"They couldn't find anything — everything was below their limit of detection," he said.

The only problem with the vodka is that so far there's only one bottle of it, according to the BBC. The team said in a blog post they plan on making more bottles of Atomik, with the hope of making a profit to help local communities that surround the abandoned zone.

The recent HBO series "Chernobyl" renewed interest in the disaster and the site where it transpired. Fears of radiation have kept many away from the exclusion zone, which was evacuated in the aftermath of the 1986 nuclear accident, but thousands of tourists now travel to the site every year. So many, in fact, that Ukraine's president announced plans to make the site and surrounding areas more tourist friendly. The plans include new waterways and checkpoints in the area, enhanced cellphone reception and new walking trails. Filming restrictions will also be lifted.

Back in April 1986, when the region was part of the Soviet Union, a reactor at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant exploded, resulting in at least 32 deaths in the immediate aftermath. After initially downplaying the risk, the communist regime soon forced thousands of people to evacuate, turning the nearby city of Pripyat into a ghost town. Hundreds of square miles surrounding the reactor remain off limits.

ART

An Artist Will Make a $2 M. Diamond Disappear in Plain Sight at the New York Stock Exchange

Content Courtesy of: artnews.com

Written by: Annie Armstrong

Diamonds may be forever, but artist Diemut Strebe is planning to make a high-profile precious stone vanish.

Beginning on September 13, Strebe will have her work The Redemption of Vanity on display at the New York Stock Exchange. The piece is comprised of a 16.78 carat natural yellow diamond, valued at $2 million, which will be shrouded in “the blackest black ever created,” also known as carbon nanotubes. The effect of the carbon nanotubes, or CNT, will cause the diamond to become invisible to the naked eye. The piece will be on display until November 25.

The New York Stock Exchange.

Strebe collaborated with a scientist at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where she is an artist-in-residence, to utilize the CNT. The scientist, Brian Wardle, who previously collaborated with Trevor Paglen on his 2012 project The Last Pictures, created the material, which absorbs 99.96 percent of surrounding light.

“That the piece is on display at the New York Stock Exchange is a good match. [The project] explores how material and immaterial value is attached to objects and concepts in reference to luxury, society and to
 art. ” Strebe told ARTnews. “Interestingly both the diamond and the carbon nanotubes are made of the same element, carbon, but their different atomic lattice structure is the reason for their opposite properties in exposure to light. The one reflects light to the extreme, and the other absorbs it to the most opposite extreme, drawing no shadows on the object. The CNT covered diamond will appear entirely flat.”

Strebe and Wardle are offering the development of CNT to be used by any artist, unlike Anish Kapoor’s exclusive ownership of his “vantablack,” which also absorbs nearly the same amount of light as Wardle’s creation. In a joint statement, Strebe and Wardle said, “We do not believe in exclusive ownership of any material or idea for any artwork and have opened our method to any artist.”

Diamonds have been the art world’s best friend as of late. In 2016, Jill Magid’s similarly science-adjacent project took the ashes of the late architect Luis Barragán and, with the help of a lab, alchemized them into a 2.02-carat diamond. Before that, Damien Hirst’s sculpture For The Love of God (2007) became one of his most recognizable pieces, as over 8,000 diamonds created a skull that cost £14 million ($17 million) to produce.

The diamond in Strebe’s piece comes from L.J. West Diamonds Inc., and Strebe explained that the price tag attached was highly important. “Value was key for this project,” she said. “[The diamond] is enormous! I’ve never seen anything like it. It’s a highly symbolic object. [This piece] could be seen as a challenge to the art market.”

Brother Sues Brother Over Warhol ‘Moonwalk’ Print

Written by: Tessa Solomon

It’s brother versus brother in a battle over proceeds from the sale of a Andy Warhol Moonwalk screenprint. On Wednesday, Keith Donaldson filed suit against his brother Robert in Hennepin County District Court in Minnesota over what the lawsuit alleges was an “unauthorized” sale of Keith’s Warhol.

