Podcast appearances and mentions of rachel arthur

In Episode 277 we go live again on Facebook, and in this episode we are talking about the 2025 predicted craft beer trends. We also do a tasting session of Cigar City Brewery El Catador Club Strange Case featuring apple jack brandy barrel aged imperial stout with caramel flavor. Find out if this beer lives up to the previous tastings. Now grab a beer and enjoy the show! If you would like to contact the show you can reach the hosts through email at tapthecraft@gmail.com, or interact with us on Facebook at facebook.com/tapthecraft and for all our links visit tapthecraft.com/linktree. We have a voicemail number...you can call 208-536-3359 (208-53ODDLY) to leave feedback or questions and have your voice heard on the show. We invite you to visit our website at tapthecraft.com for more craft beer content. If you enjoy our content and want to Toast Your Hosts, then please visit our Patreon page at patreon.com/tapthecraft You can follow Denny on Twitter, Instagram and Untappd @lucescrew. You can follow Kris on Twitter @kris_mckenzie82 or Untappd at @K9Hops and on our Facebook page. Find more links at tapthecraft.com/linktree. Discord server at tapthecraft.com/discord BEERS MENTIONED ON THE SHOW:Deschutes Brewery Black Butte PorterBeerbazaar Black Jack StoutFinback Brewery Crispy MorningBeerbazaar Harmony WC IPA Loose Screw Beer Co Lateral Pils Monkless Belgian Ales Friar's Festivus Belgian Quad New Pioneer Brewing Double Ben Gurion DIPALINKS TO ARTICLES DISCUSSED:The 11 Craft Beer Trends to Watch in 2025 found on the Hop Culture website7 beer trends to follow in 2025 written by Rachel Arthur and found on the Beverage Daily website

Are we doing enough to change the way we shop for clothes? Is the sustainable fashion movement making any progress? Find out the reality in this episode of The Enoughness. Melanie talks to Rachel Arthur, one of the most influential women in fashion you may never have heard of. Why? Rachel created the United Nations Sustainable Fashion Playbook, a guide for influencers and fashion communicators to inspire us all to buy less crap, and love and appreciate clothes more.In this episode we trash fashion headlines, dig into influencers on the shill, discuss the joy of renting Ganni, throw shade on Edward Bernays, and share why knowing all this stuff matters.Rachel also talks about the legislation that could change everything for fast fashion, why she nearly gave it all up, and how, like Goldilocks, she carefully worked out her version of “just right” and changed her life in inspirational ways. Guest: @rachelarthur Mentioned in this episodeThe Sustainable Fashion Communication PlaybookUnited Nations Environment Program and Rachel ArthurGanni rental on Hurr CollectiveEdward Bernays, the founding father of modern Public Relations Further readingOwning It with Rachel Arthur, on SubstackEarth4All by Sandrine Dixson-Declève, Owen Gaffney, Jayati Ghosh, Jørgen Randers, Johan Rockström and Per Espen Stoknes. Less is More by Jason HickelThe World is on Fire But We Are Still Buying Shoes by Alec LeachThe Enoughness with Melanie RickeyProduced and edited by Steve HankeyAdditional production is by Sophie Smith Its recorded at 1 Warwick in Soho, a welcoming club for members and visitors alike, and the home of The Enoughness with Melanie Rickey. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

fx Medicine ambassador Emma Sutherland talks with one of our professions most respected naturopath and nutritionist Rachel Arthur.    In the first part of this candid conversation, Rachel shares the origins of her passion for natural health and the series of opportunities that lead her from new practitioner to industry leader. Rachel's advice for new practitioners - say yes to everything early in your career. She also discusses an industry weakness - one that might surprise you!  Emma and Rachel then shift gear and get into the intricacies of zinc prescribing. Together they unpack the origins of zinc, highlighting that despite the wealth of research about this nutrient, we are still in our infancy in our understanding of its myriad of functions in the body. Rachel also shares the key systems that clinically benefit from zinc supplementation, as well as a scaffolding to best determine what form to use and when. The discussion culminates in the challenges around the validity of upper tolerable limits, and best practices for dosaging that is in line with recommendations in the research.  This episode is packed with clinical pearls, a must listen for all practitioners regardless of your understanding of this commonly prescribed nutrient.   Find today's transcript and show notes here: https://www.fxmedicine.com.au/podcast/replay-zeitgeist-zinc-emma-sutherland-and-rachel-arthur Sign up for our monthly newsletter for the latest exclusive clinical tools, articles, and infographics: https://pages.blackmores.com.au/FXM-signup.html ***DISCLAIMER: The information provided on fx Medicine is for educational and informational purposes only. The information provided is not, nor is it intended to be, a substitute for professional advice or care. Please seek the advice of a qualified health care professional in the event something you learn here raises questions or concerns regarding your health.***

In our first episode of the 2024, our Ambassador Emma Sutherland talks with one of our professions most respected naturopath and nutritionist Rachel Arthur. In the first part of this candid conversation, Rachel shares the origins of her passion for natural health and the series of opportunities that lead her from new practitioner to industry leader. Rachel's advice for new practitioners - say yes to everything early in your career. She also discusses an industry weakness - one that might surprise you! Emma and Rachel then shift gear and get into the intricacies of zinc prescribing. Together they unpack the origins of zinc, highlighting that despite the wealth of research about this nutrient, we are still in our infancy in our understanding of its myriad of functions in the body. Rachel also shares the key systems that clinically benefit from zinc supplementation, as well as a scaffolding to best determine what form to use and when. The discussion culminates in the challenges around the validity of upper tolerable limits, and best practices for dosaging that is in line with recommendations in the research. This episode is packed with clinical pearls, a must listen for all practitioners regardless of your understanding of this commonly prescribed nutrient. Find today's transcript and show notes here: https://www.fxmedicine.com.au/podcast/zeitgeist-zinc-emma-sutherland-and-rachel-arthur Sign up for our monthly newsletter for the latest exclusive clinical tools, articles, and infographics: https://pages.blackmores.com.au/FXM-signup.html ***DISCLAIMER: The information provided on fx Medicine is for educational and informational purposes only. The information provided is not, nor is it intended to be, a substitute for professional advice or care. Please seek the advice of a qualified health care professional in the event something you learn here raises questions or concerns regarding your health.***

