Green Girls Podcast | Episode 9 | Fixing fast fashion with Layana from Swap A Porter
Hey amigos! Welcome to Green Girls, the podcast that follows our journey (and struggles) to becoming green.
It's our first ever guest episode and we are so excited to welcome Layana Franco to sit with us. Layana runs Swap A Porter, an online free clothes swapping platform, which might just be the cure to fast fashion we never knew we needed.
If you liked this episode get in touch on Instagram with @greengirls.podcast
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Episode 9 Transcript: Chloe: [00:00:00] We acknowledge the traditional owners of the land in which we record this podcast
Mikaela: always was, always will be, Aboriginal land.
Chloe: Hello everyone. Welcome back to Green Girls. Today is a very exciting day cause we have our first special guest Layana Franco, a social startup founder. She has a Master's in Business Information Systems and is super passionate about learning and sustainable fashion. Welcome Layana.
Layana: Thank you, Chloe. Thank you, Mikaela, happy to be here. Thank you for having me.
Mikaela: We are actually so excited to have our first guest. This is a very big milestone for us, and I feel like you fit into our sort of world, very easily.
Layana: That's true. I think we met in [00:01:00] this Greenboard.
Chloe: So the main thing that we love about you, Layana is that you run something very exciting called Swap A Porter, which in a wonderful way deals with the waste, the rising waste of fashion.
Mikaela, do you care to take us through a few reasons why this is such an issue right now?
Mikaela: Yeah, definitely. So we've got a couple of statistics here. I'm gonna start off with Australian based now, Australians. Very big shoppers. Apparently we buy 14.8 kilos of clothing or 56 new items every year.
Chloe: Wow.
Mikaela: Gobsmacking, absolutely.
Chloe: Oh my gosh,
Layana: that's shocking.
Mikaela: Yes. Now I know on your beautiful website, you do have some statistics there as well, and you've also got some on the impact that you've made, which we'll touch on later. But I think for now we kind just need to cover why this is such an issue.
Keeping on going with this. There is roughly [00:02:00] 260,000 tons, or 10 kilos per person that go to landfill each year as well, just from clothing.
Chloe: My goodness.
Layana: Yeah. That's insane. That insane. Those statistics was what made me think of switching to second hand clothing. All the shocking numbers, made me realize that this is the future for our planet. We, we can't. Consuming new stuff as we are. It's definitely shocking.
Mikaela: Yeah, exactly
Chloe: I'm sure that we've got a few more stats, but I do wanna ask quickly. So is secondhand the only way that you shop for clothes now?
Layana: Secondhand is the main way I shop, I acquire clothes, but of course, There are situations we cant, for example, underwear, shoes.
For me, it's very hard to find the good shoes that fit my size in second [00:03:00] hand shops, and sometimes we are after something very particular that we can't find easily. So it's important to, to know how to buy new items and when to buy new items as well.
Mikaela: That's a really good point. Cause I feel like I often struggle with feeling like I'm doing something wrong when I'm buying something new.
But like you said, like no way in heck is anyone even gonna buy a second hand underwear. That's, I'm sure there's people out there who would, have a thing. But for practicality reasons, we can't buy secondhand underwear and sometimes when you need something in particular and you can't find it, I have a bit of a guilt feeling, but I'm glad to know that I'm not alone in that situation. Like obviously you understand the importance of shopping secondhand, but sometimes it's just not realistic.
Layana: Yeah, that's true. You need to be mindful of what you are getting, what you are buying. I think that's the main thing [00:04:00] about sustainability and fashion. Do things mindfully, in a way, why I'm buying this. Do I need this? How many times I can wear this?
Mikaela: That's a good point. I had a friend back in uni and I think it was more so on the financial side of things, but she used to calculate how much each wear cost her for an item. So say she had a dress for a hundred dollars and she'd worn it, this many times she'd be like, Oh, okay, this wear only cost me, $20. And then the more she wore it, the less it cost.
