Nol Pov: Is Sober-Curiosity Still a Thing?

Being sober in a world that yearns for community – and so often uses alcohol to achieve that – is no doubt difficult. With sober curiosity, we are all invited to reconsider such norms and even wonder if this new trend may lead to full normalization of sobriety.

Nol Pov: Up-Cycling - The New Luxury

Written by Nol

What do we think of when we think of luxury? Google defines the word luxury as ‘the state of great comfort and extravagant living’, but what does it actually mean – more particularly in relation to the fashion world? Nol wrote on the term in his 2015 Nol Pov blog post ‘The Untapped Power of Luxury’, but how have ideas surrounding ‘luxury’ changed in the past seven years? In this blog, The Nol Team has researched and interviewed on the fashion world at large, more particularly on the sustainable practice of ‘up-cycling’, noting how it has taken the designer fashion world by storm.

While environmentally conscious and ethical clothing has become more popular than ever, the push for sustainability in the fashion world is not a new one. Back in 2018, Burberry, Chanel, and Versace all announced that they were banning the use of fur in their textiles. Additionally, more and more consumers are being made aware of just how many garments they don’t wear, and even more that are carelessly thrown away and brought to landfills. Thrifting and up-cycling have come back in style as some of the best ways to spice up your wardrobe while not falling victim to the non-ethically produced fast fashion industry. This call for sustainable and climate-conscious fashion has only increased in the wake of the pandemic. With less demand in the designer fashion industry, there was more than enough unsold clothes left in stock. Up-cycling has come into the picture for designers as a sustainable and creative way to imagine luxury fashion unlike any other fashion trend to date.

Up-cycling offers the opportunity to be innovative and experimental with new designs, with every piece of fabric and clothing being unique in its own way. With every piece incorporated having an energy and story of their own attached to it, consumers and designers are reminded of the power and value that clothing has while repurposing it. Up-cycling has an eliteness and exclusivity of its own; no piece will ever be the same, leaving room only for uniqueness and the true essence of being ‘one-of-a-kind’. Up-cycling has been one of the best ways to revitalize the exclusivity that designer fashion has long labored to maintain. In a world where iconic designer brands define the fashion world with signatures of their own — up-cycling has paved a new way to pay tribute and to be environmentally conscious. Not only that, but up-cycling’s environmentally positive impact makes gazes toward a future focused on art and sustainability brighter and more certain than ever.

To learn more about up-cycling and the textile industry as a whole, we spoke to Dani – the founder and artistic genius behind the sustainable up-cycling and artistic medium that is AQUA. Dani and Nol first met when they studied abroad in Paris back in 2006, and the Nol Team was inspired by Dani’s experience with up-cycling and garment production and sought to interview her. AQUA is self-described as ‘a queer aesthetic, a dream space, a meditation on movement, interdependence, change, and memory through textile, paper, ink, and plants’. By speaking with Dani, we have learned so much from her curated expertise and passion for sustainable and ethical textile production.

AQUA’s Upstream collection shows the vibrant result of bleach dyeing with small details like crocheted flowers on many of the t-shirts. Each garment has a unique feel as all the flowers featured are local to the New York area – the land of the Lenape people. Dani describes Upstream to be used as ‘a sacred, tactile processing of distance, connection, patience, and gratitude’ grounded on her own journey from New York to LA, where she remembers the place that she called home for most of her life before seeking a new sanctuary more than 3,000 miles west. The Nol Team was inspired by Dani’s honoring of her past roots and optimism in her courage to Find [Her] Sanctuary.

“a queer aesthetic, a dream space, a meditation on movement, interdependence, change, and memory through textile, paper, ink, and plants”

The Tutaj collection, on the other hand, has a more pastel feel to where these particular textiles ‘begin to ask what it means to be here’. The clothes in the Tutaj collection are dyed using avocado pits, onion skins, and carrot tops, where wearers are invited to feel deeply and freshly into the now and the nature that exists in that now – whatever and wherever that means for the wearer. Botanical dyes alongside the clothing’s upcycled nature evoke feelings of natural energy and remind consumers that the power of luxury lies beyond the runway, and might just be hidden in the roots of our past – both good and bad. Wearing these pieces on our backs as we walk into a new future ignites an inner power beyond comprehension.