In episode 307, Kestrel welcomes Rachel Arthur, a strategist, journalist, and the Advocacy Lead for Sustainable Fashion at the United Nations Environment Programme, to the show. Rachel is the lead author of The Sustainable Fashion Communication Playbook, which was published earlier this year by the United Nations Environment Programme and the UN Climate Change Fashion Charter. “Communicators themselves, on a couple of levels, have had the ability to participate and to contribute I think is what I'm looking for here, and that is the first of all. But they themselves, by being communicators, have a skill set that is missing in the sustainability space, which is around this notion of making something desirable, creative — making people fall in love with things. That is fundamentally what fashion does, and we need to redirect it toward sustainability.” -Rachel Are you a communicator in the fashion space? Whether it's through your work or everyday life, communicating about sustainability and fashion can be challenging and complex.  This week's guest is the lead author of a new framework for fashion communicators – it's called the Sustainable Fashion Communication Playbook, and it's a deep dive into why we must all play a role in shifting the narrative.  The Playbook provides actionable steps communicators can take including: establishing a foundation with verifiable information, acknowledging that fashion is integral in building culture, and highlighting the role storytellers must play in advocating for change. We address head-on one of fashion's biggest issues today – misinformation. As the report highlights, A 2020 study by the European Commission found 53.3% of environmental claims communicated in the EU at large were vague, misleading or unfounded. And a fashion specific report by Changing Markets from 2021 finds that 60% of sustainability claims by European fashion giants are “unsubstantiated” and “misleading”. The Playbook recommends that one way communicators can break the cycle of misinformation is by leading with science. While this is absolutely necessary, I regularly hear frustrations over the lack of accessible scientific data and research available in the fashion space. We explore this tension as well. Telling stories is powerful and can influence change. Quotes & links from the conversation: “So, I don't think that there is a silver bullet here — there isn't the single answer in the playbook, but the intention is to open up this discussion and put it on the table and importantly say that marketers, communicators, anybody in that sort of job function, which basically means that they spend time communicating with consumers in some capacity, has a role that they can play here to help towards change.” -Rachel (16:58) The Sustainable Fashion Communication Playbook Report The Sustainable Fashion Communication Playbook Interactive FashMash, global community Rachel helped cofound  Rachel's LinkedIn Follow Rachel on Instagram >

*The information in this podcast is intended for Healthcare Practitioners. In this much-anticipated edition, we are joined by the renowned diagnostics educator and experienced naturopath, Rachel Arthur. Together with our host, Nathan Rose, they delve into the fascinating world of the thyroid gland and its interconnectedness with other crucial signalling factors such as leptin, hormones, and fat mass. Prepare to have your understanding of thyroid research reframed as they explore why attributing fat gain solely to the thyroid might not be the full story. Get ready for a captivating discussion on how excessive adipose tissue can lead to disruptions in thyroid function and the influence of macrophage types on endocrine balance. Rachel's remarkable ability to present complex concepts with her insightful analogies promises to make this episode both clinically relevant and entertaining! Highlights: 15:36 minutes - Why increasing T3 isn't the holy grail for fat mass. 20:31 minutes - Excess energy intake can be the greatest disruptor of gland architecture. 30:50 minutes - The role of fat mass and macrophages in thyroid function. 36:00 minutes - How inflammation and macrophage type can alter fat gain. *Useful Links: * https://rachelarthur.com.au/ https://rachelarthur.com.au/mastercourse-ii-thyroid-adrenal-diagnostics/

ICYMI: fashion has a greenwashing problem. No wonder policy makers, consumer watchdogs and NGOs are taking an interest. According to the UN: “Misinformation and greenwashing are ubiquitous ... As sustainability has grown as a selling point, all manner of vague and inflated claims have appeared across advertising, marketing, media, packaging and beyond.” Enter the UN's new Sustainable Fashion Communication Playbook, an open-access guide that seeks to change that, while better aligning how the fashion industry talks with the climate goals of the Paris Agreement. This week, we're delighted to welcome the Playbook's lead author, Rachel Arthur, to the show to deep dive into its recommendations.We're asking: What if marketers, PRs, fashion journalists and photographers used their creative powers to encourage us to live a 1.5 degree lifestyle, instead of endlessly update our consumer goods? (Curious about a “1.5 degree lifestyle”? Listen for the full explainer!) How could professional communicators use their talents to get behind a more sustainable future? Rachel calls them “architects of desire”, and says people who work in advertising, marketing and media play a vital role in persuading us what to want. Which comes with great responsibility…Access the Playbook here for free.Check out the shownotes for more links.Don't forget to tell us what you think! Find us on Instagram @mrspress @thewardrobecrisisThank you for listening! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

#036 - Service designer, facilitator, coach and a recent mum, Rachel Arthur discusses the challenges and growth that come with parenthood and how it can lead to increased self-awareness. We also talk about the importance of slowing down and how our constant busyness might distract us from meeting our deeper needs. Rachel also shares how becoming a parent, particularly a mother, can force a reconnection with the body and serve as a powerful transition for personal growth. Rachel also shares practical tips for reconnecting with your body at any moment during your busy day.In this episode:The challenges and growth accompanying parenthoodThe discomfort of slowing down and the societal normalisation of busynessThe "fixing mindset" of designers and its possible drawbacksThe technique of ocean breathingRachel's program Mamma Kind to help mums connect with their needsShownotesConnect with Rachel and Mama Kindhttps://linktr.ee/mamma.kindhttps://linktr.ee/designerjourneyshttps://www.linkedin.com/in/rachel-sy-arthurMaterial Journalhttps://www.maternaljournal.org/Show creditsIllustrations by Isa Vicentehttps://www.instagram.com/isadezgz/Music by Brad Porterhttps://prtr.co/Follow Design Feeling on social! LinkedInhttps://www.linkedin.com/company/designfeelingco Instagramhttps://www.instagram.com/designfeelingco/ Twitterhttps://twitter.com/designfeelingco TikTokhttps://www.tiktok.com/@designfeelingco Facebookhttps://www.facebook.com/designfeelingco

Media Voices co-host Peter Houston has jetted off to Cascais, Portugal for the 2022 FIPP World Media Congress. He catches up with speakers and attendees at the event to find out what they're hoping to learn, what it's like being back in the room, and how optimistic they are for the future of publishing. In this episode we bring you highlights from FIPP CEO James Hewes' keynote speech, Professor Lucy Küng drawing out practical lessons from her research into digital transformation, Fortune's Jim Jacovides explaining how Covid made the publisher more flexible, Tortoise's Katie Vanneck-Smith outlining how they are doubling down on audience engagement, Pugpig's Jonny Kaldor sharing the optimism in the room, and Boom Saloon's Rachel Arthur setting out what the big and small publishers can learn from each other.

In this episode we try a new format where we bring you the first parts of four episodes that centre around one topic so you can get reminded of some key points of inspiration, see what you want to go deeper into, and check out the interviews you may have missed.   This recap looks at how we can bring sustainability into fashion from various expert angles. We hear from the incredible Sophia Li who was my 2nd podcast guest and is an influential journalist and filmmaker using storytelling to impact climate and fashion. From Bandana Tewari who blew me away with her journey from Vogue India's editor to an advocate. We hear from the Felder Felder twin sisters Dani and Annette about their evolution from catwalk it-brand to bringing their values to the fore, and we touch on their journey with me at Conscious Accelerator, and we explore the future of sustainability and the role of fashion in planet regeneration with journalist and change-making powerhouse Rachel Arthur.   Overall, my main reflections are that we can't use buying more stuff as an excuse for being sustainable, but that fashion is an important part of culture and those who can create truly regenerative, transparent and circular models are the ones who will win. By bringing diversity and human kindness together with nurturing the planet, a new paradigm for fashion can be created.   Please let me know in a short review which episode, guest or takeaway grabs your attention, and I'll be reading some out as listener shout outs soon.   To listen to the full episodes, search: #2 Sophia Li #15 Bandana Tewari #72 Danielle & Annette Felder #7 Rachel Arthur   Discover show notes, book recommendations and more on www.goingconscious.com.   Connect with Nikki:Instagram & LinkedIn @nikkitrott www.consciousaccelerator.com

Celebrating her 100th episode of Update in Under 30 and welcomed back to the Metagenics Institute Podcast by popular demand – it's quite the month for Rachel Arthur! In this episode, the Naturopath and diagnostics aficionado shares her exceptional understanding of iron studies. Rachel covers when to test and why, how to assess each marker, confounders, and important considerations for certain populations, including pregnant women and those who are inflamed or obese. If you're a clinician eager to improve your understanding of iron studies, you will not be disappointed. *Highlights * An evolutionary perspective on iron (10:50) Important considerations pre-iron testing (17:00) Which markers do not reliably reflect of iron status (22:20) Transferrin (27:00) Transferrin saturation (38:00) Ferritin (51:00) What you might not know about iron supplementation (1:00:00) Useful Links Rachel Arthur's webpage - https://rachelarthur.com.au/ Update in Under 30 - https://rachelarthur.com.au/product-category/update-in-under-30/

We speak with astrologer Susan Miller on how the younger generation is still in love with the zodiac, before a look at astrology in print. We also speak with Rachel Arthur from the new publication ‘Flip'.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We speak with astrologer Susan Miller on how the younger generation is still in love with the zodiac, before a look at astrology in print. We also speak with Rachel Arthur from the new publication ‘Flip'.