Chloe: Yeah. I've done that maths with a very casual top of mine, and I think it was one of the very last fast fashion things I bought. It was in Zara and I think it was reduced as well to maybe $10 and because of that and because I've literally won at least once a week since I've bought it, it's very cheap.
It's 4 cents every time I wear it or something now. I'm like, yes, I will absolutely spend more money now on basics if I have to buy them because I know I will wear them every time.
Mikaela: Yeah. Yeah. And I think, now [00:05:00] we should do the maths on realistic wearing as well. I used to be a sucker for the fast fashion items that were cool and on trend. And you wear it once and you're like, Oh, so if you're thinking about how many times you are actually gonna wear it, then you can also justify that purchase. Cause you think underwear, you wear underwear every day, you're gonna need to buy underwear.
Layana: And that's the thing when you wear or when you use something very often you need to try to get quality. A quality that's gonna last. So you don't waste that, your money and you don't waste the resources to make the items.
Mikaela: Very good point.
Chloe: Yeah. And I'm sure if you are buying second hand, then you've got a bit bought money to spend on making sure those basics are high quality, on getting good quality underwear that's not just gonna totally disappear in the wash.
Mikaela: Yes.
Layana: Good point. Very good point. Yeah. When you save money with second hand, you can spend that money on quality stuff.
Mikaela: Now, obviously we have touched on how much fabric [00:06:00] is wasted and how much actual items are wasted. But also a good point to touch on is the amount that is used in just the production of things.
So the textile industry also relies heavily on fossil fuels and other chemicals. Globally 98, I believe that is million tons of non-renewable resources are used in the fashion industry. So that's including oil to produce synthetic fibers, fertilizers to grow cotton and chemicals to produce dye. So when we are shopping, we also need to be mindful of the fabrics.
Layana: Yeah, that's very important. And even when you buy second hand. Many people now are getting concerned about the microplastic. If you buy synthetic clothes, the microplastic goes in your washing and go into the ocean, and you know where it ends up, in us. Because if you eat fish, you're gonna get that for sure.
So we're gonna get that back to you. [00:07:00] So some people are concerned about the consumption of microplastic, of synthetic fabrics, even if they're buying second hand. So I noticed that some people in the platform, they are after more, a hundred percent natural fiber, for example, Cotton Linen. And the quality is better. It's more comfortable to wear.
Chloe: Yeah. That's an interesting trend. A very not so fun stat, every single week each of us consumes like a credit card's worth of plastic. And that's just from, food, drink, just like drinking a glass of water and you've got microplastics there.
Mikaela: Oh Gross,
Layana: Ew
Chloe: I know. So fun.
Mikaela: Oh no.
Chloe: Yeah, so microplastics are definitely a big thing. We've got a gadget that arrived recently from a brand, I think it's called Girlfriend Collective in America, and they've made something that you fit onto your washing machine. So as your clothes wash, there's this filter that will catch microplastics before they go into the [00:08:00] pipes, and we need to fit that to the machine. And then I'll be really excited to see how it works.
Layana: Yeah. I would've be interested to to see how much they promised to say they can catch everything. Very interesting.
Chloe: Yeah. Yeah. I think, I feel like it would be impossible to say it catches everything, but it must be a very fine mesh or something on the inside. Cause I've got one of those bags that collects microplastics and I'm yet to see it actually, do anything, with anything inside it. Do you know what I mean? Yeah. Like I don't quite believe it works yet, so I'm excited for this solid filter thing. Put it on there, check it every month or something.
But it's really cool to see that there's a trend that you are noticing Layana, in even second hand, people looking for more sustainable materials. More natural materials.
Layana: Yeah. In the form where people blow the items, I make sure they tag A hundred percent natural, or if it's mixed or if it's a hundred percent synthetic. So I can't have, I can post that. [00:09:00] Because I know people go after that. They go after the composition of the fabric. Especially when you are into sustainability.