Dani first learned how to upcycle from her grandmother, who emigrated from Poland to Canada. The act of up-cycling for her is rooted in its practical nature that helped serve her grandmother, though it has taken a new form in AQUA as artistic expression and a tribute to the environment..

What Dani has found most enriching about her up-cycling journey has been her education on ‘who am I learning from and who am I honoring when doing this work’ and ‘humbling and locating myself as one small person in a large context’. This ‘rebranding of up-cycling’ has transformed a practice that was once done out of necessity into an artform that has taken the fashion industry by storm. Dani is excited by this transformation of up-cycling, as more and more people are ‘recognizing the importance of restoring things and keeping things and giving them a new life and not disposing of them’.

Greg Lauren – a Nol favorite – is another prime example of the luxury in up-cycling. Selling pre-owned jeans and scrap-based designs, Greg Lauren takes a step forward in what he calls ‘Deconstructing Americana’. His ‘GL Scraps’ collection takes up-cycling to a whole new level. Some of the textiles are made from the scraps of an army tent – with pieces such as a studio shirt, an artist jacket, a tent ‘brando’, even a tent scrapwork lounge pant. The clothing tags on each of these pieces read ‘As a part of our ‘no scrap goes unused’ initiative, this product was made using the cutting wastage accumulated from previously cut garments and accessories’.

What remains intriguing, however, is the pricing. A pair of coral cargo pants on the Greg Lauren website racks up to $1,500. This begs the question: what is the significance of creating an expensive market for sustainable fashion? On the one hand, it encourages designers to take part in sustainable practices and may even set a new standard for designer fashion overall. However, there is something to be said about making sustainable fashion accessible to people of all kinds and financial backgrounds. One of the biggest setbacks for sustainable fashion taking the center stage in the fashion industry is the consistent high pricing. Many individuals across the country and even the world turn to fast fashion brands like Shein and Romwe because they are cheap, though their production is both immoral and damaging to the environment.

“The luxury of sustainability is defined by being able to afford something that takes a lot more time to make”

We asked Dani what she thought about the pricing of sustainably sourced clothing, and she brought to light the important factors when it comes to ethical and sustainable production of textiles. ‘It’s more expensive because people are being paid a fair wage, and things are being done more sustainably, more ethically, and it takes more time’, Dani pointed out. Up-cycling’s introduction into the elite fashion world may have more positive effects than it might first seem. ‘In some ways it's cool if designers are bringing it to this luxury level because it catches the eye of people who are not as into it yet’, Dani notes, ‘as more accessible brands emerge people might be attracted to that because they see it as something aspirational because it’s in the luxury realm’. The designer fashion world has long been known to have a trickle down effect when it comes to fashion trends worldwide. If up-cycling’s popularity in designer collections encourages people from all levels of society to engage in this sustainable practice or at the very least invest in marketed upcycled garments, then maybe a $1,500 pair of cargo pants isn’t all that bad.

With Dani, we were also able to explore what luxury means in relation to up-cycling and sustainable textile production. ‘The luxury of sustainability’, as Dani puts it, is defined by ‘being able to afford something that takes a lot more time to make’. Time is the essence when it comes to up-cycling, where we are invited to treat our goods, no matter what they are, ‘as if they were luxury items’. Up-cycling has also shifted the way we view our heirlooms, as Dani notes that ‘Up-cycling can be the luxury of not having to let something go’. When we give both items and clothes the care and importance that they deserve, the crux of value is heightened – redefining what it means to buy, wear, and sell garments.

Up-cycling’s growing popularity in the fashion industry has given us an insight into what luxury really means and how that phrase has changed over time. It’s not simply about having enough money to buy the pieces in question – it's about recognizing the value, story, and uniqueness of each piece designed thanks to up-cycling practices. Thanks to its presence in luxury and designer fashion, we may soon live in a world where up-cycling truly is the new luxury.

