500 Godz is a cool, new organic T-shirt label from Berlin using prints from local and internationally know street artists.This morning I met up with Daniel, the founder of the label, for a breakfast here outside our door in Görlitzer Park. He has a background as a Berlin DJ and in the music industry, but quited his job and started this fresh shirt label. It is remarcable to meet so many likeminded people who quited their job or carreer and started something new. Mostly with a good idea and a wish to create something in a sustainable, socially responsible way.

The last collections of 500 Godz are from the brittish streetartist AME72 and the German streetartsit Wow the Dead. Soon expected: shirts by Berlin streetartist Alias. The shirts are produced in Turkey exclusive for 500 Godz and certified organic under the GOTS standard.

One of the cool things of 500 Godz is that the label works with organically certified screenprints. They are printed in the UK by Tshirts & Sons, the only screen printer in Europe that is certified organic. Hopefully more of those printers will come, any good suggestions for sustainable printers in Germany are welcome, as we also plan to work with prints for our next Pamoyo items .

Some people think trash just stinks, others love it. It's incredible what one can find just on the streets, not to speek of all the hidden trash in offices and basements. Actually, trash is the canvas and muse for a lot of artists and designers.

On an event in the SelfHub in Berlin last tuesday I met Anna Lena Schiller, who held a presentation about her project Trashury . In her project she connects the manufacturing industry with designers of all disciplines to make new products out of reclaimed material. 

 Trashury is Schillers final exam project as part of the KaosPilot education in Denmark. The KaosPilots is a university for business design and social innovation which trains young entrepreneurs and project leaders with a creative edge.

It seems recycling is on an absolute retour to coolness...

 Image: Walking Bike by Max Knight, through the Trashury blog

Just a few days before we launched our Pamoyo website, I stumbled over the music of Court Lajoie on a blog of Ode Magazine. Somhow her music fitted to our collection. I contacted Court and found out that she's not only a great singer, but also bussy with envirnomental issues and organic farming in her personal life. In this interview the story behind her new album Mindshift, and her vision on sustainability. If you like, you can download the whole album from her website.

What is the story behind your new album Mindshift?

A few years ago I was living in Toronto, and went to one of David Suzuki’s presentations about environmental awareness and compassion. Afterwards, he was signing books and inside mine he wrote, “For a mindshift”.  This set many events into motion ; books, conversations, films, and experiences that expanded my perspective on the state of this world.  The first song on the album, “Connect”, seemed to provide a map for the rest of the album - connecting to the problems, connecting to the life force we’ve forgotten, connecting with eachother, connecting with a sense of purpose and responsibility.  These songs reflect my mindshift.

What's your story behind the songs?

In 2006, the flow of life led me to Scotland. It was my first time moving to a foreign country alone, and the only sense of home I had was inside the notebook I carried with me everywhere. I’ve always enjoyed writing, but during this time my heart was bursting passionately with thoughts and feelings that had to be released. I believe that everything happens with purpose, and now as I’m writing this, I realize how everyone I met during my travels gave me gifts that were pivotal to the birth of these songs. After a year in Glasgow and traveling Europe, I came back to Canada with a notebook full of songs. I decided to record them with a producer from my hometown of Sarnia, Adam Miner. I didn’t really know him that well, but my intuition was pulling me to work with him, and as the songs evolved to the colourful jewels they are now, I knew it was the right decision.

Why did you choose for publishing under a creative commons lisence?

The next decision I had to make was how I would release this album. After much contemplation, releasing it into the world online and pay-what-you-feel was my choice. Considering the nature of the music, I didn’t feel right about manufacturing hundreds of CDs, which aren’t biodegradable. The music industry has been crumbling financially but growing creatively since music has become downloadable, and instead of resisting this change, I decided to evolve with it. I believe that like the elements (earth-air-water-fire), music is a gift that should be lovingly shared. The creativity that flowed from the source through me isn’t a “resource” to be exploited, nor are the elements. Using a creative commons license is a good way to legally protect my music while at the same time setting to free to be shared. As for pay-what-you-feel, I prefer the idea that listeners who love the music have the option of karmically donating what they feel to support future musical creations.

How can we make the world a more sustainable place?