Mikaela: That's a really interesting thing. If people, they all go hand in hand. If people are buying second hand, they do wanna be more sustainable. And then if you look into the fabric side of things as well, a lot of those natural fibers we believe are more sustainable and they're comfortable. Like synthetics. I'm a sucker for synthetics. I always have been. But once you wear a pair of linen pants, Your mind's blown. Like they're pretty good.
Breathable.
Great.
Layana: And you don't even need to iron them. They look fancy even when there are wrinkles.
Mikaela: No, we don't like wrinkles.
Layana: It's Linen.
Chloe: Can we quickly touch on what is Swap Porter? What do what, how do people use Swap Porter? What is the purpose of it?
Layana: The purpose of Swap Porter is to help Australian women to switch style, to try [00:10:00] different styles without spending money and saving the environment.
Chloe: I realized that people, they, they need to consume. People, they have this desire for new things. Even though we say by less, people have desires, people have feelings. And especially in the society we live with, social media and everything, you'll see new. You have bombard with new things all the time.
Layana: And. You feel that desire, and I thought swapping would be the best way to make your wardrobe rotate.
Chloe: So you can still get that taste of something new, but it's only new to you. Nothing needed to be made.
Layana: Yeah. And you can even get trained. Because as you said, you bought something from Zara that you only wore once and you didn't want you anymore or sometimes you buy something that didn't fit well or you regret.[00:11:00]
It's a way to give a second life to clothes, but you know where they are going to because you are actually seeing the person who's getting it. It's online, it's going to somewhere because you are talking to the person. So it's a community. Every time you upload an item, you get a token, and with that token, you can swap for anything available in the platform.
The only cost is shipping if you don't live in the same town, the same city, that person, where the other swaper lives. So it was a solution that I found for the over consumption of cheap items, because when you think of fast fashion was really hard to fight that because there are all the time, putting new trends and ridiculous price. Like very cheap. Very cheap. And even if you consider to buy second hand, you are like, I can't get the new thing for [00:12:00] this price. If you go and get a top for $10, you could go to Chain or H&M and get something new that's same price or cheaper. So I thought we need a competitive advantage. So how can I, Can we fight those prices?
Yso make that for free. So you switch your wardrobe, That's the concept.
Chloe: So there isn't even like a signup fee. Join up fee, anything?
Layana: Yeah, swaps for free. But
Chloe: wow.
Layana: I get into the issue how I monetize this platform. How I make it sustainable, so that's the next step that I'm trying to figure out.
Chloe: Yeah, that's, yeah. It has to be sustainable for you.
Layana: Yeah. I need to make it sustainable, but keep swap for free. I don't want to charge any money for the swap. Because, that's how we [00:13:00] go around fast fashion.
Mikaela: That's really hard because obviously you are putting a lot of time and effort into this. You still need to have a living wage. How, you're obviously trying to do something good for the environment, good for other people, but how do you look after yourself at the same time? It's hard.
Layana: Yeah. That's why I decided to take this masters of business information systems because the answer is in technology. So technology can help to harness the potential of those platforms with users, with data, and make money. I need a big, I need a big user base for that.
Mikaela: Yeah. It's pretty cool that like you started this on Instagram during covid, and now you've grown you, you've actually had an in person clothing swap as well, which was so good.
Chloe: Yeah, I really wish I'd got to go to it.
Layana: Oh yeah, Chloe [00:14:00] got covid.
Mikaela: It was actually so cool.
Layana: I was so sad.
Mikaela: Speaking of covid. Yeah. But actually it was funny cause I think Chloe passed on her ticket. To some of my friends, and then two of my other friends actually won an Instagram competition to come, so they got free tickets. So there was a whole group of us there and I was like, this is amazing.
Chloe: Oh, what a fun time.
Mikaela: Yeah, sorry Chloe, I'm just rubbing it in.
Chloe: But I'm very happy that you had a great time and that you benefited from me not being there.
Mikaela: Sorry.
