In this podcast episode, the interviewer speaks with Ashleigh Dawson, founder and CEO of Recycled Riches, a nonprofit organization in Los Angeles that aims to change the culture of consumption through communication, collaboration, and community education. Ashley discusses her organization's mission and the challenges of changing the culture of consumption. She emphasizes the importance of sustainability in every avenue of consumption and the need for consumers to be educated about responsible consumption. Ashleigh also talks about the responsibility of big and small brands in promoting sustainability and the importance of policy change. She recommends resources for education on sustainability topics and shares her experience with rejection and leadership.
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In 2014, Hamilton Perkins founded Hamilton Perkins Collection, an independent brand that designs and produces unique and award-winning bags and accessories made from upcycled materials. Each bag is made from pineapple leaf fiber, billboard vinyl, fabric banners, apparel, and other advertising waste.
Perkins was awarded an equity-free grant as the winner of the Virginia Velocity Tour hosted by Village Capital and the Governor of Virginia. The non-profit B Lab honored Hamilton Perkins Collection as a "Best for the World Overall" B Corporation in 2017. Perkins was voted to Inside Business’ 40 under 40 and Old Dominion University Alumni Association’s 40 under 40 lists.
Perkins has been mentioned in Forbes, Fast Company, The New York Times, Money Magazine, and The Washington Post. Select past client work includes Affirm, National Geographic, Hewlett-Packard, Nordstrom, Target, S.C. Johnson and Son, Dow Chemical, Oracle, Salesforce, Barnes and Noble, West Elm, Holt Renfrew, C.F. Martin & Company, Imerys, Leesa Sleep, Zappos, Paramount Pictures, AMEX, Hanover Insurance, NYC Department of Sanitation and Ellen.
The brand is currently offered in nearly 150 leading department stores and specialty stores in the United States, Canada, and Europe. Hamilton Perkins Collection has transformed 800,000 bottles into bags and over 40,000 pounds of old signs and into bags with the goal of 10 million bottles and over 500,000 pounds.
Perkins has been a speaker for BNY Mellon, Faire, Mastercard and has provided research for Harvard Business School. Perkins serves on the executive advisory council board at Old Dominion University’s Strome College of Business.