With over 20 years of experience in the clinic and the ‘classroom' as one of the top practitioners and educators in integrative nutrition and health, Rachel Arthur has attracted a large following of clinicians who value her outstanding independent, unbiased education and leadership. With a particular interest and highly developed skill-set in diagnostics, Rachel helps Practitioners derive important information from mainstream pathology results. In this episode, Rachel shares insights into common pathology markers, including GGT, ALT and ALP as well as CRP, uric acid and the albumin / globulin ratio. She highlights the importance of monitoring intraindividual shifts and imparts valuable considerations for interpretation. This is a must-listen for health professionals! *Highlights * How does pathology interpretation fit in a Naturopath's scope of practice? (4:30) How are reference ranges determined? (7:50) GGT (12:30) How do you explain atypical results to patients? (15:00) ALT (20:00) CRP (27:00) TSH (31:00) Uric acid (35:30) ALP (39:00) Albumin / Globulin Ratio (42:30) Monitoring intraindividual shifts (50:30) About Rachel Arthur's MasterCourse - Comprehensive Diagnostics (57:30) Useful links and resources: e.g: Follow Metagenics on Instagram - @metagenics_anz (https://www.instagram.com/metagenics_anz/) Website: https://rachelarthur.com.au/ Rachel's Mastercourse Comprehensive Diagnostics: https://rachelarthur.com.au/mastercourse-comprehensive-diagnostics/ Paper Rachel mentions: Whyte MB, Kelly P. The normal range: it is not normal and it is not a range. Postgrad Med J . 2018;94:613–616. Instagram handle: @rachelarthurnutrition

With over 20 years of experience in the clinic and the ‘classroom' as one of the top practitioners and educators in integrative nutrition and health, Rachel Arthur has attracted a large following of clinicians who value her outstanding independent, unbiased education and leadership. With a particular interest and highly developed skill-set in diagnostics, Rachel helps Practitioners derive important information from mainstream pathology results. In this episode, Rachel shares insights into common pathology markers, including GGT, ALT and ALP as well as CRP, uric acid and the albumin / globulin ratio. She highlights the importance of monitoring intraindividual shifts and imparts valuable considerations for interpretation. This is a must-listen for health professionals! *Highlights * How does pathology interpretation fit in a Naturopath's scope of practice? (4:30) How are reference ranges determined? (7:50) GGT (12:30) How do you explain atypical results to patients? (15:00) ALT (20:00) CRP (27:00) TSH (31:00) Uric acid (35:30) ALP (39:00) Albumin / Globulin Ratio (42:30) Monitoring intraindividual shifts (50:30) About Rachel Arthur's MasterCourse - Comprehensive Diagnostics (57:30) Useful links and resources: e.g: Follow Metagenics on Instagram - @metagenics_anz (https://www.instagram.com/metagenics_anz/) Website: https://rachelarthur.com.au/ Rachel's Mastercourse Comprehensive Diagnostics: https://rachelarthur.com.au/mastercourse-comprehensive-diagnostics/ Paper Rachel mentions: Whyte MB, Kelly P. The normal range: it is not normal and it is not a range. Postgrad Med J . 2018;94:613–616. Instagram handle: @rachelarthurnutrition

We learn manners from Lucy Hume of UK etiquette institution Debrett’s. Plus: Simon Freeman from running title ‘Like The Wind’ and Rachel Arthur from ‘Boom Saloon’ magazine.

Just last week Rachel was named one of the 30 people “changing the face of fashion in the most epic ways” by Glamour magazine. She is a sustainability and innovation consultant, focused on how to bring systems-level change to the fashion industry, and Co-Founder of FashMash, the global community shaping the future of fashion. By background, she’s an award-winning business journalist.   In this episode we talk about Rachel’s journey from the heady world of fashion to her mission driving sustainability and change, how to connect with your bigger, meaningful goal, how to think differently, how to say no to anything you don’t believe in and a fundamental rethink of capitalism.   Discover show notes, Rachel’s book recommendation and more on www.goingconscious.com   Connect with RachelInstagram @rachel_arthurFashMash www.fashmash.co.uk   Connect with NikkiInstagram @nikkitrottwww.nikkitrott.com

Welcome to the very first episode of the ETHICAL FASHION PODCAST! In this episode, your hosts Simone Cipriani and Clare Press speak to International Vogue Editor Suzy Menkes; Roberta Annan, founder of the African Fashion Foundation; writer and sustainability consultant Rachel Arthur; and Helsinki Fashion Week's Evelyn Mora. Up for discussion: What's wrong with the old system of international fashion weeks? How we might redesign the format to make it less polluting and more inclusive. Does everything have to go digital? How can we ensure no one gets left behind? Follow us on Instagram @ethicalfashion www.ethicalfashioninitiative.org Our music is from the original production From Kabul to Bamako, music directed by Saïd Assadi. This podcast was produced with the financial support of the European Union. Its contents are the sole responsibility of ITC Ethical Fashion Initiative and do not necessarily reflect the views of the European Union. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Paul's guest in this episode is Rachel Arthur, sustainability consultant and co-founder of FashMash, a global, members-only community of fashion insiders. Rachel reflects on the importance of collaboration within the fashion sector, shares some of the changes she’s seen throughout her career when it comes to integrating sustainable strategies and gives an insight into the innovations driving the industry forward. This episode is part of a new series exploring sustainability in fashion, created in partnership with Ralph Lauren. Throughout this series, we’re inviting key leaders, academics, creatives and entrepreneurs to share their stories and views on the challenges and opportunities of today’s fashion industry. We’ll look at how brands, influencers and media can pull together to deliver much-needed positive change, and explore the collaborations and innovations shaping a more sustainable future. This series is inspired by ‘Design The Change’, Ralph Lauren’s global strategic roadmap to create timeless style, protect the environment and champion better lives, in line with the G7 fashion pact and the United Nations Global Compact.

This week Peter braves the bright lights of Las Vegas to interview Rachel Arthur, founder of independent magazine boom saloon, about boom projects' mission to democratise creativity and support access to the media, staying true to oneself, and the boom room agency. In the news roundup the team discuss whether we live in an age of information context collapse in which social media has destroyed any notion of 'truth', and whether journalism will need to become as predatory as misinformation in order to survive. It's a cheery episode.