Chloe: But I did join in when it was just Instagram. I think I swapped a few things over the Instagram stories. Yeah, I remember that being such a cool, like way to run something. You did a really good job with it. And now I only looked at your website recently, like last week, and I thought, Wow, it looks really good. Like you've done an amazing job with it. It looks really user friendly. I am so excited to go on there and I can't believe that it is actually free.
Layana: Yeah. Thank you for the feedback. I'm really happy to hear that. [00:15:00]
Chloe: Yes. I love the word Scoin,
Layana: Oh S coin, maybe who knows, that's the way to monetize. Let's create a crypto coin. Cryptocurrency. Yeah. I have thought of so many possibilities. I think there are many possibilities, to be honest. Yeah, I just need the time to focus on that.
Chloe: So swap a porter. It's on pause right now, isn't it? Do you know when it's coming off pause?
Layana: It's on hold right now cause I can't handle it together with my studies. It's pretty intense.
Chloe: Yeah, you study full time?
Layana: To spend the night without sleeping, doing assignments, so I can't focus on that.
And when I do something, I like to do the best. I like to put like myself, like everything. You saw that in [00:16:00] the swap party, I'm all in when I'm doing something. And that's not the situation right now, so I put it on hold. And I think gonna be back to that when I finished my master, in May next year, I'll be,
Chloe: awesome.
Layana: Finally, free and
Mikaela: with some more knowledge behind you as well.
Chloe: Yes,
Layana: yes. More knowledge for sure. More networking. For example, this afternoon I was talking to someone who does retail marketing and she was giving me like great insight to monetize the platform. she was even offering herself to be a volunteer. And I get so excited when I get this response from people that's really believe in the idea. So I think that's something that, that must go on.
Mikaela: So you've just said it's on hold, but secretly in the background you are still doing a lot of work on it.
Chloe: Yeah. Clearly your heart is still there, Still going.
Layana: Even my uni assessment, [00:17:00] last trimester. I did three Uni assessments based on Swap A Porter with my case study.
Chloe: Oh, wow.
Mikaela: There you go.
Chloe: So how, I mean I'm, it's to do with business I suppose. So how did you fit in your own business?
Layana: The master is thesis information Systems, which is business and IT, and the subject was data analysis.
So I was analyzing all the data that I collected from the users. Oh, so when you fill out the platform, when you join, so you upload. Where you live, you send the the item, the brand, the condition, and then there are the transactions that are the swap. So I got to analyze all those insights. So whats the state that swapped the most, all those kind of stats from the platform. It's very small. Yeah, it is. But was enough to do the analysis. And my lectures, [00:18:00] they were really happy, I got HD.
Mikaela: That's awesome. Yes,
Chloe: You go. Well done. You go Glen Coco.
Mikaela: That's really impressive though cause yeah, you're studying, but you're still working on it. You're tying it all together. It's all benefiting each other. Like it's a very smart way that you're doing it.
Layana: Yes, definitely. The reason why I picked this course was because the start up. I knew that would help a lot. And I'm always working on that. Like every time people ask to have a meeting and talk about that, I'm always there cause it's something I love. I'm more than happy to do.
Chloe: Yeah, it's hard to turn it totally off. And yeah. I wanna go a bit off topic ish cause I know you're not doing everything right now, although it sounds like maybe you are, but how do you. Try to balance all of this. How do you therefore live a more sustainable life for you when everything is going on.
Are there any things that you do that sort of ground you, keep you sane?
Layana: You [00:19:00] mean what keeps me going?
Chloe: Yeah. What makes it so that you are driven and not just stressed out of your mind doing everything you love?
Layana: That's a great question. Sometimes I ask myself like, Why I'm doing this? This is part of my personality.
I'm very self driven. I love overcoming the challenge, I like to have a challenge and for pursue that, and overcome that, prove to myself. Yes, you can do it. For example, coming to Australia was another big challenge. I didn't speak English and learning English was a big challenge being able to communicate, to be here and express my ideas.
