Episode

Garmology: What’s Really in Your Clothes? With Lydia Wendt of California Cloth Foundry (#168)

Podcast
Garmology - A podcast about clothes, and stuff.
Published
May 3, 2026
Duration seconds
6627
Processing state
not_requested
Canonical source
https://garmology.simplecast.com/episodes/lydia-wendt-california-cloth-foundry-foapnOqN
Audio
https://chtbl.com/track/F29DB5/cdn.simplecast.com/media/audio/transcoded/17babc98-8527-4928-baa5-377123cf39b9/6895c187-088b-4348-823a-120740d2578f/episodes/audio/group/c69fd453-5efe-4c49-8f72-15d1a3c6b3fe/group-item/8118b473-00af-4625-8bc5-f2c67bd51ac0/128_default_tc.mp3?aid=rss_feed&feed=Tqcrl_iP
JSON
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Markdown
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Summary

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.