Podcast Summary: Der Große Neustart – "Runa Ray: Stitching Together a Fashion Revolution"

Release Date: January 8, 2025

Introduction

In this compelling episode of Der Große Neustart, host Sibylle Barden engages in an insightful conversation with Runa Ray, a renowned designer, visionary, and environmentalist. The episode delves into Runa's transformative journey in the fashion industry, highlighting her innovative initiatives aimed at promoting sustainability and peace. Through her work, Runa exemplifies how fashion can be a powerful tool for social and environmental change.

Global Peace Flag Initiative

Runa Ray introduces her flagship project, the Global Peace Flag, which embodies her commitment to intertwining fashion with activism. Initiated during the COVID-19 pandemic, this project sought to harness the global momentum of unity and resilience witnessed during the crisis.

Runa Ray [00:00]: "I think we need an entire revolution when it comes to fashion. I think we need a lot of transparency within the fashion industry and supply chain and also getting the message across, not just to designers, but also the consumers."

The Global Peace Flag repurposes fashion prototypes—typically destined for landfills—into canvases for expressions of peace and unity from around the world. This initiative has garnered global participation, connecting 194 countries and receiving endorsement from the United Nations. Runa highlights the project's impact, illustrating how it fosters collaboration even among nations in conflict.

Runa Ray [01:56]: "The beauty about this peace flag is that it doesn't matter which social standing you come from, which color, ethnicity, religion, which country you're from. It's all about being sewn together on this one fabric."

The project has achieved significant milestones, including a month-long exhibition at the United Nations, later extended by two months, and plans to showcase the flag at the White House during Memorial Day weekend in 2025.

Sustainable Innovation in Fashion

Runa's commitment to sustainability is evident in her pioneering use of materials such as algae-based textiles, zero-stitch techniques, and plant-based dyes. She emphasizes the importance of transforming waste into valuable resources, advocating for a "waste to wealth" approach within the industry.

Runa Ray [18:17]: "This material is basically a combination of invasive algae and seaweed... we are cleaning up the oceans, trying to get the invasive algae, and at the same time, it provides an alternative livelihood..."

Runa discusses her ongoing research and development of sustainable fabrics, including a patent-pending material that combines invasive algae and seaweed to address marine pollution while offering sustainable alternatives for the fashion sector.

Challenges and Industry Barriers

Despite her successes, Runa faces significant challenges, particularly regarding industry transparency and compliance. She critiques the fragmented nature of the fashion industry, where manufacturing often occurs in the Global South with limited oversight. This fragmentation complicates efforts to enforce sustainable practices and combat issues like greenwashing, where companies falsely portray their products as environmentally friendly.

Runa Ray [27:34]: "I think we need an entire revolution when it comes to fashion. I think we need a lot of transparency within the fashion industry and supply chain..."

Runa underscores the necessity for systemic change, advocating for stringent regulations and greater accountability within the industry to ensure genuine sustainability efforts rather than superficial marketing tactics.

Systemic Change and Consumer Education

A central theme of the discussion is the imperative for systemic transformation in fashion, encompassing both industry practices and consumer behavior. Runa emphasizes the role of education in fostering a new generation of designers and consumers who prioritize sustainability.

Runa Ray [32:31]: "But what do you buy now? And how do you source. How do you know that you are buying it sustainably?"

Runa has established a nonprofit organization, Fashioning for Social Environmental Justice, to educate and collaborate with students globally. This initiative encourages cross-cultural collaboration among designers, integrating indigenous techniques and sustainable practices to create innovative, eco-friendly fashion solutions.

Runa Ray’s Early Life and Motivation

Runa attributes her passion for sustainability and activism to her upbringing in a modest, hardworking family in Bangalore, India. Her father's dedication to a sustainable paper mill using industrial waste as raw material instilled in her the principles of "waste to wealth."

Runa Ray [58:47]: "We grew up with that, and I would be like, how is it ash free, chemical free, you know, wood free?"

Additionally, Runa's bicultural background, with a Hindu father and Christian mother, fostered a deep sense of tolerance and acceptance, which later influenced her Global Peace Flag initiative.

From Couture to Activism

Transitioning from high fashion, Runa shares her experiences working with prestigious houses like Dior and Jean Galliano. Despite the glamour, she was disheartened by the industry's wastefulness and ethical shortcomings, particularly concerning the fur industry.

