In case you missed it the first time, take a listen to one of Tiff and Kat's favorite episodes during the break. They're back with season 10, all about getting your hands dirty outside, on June 4.

In this episode of your favorite green living podcast, Tiff and Kat come clean about essential oils and whether they're worth all the hype -- or hate. Spoiler: it's complicated.

There's a lot of info to soak up about green hooey and essential oils. Learn away!

As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. Some links below are paid links.

What We Talked About:

• doTERRA Essential Oils
• Amazon (basic search for "essential oils")
• Dr. Bronner's Pure-Castile Lavender Soap

Sources:

• National Library of Medicine - Essential Oils as Antimicrobial Agents – Myth or Real Alternative?
• National Institutes of Health - Essential Oils
• NLM - Prepubertal gynecomastia linked to lavender and tea tree oils
• ASPCA - The essentials of essential oils around pets
• Cleveland Clinic - Essential Oils 101
• Healthline - What Are Essential Oils?
• NLM - Aromatherapy for Health Care: An Overview of Systematic Reviews
• NLM - A Systematic Review of the Effect of Inhaled Essential Oils on Sleep
• NLM - An Overview of the Biological Effects of Some Mediterranean Essential Oils on Human Health
• The Kind Store - A Guide to Sustainable Essential Oils
• Sustainably Chic - Are Essential Oils Sustainable?
• Red List of Threatened Species

Patreon: patreon.com/greeningupmyact
Instagram: @greeningupmyact
Facebook: Greening Up My Act
Email us with questions: greeningupmyact@gmail.com
YouTube: Greening Up My Act

Check out this revisit of one of our favorite previous episodes while we're on break! We're back from break June 4 to dive into our all new Get Your Hands Dirty season. In case you missed this the first time, here goes:

Learn all about DIY all-purpose cleaner on this week's green living podcast with Tiffany and Kat. You'll save so much money with this easy recipe that you might just shit your shorts from excitement. This is one of those rare, truly sustainable and functional product winners. You're going to want to listen in.

As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. Some links below are paid links.

What We Bought

• Dr. Bronner's Castille Soap

Source Links

• National Library of Medicine for all-purpose cleaner definition
• Environmental Working Group all-purpose cleaner ratings and a few other products ratings
• The Spruce’s 8 best all-purpose cleaners
• Three DIY all-purpose cleaner options from Insider
• Consumer Reports for vinegar + stone countertops
• CountertopSpecialty.com for hydrogen peroxide on countertops info
• The Kitchn for castile soap definition and all-purpose cleaner recipe
• Dr Bronner’s website for info about its Castile soap
• National Library of Medicine on antibacterial properties of peppermint.
• Bob Vila for castile soap on hardwood
• Amazon and Target for prices

Patreon: patreon.com/greeningupmyact
Instagram: @greeningupmyact
Facebook: Greening Up My Act
Email us with questions: greeningupmyact@gmail.com
YouTube: Greening Up My Act

To end their fashion-filled season, Kat and Tiff examine one of the most popular sustainably brands: Fjallraven. Learn what sustainability promises they're making and whether or not they're following through with them, and where they may be falling short.

Explore:

• Are Fjallraven products as durable as they claim?
• Can normal people afford Fjallraven?
• Are they as top-notch on their sustainability efforts as people assume?
• And more!

Sources

• Fjallraven US online store: https://www.fjallraven.com/us/en-us/
• Fjallraven sustainability page: https://www.fjallraven.com/us/en-us/about/sustainability/
• Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/BuyItForLife/comments/181dp2n/fjallraven_opinions/
• Wirecutter: https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/reviews/classic-fjallraven-kanken-backpack/
• Commons: https://brands.thecommons.earth/brand-rating/632/fjallraven
• Good On You: https://directory.goodonyou.eco/brand/fjallraven

Patreon: patreon.com/greeningupmyact
Instagram: @greeningupmyact
Facebook: Greening Up My Act
Email us with questions: greeningupmyact@gmail.com
YouTube: Greening Up My Act

If you're tossing holey sweaters or ripped jeans into the landfill every year, you might be surprised how simple repairs could extend their life and slash waste. In this episode, discover how the old-fashioned art of clothing mending is making a comeback, and why it matters more than ever for our planet.

Join hosts Tiff and Kat as they unveil the fascinating techniques behind professional sewing repair shops like Amazing Garment Repair in Kansas City, where master French weavers and hand mend experts create near-invisible fixes that transform old, damaged garments into like-new treasures.

Learn:

• How visible mending doubles as a trendy art form with over 20 million views on TikTok, blending style with sustainability.
• The detailed craft of reweaving, including French weaving that makes actual holes vanish without a trace.
• Practical tips on whether you can and should repair your own clothes, plus how much it costs to have skilled artisans do it for you.
• The emotional and societal significance: how repairing your wardrobe can reconnect you with traditions of craftsmanship, countering the throw-away culture driven by fast fashion.
• Policy ideas from the UK that could revolutionize how clothing is designed, produced, and disposed of — potentially changing the industry and reducing textile waste dramatically.

