Sustainable Living: A Day in the Life of Eco-Conscious Blogger, Katy Ho
“Sustainability & social justice, but make it fashion.”
Katy Ho is a passionate human rights, animal welfare, and environmental activist.
After working in the fashion industry as a marketing specialist, business consultant, and model, she recognized that there were still major gaps in the fashion industry relating to diversity, ethics, and sustainability. Taking initiative on the problems plaguing one of the world’s largest industries, Katy started @attiremedia to alleviate the gaps and help consumers adopt conscious fashion practices.
Katy is also a sustainable lifestyle blogger (@katyho_), covering topics like eco-conscious fashion and women’s reproductive rights. We love her commitment to a better future and wanted to learn more about a day in her life. Check it out below!
Morning
Getting Dressed: I enjoy waking up early for a nice, slow morning. The first thing I do after washing up is change into my outfit for the day. My wardrobe primarily consists of pieces that are either thrifted, hand-me-downs, or from sustainable brands. Faun Studio’s Mirrorball jumpsuit is one of my favourite pieces for a minimalist, effortless look!
Beauty Routine: There are only a handful of beauty products in my collection: since I’m not a makeup guru, I just stick to a few consistent beauty staples like concealer, brow pomade, light eyeshadow, and eyeliner. When selecting my products, I always research and ask to ensure they are vegan, cruelty-free, and high quality.
Laundry: To reduce environmental footprint, it’s important to only wash in full loads and to use cold water for most laundry cycles. I use the Guppyfriend microplastics washing bag for synthetic pieces (made from materials like polyester, rayon, and spandex) - this filters out microplastics and prevents ocean plastic pollution. After the load has been washed, I dry my clothes on a rack, instead of in a dryer machine, to save energy.
Breakfast: I usually opt for a quick and simple vegan meal at breakfast time. Lately, I’ve been enjoying sourdough bread from Kashew Bakery with vegan butter, homemade hummus, and homemade soy milk.
Meetings: I try to batch my meetings so they all take place in the morning, which energizes me as an extrovert and gives me time to focus on my work for the rest of the day. Most mornings, I meet with my team at Attire Media - an online platform that provides resources for conscious fashion consumers - and other collaborators in the sustainable fashion space.
Afternoon
Lunch: A simple, energizing meal I enjoy making for lunch is quinoa salad. Mixing quinoa with avocado and assorted veggies like kale and bell peppers, then drizzling with extra virgin olive oil and garlic seasoning always gives me a nice mid-day boost.
Creative work: The bulk of my afternoon is spent working on creative projects relating to slow fashion, sustainability, and social justice. Listening to calming, poetic music transports me into my flow state, and I often find myself listening to Lana Del Rey’s Chemtrails over the Country Club and Taylor Swift’s folklore. Faun Studio has some dreamy Swift-inspired pieces in its collection, like the Reputation blazer dress, Lover crop top, and Folklore pants.
Walk: Once I’ve finished my to-do list for the day, I head out for a walk around my neighbourhood or venture out to a local park. A great way to enjoy nature during these walks is the Japanese practice of shinrin-yoku, otherwise known as forest bathing, where I unplug from the rest of the world and fully immerse all of my senses in the nature around me.
Evening
Dinner: My dinners usually feature vegan staples like tofu or tempeh, but occasionally, I’ll treat myself to some delicious plant-based meat alternatives like Beyond Meat burgers or Field Roast sausages.
Shower: My showers usually take about 5 to 10 minutes to save water, and I use natural shampoo and soap bars to reduce clutter and plastic pollution.
Skincare routine: I always make sure to use skincare products that are cruelty-free, vegan, and eco-conscious. It feels so good to cleanse and treat my skin after a busy day!
Yoga: To stretch out and wind down for the night, I light some candles and do 10 to 30 minutes of yoga.
Reading: I love ending my day curled up in bed with a book, allowing my mind to wander off into another world. Lately, I’ve been reading The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood, one of my favourite authors. I like borrowing books from my local library whenever possible, and for books I want to keep in my collection, I try to support local bookstores like Massy Books, an Indigenous-owned bookstore in Vancouver. Recently, I also invested in an e-reader, which makes it easy to bring my latest read wherever I go, and also saves space in my home.