In With the New

Ani Wells is a sustainable fashion consultant, impact communications specialist, and the co-founder of Simply Suzette, a storytelling platform and consultancy exploring the juxtaposition of sustainable fashion with a focus on denim. Ani works closely with market leaders in the denim world, advising them on sustainably focused campaigns and communications to create global impact. She has had the honor of leading the Conscious Fashion Campaign in collaboration with the United Nations and Transformers Foundation due to her depth of knowledge in sustainable production and the denim supply chain. She is passionate about telling the stories of the people behind the supply chain, championing sustainable innovations, helping brands use their businesses as a force for good, and helping consumers navigate the blurry world of sustainable fashion.

Kimberly Chamberland is the Founder and CEO of Big Mountain Foods, an award-winning plant-based food company established in 1987. Going back to her vegetarian roots, she has established herself as a true culinary expert and pioneer in her own right. Today Big Mountain Foods remains a family-owned business with distribution across North America. They are committed to sourcing local, cruelty-free, sustainable, plant-based ingredients and developing food that not only tastes great but is good for you.

Jessica Malach is the VP of Marketing and Insights at Social Nature, a product discovery and trial platform powered by almost 1 million natural shoppers. She leads their United States and Canadian consumer insights and brand partner programs. Jessica began her career in the natural health industry in 2004, leading company growth strategies with senior roles at Alive Publishing Group, Vega marketing team prior to a $550 million USD exit, Bullfrog Power renewable energy company, and Pinto product data and personalization tech provider recently acquired by SPINS. She is passionate about sharing knowledge with the industry and has been a contributing speaker on marketing and consumer health trends to Strategy Magazine, Natural Foods Merchandiser, Whole Foods Magazine, Nosh, Plant Based Foods Association, Canadian Health Food Association, and the Canadian Securities Exchange.

Graham Stewart is the founder and EVP of Fibre52, a cost-effective, eco-conscious processing technology which massively decreases the environmental impact of cotton dyeing. Graham has decades of experience as a textile and apparel production fiber to brand specialist in the textile industry in production, marketing and leadership roles. For the past two years, Graham has been developing Fibre52’s patent-pending technology which retains cotton’s natural properties, resulting in stronger, kinder fabric that offers moisture-management performance and strength properties that rival petrochemical-based textiles.

Sasha Bricel is the Director of Marketing at Nature’s Path Foods, a pioneer in the organic food movement, and a leader in sustainable food design and development. Sasha is responsible for bringing Nature’s Path brands to the world, growing the Nature’s Path Organic Leadership legacy, and driving leadership effectiveness. Sasha is a Cannes and D&AD award-winning marketer and leader with over 10 years of experience working with some of Canada’s biggest companies to manage and build purpose-led brands that aim to change the way the world works.

Lindsay O’Donnell is the Founder and Marketing Director of Piquant Marketing, a creative and strategic marketing agency that has worked with over 100 vegan and vegetarian food and wellness brands. Lindsay’s passion for growing and supporting "foodpreneurs" and food brands started at Whole Foods Market and led her to found Piquant in 2016. Lindsay is also the co-owner and marketing partner of Planted Expo, Canada’s largest plant-based event.

Emma Smith is the Founder of Zimt Chocolates, handmade artisanal chocolates that are vegan and certified organic. Zimt was founded in 2011 with the aim of supporting those who are most vulnerable through sales of chocolate and by spreading knowledge and opening hearts. Zimt is an ethical vegan company at heart and makes decisions consciously for environmental and human rights reasons. Their ingredients are certified organic, they use coconut sugar and nectar to sweeten their products, and they were an early adopter of biodegradable packaging. Zimt is committed to donating a portion of its sales to support animal rescues and organizations doing life-changing work to improve the lives of people vulnerable to abuse and exploitation.

After working in the fashion industry for over fifteen years as a brand manager for top international brands, Silvia Jeane Gallo founded jeane & jax in 2014 with the vision of combining her fashion expertise with her compassion for nature. Today, jeane & jax designs and produces stylish and luxurious vegan handbags, with the mission of providing consumers with ethical and sustainable alternatives to animal-based leather goods. jeane & jax uses only sustainable premium recycled vegan materials and/or plant-based fabrics. Their commitment to creating ethical products extends to every level of their supply chain, including manufacturing. jeane & jax works only with factories that offer employees a safe, healthy and equitable work environment, and have been audited and certified to meet these standards.

