Spiffy! Shawish Market is a virtual Indigenous marketplace where Indigenous artists and entrepreneurs can create their own shop and upload their own unique items. Unlike other marketplaces, Shawish does not charge monthly or transaction fees, making it affordable for Indigenous communities, especially those who have faced so many barriers such as loss of land, loss of identity, discrimination, and colonization. Also, at Shawish we aim to address the issue of cultural appropriation, as many companies profit from Indigenous-inspired work, often at the expense of local artists. To tackle this problem, Shawish verifies each vendor, ensuring that every purchase made through our website directly benefits Indigenous communities.
