Laura Madden
Sustainable stylist and blogger
Few people are doing more in the sustainable fashion space than Laura Madden. The stylist, blogger and model has used her reputation as being Arizona’s sustainable fashion “it girl” for good—inspiring others to reduce, reuse and thrift, in the process.
What does it mean to you to be an eco trendsetter? An eco trendsetter is someone who epitomizes the merging of style and sustainability (my favorite thing!), and lives a lifestyle that exemplifies how being sustainable is cool. Sustainability is the new sexy, right?
Best advice for how to be more sustainable in our day-to-day lives? My top tip is to use what we already have for as long as we can, especially our clothing—get creative, show your style! Restyle and rewear what you already own. Try to make one out of your seven outfits for the week from Goodwill or thrift. It’s fun, challenges your creativity and makes for great conversation—trust me! Oh—and it happens to be the best thing you can do for the environment, too.
Why is it so important to be more eco-minded in our work? The truth is, the environment is being maxed out. We can’t change everything in the world, but we can certainly control our own personal choices—like repurposing things, reducing waste and shopping secondhand. We have tons of places, like Goodwill, to help reduce waste and conserve resources. This greatly reduces the demand on the fashion industry to produce faster, cheaper clothing. That is a big one!
What impact do you most hope to leave on your community and the world? It is my greatest hope to inspire people to have fun and get excited about doing good for the planet. I am always sharing content that demonstrates how I combine style and sustainability—in my art business ReFashioned Art, my wardrobe and many of the brands that I advocate for. Doing good for the environment shouldn’t be a drain on your energy and creativity—it can and should be fun and exciting. We are leaving the planet better for the next generation to come and that is something to get fired up about. Let’s have fun with this!