Originally from just outside of north London England, Joey's career as a fashion designer has taken him across five continents. It was in 2019 that Joey decided to switch from designer to factory owner and start Veshin factory in Guangzhou, China. Veshin (pronounced V-shin) is built on a philosophy centred on sustainability, transparency & environmentally progressive values, and is an original equipment & design manufacturer (OEM/ODM) specializing in luxury bags & accessories made from leather alternatives. Veshin works with brands during the product design and manufacturing stages to help them switch to cruelty-free leather alternatives. By sourcing next-gen materials and chemical-free dyes, Veshin helps brands replicate the look, feel, and performance of leather without the environmentally harmful practices. Currently Joey resides in Colombia where he is piloting Veshin's second factory, located in Latin America.

Brent Baker is the Lead of New Business Development for MIRUM®, Natural Fiber Welding's (NFW) categorically new, plant-based, and plastic-free leather alternative material. Brent supports designers and makers around the world to reduce reliance on plastics and animal products to shrink their footprints and expand their creative palettes. In an industry awash with incremental solutions, NFW is driving a systems-level shift away from petroleum-derived products and toxic chemistries with their family of plastic-free materials. Outside of MIRUM®, NFW is bringing to scale CLARUS®, a novel yarn treatment technology that imbues natural fibers with the performance of synthetics without the plastic, PLIANT® a 100% bio-based, recyclable, and moldable outsole for footwear, and TUNERA®, a 100% bio-based foam to replace plastic composites for internal components for consumer products.

Kelly Drennan is the Founding Executive Director of Fashion Takes Action (FTA), Canada’s only non-profit organization dedicated to advancing sustainability in the fashion industry. Her role at FTA is to remove the barriers to sustainability that exist for the entire fashion system, through initiatives such as the annual World Ethical Apparel Roundtable conference (WEAR), Sustainable Fashion Toolkit, and My Clothes My World, FTA’s youth education program. In 2017, Kelly was the recipient of the prestigious Clean 50 award given to Canada’s climate leaders, where she was recognized for Education & Thought Leadership, and was the first recipient of the award for the fashion industry. In 2022 Kelly won the Sustainability Award given out by the Canadian Arts & Fashion Awards (CAFA).

Sandra Nomoto is a content writer, editor, and marketing consultant for cruelty-free businesses. Sandra’s communications career began in the public relations industry in 2005, and in 2012 she founded Conscious Public Relations, Inc., a B-Corporation certified PR agency for socially and environmentally responsible companies. Sandra authored The Only Public Relations Guide You’ll Ever Need and Vegan Marketing Success Stories, the world’s first vegan marketing book. She also co-hosts VEG Networking Canada, where plant-based and vegan companies connect and collaborate.

Amelia Eleiter is the Co-founder and CEO of Debrand, a leading textile recycling solutions provider in North America. Amelia and co-founder Wes Baker launched Debrand to help the world’s leading apparel brands achieve their product sustainability goals. The company specializes in the secure reverse logistics of obsolete, damaged, or returned goods, with a focus on extracting as much value as possible from our planet’s finite resources.

Steven Bethell is the Co-founder of Beyond Retro, a line of unique, reworked items handcrafted from carefully selected vintage fabrics. Beyond Retro has been the leader in vintage clothing in Europe for over 15 years and was featured on the cover of Vogue, in the Huffington Post, and worn by Adele. Steven is also the co-founder of Bank & Vogue Ltd., which works with over 250 charities and private collectors to maximize the value hierarchy of textiles, based on the belief that everything has the potential to not only avoid landfills, but generate profit.

Emily Wilson is the Co-founder and CEO of Living Tree Foods, an emerging plant-based food company that aims to remove the barriers to eating a plant-based diet by making accessible vegan versions of traditional animal products. As an advocate for animal welfare and environmental sustainability – with a passion for plant-based foods – Emily launched Living Tree foods with her first creation: delicious cashew-based cheese spreads. How Emily’s passion for animal rights and sustainability and her love of food fueled her journey from law student to food company CEO.

Madeleine Shaw is the Co-founder and Director of Partnerships and Impact at Aisle (formerly Lunapads), the #1 B Corporation in North America for sustainable period care products. Lunapads was one of the first ventures in the world to commercialize natural menstrual care, now a thriving industry. Madeleine has also championed initiatives for public institutions to include free access to safe and sustainable menstrual care products to address gender equity, poverty, and climate concerns. With 28 years of experience as a social entrepreneur, she is the author of The Greater Good, a guide to starting your own social impact initiative. Madeleine is also the Founder and Chief Community Officer of Nestworks, a family-friendly, co-working space and community.

Anita Spiller is the Head of Social Responsibility and Executive Communications at Tru Earth, an award-winning, global, eco-friendly household product company. Tru Earth has eliminated 100 million plastic containers and donated 19 million eco laundry strips within three years. In her role, Anita leads the CSR team with the aim of disrupting the CPG industry, eliminating single-use plastics and microplastics, and donating zero-waste products to organizations in need.