According to civil court papers, the brothers had acquired the Warhol work—two prints published in an edition of 160—in 1999, and Robert held both pieces in his possession. In 2018, Keith asked for the return of what he believed was his half—only to learn Robert had sold both parts two years prior for $200,000, ultimately netting $180,000 after a commission.

Aldrin atop the Moon during Apollo 11.

Moonwalk—merged stills featuring Buzz Aldrin and the American flag—was executed by Warhol in 1987, only months before his death. They were the only prints ever completed for TV, Warhol’s planned portfolio of monumental moments in American television history. At Sotheby’s in April, a set that was estimated at $250,000 to $350,000 sold for $312,500.

According to the lawsuit, Keith is requesting either the return of the print or at least $140,000, which he claims is the fair market value of one half of the work.

“Robert intentionally and improperly converted to his own use Keith’s art by selling it and intentionally and improperly converted to Robert’s own use of the proceeds of the sale of Keith’s art,” wrote Keith’s attorney, Julie Nagorski, in the lawsuit.

Attorneys representing Keith and Richard Donaldson did not immediately return requests for comment. A court date is not yet set.

Written by: Annie Armstrong

Christie’s to Sell Collection of ‘Kinky Boots’ Producer and Palm Beach ‘Grande Dame’ Terry Allen Kramer

Beginning this fall and continuing into 2020, Christie’s in New York will auction off more than 260 pieces of art and design from the collection of philanthropist and theater producer Terry Allen Kramer, who died in May at the age of 85. During her career, she produced Broadway hits such as Kinky Boots, Hello, Dolly!, and The Humans.

The lots, offered in an array of different sales, are estimated to bring in $20 million. On October 16, a sale dedicated to her collection will include works of art, decorative art, and furniture that filled her Upper East Side apartment and her estate in Palm Beach, Florida—whose society referred to her as its reigning “grande dame.”

Pablo Picasso, Buste d’homme (1968), which is estimated to sell for between $9 million and $12 million.

The biggest-ticket offerings will be included in Christie’s evening sale of Impressionist and modern art on November 11, where her late Picasso, Buste d’homme (1968), is estimated to go for between $9 million and $12 million. That auction also includes her Pissarro, Jardin et poulailler chez Octave Mirbeau, Les Damps (1892), estimated between $4 million to $6 million. Her collection also included works by artists such as as Aristide Maillol, Henri De Toulouse-Lautrec, and Mary Cassatt.

Christie’s will also be selling works on paper and prints from her collection by artists like Dalí, Léger, Matisse, Miró, and Picasso.

Max Carter, the head of Christie’s Impressionist and modern art department, said in a release that her collection “reflects the spirit of adventure and sense of fun she was legendary for, spanning the best of modern art from the late-19th to mid-20th centuries.”

FASHION

Fashion Is Dissent—How Style Played a Role in Equality Movements

Content Courtesy of: whowhatwear.com

Written by: JASMINE FOX-SULIAMAN

Women's Equality March and Strike, 1970

Some might say that style and politics are mutually exclusive. I’d beg to differ. Sure, the way you choose to dress can seem frivolous compared to the tragedies happening in the world, but the truth is that style has been and continues to be a tool for marginalized communities as a form of visual dissent. As we celebrate Women’s Equality Day and reflect on the history of how women fought for our right to participate in democracy (while wearing all-white, might I add), let us note the role style can play in the fight for the rights of all marginalized groups.

By no means am I looking to diminish the message of any movement, especially when we're advocating for human rights, but fashion doesn’t have to take away from the message or the fight; it can add to it. How you choose to dress can speak to your beliefs. Not only can your T-shirt say what you care about, but your purchases can impact the environment and the communities that are producing the products you buy. But you don’t have to take my word for it. Ahead, I’ve tapped fashion historian Laura McLaws Helms to speak to the intersection between style and politics and how style can be a form of dissent.

Tell us a little about yourself. Where did you study? 