Sources

• Amazing Garment repair site: https://www.amazinggarmentrepair.com
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/amazing-garment-repair-overland-park
• Wirecutter: https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/reviews/online-custom-tailors-review/
• NYT: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/01/style/eva-joan-clothing-repair-shop.html
• Sustainability Journal: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7616726/
• Eva Joan Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/evajoanrepair/
• Earth.org: https://earth.org/how-repairing-clothes-slows-down-climate-change/
• Earth.org: https://earth.org/statistics-about-fast-fashion-waste/
• UNEP: https://www.unep.org/news-and-stories/story/putting-brakes-fast-fashion
• Repair What You Wear: https://repairwhatyouwear.com

Patreon: patreon.com/greeningupmyact
Instagram: @greeningupmyact
Facebook: Greening Up My Act
Email us with questions: greeningupmyact@gmail.com
YouTube: Greening Up My Act

Discover the truth behind Rothy’s, the popular eco-friendly shoe company, and whether they’re genuinely making a difference or just greenwashing to sell more shoes. In this episode, hosts Kat and Tiff unpack Rothy’s claims to use recycled plastic bottles, discuss whether their sustainability certifications hold up, and explore deeper concerns like microplastics and the true environmental impact of fast fashion. You'll learn how their innovative 3D knitting process reduces waste, but also how their rapid expansion into new styles and materials may dilute their eco-efforts.

They break down:

• The real story behind their recycled plastic shoes and their plastic bottle savings
• How credible their third-party certifications like LEED, TRUE, and SCS really are
• The hidden costs of microplastics from washable shoes
• Why greenwashing is more common than you think and how to spot it
• The broader implications of consumerism and fast fashion’s impact on our environment

Sources

• RunRepeat: https://runrepeat.com/womens-shoe-statistics
• Fashion for Good: https://www.fashionforgood.com/innovation-platform-2/how-it-works/footwear-circularity/
• Rothy’s website: https://rothys.com/
• Rothy’s sustainability page: https://rothys.com/pages/sustainability
• U.S. Green Business Certification Inc. (GBCI) TRUE - https://www.gbci.org/about-true
• U.S. Green Business Certification Inc (GBCI) LEED - https://www.usgbc.org/leed
• SCS Global: https://www.scsglobalservices.com/services/recycled-content-certification
• Good On You: https://directory.goodonyou.eco/brand/rothys
• The Commons: https://brands.thecommons.earth/brand-rating/122/rothy's
• Trust Pilot: https://www.trustpilot.com/review/rothys.com

Patreon: patreon.com/greeningupmyact
Instagram: @greeningupmyact
Facebook: Greening Up My Act
Email us with questions: greeningupmyact@gmail.com
YouTube: Greening Up My Act

Leather can come at a devastating human and environmental cost — but what if the leather in a new bag could avoid that problem? Hosts Tiff and Kat talk about Dana Cohen, founder of HYER GOODS. Learn how her small-batch, deadstock Italian leather business is redefining sustainability in fashion, proving that luxury and responsibility can go hand-in-hand.

Sources

• HYER GOODS: https://hyergoods.com/?srsltid=AfmBOoqCHYDvhwklE7ukgz8pTqNZVCcjDAPtUEt9pTPZpYAebENDzjiC
• The Guardian: https://www.theguardian.com/business/2025/jul/17/hyer-goods-luxury-brands-leather-recyclying
• The Guardian: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/mar/21/plight-of-child-workers-facing-cocktail-of-toxic-chemicals-exposed-by-report-bangladesh-tanneries
• Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/handbags/comments/17e95yu/comment/mk0nn2l/
• Earth.org: https://earth.org/analysing-the-pros-and-cons-of-vegan-leather/

Patreon: patreon.com/greeningupmyact
Instagram: @greeningupmyact
Facebook: Greening Up My Act
Email us with questions: greeningupmyact@gmail.com
YouTube: Greening Up My Act

In this episode, hosts Kat and Tiffany explore slow fashion clothing brand Hope for Flowers, built by designer Tracy Reese. Learn how the slow fashion movement offers more sustainable clothing choices, what it costs, and how Tracy Reese is using her resources to support the local art scene in Detroit. Also, learn about Tiffany's early lessons following a layoff.

Sources

• Hope for Flowers: https://www.hopeforflowers.com
• Hope for Flowers Sustainability Page: https://hopeforflowers.com/pages/sustainability
• Good On You: https://goodonyou.eco/what-is-slow-fashion/
• Printful: https://help.printful.com/hc/en-us/articles/4409129698962-How-is-print-on-demand-more-sustainable-than-traditional-manufacturing

Patreon: patreon.com/greeningupmyact
Instagram: @greeningupmyact
Facebook: Greening Up My Act
Email us with questions: greeningupmyact@gmail.com
YouTube: Greening Up My Act

It's right there in the name: ethical silk. But what does that mean? And can "cruelty-free sleepwear" be sustainable? Find out as we look into the Ethical Sleep Company and their eco claims, from peace silk production to Fair Trade Certification and beyond.

Sources

• Ethical Silk Company website: https://theethicalsilkco.com/
• World Fair Trade Organization: https://wfto.com/our-fair-trade-system/our-10-principles-of-fair-trade/
• Mehera Shaw, their chosen fair trade workshop: https://meherashaw.com/pages/manufacture
• Forbes: https://www.forbes.com/councils/forbesbusinesscouncil/2023/08/01/when-fair-trade-isnt-fair-why-you-should-consider-direct-trade/
• Nature Sustainability: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41893-019-0311-5.epdf
• Corporate Accountability Lab: https://corpaccountabilitylab.org/calblog/2021/5/20/fair-trade-usa-amp-the-failures-of-eco-social-certificationnbsp
• Treehugger: https://www.treehugger.com/silk-sustainable-impact-5094158

Patreon: patreon.com/greeningupmyact
Instagram: @greeningupmyact
Facebook: Greening Up My Act
Email us with questions: greeningupmyact@gmail.com
YouTube: Greening Up My Act