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In this episode of Garmology, Nick is joined by investigative journalist and author Tansy Hoskins to discuss her fascinating new book, Charity Shop World. What begins as a conversation about Britain's beloved charity shops quickly becomes a deep exploration of clothing consumption, waste, fast fashion, global trade, community, charity, and the hidden journeys our unwanted clothes take after we drop them into a donation bag. Tansy shares how a chance conversation in a charity shop during the cost-of-living crisis sparked the idea for the book and how volunteering in a charity shop for over a year transformed her understanding of fashion's waste stream. From muddy hiking boots and unwanted Christmas jumpers to enormous clothing exports, charity shop volunteers, textile waste in Ghana, and the surprising history of second-hand clothing, this is a wide-ranging and often eye-opening conversation. Although the book doesn't shy away from difficult truths, it's also a celebration of community, generosity, repair, reuse, and the extraordinary people who keep charity shops running. Thoughtful, entertaining, and surprisingly hopeful, this episode may permanently change how you think about donating clothes. You can find more information about Tansy's work on the web  at tansyhoskins.org and on Instagram as @tansyhoskins   Garmology is by Nick Johannessen. There is no advertising or sponsorship, but you are welcome to support the podcast via my Patreon at patreon.com/garmology or you can buymeacoffee.com/garmology Nick Johannessen is also the editor of the WellDressedDad blog and WellDressedDad on Instagram. You can email Nick as Garmology (at) WellDressedDad.com. Garmology theme music by Fabian Stordalen.

In this episode of Garmology, Nick stays in Norway and heads to the spectacular west coast to meet Solveig, founder of Indigo Indigo, a fabric and sewing pattern business based near the famous Lysefjord in Norway.  What follows is a fascinating conversation about creativity, craftsmanship, sustainability, and the often surprising journey from photographer to fashion magazine assistant, IT developer, clothing designer, fabric merchant, and pattern maker.  Solveig shares how working in the fashion industry left her increasingly uncomfortable with fast fashion and overconsumption, leading her down a path of sewing her own clothes, sourcing exceptional fabrics, launching a small clothing label, and eventually building a business around helping others make better garments themselves.  Along the way, they discuss Japanese textiles, pattern cutting, zero-waste design, the psychology of sewing, why so many people buy fabric they never use, the difference between marketing and genuinely helping customers, sustainable materials, technical sportswear, craftsmanship, and the overlooked value of making things yourself. It's a warm, thoughtful, and often very funny conversation about clothing, creativity, and finding a better way to engage with the things we wear.  You can find Solveig as @indigoindigo.no on Instagram and as indigoindigo.no Garmology is by Nick Johannessen. There is no advertising or sponsorship, but you are welcome to support the podcast via my Patreon at patreon.com/garmology or you can buymeacoffee.com/garmology Nick Johannessen is also the editor of the WellDressedDad blog and WellDressedDad on Instagram. You can email Nick as Garmology (at) WellDressedDad.com. Garmology theme music by Fabian Stordalen.

In this episode of Garmology, Nick heads to Edinburgh to meet Laurence, founder of Woolkind—a colourful knitwear brand built on a deceptively simple idea: what if clothing was made exactly how people wanted it, and made to last?  A former accountant, IT specialist, and software executive, Laurence left a successful corporate career during the pandemic to pursue a lifelong obsession with knitting. What emerged is Woolkind, a made-to-order knitwear business where customers choose colours, garments are produced one at a time, and every detail—from the wool source to the sewing thread—is scrutinised with almost obsessive care.  The conversation explores customisation, craftsmanship, sustainability, traceability, wool sourcing, the economics of small manufacturing, and the challenge of building a business without falling into the endless cycle of trends and overconsumption.  From knitting machines and merino wool to Black Friday alternatives and the myth of recycled polyester, this is a fascinating discussion about making things properly—and finding joy in the process.  You can find Laurence and Woolkind at Woolkind.com and on Instagram as @woolkind   Garmology is by Nick Johannessen. There is no advertising or sponsorship, but you are welcome to support the podcast via my Patreon at patreon.com/garmology or you can buymeacoffee.com/garmology Nick Johannessen is also the editor of the WellDressedDad blog and WellDressedDad on Instagram. You can email Nick as Garmology (at) WellDressedDad.com. Garmology theme music by Fabian Stordalen.