I grew up in New York City and London. I got my BFA in photography at Tisch School of the Arts, NYU, and then went on to get my masters from FIT in fashion and textile studies. Afterward, I did two years toward a Ph.D. in fashion history at LCF. Even as a little child, I was interested in fashion and especially historic fashion—poring over old photo albums, digging through trunks in my grandparents' attic, obsessing over paper dolls based on past eras. As soon as I could read, I was learning about fashion, and then I started collecting vintage from secondhand shops and car boot sales when I was a pre-teen, so it is unsurprising that I made fashion history my career.

As a fashion historian, how would you describe your job to those who don’t know what that is? 

I study, research, and write about the interconnections between fashion and culture throughout history—looking to situate dress as an integral part of the culture, both shaping and shaped by how we live our lives. Most of my work currently is writing articles and consulting with brands about fashion history, but I’ve also curated museum exhibitions, written books, and given talks/seminars about fashion and cultural history.

You have a serious vintage collection. What era of clothing do you personally love and collect the most?  

I really adore 1967 to 1973. It was an era of real fantasy in fashion. Historic revivalism met Bohemian luxe in a theatrical ode to times past and far-off places.

Suffragette picketing at the White House, 1917

Why do you think that in spaces of academia, and wider society, people are quick to dismiss the importance of fashion and its role in both historical movements and the cultural zeitgeist? 

For centuries, society has seen fashion as frivolous and the purview of bored women with brains only for feathers and furbelows. While academic publications that have centered dress as a vital aspect of culture have begun to shift attitudes, it has been a very slow process over the last 60 years—though I’ve definitely seen an increase in acceptance and understanding of the value of fashion history and fashion itself in the last 10 years.

Proceeds go toward the ACLU.

From a historical lens, what examples would you give to shed light on the fact that marginalized communities use style as a visual indicator of their dissent against the political systems and societal “norms” that oppress them? 

Often as a form of dissent, marginalized groups take aspects of their oppressor’s dress and subvert it. This can be very clearly seen by feminists over the years that have adopted masculine clothes—playing with androgyny, hinting at homosexuality, covered up in a suit or pants yet skirting the edges of what was considered “proper” and “appropriate” for a woman to wear. Lesbians like Romaine Brooks and her partners Natalie Barney and Lily de Gramont wore variations of masculine dress not in an attempt to pass as men but as a signal—a way of making their sexuality manifest. While gender fluidity and sexual freedom are accepted and understood (by most) today, in earlier decades, they were viewed with panic and as morally wrong.

Woman arrested for egging on the Zoot Suit Riots in 1943

Zoot suits were another form of subversive dress and bricolage. They were developed and popularized in African American and Mexican American communities in the 1940s, and for the wearers, the extravagantly flamboyant suits were a repudiation of the constrained and boring suits (and lives) of white society as well as a declaration of freedom and self-determination. The rebellion inherent in their exaggerated proportions led them to be associated in the media with delinquency, and many considered their voluminous use of fabric as wasteful and unpatriotic in light of textile rationing during World War II. The Zoot Suit Riots occurred in Los Angeles in 1943 when American servicemen and white civilians attacked and stripped primarily Mexican American youths clad in zoot suits; rooted in racism, white Americans viewed the zoot suits as an affront on traditional American values.

Pride March in London, 1988

Though we’re living in 2019, there are a lot of misconceptions about feminism, specifically how it impacts the clothing women who identify as such choose to wear. Why do you think society as a whole tends to think a feminist can’t dress in a "feminine" way? 

Often, the media has depicted feminism as a total rejection of femininity and sexual orientation instead of a push for equality and a rejection of patriarchal dominance. While there have definitely been feminists who have rejected femininity and all its associated worlds (fashion, beauty, etc.), most have sought to remove the traditional strictures put on feminine life—the idea that women’s place was in the home, solely devoted to raising children and doing housework, all while looking fresh and beautiful for their husband. The happy homemaker, as she was so lovingly glorified at the time. Femininity and feminism do not have to be mutually exclusive, though they are often considered that way. And furthermore, identifying as a feminist doesn't determine your sexual orientation.