It's kinda a self-improvement journey, Kinda trying to be a better person, not for myself, but also to make the word a better place. I believe when we improve [00:20:00] ourselves, we make the word a better place. We learn and treat people fairly. We are more empathetic, so I'm in this yeah, self improvement journey. I think.
Mikaela: That's amazing cause I feel like most people, when they think of self improvement, it's for themselves. It's not, like exactly what you said to make the world a better place. That's amazing. I feel like I need to take a leaf out of your book.
Chloe: Yeah. My goodness. Learning a whole language.
Mikaela: Amazing. So when did you actually move to Australia?
Layana: Was five years ago.
Mikaela: Five years ago, and you're having a conversation with us, no worries, in your second language,
Layana: yeah.
Chloe: I had Duo Lingo for two whole years and I learned zero French, so good on you. My goodness
Layana: I'll never be perfect, it's my second language. There'll be every day I'll be learning new words, new things. But I don't mind, That's what I said to the girl [00:21:00] today. Done is better than perfect. That's what I learned with the startup journey. That it's better you do something and you don't care if it's perfect or not. At least you are doing, you're improving and at some point you'll get there.
Chloe: Yeah. It can be really hard to let go of perfection. I think even not do with business, but in ethical lifestyle. So many people are like, Oh, but I can't do it perfectly, so why am I trying? Like I can't be totally zero plastic, I'm such a failure.
I know I had that for myself at ages and it's like a toxic thought to have. It doesn't mean that you get anywhere, like people think, Oh no, I would be vegan, but I can't give up on cheese. It's you can just go at the pace that suits you. You don't have to give up cheese straight away if that's what brings you the most joy. You work around that and you tackle cheese when you can. Find a vegan cheese. It takes a lot of time to find a good vegan cheese, so it really does come into everything. What a great mindset to have, done is better than perfect. [00:22:00]
Mikaela: Yeah, that's awesome. I'm gonna write that down.
Chloe: It needs to be on our note board somewhere.
Mikaela: Yeah, definitely.
Chloe: On the Pinterest board,
Mikaela: there you go, here's the pen.
Chloe: Back to you, swap a Porter. Where does that name come from?
Layana: Good question. It was a dream because most of my ideas, they come like a dream, like I'm kinda sleeping and they just come up to my mind. For example, the logo was in the dream, but before I had already created the name, so the logo was in the dream, but the name was, and I had a moment. I was having a chat with my former boss and who was for Christmas party, and their wives were talking about Net A Porter. And obviously I knew the website, it's very famous, but at that moment when they talked about Net Porter and the [00:23:00] brand, and I was like, Huh, I could call my platform Swap A Porter, because I know that Net A Porter is inspired in the word pret.
Which is French, is a French award that means ready to wear. So back then, when they had Haute Couture before, before the Pret A Porter, they were Haute Couture and then fashion was becoming faster and faster. So they created these collections, that were launched every season and people could buy straight from the shop,
Mikaela: ready to wear.
Layana: Yeah. Ready to wear. And I was like, the concept is perfect because that's what I want. People have secondhand clothes, ready to wear. But. I wanna also to make a reference that's online so everyone [00:24:00] knows Net A Porter, everyone that loves fashion knows Net A Porter, and at the moment that they think of Swap A Porter, they will connect that it's online. That's something online. So that was the, the moments that I got the inspiration was in this chat with my ex boss wife.
Mikaela: That's so cool.
Chloe: You'll forever be thankful for her.
Mikaela: Yeah. That's an awesome origin story. So quick question for you. When you started this, you weren't doing your studies. It was it something that you just decided to do. So did you have a business plan?
Layana: Yes, I did. So do you want me to tell the story since the beginning? It's a long story,
Mikaela: How much time have you got.
Layana: I'll try to tell. I have told this story so many times. I think I can do that quick. Everything started when I arrived in Australia, so I came with only a suitcase full of winter clothes [00:25:00] and after four months. The season changed. I needed summer clothes, but I couldn't get a job, back then. What I'm gonna do, I can't buy a whole wardrobe right now. I'm broke. So my friend told me, go to thebasement of our building, eh, because there's a charity being there where people dump used clothes. And I was like, Okay, I'll check it out.
