EP #8 | Catarina Dahlin, Co-Founder and CEO of dagsmejan on building a sustainable brand and enhancing sleep performance through functional sleepwear

04/20/22 • 31 min

Episode Summary
Catarina Dahlin co-founded dagsmejan in 2016 with the vision to enhance people's sleep comfort through highly functional sleepwear and bringing back the value to everyday garments by adopting a slow fashion philosophy. dagsmejan's sleepwear is highly functional, exclusively produced in Europe with fair working conditions, and uses natural fibres that biodegrade faster than other fabrics.
What we talk about

In our episode Catarina talks to me about the 6 dimensions of good sleep performance and how we should reflect more on our habits and lifestyles to improve sleep comfort.
We also discuss dagsmejan's steps to build a truly sustainable brand from fair production to planning the product's end of life.
Catarina comments on greenwashing of fashion brands and the unrealistic expectations of consumers when it comes to price levels.

About Catarina Dahlin
Catarina studied Business Administration in Sweden and pursued her career working in 7 countries across Europe and Asia during the 12 years she served in executive global marketing positions.

In 2016 she co-founded dagsmejan with her partner. Dagsmejan is a Swedish word that refers to the last days of winter when the warmth of the sunshine melts the snow even when the temperature is still below zero. The power of nature was Catarina’s inspiration for creating high performance sleepwear using the latest technology and all natural fibres to give you the ultimate sleeping experience.

Resources mentioned

dagsmejan's expert panel (inkl. EMPA researchers)
Collaboration of dagsmejan and Lucerne University of Applied Sciences

Connect with dagsmejan

Website of dagsmejan

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In our episode Catarina talks to me about the 6 dimensions of good sleep performance and how we should reflect more on our habits and lifestyles to improve sleep comfort.
We also discuss dagsmejan's steps to build a truly sustainable brand from fair production to planning the product's end of life.
Catarina comments on greenwashing of fashion brands and the unrealistic expectations of consumers when it comes to price levels.

Resources mentioned

dagsmejan's expert panel (inkl. EMPA researchers)
Collaboration of dagsmejan and Lucerne University of Applied Sciences

Connect with dagsmejan

Website of dagsmejan

Previous Episode

undefined - EP #7 | Richard van der Laken, Co-Founder of What Design Can Do + Creative Director of De Designpolitie on the Power of Design and Enabling the Creative Community to drive positive impact

EP #7 | Richard van der Laken, Co-Founder of What Design Can Do + Creative Director of De Designpolitie on the Power of Design and Enabling the Creative Community to drive positive impact

Episode Summary
Richard van der Laken is the energetic engine behind both What Design Can Do (short: WDCD) and De Designpolitie, the graphic design agency he started in 1995 with Pepijn Zurburg. Richard and Pepijn have formed a duo for more than 20 years since meeting at HKU University of the Arts in Utrecht, the Netherlands.

In our episode Richard talks to me about the "seductive" power of design, the responsibility designers like him have and some powerful examples that his work with WDCD has brought forward. the concept of Biomimicry and talks about its potential if applied to challenges within our complex human systems. She also gives advise to fellow designers and talks about the levers she perceives to accelerate change towards a more resilient and regenerative future.
What we talk about

In our episode Richard tells the story of what brought him to go beyond his expertise of Graphic design and start the community and global initiative of What Design Can Do.
He also draws from his humbling experience working across different cultural contexts and the importance of using local knowledge and driving change with the people on-site and not imposing solutions "made in Europe" in a different geographical location and culture.
Richard highlights his mission of empowering the creative community to work on very large social and environmental issues to leverage the power of design and framing the right problems.

About Richard van der Laken
Richard was an intern at Anthon Beeke’s studio and at the biggest Dutch ad agency FHV/BBDO, before founding the Designpolitie (Dutch for ‘Design Police’) with Pepijn Zurburg. The Designpolitie has exhibited at the Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam, MoMA New York, MoMA San Francisco, Institut Néerlandais Paris, Brno Tsjechia and Graphic Design Museum, Breda.

In 2010 Van der Laken and Zurburg, together with several fellow creatives, founded What Design Can Do, a two-day international, multidisciplinary conference on the power of design as a factor for societal change. Over five years WDCD grew to become an international platform to showcase the impact of design. As general director and tireless ambassador for WDCD, Van der Laken has travelled from Norway to South Africa, and from Italy to China, to spread the word. Richard is also co-founder of the visual column Gorilla.

Resources mentioned

Connect with Richard van der Laken's projects

Next Episode

undefined - EP #9 | Philip-Michael Weiner, Founding Partner at recapture carbon, on Systemic Solutions offering a profitable path to Net Zero, Climate Risks, and the importance of Design

EP #9 | Philip-Michael Weiner, Founding Partner at recapture carbon, on Systemic Solutions offering a profitable path to Net Zero, Climate Risks, and the importance of Design

Episode Summary
Philip-Michael Weiner co-founded recapture carbon in 2017 together with Trey Pringle. They are convinced that climate change is not a scientific problem but rather a systems problem caused by behaviour. Therefore, they combine multiple solutions and act as a project developer pursuing the first-ever systems-designed approach to Carbon Removal. In this episode, we discuss barriers to technological solutions, what is necessary to remove 100 billion tons of CO2 from the atmosphere by mid-century to avoid the worst effects of global warming and the crucial role of design.
What we talk about

how carbon can be removed from the atmosphere while earning a positive return,
what risks big companies face if they don't have a strategy for technological removal as part of their financial framework,
scenarios for large emitters' 'race to zero',
the role of a designerly way of "thinking in systems" to accelerate change and positively influence people's behaviour.

About Philip-Michael Weiner
Philip-Michael is a full-stack designer, award-winning company builder, and creative director who has spent the last decade creating some of the most impactful products in the food, technology, and consumer industry.

He has worked with companies of all sizes worldwide, including brands like Carbon War Room, Rocky Mountain Institute, Rockefeller Foundation, Virgin Unite, and Richard Branson's personal projects as well as collaborating with disruptive startups in Silicon Valley.

Philip-Michael is driven by taking a systems approach to growing companies' impact through behavior change and meaningful, enduring design.

His products have been showcased at the Museum of Design in Barcelona and in books such as 99 Designs for Life.

In 2017 he co-founded recapture carbon, a company addressing large carbon-emitting organizations to remove carbon from the atmosphere while earning a positive return.

Resources mentioned

Connect with recapture carbon