Material Wise

Nancy Fendler, Material Wise Host and principal of Fendler PR
  • 4.9 (18)
  • DESIGN
Material Wise

Material Wise is your podcast on material matters hosted by Nancy Fendler, principal of Fendler PR, a communications firm specializing in materials and ingredient marketing. Driven by her deep curiosity, Nancy sets out to speak with designers, product developers and guests in the outdoor, fashion, home furnishings and other industries about what inspires and influences them to create, why and how they select the materials they choose and the relationships they’ve built with their customers and industry.

  1. 07/15/2021

    Katie Elks and JD Davis on how Brooklinen has become so admired

    Brooklinen is the most popular sheet brand on the internet and has received over 80,000 five star consumer reviews for its products. Katie Elks, Director of Design & Product Development, and JD Davis Production, Procurement & Quality Manager of the multi-award-winning luxury bedding & bath brand, share with us why the brand has become so popular, which definitely has a lot to do with the materials that are sourced. We discuss the company’s dedication to quality, responsible manufacturing and transparency – and what consumer trends have shifted during the pandemic.

    21 min

  2. 04/20/2021

    Dr. Andrew Dent with Material ConneXion

    Dr. Andrew Dent is the executive vice president research at Material ConneXion, a world -class library known for its innovative problem solving and thought-leadership by influential brands across every industry. We discuss a range of topics from how Dr. Dent became interested in material science, his fondness for the human interaction side of materials, and how this combination led him to his post at Material ConneXion where he has been for the last 20 years. We also talk about what sustainability means to him, his passion for waste and the future of material development – it’s looking bright!

    35 min

  3. 10/21/2020

    Ruth Kelly on finding her path to SSACHS and making change in the active apparel industry

    Ruth Kelly is the head of materials and materials editor of SSACHS, a design agency for performance and active lifestyle apparel, which also publishes a digital magazine under the same name. We had a fun conversation discussing her journey of leaving her corporate life to join SSACHS with her partners. As a creative fabric expert, thought leader, and educator, Ruth shares insights as to how she approaches material development, what makes a good material partner, how the pandemic has influenced design trends and sustainability, along with the necessary digital marketing tools that are needed to help connect suppliers, mills, and brands. You’ll also discover the meaning behind the name SSACHS!

    37 min

  4. 10/21/2020

    Wayne Fan on bringing textiles to life in a digital world

    Wayne shares how the Frontier Textile Collaboration Program and other digital tools help bring fabrics to life while also building community between suppliers and brands with respect to fabric samples, inventory, price quotes, and more. He also shares a few lessons he's learned from the pandemic.

    23 min

  5. 01/22/2020

    Episode 15: Best of 2019

    Happy New Year! While in production with our new 2020 line-up of episodes, we wanted to share some highlights of my conversations with last year’s smart and talented guests whom I was honored to have spent time with. We discovered that sustainability is still a huge topic. While it means many things to different people, sustainability is no longer a trend, but a business approach that’s here to stay. We also learned how collaboration throughout the entire supply chain lifts individual businesses and the industry as a whole. We catch a glimpse into the future with digital manufacturing, robotic tailoring and smart textiles. The thread that ties my guests together, is that they all believe it is an exciting time to be involved with materials. I hope you enjoy!

    25 min

  6. 11/29/2019

    James Morin of Flowfold

    James Morin, COO and president of sales for Flowfold – a brand of minimalist gear made with some of the strongest and lightest of weight materials – gives us insight on how he’s helped build a small Maine-based company into an international brand. In this episode of Material Wise, James shares how he and his team have formed collaborative partnerships with suppliers, retailers, ambassadors, and non-profits to make Flowfold the thriving company it is today.

    42 min

  7. 10/31/2019

    Gihan Amarasiriwardena on inventing apparel that drives the industry forward.

    Gihan Amarasiriwardena is the co-founder/president of Boston-based Ministry of Supply, a sleek and modern brand of performance professional apparel that launched in 2012. Gihan shares how he and his colleague, co-founder/CEO, Aman Advani, both MIT students at the time, shared a desire to create professional apparel that had the same performance benefits as their favorite athletic pieces. We learn how the brand got its start, the significance of its name and the role materials, attention to design and fit play into each and every piece to make the apparel scientifically better. www.ministryofsupply.com

    40 min

  8. 09/10/2019

    Elizabeth Whelan speaks her mind on designing textiles with function, performance and aesthetics

    Textile designer, Elizabeth Whalen’s materials can be found in work environments and on athletes all over the world. She creates textiles for brands like Humanscale, Nike, Tumi and more. Elizabeth voices her views on her personal design philosophy, stance on sustainability - really good design is sustainable - and the need for design inclusivity in technological development. As one of the 4% of female patent holders, she recognizes that there is a lot of brain trust that in the design world, especially by women, that needs to support and encouragement to come forth.

    59 min
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Trailer

4.9
out of 5
18 Ratings

About

Material Wise is your podcast on material matters hosted by Nancy Fendler, principal of Fendler PR, a communications firm specializing in materials and ingredient marketing. Driven by her deep curiosity, Nancy sets out to speak with designers, product developers and guests in the outdoor, fashion, home furnishings and other industries about what inspires and influences them to create, why and how they select the materials they choose and the relationships they’ve built with their customers and industry.

Information

  • Creator
    Nancy Fendler, Material Wise Host and principal of Fendler PR
  • Years Active
    2018 - 2021
  • Episodes
    20
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2018 Material Wise
  • Show Website
    Material Wise

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