Dr. Martens has donated a portion of the sales of its Pride boots to The Trevor Project.

A young demonstrator protesting the Miss America beauty pageant, 1968

How has the way a typical “feminist” dresses evolved, and why do you think it’s so hard for society to believe that a woman can be both a feminist and still love fashion?

I don’t believe that there is a typical feminist or typical feminist dress. One of the greatest shifts to happen during the tumultuous changes of the 1960s was the breaking down of the idea that there is a single acceptable way for a woman to dress. Once any style is available and acceptable (jeans, suits, flowing dresses, etc.), the need to use dress to broadcast one’s beliefs and political alignments becomes less necessary (though still a totally valid mode of expression). A feminist can wear whatever she pleases today. I think in general, society is becoming more understanding that feminism does not equate to anti-feminine.

Feminist demonstration in New York, 1970

In terms of trends, which era indicated the greatest shift in women’s role within society? 

The greatest shift in a woman’s role in society probably occurred in the 1960s. While the whole 20th century was full of advances in women’s rights and shifts in status, the 1960s was a decade of dramatic changes in women’s lives and also in their dress. At the turn of the decade, women were still expected to wear gloves, stay home, be docile, not enjoy sex. The pill was approved by the FDA in 1960, dramatically changing women’s sex lives and allowing women the opportunity to postpone children while pursuing careers. The Civil Rights Act of 1964 outlawed discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin at the same time that miniskirts began to unveil women’s legs, for the first time not on a beach. All of the advancements in the women’s liberation movement and civil rights were so deeply connected with the opening up of women’s dress. In 10 years, women went from girdles, stockings, and gloves to no bras, pantyhose (first introduced in 1959 with the first seamless ones appearing in 1965), miniskirts, and jeans for everyday wear.

Women's March in Berlin, 2017

How do you feel culture uses style now as a political statement? 

For the last few years, we have seen many fashion designers sending down their catwalks pieces that state in bold text grand political statements. Drawing clearly on Katharine Hamnett's iconic mid-1980s political slogan T-shirts, designers like Pyer Moss and Maria Grazia Chiuri at Dior have used their platforms to make clear political messages. These kinds of political slogan tees can be worn to boldly show any political allegiance, and a quick search online shows how omnipresent they are. Many elements of style that started as a sign of resistance and as a clear political signifier—like the LGBTQ+ rainbow—have now been commercialized by big business. They still have the same meaning but by becoming such a mass symbol have lost some of their anger and power.

One hundred percent of proceeds benefit NARAL Prochoice America.

Justice for All march in Washington, D.C., 2014

In conclusion, style has had a place not only in our closets but also in our cultural movements. It has been an integral part of every movement, from civil rights to LGBQT+ rights, and continues to be. There’s power in choosing to let your personal style break societal gender norms or choosing to buy sustainable, ethically made pieces. But ultimately, the biggest power is speaking up; you can wear your feminist T-shirt, but if you’re not showing up the marches or the polls, if you’re not educating yourself on the plights of other marginalized communities, or you’re not having difficult conversations with family members, then you’re just wearing a T-shirt. Style is only truly radical when put in action.

Vegan fashion: the latest, the greatest and what else to know

Content Courtesy of: fashionunited.uk

Written by: Simone Preuss

Vegan fashion - once snickered at as a short-lived fad at best - is now becoming fashionable, if not mainstream and even luxury brands are catching on and increasingly make do without fur, angora, mohair, exotic skins and even leather, wool and silk. Mainstream labels are setting examples, for instance Amsterdam-based denim brand Kings of Indigo is now a 100 percent vegan brand; luxury fashion brand Stella McCartney has always been vegan and pioneers like Loomstate, Planet Guests, Doshi and others are pushing boundaries when it comes to new standards in fashion. FashionUnited has taken a look at recent alternatives embraced by brands going fully or partly vegan.

