Mica Janiv specialises in helping businesses achieve B Corp certification. Her mission is to educate, inspire, advise, partner and communicate on how businesses of all sizes can reshape their systems, shift into circularity, and safeguard our planet. Mica believes we have a collective responsibility to share knowledge and inspiration, which is why communicating on sustainability is part of her package.
On a personal level, Mica is addicted to the sea. You’ll find her swimming or rowing on the Sussex coast and supporting charitable partners to regenerate our beautiful biodiverse marine ecosystem. Having started her career in fashion and seen the devastating rise of fast fashion, Mica is, to this day, a sustainable fashion activist and campaigner. She gives talks, hosts events and goes into schools to educate students about the negative impact of fast fashion and how they can be the change. Mica holds a certification in Circular Economy & Sustainability from Cambridge Judge Business School and is a regular guest lecturer at Sussex University Business School.
Q1. How does sustainability influence your work and daily life?
Sustainability IS my work and daily life. I'm a Sustainability Consultant, although last year I changed my title to 'Regenerative Business Guide' because I believe our ambition must move towards being more than sustainable; we must regenerate the Earth by giving back more than we take.
Q2. Have you experienced any pivotal moments that deepened your understanding or commitment to sustainability?
Yes, many. I started my career in fashion, and I witnessed the rise of fast fashion and all the exploitation, pollution and destruction that came with it. That's the origin of my activism. Then I did what's known as a 'fashion fast'; I didn't buy any new garments for a year. I wasn't expecting much to change because I was never a prolific shopper, but what happened was much deeper than simply shifting a habit. I became hyper-aware of how deeply embedded consumerism is in my psyche. I started to question my relationship with all the things I consume.
But the biggest change was this visceral shift from THINKING to FEELING. Not long after my 'fashion fast' I remember standing outside Gap thinking to myself that I should take a little peek at their racks, just to stay up to speed on the latest high street trends. But my legs said no. They literally would not budge. My feet refused to walk across the threshold of Gap. Something clicked into place for me that day, and since then, I've tried to do the same thing in other areas of my life, like plastic, beauty products, books and household objects, food, and even money. Every time I dive into my relationship with the systems I live in, the way I FEEL changes, and that's the pivot.
Q3. Have you encountered any unexpected benefits or opportunities from adopting sustainable practices?
A new career path! I moved away from fashion and now I work more broadly in sustainability across all different industries. And each new sector I work in brings new ideas and points of view, which I find endlessly fascinating.
NB, I've remained an anti-fast-fashion activist though. I give talks at schools, host clothes swaps, sit on panels, and protest and rant at every opportunity. My feet still won't walk into fast fashion shops.
Q4. In your view, what’s one simple and doable lifestyle change that could have a meaningful impact on sustainability?
Change one habit. Follow it through, and see what changes deep inside you. We all know that change is necessary if we want to survive and thrive on this planet. We have absorbed the information and understood the science. Now we all need to FEEL it.
Q5. How do you think circular economy principles — eliminate waste and pollution, circulate products and materials, and support ecosystem regeneration — could be adopted in your industry or in a hobby?
I think circular economy principles are the only way to move forward in any and all industries. Because I work with many different sorts of businesses, most of them looking to gain B Corp certification, I tend to separate out those businesses that are simply cleaning up after themselves vs those that are actively turning the tap off. If you work within circular economy principles, you will be the latter. Circular business models find solutions to address our waste problems, and also build new models to create systems-change. The Re-Pete Project is obviously a good example. Turning waste into new clothing AND closing the loop so the garment never becomes waste again, AND educating consumers AND practicing slow fashion. Another good example is a tech business that repurposes phones for re-sale, reducing e-waste. But changing people's prejudices around second-hand phones is baked into their business model - they have to turn that consumerist tap off if their business is to thrive.
Q6. Are there any books, documentaries, or podcasts around sustainability that you feel particularly inspired by and would recommend to others?
Going back to my big idea about how we all need to FEEL it, not just THINK it, the documentary film The Nettle Dress did exactly that for me. It is essentially about being human. I was lucky enough to talk to the filmmaker, who told me they decided not to add facts and figures about the fashion industry's environmental footprint because he wanted to tell an emotional story. That's probably the most potent thing an artist can offer. The film really moved me.
I don't like language that talks about the Earth or Nature as a separate thing. We are nature. The definition of 'sustainability' is about saving our species. Without saving the planet our species will become extinct, but make no mistake, the planet will recover once we are gone; what we are fighting for is humanity.
Q7. Is there a circular designer or brand you particularly admire and why? This doesn’t have to be in fashion.
The circular fashion designer Reet Aus is a massive inspiration to me. I love the way her circular design work led to partnering with a factory in Bangladesh to embed circular production, which led to her PhD, which led to teaching circular fashion, which led to the students building a platform to reduce textile waste globally, which led to more creative circular fashion design and production... Fashion can be very powerful.
Q8. What is the most timeless piece in your wardrobe, where did you find it and how long have you had it for?
I'm still wearing a pair of jeans I bought 27 years ago. My daughter has tried to steal them but luckily I had them hemmed for my short legs so they only fit me. I can't remember where I got them from, but I remember my best friend at the time got a matching pair and we loved wearing them together. She passed away 12 years ago so now I sort of channel her energy when I wear them, which makes me feel invincible.
Q9. What do you consider when buying new clothing?
I very rarely buy new clothing, when I do, I like to know where the materials came from and who made it. Most importantly, I have to know it will last and I'll keep it forever.
Q10. How do you curate your wardrobe?
I'm a child of the late 80s & 90s so I'm drawn to black. Always. However, for the past few years I've been getting most of my clothes from clothes swaps, which has given me a safe space to be more experimental with colour. Now my wardrobe features quite a few bright pops of solid colour, which I love. But the majority of my wardrobe is dominated by black, greys and muted shades. Pretty much everything mixes and matches easily, and the older I get, the more comfort I take in lovely soft natural fibres. And I never follow trends.