When I got there I was like, What heck is happening here? Cause I found like amazing stuff. I was going to school, to my English course and all my friends like the rich. People like the richstudents, international students that were wearing like brands, and they look at my clothes like, Wow, I love your outfit.
Mikaela: Where did you get it?
Layana: Should I tell them that I got it from the [00:26:00] charity bin. They're probably the ones that are putting their clothing there.
Mikaela: Yeah.
Chloe: Oh, maybe. How fantastic to get those comments. Oh my gosh.
Layana: And I was like, when people start like giving me compliments on that. I was, maybe I could sell clothes, like secondhand clothes because there's so many. But then my ex, my boyfriend told me, Look, this is not ethical because those clothes are going to charity and they're gonna sell them to give money to charity.
And I was, How, where, and he said the op shops. So that's how I found out about Op Shop because in Brazil we don't have it.
Chloe: Really?
Layana: So I went to visit Salvos, Red Cross and understood, Oh, okay, I can't sell those.
It's okay if I use for myself because I need charity, but I can't resell it. [00:27:00] Yes, but that stuck got stuck in my mind. At some point, I needed to renew my visa and I need to pick a course, and I didn't know what I want to study. I came to Australia to do a master's in fashion, because I have a bachelor in fashion back in Brazil, but it was so expensive and I was Okay, I want to stay in Australia, but I don't know what to study. And this person advised me the agent advised me, Just do business. Do we have a business idea? Because business is a course that you can apply to many areas. You can apply to fashion as well. I was like, so I thought maybe I could have a secondhand business, and I went to this diploma, and when we got into the module of design thinking about problem, solutions, they were like, What problem do you want to solve? You need to have a problem and then create a business idea around this problem. That's how I started to investigating [00:28:00] the fashion over consumption issue.
I was already aware of that. I was aware of all, they statistics that in Australia, every 10 minute six tons of clothes going to landfill and I dig deep, I dig deep into that. I created like many solutions. I even tried to imagine a recycling plant, but I'm not there was no technology for that. And Swap A Porter, was the end result of this research.
It took me a year to come up with the concept, and the concept was evolving. Because in the beginning I wanted to have that like a dating app where people could match clothes. But then I realized that would be a little bit harder, it would make the swap harder. So I moved to the token system and it still evolving. The idea is still evolving. Every [00:29:00] time I learn something new, I hear something from people. I learn new technology. I'm kind of shaping the idea.
Mikaela: Constantly evolving. Yeah, that's an awesome story.
Chloe: Yeah. So were you still studying then, your fashion degree while coming up with this concept and then doing business? Or was that your first year of business?
Layana: I did a fashion degree in Brazil. After my degree I went to live in Angola in Africa. I lived there for four years and after that I moved to Australia to learn English. And I've fell in love with Melbourne. I wanted to stay here longer and I decided to keep studying after English.
I took a Diploma an Advanced Diploma in business, and now I'm doing the masters. I was like, Alright, I got to this concept. I know what I want to do because honestly, when I came here I was like trying to figure out my life what I'm [00:30:00] gonna. I don't know. I dunno. What I want to study, I dunno what I want to do for work. I came here to experience and figure out things and I found the answer in the bin. In the charity bin.
Chloe: Knowing that, you're solving a problem that has to do with the fashion, something you were already pretty passionate about. It seems like such a perfect fit for you. It really does seem like you will stay passionate about this and how exciting that you're actually going to keep it evolving. It's never gonna get stale. Yeah. I love that you're actually going to listen to people and the statistics. . Go where it needs to be. That sounds really cool. Are there already ways that you think it's going to change?
Layana: Yeah. I have already some ideas, but I can't tell now,
Mikaela: not yet.
Layana: I have had many ideas [00:31:00] for that.