Vegan brands

Vegan products are defined by PETA as being “clothes, shoes and accessories that contain no leather, fur, wool, skin, exotic skins or any other animal-derived fabric.” “Veganism as a lifestyle choice is more popular than ever and with ever-rising cruelty-free product demand, retailers, beauty brands and designers are raising their game to meet the animal-free market needs,“ finds the animal rights organisation.

Vegan handbag brand Gunas to launch beauty line

American vegan handbag company Gunas is known for creating cruelty-free handbags which are hand-crafted in South Korea, in sweatshop-free facilities. The brand announced the launching of a beauty line to produce 100 percent plant-based animal-free artisanal beauty bars, starting with pure olive oil soap in floral fragrances and volcanic ash.

Aldo and Call it Spring to eliminate single use shopping bags

The Canadian retailer of men’s and women’s shoes, Call It Spring, has become fully vegan by removing all animal materials from its entire product range. In keeping with its commitment to a greener future, Canadian Aldo Group, the first fashion footwear and accessories company in the world to be certified climate neutral, along with Call It Spring announced the bag-free initiative to phase out all single-use shopping bags from corporate stores globally.

Brands with vegan selections

Currently, countries like the US, UK, Germany and France are investing the most in the vegan market. According to London-based retail technology company Edited, by the end of January 2019, there was a 75 percent increase in products described as ‘vegan’ in the UK, 11 percent in the US, 12 percent in France, and a staggering 320 percent in Denmark. No wonder then that the beauty and footwear and also the fashion industry are increasingly putting their efforts into vegan products.

New Look launches range of vegan shoes and bags

British fashion giant New Look becomes the first high-street fashion retailer to register products with The Vegan Society’s Vegan Trademark. New Look’s registered products are free of animal-derived components, including any that might be found in fabrics, threads, glues, dyes and treatments, also the manufacturing process for the products and their materials are free of animal testing.

In pictures: Topshop launches its first vegan shoe collection

As the popularity of cruelty-free fashion continues to skyrocket, Topshop has joined the trend and launched its inaugural vegan shoe collection. Handmade in Spain, the PETA-approved vegan footwear collection comprises of six styles and features a neutral palette of snakes, croc, nude, toffee, orange, black and white across 12 options. In addition to the vegan footwear, items will be packaged in boxes assembled using 100 percent non-animal and non-fish glue.

Po-Zu announces first 100 percent vegan footwear collection

London-based ethical footwear brand, Po-Zu, announced its first 100 percent vegan AW19 mainline collection. The new range, includes sneakers, cork runners, flats and traditional walking and winter boots with a modern twist, it is made from ‘Apple Skin’ - vegan leather derived from the apple juice industry and grown in the Italian Alps - coconut husks, cork, rubberised cotton and pineapple leaves.

Global barefoot shoe brand Vivobarefoot has launched its most innovative sustainable shoe to date with its plant-based Primus Lite II Bio, the new vegan shoe is designed with more than 30 percent renewable plant-based materials, including Bio TPU made from yellow dent field corn and uses natural rubber and harvested algae called ‘Bloom’ instead of single-use petroleum materials.

Awards

M&S receives first-ever award from PETA for vegan retail

British multinational retailer Marks and Spencer has been recognized for its vegan efforts. PETA awarded M&S with its first ever “Vegan-Friendly High Street Retailer” recognition. The retailer's Plant Kitchen range offers over 50 vegan food dishes and M&S also introduced an affordable line of vegan footwear with 350 different styles.

What the experts have to say

Starting a new vegan label, product line or even just one product is not easy and those thinking about it should research the market, their target audience and the USP of their product or range well. FashionUnited has spoken with entrepreneurs from six innovative vegan brands that have learned a lot on their journey and are happy to share their experiences.

Brave GentleMan founder Joshua Katcher on building a vegan menswear brand

New York based high-end menswear clothing store Brave GentleMan offers a broad range of completely vegan menswear products, from 100 percent Italian-milled bamboo suits with buttons made from tagua nuts, to footwear made from EU Ecolabel-certified Italian PU. Future-wool, future-silk, future-ivory and future-slik are also used throughout the brand’s designs.