Runa Ray [52:13]: "I saw a lot of waste that was generated because of the fur industry... I thought that we were making the lives of those who couldn't speak ugly because of us to look good."

This realization propelled her to establish her own company, focusing on repurposing surplus fabrics and rejecting unsustainable practices, thereby setting a precedent for environmentally conscious fashion.

Innovative Showcasing at Fashion Events

Runa leverages high-profile platforms like the Met Gala and Monte Carlo Fashion Week to spotlight sustainability and peace. By collaborating with organizations such as the Monaco Scientific Center, she creates garments that carry profound environmental messages, challenging audiences to reconsider their perceptions of luxury.

Runa Ray [14:05]: "I decided to work with the Monaco Scientific Center... So when the model came out with this really pretty dress. People thought it was really pretty, but they didn't know what it was."

Through these showcases, Runa effectively merges aesthetic appeal with environmental advocacy, fostering greater awareness and dialogue within the fashion community.

Addressing Overconsumption and Waste

Runa critically examines the prevalent issue of overconsumption in fashion, advocating for practices that minimize waste and promote longevity. She highlights the significance of responsible production and the role of designers in shaping consumer behavior.

Runa Ray [20:16]: "The concept is mostly waste to wealth... what we could do to mitigate our waste lies in our hands."

Runa encourages designers to collaborate with local farmers and artisans to create sustainable fabrics, emphasizing the importance of controlling the production process to ensure environmental stewardship.

The Role of Technology and Policy in Sustainability

Runa discusses the interplay between technology, policy, and sustainable practices. She envisions a future where digital footprints in manufacturing enable traceability and accountability, ensuring that each garment's lifecycle is transparent and eco-friendly.

Runa Ray [38:15]: "We need to have some sort of digital footprint when it comes to manufacturing."

She also touches upon the importance of governmental support in enforcing sustainable standards, advocating for policies that mandate producer responsibility and recycled materials in fashion production.

Legacy and Vision for the Future

As the conversation draws to a close, Runa reflects on her enduring vision to inspire global unity and trust through fashion. Her legacy aims to weave a tapestry of humanity where sustainability and peace are integral to the industry's fabric.

Runa Ray [69:00]: "I would like to see people realizing that we are all one... we are all interconnected and that we need to understand that we are very nice people."

Runa aspires to leave behind a more conscientious and collaborative fashion industry, where designers and consumers alike prioritize the planet's well-being and embody a collective spirit of trust and cooperation.

Conclusion

This episode of Der Große Neustart not only showcases Runa Ray's innovative contributions to sustainable fashion but also underscores the broader imperative for systemic change within the industry. Through her initiatives, Runa exemplifies how fashion can transcend aesthetics to become a catalyst for environmental and social transformation. Listeners are left inspired by her unwavering dedication to creating a just, sustainable, and peaceful world through the transformative power of fashion.

Notable Quotes:

• Runa Ray [00:00]: "I think we need an entire revolution when it comes to fashion. I think we need a lot of transparency within the fashion industry and supply chain and also getting the message across, not just to designers, but also the consumers."

• Runa Ray [01:56]: "The beauty about this peace flag is that it doesn't matter which social standing you come from, which color, ethnicity, religion, which country you're from. It's all about being sewn together on this one fabric."

• Runa Ray [18:17]: "This material is basically a combination of invasive algae and seaweed... we are cleaning up the oceans, trying to get the invasive algae, and at the same time, it provides an alternative livelihood..."

• Runa Ray [27:34]: "I think we need an entire revolution when it comes to fashion. I think we need a lot of transparency within the fashion industry and supply chain..."

• Runa Ray [32:31]: "But what do you buy now? And how do you source. How do you know that you are buying it sustainably?"

• Runa Ray [58:47]: "We grew up with that, and I would be like, how is it ash free, chemical free, you know, wood free?"

• Runa Ray [52:13]: "I saw a lot of waste that was generated because of the fur industry... I thought that we were making the lives of those who couldn't speak ugly because of us to look good."

• Runa Ray [69:00]: "I would like to see people realizing that we are all one... we are all interconnected and that we need to understand that we are very nice people."

For more episodes and information, visit Der Große Neustart and the official site of the World Economic Forum.