Is it enough if the pizza is organic? Interview with author and activist Thekla Wilkening

Can we save the world by buying organic food and occasionally doing without a plastic bag? Orare our environmental problems now so overwhelmingly large that we as individuals actually cannot make a difference? This and many other questions are attempted by author, activist and Circular Fashion VisionaryThekla Wilkening together with co-author Robin Haring in her book “The Organic Pizza Dilemma” to answer. In an interview with us, Thekla tellswhat she learned about the fashion industry while sewing her own clothes, what motivated her to write this book, and that sustainability has many different facets. Dear Thekla, could you please introduce yourself and tell us about yourself and your job? 

Hi, I'm Thekla, 33 years old, and I've recently been living by the sea in Rostock. From here, I advise various companies that have made sustainable fashion their business model. For many years, I was the managing director of my own company Kleiderei, the first fashion rental model ever in Germany.In July 2021, “The Organic Pizza Dilemma – The Surprising Guide to Greater Sustainability”, my first book, was published.

What motivated and inspired you to write this book? 

I have been thinking about the question of whether sustainable consumption is even possible for a long time. And whether we as consumers really have an influence on the environmental and climate crisis with our purchasing decisions or whether we can save the world more as citizens. In the book, we explore these different facets of the possibilities we have. It's about fashion, about politics, but also about self-care. 

What was the turning point when you realized that you wanted to question and challenge the fashion industry as it currently is? 

I was 17 and I had already sewn some of my clothes myself. It was the time when Sienna Miller, Peaches Geldof and Kate Moss dominated the fashion world with short dresses, leggings and leather jackets. I could easily sew many of them, even though sewing was always more expensive than it would have been at the high street, where all the trends always hung out after the shortest time. With my prom dress, I felt the same way. I had put so much money into the material and spent so many nights on it, trying to finish sewing it, that I realized that the fashion industry could not achieve its low prices in a fair way.  

“You bear no personal responsibility for the environmental and climate catastrophe” -Thekla Wilkening

If you had to summarize it in a few sentences: What are the most important statements or learnings that you convey in your book? 

It is primarily about the fact that there are different types of sustainability. We can make the right consumer choices by buying products that are produced ecologically and fairly. But there is also social sustainability, which is very important. It is about us treating our immediate surroundings openly and kindly. And ourselves. Those who do not take care of themselves cannot take care of others or our Mother Earth. The third component is political activism. Politics shapes our society and thus also largely determines how social and sustainable it is. Elections are ahead of us, so it is in all our responsibility to elect a government that can think ahead and implement it.   

What do you want to give people to take with them who feel overwhelmed by the complexity of the sustainability problem? How could your book help them? 

I think the decisive thing is to choose one area to start with. In the first part of the book, we have written down the “1 x 1 for the dinner party”. It is about facts, connections, things that are important to understand. After that, we switch to the “designs”. There are thirty of them. From them, everyone can choose the ones that fit their own life. Whether politics, nutrition, fashion or the plastic-free bathroom.  

Sustainable fashion is a huge topic with many different aspects that are often not so easy to navigate. What tips do you have for everyone who celebrates fashion and style, but at the same time does not want to do without sustainability? 

I think the most sustainable wardrobe is a good mix of it-pieces or high-quality basics, borrowed clothing, and pre-loved pieces, i.e., second-hand.  

In your book, you mention Dawn's anti-Black Friday “No Discount on Dreams” campaign. Why did you choose exactly this campaign as an example? 

The core of the campaign is “Their Dreams Are As Big As Yours”. The campaign is about textile workers, but basically, we can apply this sentence to all people in this world. This is so important, because only when we as people realize that we must all be equal and that every one of us has the same dreams and fears can we truly stand in solidarity. And from this solidarity, a socially just world can then emerge – which is the foundation for a sustainable world. No social justice, no sustainability.  

Save Dreams Not Money - Fair Friday (Anti Black Friday)

For many companies, sustainability mainly refers to the environment. How do you think it is possible to find the balance between environmental issues and social issues?  

It requires courage and insight. Of course, it is much easier to source sustainable materials, because this does not require a systemic change. This is also something that can be talked about. Admitting that 98% of textile workers do not receive a living wage and that in an industry that produces 80 billion garments a year hurts. And it is not only like this in fashion, it is a systemic problem that we have as a society. It requires strength and is almost a revolutionary act to address it. One that we urgently need. But which will not be possible without political regulations.  

If we have learned one thing from this pandemic, it is that catastrophes do not distinguish between rich and poor people and countries. This makes us realize that climate change affects us all. Do you think that because of this more people will deal with the topics of sustainability and climate change from now on? 

There was a brief moment of cheer because the CO2 levels fell by exactly the seven percent we so desperately needed to still meet the Paris climate goals. But then they rose again. I think, in the medium to long term, definitely. We have all learned that there are more important things than outward appearance, consumption, growth. Suddenly being turned back to ourselves shows us what really matters: A healthy relationship with ourselves, the people in our immediate surroundings, mental health. And these are exactly things that we cannot buy. With all the money in the world. 

We at Dawn believe that we are stronger together. That is why we are looking for collaborations with artists and other brands that share similar values. Do you have tips for us on how we can implement meaningful and sustainable collaborations? 

I think the decisive thing is to show that sustainability is cool, modern, and sexy. It is more likely that a social and sustainable lifestyle will prevail through aesthetics than through reason. That is why collaborations may be fun, encouraging, and spread joy. Show that what is right for the world is also good for us. I started volunteering at the AIDS-Hilfe in Cologne at 19. In one of the first workshops, we were asked why we were there. We all had very noble reasons for it, until our leader said: “I hope you are here because it does you good. Because that is the most important thing.” I think that is what we need to communicate. It is not only about saving the world, it is also about taking care of ourselves.  

We love this quote from your book: “You bear no personal responsibility for the environmental and climate catastrophe”. Do you think we as individuals and as brands can and should let go of our guilt? 

Yes, because guilt rarely leads to change. We can take on a responsibility, but it should be free from guilt. I think a positive mindset leads to change. Let's pat ourselves on the back for the positive things, instead of shaming ourselves for the things we have not yet succeeded in. Every one of us can find their own sustainability and it may also change – just like fashion. We draw designs in the book of what that could look like. There is then a large selection. That may sound easier than it is, but the path there ultimately, as so often, is baby steps. Yes, we no longer have time and the environmental and climate crisis is already showing its dramatic effects, but still. It does not all happen at once. If we admit that, then things will really get going. 

Do you find Thekla just as inspiring as we do? The book "The Organic Pizza Dilemma – The Surprising Guide to Greater Sustainability” is available here.