Vegan fashion: Q&A with British brand Beyond Skin

Brighton-based British footwear brand Beyond Skin has been creating stylish shoes that are ethical and vegan. Beyond Skin is on a mission to make cruelty-free fashion the way of the future. The brand has grown in popularity - both within the vegan community and outside of it - and has been worn by the likes of actress Natalie Portman at the Golden Globes, the Oscars, and in her movie “V for Vendetta”.

Vegan fashion: Q&A with mother-daughter brand HFS Collective

Los Angeles-based brand HFS Collective is an ethical and sustainable-driven brand that produces a selection of wallets and bags using solely vegan methods. Five percent of the brand’s earnings is donated to organisations that help empower women, protect animals and preserve the environment.

The rise of vegan fashion: Q&A with Delicious California

Headquartered in Folkestone’s Old High Street, UK, Delicious California is a 100 percent vegan independent brand which proudly describes itself as ‘ethical, original and fun’. Delicious California focuses on the environmental impact of the manufacturing process and uses water-based inks, and the cleaning products used in the screen printing process are environmentally friendly.

Vegan fashion: Brazilian brand Insecta Shoes wants to take over EU and North America

Brazillian brand Insecta Shoes, affectionately nicknamed “beetles,” are a rising vegan footwear label. The fabrics used are always upcycled, the sole is made from recycled rubber, the insole is made with surplus fabric from their own production and the sewing thread is made of recycled PET bottles. Insecta has a reversed logistics solution: When customers no longer want to wear the shoes, they can return them to the store to be recycled, avoiding generating more waste in the world.

Interview: Veja on its new biodegradable sneakers made from corn waste

French sneaker brand Veja has taken the industry by storm, with a simple but very smart concept: minimalist sneakers that make the world a little better through their ethical and sustainable design. In addition to organic cotton, recycled plastic and rubber from traditional sources, a new material is now being used: a leather substitute made from corn starch waste, a non-edible part of the plant.

Though the vegan lifestyle may not have (yet) become the new mainstream, it is certainly here to stay and brands and retailers are well advised to heed this trend. They should also do their research well as not everything sold as vegan is also environmentally friendly, thus not benefitting people or animals in the long run. What is sold as “vegan leather”, for example, is often nothing but polyester or polyurethane. But as we have seen, there are many trailblazers now that show how it is done.

Victoria's Secret named 2nd most successful U.S. brand in new study

Content Courtesy of: fashionunited.uk

Written by: Robyn Turk

Media company 24/7 Tempo researched several metrics surrounding U.S.-owned fashion brands to determine America's place within the fashion industry. Analyzing revenue, number of stores, name recognition and metrics involving foot traffic from intelligence company Placed, store number, revenue, and other measures of success, 24/7 Tempo has ranked the 20 most successful American fashion companies.

Its research, which was published on 24/7 Tempo's website, has determined that the most successful U.S. brands are distinguished by their longevity, practicality, ease of wear and ability to cater to a wide consumer base.

24/7 Tempo ranks Brooks Brothers at place 20 due to its 500 plus stores worldwide and a revenue of 1 billion dollars. Ahead of Brooks Brothers are Converse at place 19, Tommy Hilfiger at 18 and Kate Spade at 17.

With 3.7 billion dollars in revenue and over 4,000 stores worldwide, Calvin Klein comes in at number 16. 24/7 Tempo noted that boundary-pushing ads and a wide range of product categories has helped build brand recognition in the company's five decade lifespan. Eddie Bauer, Vans and Under Armour, J.Crew and Polo Ralph Lauren follow Calvin Klein, in that order.

The 10 most successful U.S. fashion brands

According to 24/7 Tempo's analysis, the ten most successful American fashion brands are those with highly recognizable brand identities and product ranges.

Heritage denim company Levi's came in in tenth place, just behind teen-favorites Abercombie & Fitch and Hollister, which are both owned by parent company Abercrombie & Fitch Co. Nike landed seventh place, with 37.2 billion dollars in revenue and 951 stores worldwide.

