My initial interest in FEIT as a brand came from the release of the original biotrainer, which was the first sneaker made from all natural materials. My work here taught me more about the biological loop, where care, repair, and physical durability are vital. I also learned the value of small, human-scale production. Most importantly, though, I learned to design for emotional durability: increasing the resilience of relationships established between products and their users.

At Almanac, my focus shifted from the biological loop to the technical loop; working to extend the life of pre-existing objects by repairing, modifying, and recontextualizing them into “new” objects. I also began to think about how businesses and companies are organized and how they could be more beneficial to greater number of people. This lead me down a path of learning about cooperative businesses and creating an ideal structure for how brands could operate.

In my time working with the One Army team on Fixing Fashion, I learned the importance of community and inclusivity in design impact. Coming to the realization that change happens when a lot of people take small steps, not when a few people take big ones. We worked to create a platform that anyone could use to find local resources, focusing the example collection on showcasing a wide variety of vibes.

In January of 2020, I was invited by The OR Foundation to visit Accra, Ghana as part of a fashion research team. This paradoxically devastating and inspirational experience gave me a firsthand understanding of the global impact of overproduction and overconsumption. In Kantamanto, West Africa’s largest secondhand clothing market, I witnessed the overabundance of imported secondhand goods from the Global North while also being inspired by the new value sellers and upcyclers within the market were able to imbue onto these goods. I also learned here from the Kayayei, who carry the crushing weight of this crisis on their heads in the form of 120 lb clothing bales. In Kpone Landfill, I learned from informal waste pickers who are looked down upon in society but who are proudly the last line of defense to prevent items from going to waste. My experiences here guide everything I do going forward.

In developing the brand strategy for Day Owl, I was able to apply all of these thoughts and ideas into one unified vision. This resulted in the first fully circular bag brand. We utilize recycled materials sourced from collectors in low-income communities who we support and advocate for. The New* products are designed with refined utility at top of mind, including all of the function people need to carry their days while having a timeless look that can take on any personality. We also take back any brand’s bags to repair and find new owners for. All products Day Owl sells, New* and Secondhand, are numbered to take accountability for the products we are creating and ensure that they don’t end up in landfills. The brand as a whole is designed to approach the main-stream consumer and guide them in living a more considered lifestyle. Every (bag) counts.