"We really and truly believe that the plus size woman will never be serviced as well as she will be when there's no such thing as plus size," say Alexandra Waldman and Polina Veksler, co-founders of size-inclusive label, Universal Standard, on the latest episode of the Innovators podcast by the Current Global. Fashion tends to segregate women who are on the larger end of the spectrum, they say, and so they're on a mission to level the playing field and make clothes for everyone. To that end, the brand, which had already gained a cult-like following for its size-inclusive clothing since launching in 2015, introduced an even larger range in 2018, from 00 to 40 – an industry first. Understanding how women of all sizes shop has been key to the brand's success, which last year also raised its first round of investment from the likes of GOOP's Gwyneth Paltrow, TOMS' Blake Mycoskie and Imaginary Ventures' Natalie Massenet. Much like many direct-to-consumer counterparts, the e-commerce experience is playing a major part in its popularity: all of its SKUs can be viewed at every size available within the range, making it easier for women to compare and make confident decisions; and its Universal Fit Liberty Program allows shoppers to replace their purchase, free of charge, within a year of completing it, should they go up or down in size. During this conversation, recorded at the Current Global's Innovation Mansion at SXSW this year, Waldman and Veksler break down the many product development challenges that come with the industry's traditional fit formula; tell co-host Rachel Arthur what they're putting in place to reduce hostility to women of larger size ranges, and share why their bold moves are shifting the way the whole industry approaches this market.

"[The fashion industry] is 60% larger than it needs to be relative to the actual quantity of demand," says Paul Dillinger, Head of Global Product Innovation at Levi's, on the latest episode of the Innovators podcast by the Current Global. He is referring to the fact six out of 10 garments produced every year are being discarded to landfill or incinerated within the first year of their production. The result is that those working in this world need to either think about how you can eliminate overproduction, or instead build new business models around only making and selling the four that are actually wanted, he explains, even if it affects business growth. An alternative response to that concept is the so-called "circular economy", whereby items are not discarded but put back into the system, which to overly simplify matters, enables businesses to continue with growth while aiming for lesser impact. But Dillinger believes such moves are merely providing brands with a guilt-free alternative to keep overproducing at a point when the technology for a truly circular system isn't yet scalable. He instead refers to the idea of credible "circular industrial ecologies", which are much more complex to operate and achieve. "One of them is a corporate compliance officer selling a new shiny penny to a board of directors in the C-suite, and the other one is a studious and scientific approach to really tackling a real challenge," he explains. At Levi's, Dillinger is otherwise looking at key areas like reducing the brand's use of water. "I think people's right to drink fresh water should be prioritized above a company's right to access fresh water for production," he explains. In this conversation, hosted in front of a live audience at the Current Global's Innovation Mansion at SXSW 2019, he explains what that looks like through theinnovative work he's been doing with hemp. He also gets technical with host Rachel Arthur about the many ways in which Levi's is working to make its supply chain responsible in one of the most complex industries in the world.

You have to be bold and brave to do meaningful innovation, says Fiona Fairhurst, VP of innovation at underwear brand, Heist Studios, on the latest episode of the Innovators podcast by TheCurrent Global. "We're trying to make better products that make people's lives better," she explains. The first product under the newly-appointed designer's remit at Heist is shapewear that not only looks more aesthetically pleasing than existing alternatives in the market, but removes any stigma for women wearing it. Fairhurst's background is in sport, a world built around product innovation focused on the importance of performance. She rose to fame during the Sydney Olympic Games in 2000 where, while working at Speedo, she introduced a bodysuit using biomimetic sharkskin technology that went on to help 13 out of 15 swimming world records achieved during the competition. It was also eventually banned from the sport because it gave competitors an unfair advantage. Her background has enabled her to strike the balance between the emotional side of design and the material innovation that leads to better product performance. Much like getting swimmers to swap their small Speedos for full bodysuits, for Heist it is about getting women to trust their expertise. "We very much want to base everything on science, technology and the innovation – and also what the consumer wants, which for Heist is about women." During this conversation with Rachel Arthur at a FashMash event in London, Fairhurst also explains what excites her for the future of material innovation, the challenge of scaling sustainability, and what game-changing product Heist is working on next.

"We've been set up as a business to understand how people live and to provide solutions that help them live better," says Joanna Yarrow, head of sustainability and healthy living at Ikea, on TheCurrent Innovators podcast. Since its inception 75 years ago, the Swedish flatpack retailer has been known for affordable – and arguably, disposable – furniture that is a staple in young people's homes. But after identifying a shift in how we consume and live our lives, Ikea is on a much bigger mission, which is to think of what products and services it can provide that support consumers to live more sustainably, and more healthily, everyday, Yarrow explains. Speaking to Rachel Arthur, she says that sustainability has always been at the core of Ikea, but one of the biggest mistakes it has made is not to have engaged with consumers on their sustainable journey up until now. But times have shifted, and with mainstream consumers now maturing from supporting a single cause, such as saving water, to attempting to become more sustainable in every aspect of their lives, Ikea is aiming to follow suit. To achieve its sustainable strategy, the company's approach is threefold: look at its use of energy and resources (by 2020, it will be generating at least as much energy as it is consuming in their operations); look at people and it supply chain; and lastly, how to improve its customers' lives overarchingly. The company is due to release its new strategy in June, which will focus on its consumers and how to create affordability, accessibility and sustainability for all. Customers of the Greenwich, London store due to open in 2019 will be able to trial some of the company's upcoming features, which include upcycling stations, solar panels, green walls and rain water harvesting, among other components. During the conversation, Yarrow also talks about her background as the child of eco-warriors in England, how brands can no longer afford to just greenwash, and her belief that no one brand will ever be able to achieve sustainability alone, making collaboration key.

Lego's most important feedback often comes from six year-olds, says the brand's head of retail innovation, Martin Urrutia. Speaking to Rachel Arthur at this year's World Retail Congress in Madrid, Urrutia says focusing on the relationship between the user and the brick, and constantly listening to consumers' wants and needs, has been pivotal to the Danish brand's longevity. "Prior to rolling out anything important in our stores we actually sit at a table and present this to children and listen to them. And of course sometimes you say 'Am I going to let a six or eight year old child tell me what to do in store?' and the answer is yes, of course. If you present this to them, if you listen to the feedback, it's going to be interesting," he explains. "I've seen so many companies changing their essence and changing many things," he says, "and the only question that comes to my mind is – have they really asked their core users what they want?" In order to serve all types of consumers with the right interaction, the brand prides itself on being truly shopper-centric. Understanding the consumer is particularly key to a brand that is in the unique position of having such a vast fanbase – from small children to much older adults. This means engaging with core fans through a continuous conversation informs not only R&D, but also store design and interactive experiences. There have been many ideas that looked good on paper but were scrapped when they received negative feedback from real consumers or partner retailers, Urrutia explains, for instance. During the episode, he talks to the idea of store experiences that engender memories, and always bringing in an element of play to everything the Lego brand does. Such is the importance of the physical toy for the 85-year-old company, in fact, that it is often found in its meeting rooms worldwide, and its workforce takes one day a year to put work aside and play with the brick themselves. This internal strategy feeds into a larger purpose that encourages customers to play and engage with the toys at any given moment – be it at home or in any one of the brand's increasing retail spaces. Throughout the conversation, Urrutia also explains about the importance of choosing the right technology for retail; both that which is easy for staff and customers alike to interact with, but also simple to update and scale. He also notes other imperative brick-and-mortar retail tools, such as an invested and knowledgeable staff, as well as ensuring that there is something for everyone within that physical space.