In this episode of Garmology, Nick heads to London to meet Anthony Princi — designer, educator, and founder of Fashion Department. What unfolds is an intense, honest, and deeply practical conversation about how fashion actually works behind the scenes. Anthony shares his journey from Australia to Paris and London, working across every level of the industry—from tailoring at Levi’s to designing for major brands—and how that experience led him to build Fashion Department: a platform focused on bridging the massive gap between fashion education and real‑world industry skills. Together, they dive into what really makes a garment work: construction, process, logistics, and communication—not just creativity. From tech packs and manufacturing relationships to deadstock, overproduction, burnout, and the illusion of sustainable fashion, this episode challenges many of the assumptions people have about the industry. It’s fast‑paced, brutally honest, and packed with practical insight—an essential listen for anyone serious about clothing, design, or how things actually get made.  00:00 – Intro  01:20 – Who is Anthony Princi?  05:10 – What is Fashion Department?  10:40 – Why fashion education doesn’t prepare students  18:30 – Creativity vs logistics in design  24:50 – What is a tech pack (and why they fail)  33:10 – Working with manufacturers (the reality)  45:00 – Why skill matters more than creativity  52:40 – The truth about working in big vs small brands  01:05:20 – Overproduction, stock, and sustainability  01:18:10 – The reality of starting a fashion brand  01:30:00 – Digital tools vs physical making  01:42:30 – Why designers need to understand materials  01:52:00 – The obsession with having a brand  02:00:00 – Final thoughts You can find Anthony and the Fashion Department on the web at fashiondepartmentlondon.com and on Instagram as @fashiondepartment.ld Garmology is by Nick Johannessen. There is no advertising or sponsorship, but you are welcome to support the podcast via my Patreon at patreon.com/garmology or you can buymeacoffee.com/garmology Nick Johannessen is also the editor of the WellDressedDad blog and WellDressedDad on Instagram. You can email Nick as Garmology (at) WellDressedDad.com. Garmology theme music by Fabian Stordalen.

Peter Noah joins Garmology for a refreshingly honest conversation about influencer culture, personal style, and the reality of creating content in the menswear world.  What starts as a story about launching a YouTube channel quickly becomes something deeper—a reflection on free products, brand relationships, algorithm pressure, and the uneasy feeling of becoming part of the marketing machine. Peter shares why he stepped back, deleted sponsored content, and began rethinking his purpose.  Together, he and Nick explore authenticity, overconsumption, and the joy of dressing for yourself rather than for attention. This is a candid and thoughtful episode about clothes—but also about identity, influence, and figuring things out along the way.  Peter Noa is on Instagram as @petersprism and YouTube as @petersprism Garmology is by Nick Johannessen. There is no advertising or sponsorship, but you are welcome to support the podcast via my Patreon at patreon.com/garmology or you can buymeacoffee.com/garmology Nick Johannessen is also the editor of the WellDressedDad blog and WellDressedDad on Instagram. You can email Nick as Garmology (at) WellDressedDad.com. Garmology theme music by Fabian Stordalen.

In this episode of Garmology, Nick is joined by Jason Pecarich, founder of Division Road—one of the most thoughtful and quietly influential retailers in modern menswear. From heritage footwear and natural fabrics to presentation, service, and the future of quality retail, this is a wide‑ranging conversation about what really makes clothes worth caring about.  Jason shares his unlikely journey from fashion and architecture into retail, why Division Road became a design‑led retailer rather than a brand, and how the business evolved from a Seattle storefront into a destination showroom set on open farmland in Virginia. Along the way, they explore heritage as a concept, why it’s been diluted, why good manufacturing is becoming rarer, and why clothing should be fun—not rule‑bound cosplay.  They also dig into footwear, tailoring, natural fibres, the labour crisis in manufacturing, why some products cost what they do, and why fewer, better things still matter. Thoughtful, honest, and refreshingly free of hype, this episode is for anyone who loves well‑made clothes—and wants to understand why they matter.  Division Road is at divisionroadinc.com Garmology is by Nick Johannessen. There is no advertising or sponsorship, but you are welcome to support the podcast via my Patreon at patreon.com/garmology or you can buymeacoffee.com/garmology Nick Johannessen is also the editor of the WellDressedDad blog and WellDressedDad on Instagram. You can email Nick as Garmology (at) WellDressedDad.com. Garmology theme music by Fabian Stordalen.