Three of the brands in the top ten list are owned by Gap Inc. These are Banana Republic in sixth place, Gap in third place and Old Navy in first place, while Coach holds fifth place and American Eagle Outfitters fourth place.

Perhaps surprisingly, Victoria's Secret was named as the second most successful American fashion brand. The brand has seemed to struggle lately as it encounters growing competition in the lingerie field. Parent company L Brands has been reporting sales declines and Victoria's Secret has shared plans to downsize.

Meet Alkhemist, the brand creating everyday basics using hemp

Content Courtesy of: fashionunited.uk

Written by: Dale Arden Chong

Though cotton has been the main fiber found in denim and T-shirts, Alkhemist by James Jeans is exploring another option: hemp. Using hemp as a sustainable alternative to create its Hemp Incorporated pieces, the fashion brand — which is a division under the Los Angeles-based licensed and certified cannabis cultivation facility Alkhemist — has created a debut collection that includes jeans, shorts, jackets, T-shirts, tank tops, cargo pants, and more.

Alkhemist pieces are currently available on the brand’s website and ranges from 56 USD to 320 USD.

Below, Alkhemist co-founder Conrad Yun discusses how Alkhemist got started, what customers can expect, and more.

Tell us about how you came up with the idea to create Alkhemist.

We were looking at using hemp as a source material for our apparel lines over the last few years. With the growing interest in hemp spurred by the passage of the Hemp Farming Act of 2018 in December last year, we felt the timing was right to launch our hemp incorporated apparel lines under the Alkhemist brand name. Under the Alkhemist brand, we are also creating other product lines that use all parts of the hemp plant, such as fashion jewelry and other consumer products made from hemp plastic and hemp paper derived from the stem of the plant as well as CBD infused edible products derived from the flower of the plant.

What have you discovered through the process of developing the hemp blend you use in your clothing?

We are making new discoveries on a regular basis since we first started looking at hemp-blended materials several years ago. We are encouraged that with the excitement around hemp since the Hemp Farming Act of 2018 was passed in December 2018, more suppliers are looking to develop higher quality hemp blended materials for use in the fashion industry as well as other industries. The technology continues to improve at a rapid pace.

How does using hemp in your clothing differ from traditional cotton and other areas of traditional clothing?

In many ways, we are hearkening back to 300 years of traditions in our country. Hemp had been an important source material for everyday items such as clothing, paper, rope, and lamp oil since the founding of our country. What makes hemp exciting now is that with the liberalization of hemp and CBD in 2018 and the rapidly changing attitudes toward cannabis (which, taxonomically speaking, is the same plant as hemp), people are becoming more intrigued by what hemp can do for the apparel industry as well as for many other industries such as agriculture, health & wellness, and construction, to name a few.

Right now, Alkhemist only offers women's clothing, which ranges from denim to cotton shirts and loungewear — do you have any plans on expanding? Yes, we will be expanding into additional "hempleisure" products using a variety of blended materials, as well as a line of men's clothing.

What can people expect when trying Alkhemist pieces for the first time? Our customers can expect the same great fit, quality and style that has kept people coming back to buy James Jeans products for the last 15 years. All of the Alkhemist hemp incorporated pieces essentially have the same texture and feel as the cotton products but offer much improved durability, anti-microbial properties and other eco-friendly benefits of hemp.

TECH

Facebook’s Dating App Is Launching In The US. Here’s How It Works.

Content Courtesy of: buzzfeednews.com

Written by: Ryan Broderick

Facebook on Thursday announced the US debut of its dating service, which had previously only been available in Colombia. Facebook Dating is now available to users who are 18 and older, and it will not match you with your preexisting Facebook friends.

Facebook Dating requires opting in to the service, and it isn’t really part of your Facebook profile. You must create a separate Dating profile which is then linked to your Facebook and Instagram profiles. You fill out the profile, as you would on services like OkCupid or Bumble, and it will start matching you with people who have similar interests.

