{"type":"rich","version":"1.0","provider_name":"Transistor","provider_url":"https://transistor.fm","author_name":"Pivot! A Vegan Business Interview Series","title":"From Vegan Shoe Brand to Slow Stitches: Alicia Lai's Return to Her Values","html":"","width":"100%","height":180,"duration":2045,"description":"Alicia Lai spent over 20 years in sustainable fashion–including founding Bourgeois Bohème, a vegan shoe brand built on innovative materials. She was deeply committed to ethical production, personally vetting factories in Portugal and sourcing materials that minimized environmental impact. But after 15+ years of running the brand, the constant pressure to compromise on sustainability standards pushed her to make a difficult decision: close the business she had built and start over. \nWhat came next wasn’t a retreat–it was a return to her values. Now, she runs hands-on sewing, mending, and Sashiko-inspired stitching workshops. Her work now focuses on behaviour change, inclusion, and showing that sustainable living happens one small, practical action at a time. \nIn this episode, Alicia shared what it really means to pivot–not as starting over, but as going deeper into what matters most. \nYou’ll learn about\nHow to know when a business that looks successful on the outside no longer aligns with your valuesWhy making compromises in production can erode the mission you started withWhat a real pivot looks like, and why it's often about returning to your values, not abandoning themWhy behaviour change matters as much as product innovation in the sustainability movement\nGuest Links\n\nhttps://www.bboheme.com\nSocial Media\nhttps://www.instagram.com/boboheme/https://www.linkedin.com/in/aliciatclai/https://www.facebook.com/bboheme/https://x.com/home\nMemorable Quote\n\n\"Fashion is a statement. When you choose to stitch and mend what you already own, you're making a stand against what's happening in the fashion industry today.\"\nShow Notes\n\n👡 [02:23] From vegan shoe brand to slow fashion advocate: Alicia's 20-year journey.🧵 [07:10] What is Sashiko? The Japanese art of stitching and mending explained.⏸️ [10:12] Why giving yourself permission to pause is the first step toward sustainable living.⟲ [15:33] The reset we all need — and why we reach for our phones instead.🧶 [17:18] Visible...","thumbnail_url":"https://img.transistorcdn.com/EiSJLJMApFQFIyDOjdI_WwQWwSdDFmksCBU1LOOxc2A/rs:fill:0:0:1/w:400/h:400/q:60/mb:500000/aHR0cHM6Ly9pbWct/dXBsb2FkLXByb2R1/Y3Rpb24udHJhbnNp/c3Rvci5mbS9zaG93/LzIzOTA1LzE2MzIy/NTE0MTYtYXJ0d29y/ay5qcGc.webp","thumbnail_width":300,"thumbnail_height":300}