In this episode of Garmology, Nick is joined by Lydia Wendt, founder of California Cloth Foundry and a leading voice in clean, non‑toxic textiles. Fresh from the Netflix documentary Plastic Detox, Lydia explains how clothing—especially performance and “sustainable” fashion—can be far more chemically complex (and harmful) than most people realise.  Together, they unpack greenwashing, organic cotton myths, plastic fibres, petrochemical dyes, and why “performance” often comes at a hidden cost to human health and the environment. From natural indigo and plant dyes to compostable garments, compost‑tested cutting waste, and healthier alternatives to elastane, this wide‑ranging conversation challenges how—and why—we make, buy, and wear clothes today. It’s nerdy, eye‑opening, and surprisingly hopeful—and will almost certainly change how you look at the label inside your clothes.  You can find California Cloth Foundry at clothfoundry.com This episode is also available on YouTube, search for Garmology or the direct link here.   Garmology is by Nick Johannessen. There is no advertising or sponsorship, but you are welcome to support the podcast via my Patreon at patreon.com/garmology or you can buymeacoffee.com/garmology Nick Johannessen is also the editor of the WellDressedDad blog and WellDressedDad on Instagram. You can email Nick as Garmology (at) WellDressedDad.com. Garmology theme music by Fabian Stordalen.

Genevieve returns to Garmology four years after her last appearance—and a lot has changed. Since we last spoke (just weeks before she gave birth), Genevieve has been quietly building something remarkable: a knitwear micro‑factory in rural Hertfordshire, training apprentices, preserving endangered skills, and bringing more of her luxury British knitwear production in‑house. In this episode, we talk heritage crafts and modern knitting machines, the reality of factories closing and skills disappearing, the joy (and complexity) of running your own machines, and why making fewer, better garments still makes sense in 2026. From naturally dyed yarns and hand intarsia to washing, mending, moth anxiety, and the odd globe‑maker next door, this is a warm, honest, deeply nerdy conversation about how clothes are actually made—and why it still matters. You can find Genevieve Sweeney on the web at genevievesweeney.com and on Instagram as @genevievesweeney.    Garmology is by Nick Johannessen. There is no advertising or sponsorship, but you are welcome to support the podcast via my Patreon at patreon.com/garmology or you can buymeacoffee.com/garmology Nick Johannessen is also the editor of the WellDressedDad blog and WellDressedDad on Instagram. You can email Nick as Garmology (at) WellDressedDad.com. Garmology theme music by Fabian Stordalen.

In this episode of Garmology, Nick heads to Edmonton, Canada, to meet Dylan Lynch — the new custodian of Kluane Mountaineering, a tiny but legendary workshop that’s been making expedition‑grade down jackets and sleeping bags for over 50 years. Dylan shares the brand’s unlikely origins, the almost mythical figure of seamstress Lucy, his own journey from winter camper to clothing‑and‑textile graduate to owner, and the uncompromising philosophy behind “making things properly or not at all.”  It’s a story filled with romance, mentorship, small‑batch craftsmanship, Japanese connections, Paris adventures, devotion to Canadian sourcing, extreme cold, and the joy of doing one thing extremely well—and never selling out. You can find Kluane Mountaineering on the web at kluanemountaineering.com and on Instagram as @kluanemountaineering This episode is also available on the Garmology YouTube channel: https://youtu.be/UWmu3gSlNLU     Garmology is by Nick Johannessen. There is no advertising or sponsorship, but you are welcome to support the podcast via my Patreon at patreon.com/garmology or you can buymeacoffee.com/garmology Nick Johannessen is also the editor of the WellDressedDad blog and WellDressedDad on Instagram. You can email Nick as Garmology (at) WellDressedDad.com. Garmology theme music by Fabian Stordalen.

In this episode of Garmology, Nick speaks with Professor Amy Twigger‑Holroyd, a designer, researcher, and academic specialising in Alternative Fashion Systems at Nottingham School of Art and Design. Amy shares her path from knitwear design and running a slow‑fashion label to becoming a leading researcher on sustainability, remaking, participatory textile practices, and what she calls fashion fictions. She explains how mainstream fashion systems limit imagination and reinforce unsustainable consumption—and how speculative, playful “fictional worlds” can help people imagine alternatives. The conversation explores remaking and mending, the cultural significance of handmade clothing, the psychology of fashion, participatory workshops, the blurring of fictional and real-world practices, and the ways collective imagination can inspire actual change. Nick and Amy also discuss sustainability fatigue, hope, ritual, meaning in clothing, and how fashion might evolve into something more connected, joyful, and human. Amy is on Instagram as @amytwiggerh More information about Fashion Fictions fashionfictions.org The open-access version of the book can be found here.   Garmology is by Nick Johannessen. There is no advertising or sponsorship, but you are welcome to support the podcast via my Patreon at patreon.com/garmology or you can buymeacoffee.com/garmology Nick Johannessen is also the editor of the WellDressedDad blog and WellDressedDad on Instagram. You can email Nick as Garmology (at) WellDressedDad.com. Garmology theme music by Fabian Stordalen.