CGI models are having a moment in luxury fashion right now, but it's up for debate as to whether they hold true value for the brands embracing them, according to the latest episode of the Innovators podcast by TheCurrent. Co-hosts Liz Bacelar and Rachel Arthur, who discuss various technologies pertinent to the industry every month on this show, bring opposing viewpoints to the table. CGI or virtual models have been used in fashion advertising campaigns to an increasing degree over the past few years, with big name brands including Louis Vuitton, Prada and Balmain all employing them. Some of those involved, including one called Lil Miquela, and another named Shudu, have generated enormous buzz and impressively large social media followings as a result, as though they were indeed influencers in their own right. Most recently, Lil Miquela featured in UGG's 40th anniversary campaign, blending in seamlessly alongside two real-life influencers as though she were a natural part of the cast. For the unsuspecting onlooker, it's not immediately clear she's not. One of the questions raised during the episode is whether such a move is merely about gaining from some of the hype such models currently present, or if they can in fact drive ROI for the brands making use of them long term. Rachel presents some interesting statistics that show how engagement of for CGI remains significantly lower than any example of a 'human' influencer, but Liz counters that view with the argument that what we're looking at here is a form of artistic expression. The duo also dive into what such flawless representations of women mean for beauty ideals in the era of fake news we currently live in, as well as the notion that we may all have a CGI or avatar version of ourselves in the future, not least the real life influencers who could ultimately gain increased revenue opportunities for themselves, even posthumously. Catch up with all of our episodes of the Innovators podcast by TheCurrent here . The series is a weekly conversation with visionaries, executives and entrepreneurs. It's backed by TheCurrent , a consultancy transforming how consumer retail brands intersect with technology. We deliver innovative integrations and experiences, powered by a network of top technologies and startups. Get in touch to learn more.

Is mentorship the most overlooked element for driving a clinician to a pathway of success? In the Australian naturopathic profession, seeking a mentor is becoming more commonplace, but it hasn't always been the case. Mentoring has the capacity to fill knowledge gaps that may be missed through standard, didactic continuing professional development (CPD) approaches. Fostering a collegiate atmosphere in a peer-to-peer group is what mentorship means to mentoring pioneer, Rachel Arthur. In today's podcast, we are joined by both Rachel and Anna Sangster, to share their own history and experiences with seeking a mentor at varying times in their respective careers. Both share how being the mentor, or the 'mentee' have shaped the clinicians they are today whilst also illustrating that mentorship is not just for new graduates, but an essential ingredient for any practitioner striving for clinical success. Find this podcast in "industry insights" on the FX Medicine website: https://www.fxmedicine.com.au/content/mentorships-pathway-clinical-success-rachel-arthur-and-anna-sangster *****DISCLAIMER: The information provided on FX Medicine is for educational and informational purposes only. The information provided is not, nor is it intended to be, a substitute for professional advice or care. Please seek the advice of a qualified health care professional in the event something you learn here raises questions or concerns regarding your health.*****

Our first podcast on National Beverage Corp - owner of Lacroix sparkling water, FIZZ - left us unquenched. So we brought on Vince Martin, Seeking Alpha author, to go into the ups and downs of the bull case and this one of a kind story. Then we invited Rachel Arthur of Beverage Daily to give us more perspective on what's going on in the industry at large. It leaves a question of how much luck National Beverage Corp had in riding the sparkling water, and whether or not shareholders should care. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A new feature of TheCurrent Innovators podcast is a monthly discussion between our hosts, Liz Bacelar and Rachel Arthur. The two of them – also partners of TheCurrent's innovation consultancy – come across a lot of different technologies, tons of startup entrepreneurs and many big ideas through their day jobs. Doing so means they generate many big opinions of their own – but, unsurprisingly, they don't always agree. So, they've now put what normally stays behind closed doors in the office, on record for podcast listeners. In this first episode, the two explore what virtual reality (VR) really means for the retail industry. That comes off the back of recent news that saw Walmart filing for two patents that suggest it will launch a virtual reality-based shopping experience in the future. The world's largest retailer detailed the idea of a virtual showroom and a fulfillment system that will enable shoppers to both explore and purchase products using the technology. The news follows Walmart's acquisition of Spatialand, a software startup focused on creating VR experiences, which now sits within the retailer's Store No. 8 in-house tech incubator. What's more, Alibaba and Amazon are also playing in this space. The latter has already launched an example of VR shopping with Macy's for Singles Day, while Amazon recently opened 10 virtual reality kiosks in India to promote its Prime Day shopping event. Yet, there's an argument that much of VR, when we're talking about application beyond gaming and entertainment, really is just gimmick. At a time when there's little space left for technology for technology's sake, the question is, are these retailers actually one step ahead of the game, or still just playing with something for the sake of it? Liz has some strong views on the lack of headset penetration and what that really means for consumer uptake in the long term, while Rachel argues there's still space for PR opportunities with such a technology all the same. What it comes down to is relevancy in terms of both business objectives and the target consumer. Between them, they also dive into some further case studies, explore where VR really could impact retail down the line, and jump into the virtues of other technologies in the same space as alternatives.

"We only have one planet, and the toll [the fashion industry] has on resources today is simply unsustainable," says Anna Gedda, head of sustainability at the H&M Group, on the latest episode of TheCurrent Innovators podcast. She was referring to the company's goal to move towards a 100% circular model by 2030, which means that everything it uses will go back into the system to be either recycled or reused. Speaking to TheCurrent's chief innovation officer, Rachel Arthur, at a FashMash event in London, she said the aim of the business is to keep all that is good with the fashion industry – from providing clothes to an ever increasing global population, to contributing to job opportunities and development – but doing so within the planetary boundaries. "If you do that, if you only use what is in the system in terms of resources, then we believe that you can continue to consume fashion in the future and you will be able to have prosperous communities that depend on the fashion industry in a good way," she explains. It's a cumbersome road ahead to get there of course, with the industry needing to rethink everything from design, materials, consumption, recycling and more. And while there are already plenty of ideas out there – with H&M's non-profit Foundation leading the way with an annual award for startups in the space – time, effort and big investment is needed to get many of them to scale. "At the moment there is not much out there in terms of what is scalable, but if we look at the pipeline of innovation that is coming, it's fantastic," Gedda notes. She's particularly enthused by some of the work that's going into recycling technology to get us to high quality upcycled fibres. She adds that what's really needed in the industry today to make all of this a reality for mass brands however, is a coordination of innovation efforts so things don't happen in siloes. "If we're going to have fast acceleration of this, then whatever is invented needs to complement something else so you can get an effective chain – whether it's materials or production – to happen. I think that from a challenge perspective, it's the lack of coordination, or the lack of a bigger platform where all this collaboration can really happen, that's the key thing I would point out." During the conversation, the duo also explore what will make the consumer really care about sustainability, how collaboration in the industry is critical, and just why AI is so pivotal to the future. Catch up with all of our episodes of TheCurrent Innovators here . The series is a weekly conversation with visionaries, executives and entrepreneurs. It's backed by TheCurrent , a consultancy transforming how consumer retail brands intersect with technology. We deliver innovative integrations and experiences, powered by a network of top technologies and startups. Get in touch to learn more.