It will allow you to link your Instagram profile, which would allow you to pull in Instagram photos. It will eventually allow users to pull stories from Facebook and Instagram as well.

Facebook Dating also integrates with Groups and Events that you are part of. Product manager Nathan Sharp at a launch event Thursday described Facebook Events as “missed connections.” The dating app will also allow you to share your live location.

Obviously, there are a bevy of security concerns with something like this. According to Facebook’s release announcement, you can delete your dating profile at any time, and it will allow you to toggle what details it displays, including hometown, religion, occupation, and gender.

“We’re committed to protecting people’s privacy within Facebook Dating so that we can create a place where people feel comfortable looking for a date and starting meaningful relationships,” Erin Egan, VP and chief privacy officer said in a blog post Thursday.

While Facebook Dating won’t match you with your Facebook friends — which means you won’t accidentally see your uncle on there — it does have a feature called Secret Crush that will let you flirt with people you already know. Secret Crush lets you choose up to nine friends to label as a crush. If one of those nine friends adds you as well, it notifies you.

Facebook Dating lives entirely on the Facebook mobile app. It also doesn’t require users to match before sending messages.

Also, in case you’re worried about accidentally letting all your friends and family know you’re on the prowl: Facebook Dating is siloed entirely from your News Feed, eliminating all risks of being horny on main.

Amazon’s Next-Day Delivery Has Brought Chaos And Carnage To America’s Streets — But The World’s Biggest Retailer Has A System To Escape The Blame

Deaths and devastating injuries. A litany of labor violations. Drivers forced to urinate in their vans. Here is how Amazon’s gigantic, decentralized, next-day delivery network brought chaos, exploitation, and danger to communities across America.

aldimar Gray was delivering packages for Amazon at the height of the pre-Christmas rush when his three-ton van barreled into an 84-year-old grandmother, crushing her diaphragm, shattering several ribs, and fracturing her skull.

“Oh my god!” screamed Gray as he leaped out of his van. It was a bright, clear afternoon on Dec. 22, 2016, and the 29-year-old had been at the wheel of the white Nissan since early that morning, racing to drop Amazon packages on doorsteps throughout Chicago. He stood in anguish next to Telesfora Escamilla as she lay dying, her blood pooling on the pavement just three blocks from her home. After the police arrived, Gray submitted to drug and alcohol tests, which came up clean. He would later be charged with reckless homicide.

The officers who investigated the crash didn’t ask Gray about the constant pressure for speed he faced as a driver for Inpax Shipping Solutions — one of hundreds of small companies that make up Amazon’s gigantic delivery network across America. If they had, they would have discovered that the company’s drivers worked under relentless demands to deliver hundreds of packages each shift — for a flat rate of around $160 a day — at the direction of dispatchers who often compel them to skip meals, bathroom breaks, and any other form of rest, discouraging them from going home until the very last box is delivered.

Amazon issued Inpax hand scanners that could monitor the progress of its drivers as they delivered their packages and dictated the routes they drove. It had sent Gray’s bosses at Inpax a memo just days before the accident, criticizing lackluster delivery rates in the area and instituting a “no package left behind” policy during the critical holiday week. The number of deliveries drivers were expected to make each day was way up, and dispatchers were urged to keep as many of their vans on the road for as long as possible — even if it meant driving long into the bitter winter night.

But when Escamilla’s grieving family sought redress — suing Amazon, Inpax, and Gray for wrongful death — the e-commerce giant refused to accept any responsibility. “The damages, if any, were caused, in whole or in part, by third parties not under the direction or control of Amazon.com,” its lawyers said in a court filing.

Inpax had by then been repeatedly cited by the Department of Labor for withholding pay from its drivers. Its owner had several cocaine-related felony convictions and had previously declared bankruptcy after missing insurance payments, failing to pay taxes, and defaulting on loans and other obligations amounting to $15 million. And the company was struggling to make ends meet on the razor-thin margins of a system set up by Amazon to squeeze contractors while minimizing its own costs at every turn.