This episode of Garmology features host Nick in conversation with bespoke tailor Duane MacLeod, who lives and works on the coast of Maine.  Duane shares his unconventional journey into sewing and tailoring, beginning with a childhood in a DIY, self-sufficient family and escalating into a lifelong fascination with making things. After years of building houses, reupholstering furniture, and sewing casually, he began making garments seriously when his daughter — then studying fashion — challenged him to make his own coat.  Following early experiments with Japanese pattern books and the online sewing community (especially the influential blog Male Pattern Boldness), Duane slowly developed his skills and eventually became deeply interested in tailoring.  This led him to the Tailoring Academy in Macclesfield, UK, where he completed an intensive 10.5‑month professional training program later in life, after retiring from a nursing career. He describes the pace, rigour, camaraderie, and transformative experience of studying tailoring full-time, learning precise techniques, working with high-end fabrics, and building garments from the inside out.  Returning to Maine, Duane started Holdfast Bespoke, where he now makes custom jackets, waistcoats, trousers, and outerwear — often using fine woollens from mills like Moon, McGee, and Holland & Sherry. He discusses the challenges of sourcing fabric as a new artisan, the realities of working slowly and deliberately by hand, the joys of satisfied clients, and the emotional meaning people find in handmade garments.  Duane also shares his current project: preparing six looks for an upcoming runway show with the Maine Crafts Association. Throughout the conversation, it touches on craftsmanship, creativity, timeless design, the tailoring industry, and the personal satisfaction of continuing to learn and make meaningful things.  You can find Holdfast Bespoke at: www.holdfastbespoke.com.  Duane's Instagram account is  @mainelymenswear, and the vest that didn't quite turn out right can be found on Duane's blog. Garmology is by Nick Johannessen. There is no advertising or sponsorship, but you are welcome to support the podcast via my Patreon at patreon.com/garmology or you can buymeacoffee.com/garmology Nick Johannessen is also the editor of the WellDressedDad blog and WellDressedDad on Instagram. You can email Nick as Garmology (at) WellDressedDad.com. Garmology theme music by Fabian Stordalen.

In this episode, Nick sits down with Neale McDonald, founder of the small‑batch menswear label Adamant Clothing, to talk about the journey from skate‑scene style obsession to designing handmade garments in Scotland.  They dive into craftsmanship, what “made in” really means, the frustrations of modern social media, menswear trends, and the challenges of running a tiny self‑funded brand in a big‑brand world.  A thoughtful conversation about passion, quality, and why the humble overshirt might be the perfect garment.    You can find Adamant on the web at adamantclothing.com and on Instagram as @adamant_clothing   Garmology is by Nick Johannessen. There is no advertising or sponsorship, but you are welcome to support the podcast via my Patreon at patreon.com/garmology or you can buymeacoffee.com/garmology Nick Johannessen is also the editor of the WellDressedDad blog and WellDressedDad on Instagram. You can email Nick as Garmology (at) WellDressedDad.com. Garmology theme music by Fabian Stordalen.

In this wide‑ranging and deeply reflective conversation, Nick welcomes back fashion researcher and maker Wendy Ward to unpack what really happens to clothes after we’re done with them — and why the fashion industry’s language around “recycling” and “sustainability” increasingly rings hollow. They explore the murky realities of textile waste, charity shop overload, and so‑called recycling systems that often amount to exporting waste elsewhere or incinerating it. Wendy reflects on her stalled attempt to return waste garments to manufacturers, digging into the complexities of end‑of‑life clothing systems and the uncomfortable truth that only around 1% of post‑consumer textiles are truly recycled. Amid the bleak realities, the conversation shifts toward more hopeful ground: Wendy’s wearing tally practice, cost‑per‑wear labels, personal garment narratives, and examples of brands and makers celebrating care, repair, and long‑term use. Together, they question whether fashion can rediscover joy, meaning, and creativity without driving relentless over‑consumption — and whether positivity, not guilt, might be the key to real change. This episode is a candid exploration of value, honesty, infrastructure, and imagination — and what it might take to build a healthier relationship with the clothes we already own.  You can find all Wendy's links on her Linktree here. Links:  Nature: "Secondhand fashion consumers exhibit fast fashion behaviors despite sustainability narratives" https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-025-19089-1  The Guardian: "‘Hospices are in retreat’: funding crisis squeezing UK palliative care providers" https://www.theguardian.com/society/2025/mar/24/hospices-in-retreat-funding-crisis-squeezing-uk-palliative-care-providers  NRK: "Må kaste 500 tonn mer tekstiler enn i fjor: – Nå sliter vi veldig mye" https://www.nrk.no/vestfoldogtelemark/frykter-at-gjenbruksbransjen-kan-kollapse-_-kaster-500-tonn-mer-tekstiler-enn-i-fjor-1.17656476 (Suggest using the translate function in Google Chrome) Garmology is by Nick Johannessen. There is no advertising or sponsorship, but you are welcome to support the podcast via my Patreon at patreon.com/garmology or you can buymeacoffee.com/garmology Nick Johannessen is also the editor of the WellDressedDad blog and WellDressedDad on Instagram. You can email Nick as Garmology (at) WellDressedDad.com. Garmology theme music by Fabian Stordalen.