Blockchain will have the same impact long-term as we have seen the internet have on commerce, says Laurence Haziot, global managing director of IBM, on the latest episode of TheCurrent Innovators podcast. A leading woman in the STEM industries, Haziot looks after IBM's Worldwide Consumer Industries division, which includes retail, consumer products, wholesale and agriculture. She believes strongly in the potential of blockchain for the future, from the impact it can have on the supply chain to the role it will play in sustainability and transparency. While it's nascent right now, the fact that this digital ledger was designed from the beginning to be more secure than current systems we rely on, is key, she explains. That doesn't make it a silver bullet, but it does make it an opportunity. IBM is already trialling use cases of the technology as a result, including provenance for food safety at Walmart, shipping efficiencies for Maersk, and diamond authentication for the jewelry industry in a project called TrustChain. For retail specifically, Haziot is bullish on the results it could drive in terms of efficiencies throughout the entire supply chain, as well as traceability for a consumer only seeking ever more knowledge of what they're buying. It's for that reason she sees blockchain infiltrating numerous job roles. "This is not an IT play," she explains. "This is really a business topic – I think it will touch probably most of the functions in the company, from marketing to manufacturing, transportation and more." In this episode with Rachel Arthur at a live FashMash recording in London, Haziot also answers some tough questions on the limitations of the tech to validate authenticity, and leans on her experience of 30+ years at IBM to explore some of the surrounding innovations that are needed to make it viable long-term.

Emotion holds huge value for modern business, says VP of international marketing and communications for Bumble, Louise Troen, on the latest episode of TheCurrent Innovators podcast. Speaking to Rachel Arthur on-site at the British Fashion Council's annual Fashion Forum in London, Troen says that while there is no shortage of entrepreneurs and incredible ideas, Bumble's success is based on a very simple premise. "Often people turn around and say 'what is the magic?' And really it's the fact that we built a business based on kindness," she notes. "We really think that there is a value in a company that bases itself on fundamental values." Bumble launched in 2012 as the antithesis to successful yet problematic dating apps that had been crowding the market with their models of placing men in charge of making the first move. From the get-go, founder Whitney Wolfe Herd wanted to create a platform where women could feel both empowered and protected. This, paired with the notion of kindness, is particularly resonating at a time when movements like #MeToo and #TimesUp are taking hold. As a society there's a shift in behaviour happening, Troen notes, which the business has always been focused on. What's been critical, she explains however, has been to do this with authenticity. Her advice to every other business in the space is to think about it in the same way – to question whether it is authentic to the brand to be taking a standpoint that is affecting the social agenda, or placing messages that are politically charged. For Bumble, it's working. Since launch, it has evolved into two new verticals – Bumble BFF and Bumble Bizz – which similarly take the startup's motto into other areas of their female users' lives, in this case friendships and careers respectively. It now has a reported 22 million users across all services. But this has only been made possible because users have helped the platform evolve, Troen explains. Her second piece of advice to brands is to give the product to real people and have them tell the story. "We do our focus groups and we can understand what they want from protection services, what they need feature-wise in the product, what they can see, and manage the algorithm based on feedback, as opposed to drafting a marketing plan set in stone 12 months in advance, which obviously will change within a month." Through this approach, the business is able to be nimble with its responses, evolving in time with its community and the broader societal conversations alongside. Tune into the interview for a further deep dive with Troen on the importance of giving female users a voice, how the company's consumer-facing values seep into its own office culture, and how Bumble is dreaming of global domination with its steady country-by-country rollout.

"We are such a closed, centralized system. Being open and transparent is the only way forward," says designer Martine Jarlgaard with regards to applying blockchain to the fashion industry, on the latest episode of TheCurrent Innovators podcast. In 2017, Jarlgaard piloted a blockchain system hoping to address the level of transparency that she believes is missing in the fashion industry. Today, she continues on a mission to push an open supply chain that not only enables consumers to make more informed decisions, but allows those in the chain to be held accountable, and receive the exposure they deserve. The overarching result, she hopes, is that brands will start acting more responsibly. From her perspective, systemic change is needed in this regard. "The fashion industry as it stands today is ancient, and I'm struggling to understand why it hasn't realized that and why it's not using this incredible opportunity to stand in and really show vision, and to see what the future is." Since the inception of her namesake fashion label, Jarlgaard has been investigating ways to extend the value of a physical product through tools that facilitate transparency and sustainability. The blockchain project, for example, registered and traced each step of the journey of a garment via an app from London-based startup, Provenance, which customers could access by scanning a QR code found on the label. This was one of the very first examples of fashion applied to such a digital ledger. Jarlgaard is passionate about decelerating the damage that people and the industry have already done to the planet, and deploying technology is one way she is striding towards that goal. She's also exploring mixed reality, the role of art, and what the textiles lab of the future looks like, as further crucial fields. In this conversation with Rachel Arthur, she emphasizes the huge responsibility that sits on the industry's shoulders to start driving sustainability forward, how brands need to redefine the value of a product to change the way consumers shop, and why she believes innovation is what will enable a radical difference for good.

Pinworms are also called “threadworms.” They're the most common type of intestinal worm infection in the U.S., and one of the most common in the world. Rachel Arthur discovered that many of her patients were infected with worms. She saw that worms migrated from the anus into the vagina, bladder and genital-urinary system. She also ...

In this industry insights podcast.... It all started with the acknowledgement that there was a gap in the educational conference arena for a purely naturopathic-led event. An event that was clinic-focussed, non-commercial, where naturopaths could learn from naturopathic leaders in the Australian industry. Coming together Rachel Arthur, Nirala Jacobi, Kathryn Simpson and Nina Woods answered that call and little did they know, they would unleash a beast! Initially crowd-funding the inaugural Australian Naturopathic Summit (ANS) back in 2016, the event took shape and now, they're preparing to do it all over again in 2018. Tasked with the responsibility of making it greater than the one before, today Nirala and Rachel join us on FX Medicine to share a glimpse of what they have lined up for the forthcoming ANS 2018 in Lennox Heads. You can find the show notes for today's podcast here: https://www.fxmedicine.com.au/blog-post/pioneering-australian-naturopathic-summit-rachel-arthur-and-nirala-jacobi *****DISCLAIMER: The information provided on FX Medicine is for educational and informational purposes only. The information provided is not, nor is it intended to be, a substitute for professional advice or care. Please seek the advice of a qualified health care professional in the event something you learn here raises questions or concerns regarding your health.*****

Worms never conjure up a pleasant picture in our minds and threadworm might be more sinister than we've been led to believe. Despite much talk of the potential therapeutic activity of helminths for things like autoimmune diseases and allergies, Enterobius vermicularis (threadworm) just doesn't seem to have a nice side at all. In today's podcast we are joined by Rachel Arthur aka "The Worm Whisperer". She will be busting a few myths & misconceptions about threadworms, sharing what she's learned about breaking the cycle and resolving chronic worm infections in children and adults. Rachel's passion for worms is borne from witnessing a growing a trend of chronic worm infections in kids and adults, particularly women, which aren't responding to standard medical treatments. What she is finding is that worms are migrating into other tissues, in particular, the genitourinary system and therefore, intestinal-based therapeutic interventions just aren't cutting it. True to Rachel's unique style, she's deep dived into the available research on this topic and today she shares what she's uncovered. Find the show notes and transcript for this podcast here: https://www.fxmedicine.com.au/content/chronic-threadworm-infections-rachel-arthur *****DISCLAIMER: The information provided on FX Medicine is for educational and informational purposes only. The information provided is not, nor is it intended to be, a substitute for professional advice or care. Please seek the advice of a qualified health care professional in the event something you learn here raises questions or concerns regarding your health.*****

Iodine deficiency is a major barrier to fertility and increases risk of miscarriage 4 fold. Also decreases IQ, increases rates of ADHD and leads to poor pregnancy and delivery outcomes. We can agree that iodine is essential to health but what has become hotly debated is how does one assess if they are iodine deficient ...