Chloe: Oh, that's exciting. I'm sure it's hard to wait.
Layana: Look at my smile.
Mikaela: I know, pure excitement. You just wanna tell us. I know it. No, that's okay. We'll be right behind you as soon as you announce, as soon as you make any changes.
Chloe: So are you quite good at managing your time then? Do you have a really chock a block calendar?Or do you just somehow know what's going on in your life?
Layana: I dunno if I can show you that I'm afraid of damage to my computer, but can you see that?
Chloe: Are they, oh, are they what? Chalkboards,
Layana: Yes, they are my schedule. I write down.
Mikaela: I love it.
Chloe: Wow.
Layana: Can you see them?
Chloe: So Google calendar doesn't quite work for you? It needs to be,
Mikaela: Hard copy.
Layana: It works, but I like to be always looking at them. And also there is Mikaela, heart.
Mikaela: Oh my little note.
Layana: You remember that?
Mikaela: Aw, I did. So I swapped something. It was a top that I [00:32:00] bought that I loved, but again, just did not wear. And I was like, you know what, I'm gonna upload this. And Layana was like, I want this. So we did a swap and I wrote her a little note on a love heart, Winnie the pooh notepad that I've had for years. And I was like, You know what? This brings me so much joy. I'm gonna write on here. And,
Chloe: that's so sweet.
Mikaela: She pinned me up on the wall.
Oh my gosh.
Layana: The one of the first feedback that I got.
Mikaela: There you go.
Chloe: That's so cute. I think like for any struggling student especially, or just to save money in general, like the idea of just swapping something and it being online, it seems like the perfect post covid option, honestly. Yeah. I'm really excited for whenever you do relaunch, I'll be on there nonstop.
Mikaela: Same, I've got plenty of things to swap.
Layana: Even at my uni, they offer me like, you could do a swap here at the uni, invite the [00:33:00] students and everything. They love the idea. And there was a girl also from the community, she offered the restaurant of her father, If you wanna do a swap, you can just go there. Use that space for free. I was like, Cool, cool. We'll have venues. Yeah.
Chloe: That's cool. At least in person there is more of an aspect of making some money.
Layana: Yeah. In person. At least we can get the tickets. Yeah, If the venues for free, Yeah, if the venues for free, it's possible. And getting back to the question that I was replying about my course degrees. So I took fashion back in Brazil, a bachelor degree, then diploma, advanced diploma in business in Australia, and now I'm doing the Masters in business information systems.
Chloe: All right. I have some fun questions to fire at you.
Firstly, when you're not busy saving the world from fast fashion, [00:34:00] what do you like to do?
Layana: Oh, I love doing exercises, running, cycling, everything that can spend energy. And also being in touch with nature, for example, living in St Kilda, nearby the beach. I love going there. No matter. If it's raining or sunny, I like to see the ocean.
Chloe: Yeah.
Layana: And the cute dogs around.
Mikaela: Oh yeah. You'd see so many cute dogs there. Live for the dogs.
Layana: Okay. Is there one, this is quite vague, like one quote or book or Ted talk, like something that you wish everyone could see. What would you share with the world.
What I would share with the world. I think there are so many good advice out there. That one that I shared, Done is better and perfect is, is a good one. But also,
Chloe: good guiding words.
Layana: I [00:35:00] can't think of a video, but an advice that I've learned, like through many videos or books that I've been reading is to love yourself, to accept yourself by what you are, like you don't need to become anything to be loved. You already are. Because sometimes We do so much. We need, we want to become like, I want to become entrepeneur, I want to get a promotion, I want to be richer. I want to be prettier. I want to the trends of the moment because I want to be loved. I want people to love , but you don't need to become something to be loved. You already are. You were already born with everything you need to be loved, so,
Chloe: Aww. [00:36:00]
Layana: I think if people start thinking more about that, many problems in the world will be solved. Like our insecurities, like we sometimes so insecure, should I talk? Should I do this? Am I gonna suck at it? Don't, just don't be afraid. Just be yourself. Just be, We are human beings, not human doings. We are here just to be.
