10. More Stitches, Less Riches: Reconnecting with Our Shoes, Each Other and the Planet with Wendy Ward

Overview:

In this episode, Alex speaks with Wendy Ward, PhD candidate at Sheffield Hallam University, about the relationships and connections we build with our clothes and shoes, and how they might encourage more sustainable behaviour. Wendy shares creative practices from her doctoral research, including wardrobe audits, ink prints of "broken" garments and her daily stitching ritual, all designed to deepen attachment and mindfulness rather than provoke guilt. The conversation explores how paying attention to what we already own can restore connection with our belongings, each other and the planet.

Credits:

Guest: Wendy Ward
Presenters: Dr Alexandra Sherlock & Dr Emily Brayshaw
Production and Editing: Dr Alexandra Sherlock

Chapters:

1. 00:10 — Introduction 
2. 02:04 — Brave New World: "The More Stitches, The Less Riches"
3. 07:37 — Meet Wendy Ward: Enduring Fashion 
4. 13:13 — From Fast Fashion to Fair Trade 
5. 16:53 — Material Engagement and How It Changes Us 
6. 22:51 — The Waste Problem: Clothes and Shoes 
7. 27:06 — Beyond Guilt: Creative Methods for Change 
8. 30:12 — Wardrobe Audits and Data Visualisation 
9. 32:44 — Loved and Broken Garments: Prints, Rubbings and Break-Up Letters 
10. 47:06 — The Daily Stitch: French Knots and Seasonal Colour 
11. 57:13 — Slowing Down: Attention, Drawing and Keeping-While-Giving 
12. 1:15:17 — What Could Industry Do Differently? 
13. 1:20:42 — Shoes, Mending and Future Collaboration 
14. 1:26:15 — Debrief: Repair, Sole Prints and Conspicuous Waste 
15. 1:33:58 — Debrief: Wardrobe Studies and What's Next

Images and full transcript at www.footwearresearchnetwork.org/podcast

www.footwearresearchnetwork.org