Shaina Munro
Founder of Arlo & Olive | Sustainability
Webisode Season 1
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Real Talk Behind Building a Conscious Brand
Summary:
In this episode of ZÁY SHEEN Webisodes, Tafreed sits down with Australian designer and founder of Arlo and Olive, Shaina Munro, to explore what it really looks like to build a slow fashion brand with heart. Shaina shares how studying fashion and then working in fast fashion opened her eyes to the industry’s waste, from burnt excess stock to the hidden human and environmental costs, and how that pushed her to change her own habits at home and eventually create a label rooted in ethics, longevity, and transparency. She talks about starting small, manufacturing in a tiny Bali workshop where artisans are paid fairly and receive proper benefits, navigating fabric limitations, and using small batches and pre-orders to avoid overproduction. A big part of her journey is educating customers that sustainable fashion is not “overpriced” but reasonably priced, and that the real responsibility lies with those who can afford to buy better yet choose fast fashion anyway. Shaina also opens up about the chaos of solo entrepreneurship, the importance of passion in keeping going when nothing goes to plan, and how sharing the raw, imperfect side of her journey on social media has helped her build a supportive community. Beyond fashion, she shares how learning to surf as an adult has become both a personal joy and a metaphor for trying scary new things, and she closes by reminding listeners that there is no perfect way to be sustainable; what matters is doing the best you can, staying honest, and letting your values lead your decisions as you grow.
Fashion With Purpose
What Building A Conscious Brand Really Looks Like
In a world hooked on two-day shipping and trend hauls, Shaina Munro chose a slower path. As the founder of Arlo and Olive, a slow fashion brand based in Byron Bay, she did not just design pretty pieces. She redesigned her whole relationship with fashion. After working inside fast fashion and seeing the waste, overproduction, and burned unsold stock, she could not unsee the truth. So she started with small shifts at home – reusable bags, better detergents, mindful choices – and then leaped into building a brand that values people, planet, and longevity over constant newness.
Arlo and Olive are not powered by huge factories. It is crafted through tiny teams in Bali, with fair wages and a real human connection. Shaina orders small batches, embraces pre-orders, and lets transparency guide everything – from fabric struggles to production delays. She shows her community the messy middle instead of a polished highlight reel, reminding all of us that sustainable fashion is not about perfection. It is about care, intention, and a willingness to do better, step by step.
The truth is, the people most harmed by fast fashion are rarely the ones over-consuming. It is on those of us who can choose to do better to take responsibility for our wardrobes. We do not need 10 trend tops. We need a few pieces that feel good, last long, and align with our values.
Ready to make your style more conscious?
Watch the full episode with Shaina, reflect on what is hanging in your closet, and commit to your next fashion purchase being either secondhand or from a slow, values-driven brand you believe in. Your choices matter more than you think.
For both Izzy and Tafreed, sustainability is not only about fabric, water usage, or recycling. It is also about the people who make our clothes. Many garment workers in countries like Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Nepal earn far below a living wage. They often work long hours in unsafe environments to produce inexpensive clothing that sells in the West.
Tafreed’s own background in Thailand gave him firsthand experience with this reality. He met workers who did not receive fair wages and saw clothes produced with little regard for quality or ethics. It was this environment that pushed him to say no to fast fashion and to start building something better.
The episode highlights a powerful message. Change begins with awareness. It grows through conversation. And it becomes real when brands and consumers choose ethical production, fair wages, and quality materials.
Fashion lasts longer when it is made with intention. The world becomes cleaner when we buy less and use what we already have. And the industry becomes fairer when we think about the hands behind every stitch.
Fashion for Change is not just a podcast. It is a reminder that style can be beautiful without harming people or the planet. With voices like Izzy and Tafreed, the movement continues to grow, inspiring listeners to choose better, live consciously, and support fashion that values humanity.