This week, we are joined by Emme Hayes - former fashion designer, backcountry guide, and the founder of Articles In Common, a resale marketplace reshaping outdoor culture through circularity and climate advocacy.
Emme joined me just days after we met - because sometimes you have a conversation so powerful, you need to keep it going. She brings a rare dual perspective: both insider experience from the apparel and outdoor industries, and the fierce clarity of someone who’s decided to build something better. In this conversation, Emme breaks down the systems that prop up extractive gear culture - and how she’s working to replace them with models rooted in reuse, transparency, and justice. From climbing shoes to climate anxiety, she’s asking the questions the outdoor industry doesn’t want to face.
We talked about:
Her “no going back” moment after working in fashion and seeing the waste firsthand
Why outdoor brands often center access, but not climate, in their advocacy
The deeper problem behind “buy better”—and why sustainable apparel is a myth
How Articles in Common makes secondhand gear a climate solution, not just a lifestyle
Building Wild for Climate - a new community hub for creatives and athletes who want to speak out without brand interference
Keywords:
climate action, resale, circular economy, circularity, secondhand gear, sustainable fashion, outdoor industry, environmental storytelling, Articles In Common, PFAS, overconsumption, public lands, climate anxiety, policy advocacy, backcountry guiding, marine protection, wild horses, BLM, outdoor brands, greenwashing, outdoor community, brand sponsorship, fashion industry, gear culture, re-commerce, climate justice