Mikaela: I love that, we are here just to be, amazing. Maybe we should have you on every episode just to give us some little, you know, some wisdom.
Chloe: Pep talk,
Mikaela: some life affirmations.
Chloe: You are loved,
Mikaela: human beings. I love that.
Chloe: Oh, that is perfect. One very last question, and that is simply big or small. What brings you joy?
Layana: That's a good question. Like I came up with [00:37:00] a joy routine for myself. Like I, I don't want to think that joy is something that depends on others. It's something that I can create. So I thought, what would be a perfect day for myself? What should I do? So for me, a perfect day, a happy day would be a day that I do exercise, I expend energy, I get in touch with nature. I connect with someone and I do something creative.
Chloe: Huh.
Mikaela: I think I need to write all that down.
Layana: I learn something new. So those five things doesn't matter what it is. But I need to do at least those five things to be happy, to have a happy day.
Chloe: That is a day full of joy.
Layana: So if I accomplish things that match with my values. ,Like those are my values, things that matter to me. I'll be [00:38:00] happy.
Chloe: Yeah.
Mikaela: That's amazing. I think I need to give myself a joy routine. You really can sit down and think,
Chloe: I love the idea.
Mikaela: What actually makes me happy. And then you do those things and it's just a constant cycle. I love it.
Layana: Yeah.
Mikaela: Force some happiness into your life.
Chloe: You have been a perfect first guest. What a great introduction.
Mikaela: Amazing. I know I've said amazing so many times this time, but I'm just like,
Chloe: It's replaced the word, absolutely. So well done.
Mikaela: Oh, don't. I know. No, but in all seriousness, you have been really great and we are so grateful that you have come on board to talk to us today and we are very excited to see where you go and we'll be following you definitely a hundred percent of the way.
Chloe: Yeah, the minute Swap A Porter reopens in whatever aspect that is, we'll be 100% behind you.
Mikaela: Yes.
Layana: Oh, thank you so much girls. I feel so happy to be sharing a little bit of my story with you and [00:39:00] getting to know you a little bit more. Congratulations on the initiative. It's amazing you decide to dedicate your time to that. I believe it's a passion project, like Swap A Porter is to me, and
Chloe: we keep each other motivated.
Layana: I always love to support people who have these, like these passions, those things that they do, they love it, that makes them happy. We keep going, we'll support each other.
Mikaela: Thank you.
Chloe: Yes, thank you, but we're not here for the compliments, so we're like, oh, no.
Mikaela: I'll take them. I'll take them. Anything I'm like awww
Layana: Yeah, take them, take them. You deserve them.
Mikaela: Claps to all. Claps to all of us.
Chloe: Nice. Good job guys.
Mikaela: Okay, Lovely people. If you enjoyed today's show, we would love it if you could leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or a star rating on Spotify or wherever else you listen to your podcast.
You can follow the podcast on Instagram [00:40:00] @GreenGirls.Podcast. If you'd like to follow Chloe on Instagram, that's @BeKindCoco. And if you would like to follow myself, Mikaela on Instagram, that's @MikaelaHofman or @RetroKittyVintage. And because we had a special guest today, I think we should definitely share her socials.
So if you'd like to follow Layana, that is @LayanaFranco. And if you would like to follow Swap A Porter on Instagram, that's @swap.A.Porter. We have also just started a Patreon. It is quite new, but you can look up Green Girls Podcast there and find us. But that is all, look out for new episodes every other Wednesday because on Wednesdays we podcast.
We hope you enjoyed listening to our ramblings today, and until next time, remember, it doesn't matter if you take it slow. It matters that you take a step. Bye bye.
Chloe: Bye bye. Yes, I did dance along to the music you can't hear.
Mikaela: I loved it. I looked at you and I was [00:41:00] like trying not to laugh. I was just trying to be like,