In this festive roundtable episode, Nick, Jon, and Shaun gather to complain — politely — about modern shopping, resale platforms, and the strange reality of buying your own clothes back years later from a charity shop. They talk eBay deliveries that arrive whenever they feel like it, Vinted’s takeover of second-hand culture, AI-written listings that say nothing, and heritage brands that now come with a geography quiz. Along the way, there’s boiled wool, duffle coats, social media fatigue, and the realisation that the internet has slowly turned into a badly lit shopping centre. It’s a warm, funny, slightly grumpy end-of-year chat about clothes, trust, and why keeping one good thing for 20 years might still be the most radical idea of all. Festive, thoughtful, and lightly exasperated — just as intended. Featuring Shaun Brown and Jon Fowler, aka @these_rough_notes and @HeavyJon on Instagram. Early reviews of this episode are mixed, so your listening pleasure is uncertain: Tortoise Trends commented, «We appreciate the slow pace of the proceedings». VintageWear Weekly gushingly praised «At least they don’t mention whiffy vintage garms this time!» Giffnock Advertiser noted, «Local celeb Shaun gets properly stuck into the proceedings and we love it.» Stationary Engine Magazine said, «These guys sound like our kind of people.“ Teddy Bear Times said, «Gets a bit boring in the middle then better at the end.“ The Country Smallhold said, “They dress for the occasion but are they up to it?” Business of Fashion stated, «Clearly our days of shilling for the man are over, all hail the three kings.» Gentleman’s Quarterly: «A laidback and comfortably paced chat perfect for accompanying the preparation of sprouts». Amateur Carp Fishing Monthly said, “ It’s not really our thing.“ Carnoustie Guide & Gazette said, “It’s a podcast with men talking.“ From Twitter @JeansAndSheux «The scene appreciates the respect shown and offers a Peroni in return.» Motorway Lovers Weekly “Once again there’s no mention of the M45 “ Pitti Peacocks Annual whinges «We fail to appreciate the loathing of our beloved monk-strap shoes. This is dismal.» The Guardian pontificated «We’d be sure to recommend Garmology if we’d heard of it.» The Brighton Bugle blethered «Jon is clearly one of our finest local citizens and we really should shower him with appreciation.» Tønsberg Blad skriver «Jasså, så han holder ennå på? Kanskje på tide å rydde forsiden igjen...» Garmology is by Nick Johannessen. There is no advertising or sponsorship, but you are welcome to support the podcast via my Patreon at patreon.com/garmology or you can buymeacoffee.com/garmology Nick Johannessen is also the editor of the WellDressedDad blog and WellDressedDad on Instagram. You can email Nick as Garmology (at) WellDressedDad.com. Garmology theme music by Fabian Stordalen.

Step into the studio with bespoke tailor Alis LeMay, whose Glasgow-based craft blends heritage techniques, natural dyes, British wool, and a deep respect for the land. In this inspiring conversation, Alis shares how chance encounters, traditional skills, and local collaborations shaped her journey from animation student to couture dressmaker — and why natural materials are at the heart of her latest project, Clò an Tìr (“cloth of the land”).  Discover:  The magic of British wool  How natural dyes shift and glow in changing light The rigour, romance, and reality of bespoke tailoring Glasgow’s forgotten textile history The joy of collaboration and apprenticing - Why fit, craft, and local production still matter And hear about incredibly large statues, made of wool! Whether you're into slow fashion, heritage craft, textiles, sustainability, or just a good creative origin story, this episode is a rich, warm, craft-filled journey. You can find Alis on the web at  alislemay.com and on Instagram as @alis_le_may   Garmology is by Nick Johannessen. There is no advertising or sponsorship, but you are welcome to support the podcast via my Patreon at patreon.com/garmology or you can buymeacoffee.com/garmology Nick Johannessen is also the editor of the WellDressedDad blog and WellDressedDad on Instagram. You can email Nick as Garmology (at) WellDressedDad.com. Garmology theme music by Fabian Stordalen.