"We've been set up as a business to understand how people live and to provide solutions that help them live better," says Joanna Yarrow, head of sustainability and healthy living at Ikea, on the latest episode of TheCurrent Innovators podcast. Since its inception 75 years ago, the Swedish flatpack retailer has been known for affordable – and arguably, disposable – furniture that is a staple in young people's homes. But after identifying a shift in how we consume and live our lives, Ikea is on a much bigger mission, which is to think of what products and services it can provide that support consumers to live more sustainably, and more healthily, everyday, Yarrow explains. Speaking to Rachel Arthur, she says that sustainability has always been at the core of Ikea, but one of the biggest mistakes it has made is not to have engaged with consumers on their sustainable journey up until now. But times have shifted, and with mainstream consumers now maturing from supporting a single cause, such as saving water, to attempting to become more sustainable in every aspect of their lives, Ikea is aiming to follow suit. To achieve its sustainable strategy, the company's approach is threefold: look at its use of energy and resources (by 2020, it will be generating at least as much energy as it is consuming in their operations); look at people and it supply chain; and lastly, how to improve its customers' lives overarchingly. The company is due to release its new strategy in June, which will focus on its consumers and how to create affordability, accessibility and sustainability for all. Customers of the Greenwich, London store due to open in 2019 will be able to trial some of the company's upcoming features, which include upcycling stations, solar panels, green walls and rain water harvesting, among other components. During the conversation, Yarrow also talks about her background as the child of eco-warriors in England, how brands can no longer afford to just greenwash, and her belief that no one brand will ever be able to achieve sustainability alone, making collaboration key.

Lego's most important feedback often comes from six year-olds, says the brand's head of retail innovation, Martin Urrutia, on the latest episode of TheCurrent Innovators podcast. Speaking to Rachel Arthur at this year's World Retail Congress in Madrid, Urrutia says focusing on the relationship between the user and the brick, and constantly listening to consumers' wants and needs, has been pivotal to the Danish brand's longevity. "Prior to rolling out anything important in our stores we actually sit at a table and present this to children and listen to them. And of course sometimes you say 'Am I going to let a six or eight year old child tell me what to do in store?' and the answer is yes, of course. If you present this to them, if you listen to the feedback, it's going to be interesting," he explains. "I've seen so many companies changing their essence and changing many things," he says, "and the only question that comes to my mind is – have they really asked their core users what they want?" In order to serve all types of consumers with the right interaction, the brand prides itself on being truly shopper-centric. Understanding the consumer is particularly key to a brand that is in the unique position of having such a vast fanbase – from small children to much older adults. This means engaging with core fans through a continuous conversation informs not only R&D, but also store design and interactive experiences. There have been many ideas that looked good on paper but were scrapped when they received negative feedback from real consumers or partner retailers, Urrutia explains, for instance. During the episode, he talks to the idea of store experiences that engender memories, and always bringing in an element of play to everything the Lego brand does. Such is the importance of the physical toy for the 85-year-old company, in fact, that it is often found in its meeting rooms worldwide, and its workforce takes one day a year to put work aside and play with the brick themselves. This internal strategy feeds into a larger purpose that encourages customers to play and engage with the toys at any given moment – be it at home or in any one of the brand's increasing retail spaces. Throughout the conversation, Urrutia also explains about the importance of choosing the right technology for retail; both that which is easy for staff and customers alike to interact with, but also simple to update and scale. He also notes other imperative brick-and-mortar retail tools, such as an invested and knowledgeable staff, as well as ensuring that there is something for everyone within that physical space.

Inclusivity for women of all shapes, sizes and skintones is at the core of the strategy behind direct-to-consumer underwear brand Heist, according to its CEO Toby Darbyshire, who features on the latest episode of TheCurrent Innovators podcast. Speaking to Rachel Arthur, he explains how the underwear industry is one that's ripe for innovation as a category that is underperforming against societal needs. Ait stands, it is designed to drive revenue, rather than to serve its customers, he notes. "It struck us that in the age of Harvey Weinstein, the fact that my wife, who is a pretty modern woman, walks into Selfridges' underwear section and it says 'listen love, put this on – one of sort of four or five societal normalized views of sexy – and then you can fulfill your purpose'. That seems like an industry at its fundamental that is both broken from a brand point of view but also totally out of kilter with the cultural discourse," he comments. The first product Heist decided to tackle was tights. Widely regarded as uncomfortable, Heist's innovative design includes no seams, a flexible waistband and a reduction in snagging and laddering. The brand worked with real women to ensure their concerns were met. Since then, that has also meant exploring color and shape, and it's this approach to inclusivity that keeps the brand, which recently received investment from Natalie Massenet's new Imaginary Ventures fund, driving forward. Last summer, it launched 'The Nude Project', crowdsourcing a full color palette index of different skintones based on over 100,000 customers. What's more, the team opted to make this an open source model, explains Darbyshire, meaning they are sharing the results with the wider industry in the hope it will encourage others to diversify their product offerings. Heist also launched tights to cater up to size 24 in 2017, again working with real body shapes to create the best fit. The line debuted with a successful and innovative campaign, featuring different shapes and sizes of fruits and vegetables inside Heist tights to promote a body positive and inclusive message. On that decision, Darbyshire says: "How do you talk about plus size in a way that is inclusive and isn't Dove. Not because Dove didn't do it brilliantly, because they actually did it brilliantly, but then kept on doing it for 20 years, so now no one else can do it because it's lame. It's really clever. So how not to be Dove is the challenge." Also on the podcast, he talks about innovation in the product itself as inspired by the likes of Nike and Speedo, how to successfully cut out the middleman and why they might introduce their own store next year.