May you be well,

The Nol Team

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Nol Pov: The Need To Knows On Incorporating Plants Into Your Sanctuary

Written by Nol

Biophilic design is perhaps one of the fastest-growing areas trending in the repertoire of interior design and a vital way by which we can construct our sanctuaries to prioritize our health and wellness. Terrapin notes that including elements of the natural world in your indoor space ‘can reduce stress, enhance creativity and clarity of thought, improve our well-being and expedite healing’. Statistically, plants calm the mind, can help air quality, and even improve life expectancy. With these facts in mind, there is no doubt that including greenery in your personal space is a design choice all of us should be encouraged to make, especially in a world that has become increasingly more urban.

However, not all of us are quite attuned to the finer details of how to keep nature alive behind the closed doors of an apartment. Luckily, here at The Nol Team, we have gathered all the facts, research, and tips you need to get started on ‘greenifying’ your home space!

How to Incorporate Plants Into Your Sanctuary

Incorporating plants into your sanctuary may at first seem like a daunting task, especially in a potentially small space. Here are some ideas to get you started with linked tutorials to help you bring them to fruition!

1. Make Your Own Terrarium

One of the cutest ways you can display nature in your space is by making your own terrarium. It’s easy to set up and pretty much self-sustaining, as the plants often included in a terrarium don’t often require much water for maintenance. There are plenty of tutorials across the internet that can walk you through how to do it right – get inspired, and get designing!

2. Grow an Herb Garden

There’s nothing more rejuvenating than being able to grow your own produce right in your own living space. Such a dream may seem impossible to the city-apartment dweller. However, this lifestyle is more accessible than you might expect. Get started by buying the unique ‘AeroGarden’, and click here for tips and tricks for setting up an indoor herb garden, and growing anything from strawberries to basil!

3. Give Trees a Try

Putting a tree in your space sounds like a hassle – don’t even get us started on the arduous annual hauling of Christmas trees and how much stress *that* can cause. However, the trees we are talking about are ones of the slightly smaller, slightly less needle-y variety. Some trees that don’t take up much floor space include European olive trees, tree ferns, or fishtail palms. If you’re feeling particularly ambitious, you might be ready to take on higher-maintenance citrus trees – whether that be lemons or even oranges. Here are some of the most popular trees used to decorate your indoor space courtesy of the Spruce. Make the Lorax happy, and start planting!

4. Hanging Planters

Lacking ground space? Hanging planters might be your solution. Make your sanctuary feel stylish and green while also maximizing space efficiency – truly curating a space that prioritizes your health and wellness. Click here to buy a hanging planter now and get started on decorating your sanctuary!

5. Humidity Plants and Bathrooms

Believe it or not, your bathroom is one of the best places you can keep plants – especially ones that love humidity. Place a fern, eucalyptus, or other humidity-loving plants in your bathroom, and watch the magic happen with every shower. Prepare to feel refreshed and rejuvenated in your new rainforest of relaxation!

6. Keep Low Maintenance Plants

Last but not least, we have the types of plants that generally do not require much maintenance, and therefore would be perfect for a small or apartment-like space. Here are some of the best plants to include in your sanctuary that require little maintenance, and nonetheless relay all the positive benefits of having a biophilic space!
*Low Light Plants*
*Microplants*
*Pothos*
*Snake Plant*
*ZZ Plant*
*Marimo Moss Balls*
*Philodendron*

Essential Plant Shops

Stuck on where to begin shopping for your greenery? Look no further – The Nol Team already has a number of favorite select stores to choose from. Check out the family-owned Urban Garden Center on Park Ave for plants, seeds, sod, tools, accessories, firewood, and more. Or maybe you’d be more keen on Green Fingers Market, which has store branches in Milan and Tokyo as well as NYC. If you’re in Williamsburg, check out the Chelsea Garden Center to ‘satisfy your inner planthead’. All in all, while notoriously being an epicenter of urban living, New York City has much to offer regarding greenery and makes greenifying your sanctuary not as difficult and daunting as it may first seem.

Of course, adding plants is just one pillar in the construct of biophilic design. Stay tuned for tips on how to incorporate biophilic design into your sanctuary. Nevertheless, we hope to have helped you on the first steps to incorporating biophilic design into your home, so that your space is one where your well-being can flourish – just like the greenery you’ll plant within it!

May you be well,

The Nol Team

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We hope you enjoy the plants and gadgets we’ve recommended for your sanctuary. In honor of full transparency, we may collect a small commission if you purchase these products through the external links on our page, at no extra cost to you.

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