Episode 01: Show Notes

Welcome to today’s episode of the Circulist Quest, where we talk to the entrepreneurs, designers, engineers, and scientists who are helping to facilitate the shift to the circular economy. Here today to share his insights is Adrian Jones, founder of BlockTexx, a company that is closing the loop on textile waste in the fashion industry. 

Tune in as Nick Gonios speaks to Adrian about his journey from a senior player in the retail space to an entrepreneur with the aim to keep all textiles out of landfill in an act of atonement. We discuss the role of fast fashion and social media in fuelling excessive consumption and why Adrian considers the best form of recycling to be buying second hand. We touch on greenwashing, why the right to repair is so important, and how, when you wear polyester, you are essentially wearing crude oil. Adrian reveals his vision for BlockTexx for the upcoming years, which align perfectly with Circulist’s focus on shifting from mega factories and global supply chains to local distributed networks, micro factories, and micro service centres. Lastly, he leaves us with some words of wisdom that are easy to implement: consider whether you can wear your clothes for longer. Just one small lifestyle decision can go a long way to reduce global textile waste!

Key Points:

• An evaluation of the textile waste stats in Australia and the US today.
• Introducing Adrian Jones and his background as buyer, manager, and leader for large retailers.
• How raising two sons to adulthood made Adrian more mindful of environmental impact.
• The two options you have when you recognise a problem: do nothing or do something.
• Adrian and his partner, Graham Ross’s aim to keep all textiles out of landfills.
• Why he considers his journey into BlockTexx as atonement for his years in retail.
• How fast fashion and social media have contributed to excessive consumption.
• Why under 25s are the biggest consumers but the most educated and active demographic.
• The problem of greenwashing or ‘putting green lipstick on the pig’.
• What Adrian considers to be the best form of recycling: buying second hand.
• Why the right to repair is really important.
• The implication of making the choice to only wear a garment six times: consuming less.
• An insight into the fashion industry’s overdeveloped view of its self importance.
• How you are essentially wearing crude oil when you wear polyester.
• Adrian’s plans for the next six to 12 months: build bigger in Australia, continue to research, and then scale by licensing the software overseas.
• Circulist’s focus on shifting from mega factories and global supply chains to local distributed networks, micro factories, and micro service centres.
• Adrian encourages listeners to think how one small decision can go a long way to save textile waste globally.

Quotes:

“You can accept there’s a problem and then do nothing about it, which is the coward’s way, or you can accept there’s a problem and then you can do something about it, but that involves significant change for yourself.” — Adrian Jones

“Whether we achieve it in our lifetime or not, I don’t know, but our ambition is to keep all textiles out of landfills.” — Adrian Jones

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Adrian Jones on LinkedIn
BlockTexx
Circulist
Circulist Email

Host Nick Gonios
Produced by Jim Lounsbury