In order to get sustainable products out the door we have to create the kind consumers actually want to buy, Dan Widmaier, CEO of advanced materials technology company, Bolt Threads, says on the latest episode of TheCurrent Innovators podcast. Speaking to Rachel Arthur, he says it's all very well having a vision for the future driven by deep technology – in his case, best known as spider silk – but if the consumer doesn't like it, it's irrelevant. "Ultimately it is up to the consumer," he says. "[We're] seeing the speed at which consumer taste is changing – 2017 was a transformative year for sustainability. It is getting big really fast and it's becoming one of the issues at the forefront of the industry because it touches everyone... No one wants to work in an industry where you say, hey, you know what I'm going to do today, I'm going to mess up the world for the future. Everyone wants to make it better. So it's not surprising. We all want to feel like we are working towards some greater good in the world." His team is doing that by mimicking spider silk found in nature and reproducing it in a lab. This is about harvesting proteins to ultimately create sustainable, high-performance fibers and fabrics that will eventually find their way into our clothes. He launched his first product – a tie – at SXSW last year. And has since partnered with fashion designer Stella McCartney in order to drive that real consumer drive. You can't buy any of the McCartney products yet, but he promises there are big things coming up later this year. His work is oft referred to as the beginning of a new material revolution – one that looks at bioengineering, thus focused on what comes from nature, rather than from chemistry to produce polymers and plastics, as was the drive throughout the 20th Century. In an age driven increasingly by a focus on sustainability, he says it's about time there was a greater push around new materials. His team has recently closed $123 million Series D investment round, so the next step is about getting to scale. Listen to the podcast to hear how Widmaier thinks his team can get there, the kind of challenges that stand in his way between now and then, and just why sustainability is such a big agenda for fashion. The big thing, he says, is about balancing impatience with reality. "Big innovations around fundamental technologies that are at the cutting edge are more fragile in the world than people realise. So we try to balance the desire to go as fast as humanly possible with the desire to see it be a success in the long term, because we think the good transcends beyond just Bolt. We can be an example that investing in deep science and deep technology can really create lasting good and commercial value in the world."

There's a very simple filter that comes with working at Google, and it's about putting the user first, says Tomas Roope, creative lead at Google Zoo, the tech giant's think tank focused on pushing the limits of creativity through technology. Talking to Rachel Arthur in a live recording of TheCurrent Innovators podcast from the FashMash Pioneers event in London, he says: "They way we think is always user-first. Are we really solving something for somebody here? ...At Google we're about solving problems at scale." That attitude should be applied to every business, including those in the fashion and retail vertical, he explains. The Zoo is a small team that is designed to be a conduit between creative agencies and Google's own products, its engineering teams and its data. The result is all manner of both creative and technology-driven projects for different industries, from a coded couture dress for H&M's Ivy Revel brand, to an advertising campaign redefining what masculinity really looks like today from Axe. While Roope admits some are more PR or headline-driven than others, his process, whether the result incorporates buzzworthy terms like augmented reality, artificial intelligence or beyond, always comes back to whether the solution is something that answers a consumer need. "What shifts the bottom line is making things more relevant, and making them simpler. [It's about answering] what do people really want?" he asks. Anchoring much of that work these days however, comes data. "[At Google], we have seven to eight products that have over one billion users monthly, and so we have a really great understanding of what people are doing... and what they're thinking," he explains. That insight is what informs the work his team does as a result, while machine learning (ML) then takes it to the next level, Roope notes. He refers to ML as an area that's not yet being explored to its full potential. "We're in the middle of two massive revolutions – one of which is still the smartphone coming from 10 years ago, and now the rise of machine learning." He refers to this as not only a powerful and extraordinarily interesting tool that allows you to fix problems in a way you couldn't have done before, but as the most exciting underpinning to the future we're currently building. It's completely reshaping what our world looks like, and what opportunities there are for brands in it as a result, he explains. To get there, he says experimentation for all industries – including fashion and retail – is key. "F or me, you're not going to sit and discover the future by dwelling on it... it's all about test and learn," he explains. As to where it will take us, he adds: "There's a great quote by Bill Gates that says we tend to overestimate what's going to happen in two years, but underestimate what will happen in the next 10. If you look back 10 years, we didn't have smartphones, but in two years nothing's happened. Only when we look over a good chunk of time do we see how much it's changed."

H&M has a big goal: to become 100% sustainable and renewable while maintaining prices low and keeping quality up. It's a big ask with some short timelines to achieve it. The question is whether the second largest clothing retailer in the world can really ever be considered eco-conscious and sustainable while pumping out fast fashion? Is it all a contradiction? One thing we know for sure – millennial consumers seem to be more concerned about manufacturing practices and their effects on the environment than ever, according to Nina Shariati, who leads transparency for the H&M Group. She sat down with TheCurrent's Rachel Arthur in Copenhagen to discuss the brand's latest projects in this space, why transparency doesn't equal sustainability directly, and what its plans are to continuously push the boundaries to appeal more to consumers with an eye for the environment. ___________________________________________________ TheCurrent Innovators is a podcast about the leaders pushing the boundaries of fashion, beauty and retail. Hosted by Liz Bacelar and Rachel Arthur, each episode is a frank conversation about the challenges and opportunities faced by top brands and retailers around the world today through the lens of technology. The podcast, distributed by MouthMedia Network, has showcased the likes of Stefano Rosso, CEO of Diesel; William Tunstall-Pedoe, founder of the tech behind Amazon Alexa; and Nina Shariati, who is responsible for transparency at H&M.

Artificial intelligence (AI) is revamping how we live our lives, how we communicate, how we shop. And it's doing so at a rapid pace. First Apple's Siri, now Amazon's Alexa; both already household names that are set to become ever more popular in the year to come. In fact, Amazon just decreed its Echo devices as the biggest sellers this past holiday season. TheCurrent's Liz Bacelar spoke to the "father" of Alexa, William Tunstall-Pedoe, a British entrepreneur focused on world-changing products powered by AI and other deep technology. Recorded with a live audience at the London College of Fashion, he discussed the future of the voice interface, how AI will change retail and which of Alexa's skills is truly the most useful to him. TheCurrent Innovators is a podcast about the leaders pushing the boundaries of fashion, beauty and retail. Hosted by Liz Bacelar and Rachel Arthur, each episode is a frank conversation about the challenges and opportunities faced by top brands and retailers around the world today through the lens of technology. The podcast, distributed by MouthMedia Network, has showcased the likes of Stefano Rosso, CEO of Diesel; William Tunstall-Pedoe, founder of the tech behind Amazon Alexa; and Nina Shariati, who is responsible for transparency at H&M.

Iodine is an essential mineral that is critical for growth and development. Insufficient iodine status leads to goitre in adults and cretinism in infants, and is particularly important for pregnant women. Iodine deficiency is a growing issue in Australia, largely due to depleted soils and recent changes in dairy sanitation practices. In today's podcast, we welcome back Rachel Arthur who is passionate about separating the facts from the fiction when it comes to the clinical applications of iodine. Rachel shares with us her considered approach to testing, dosages, cautions and contraindications based on over two decades in practice. Find this podcast at: www.fxmedicine.com.au*****DISCLAIMER: The information provided on FX Medicine is for educational and informational purposes only. The information provided is not, nor is it intended to be, a substitute for professional advice or care. Please seek the advice of a qualified health care professional in the event something you learn here raises questions or concerns regarding your health.*****

INDUSTRY INSIGHT: As any elite athlete knows - to reach your peak, you must engage a coach. Performing in business should attract the same commitment and support framework, yet in the naturopathic industry this isn't always the case. Rachel Arthur, an accomplished naturopathic clinician and researcher, recognised this industry flaw and set about giving back to her profession by setting up a mentorship program to help her peers grow and realise their full potential. Today's podcast highlights the value that having a competent mentor can bring to your business or clinical skills, and what to look for when seeking one out. Learn more at www.fxmedicine.com.au *****DISCLAIMER: The information provided on FX Medicine is for educational and informational purposes only. The information provided is not, nor is it intended to be, a substitute for professional advice or care. Please seek the advice of a qualified health care professional in the event something you learn here raises questions or concerns regarding your health.*****