Lea Schilling
Rethinking sustainability, creating synergies, exploring new paths:
In this interview, Sabine Paulsen talks about her journey into sustainable fashion retail, the challenges of running an online shop in the era of ultra-fast fashion, and her new role as managing director at MaxTex. She shares valuable insights into what it really takes to move sustainable fashion forward – and why we definitely don’t need another plain white organic T-shirt.
Hi Sabine, I did a bit of research before we met – and I’m impressed by everything you’ve accomplished, in addition to your “Fair Fashion” podcast. You trained as a tailor, studied fashion design, run the online shop Jesango, organize the Green Fashion Tours in Hamburg, and you’re the managing director of MaxTex. Wow!
If you had to describe your professional journey in three words, what would they be?
That’s not so easy – I really have to think about it for a moment. I’ve been in the working world for quite a few years now. But I’d say: creative, versatile, and values-driven.
Creative – because I come from a creative background, and the sustainability sector offers so much creative potential. It’s constantly evolving, and you can come up with campaigns and communication strategies: How do I want to convey sustainability – through storytelling, through actions? At one of my former employers, for example, we created “fact sheets” for manufacturers, outlining our values and guidelines.
Versatile – because I’ve always loved learning new things. Every two years or so, I’d often reach a point where I felt: “Okay, now I know everything” – and then I’d want to learn something new. I still do that today, for example through workshops or courses I teach on the side.
Values-driven – since entering the fair fashion world, that has been a very conscious choice. I worked for 13 years at a textile importer with clients who wanted to appear sustainable but didn’t really walk the talk. At some point, that just didn’t align with my own values anymore. I’m grateful that this has changed in my life.
How did you originally get into fashion – and when did sustainability come into the picture?
Fashion has always been my thing. At 13 or 14, I already knew I wanted to study fashion design – I even wrote a letter to Karl Lagerfeld back then, asking how to become a fashion designer and whether he had any advice. The address I wrote was simply: “Karl Lagerfeld, 2000 Hamburg.” Of course, the letter was returned – so I had to find information another way.
My mother was a tailor and worked at Lucia, so I started sewing early. For me, there was never any doubt that I wanted to work in fashion. I went to FADM in Hanover, a fashion design school with practical training, theory, and weekly vocational school. Afterward, I did internships in Hamburg – and ended up staying.
Sustainability became a focus in 2013, after the collapse of Rana Plaza. Since then, I’ve dived deeper and deeper into the fair fashion world – through the Green Fashion Tours with COSH!, the podcast, and the online shop. I’m really grateful for that journey.
You started the Fair Fashion Podcast – what motivated you to do that?
That was during COVID. I had some time and wanted to challenge myself digitally. I was a member of a female business club that offered a session on “how to start a podcast.” So I bought a microphone, downloaded some software, and asked myself: What topic matters most to me?
The answer came quickly: sustainability. I was already doing the Green Fashion Tours and found myself explaining the same key points over and over – because they’re so important. I like to say “spread the word.” It’s not enough to mention these issues once – you have to keep them visible.
That’s also the main goal of my podcast: to bring sustainable fashion to a broader audience. One guest put it perfectly: “Within our bubble, we’re deep into the topic – but the bubble isn’t getting any bigger.” That’s exactly where I want to step in – to inform and inspire more people, and help them rethink their consumption and live more consciously.
Is there a conversation from your podcast that especially stuck with you?
There have been many great interviews, but one that really impressed me was with Vaude. This German outdoor brand is not only innovative but also approaches sustainability from the ground up. A true role model company!
Another really inspiring conversation was with Maria Seifert, who runs her own production facility in Germany – both for her own collection and for other labels. She took over the facility from a woman who was retiring – such an inspiring career path.
How did you build your network in the fashion industry over time?
To be honest, networking wasn’t my strong suit for a long time. That changed in the last few years – mainly through LinkedIn and industry events. The Green Fashion Tour helped expand my network a lot – through the many shops and brands involved. My previous employers and my work in audits and certifications also contributed significantly.
In 2018, I joined a female business club – and that was a real turning point. At first, there’s a barrier: Who do you approach, how do you talk to someone if you’re alone at an event? But I practiced that there – and met many people, even outside the fashion and sustainability scenes.
There were often 80 participants from all kinds of industries. I think networking is something you just have to practice – and we women have definitely gotten better at it. Although, things are changing again.
Because of COVID, a lot of that momentum faded – I definitely notice that.
In general, there are so many women’s networks now – almost too many. Sometimes I feel overwhelmed by the sheer number of options, because I can’t possibly keep up with or filter all of them.
How did you build your network in the fashion industry over time?
To be honest, networking wasn’t my strong suit for a long time. That changed in the last few years – mainly through LinkedIn and industry events. The Green Fashion Tour helped expand my network a lot – through the many shops and brands involved. My previous employers and my work in audits and certifications also contributed significantly.
In 2018, I joined a female business club – and that was a real turning point. At first, there’s a barrier: Who do you approach, how do you talk to someone if you’re alone at an event? But I practiced that there – and met many people, even outside the fashion and sustainability scenes.
There were often 80 participants from all kinds of industries. I think networking is something you just have to practice – and we women have definitely gotten better at it. Although, things are changing again.
Because of COVID, a lot of that momentum faded – I definitely notice that.
In general, there are so many women’s networks now – almost too many. Sometimes I feel overwhelmed by the sheer number of options, because I can’t possibly keep up with or filter all of them.
How did you build your network in the fashion industry over time?
To be honest, networking wasn’t my strong suit for a long time. That changed in the last few years – mainly through LinkedIn and industry events. The Green Fashion Tour helped expand my network a lot – through the many shops and brands involved. My previous employers and my work in audits and certifications also contributed significantly.
In 2018, I joined a female business club – and that was a real turning point. At first, there’s a barrier: Who do you approach, how do you talk to someone if you’re alone at an event? But I practiced that there – and met many people, even outside the fashion and sustainability scenes.
There were often 80 participants from all kinds of industries. I think networking is something you just have to practice – and we women have definitely gotten better at it. Although, things are changing again.
Because of COVID, a lot of that momentum faded – I definitely notice that.
In general, there are so many women’s networks now – almost too many. Sometimes I feel overwhelmed by the sheer number of options, because I can’t possibly keep up with or filter all of them.
How did you build your network in the fashion industry over time?
To be honest, networking wasn’t my strong suit for a long time. That changed in the last few years – mainly through LinkedIn and industry events. The Green Fashion Tour helped expand my network a lot – through the many shops and brands involved. My previous employers and my work in audits and certifications also contributed significantly.
In 2018, I joined a female business club – and that was a real turning point. At first, there’s a barrier: Who do you approach, how do you talk to someone if you’re alone at an event? But I practiced that there – and met many people, even outside the fashion and sustainability scenes.
There were often 80 participants from all kinds of industries. I think networking is something you just have to practice – and we women have definitely gotten better at it. Although, things are changing again.
Because of COVID, a lot of that momentum faded – I definitely notice that.
In general, there are so many women’s networks now – almost too many. Sometimes I feel overwhelmed by the sheer number of options, because I can’t possibly keep up with or filter all of them.
How did you build your network in the fashion industry over time?
To be honest, networking wasn’t my strong suit for a long time. That changed in the last few years – mainly through LinkedIn and industry events. The Green Fashion Tour helped expand my network a lot – through the many shops and brands involved. My previous employers and my work in audits and certifications also contributed significantly.
In 2018, I joined a female business club – and that was a real turning point. At first, there’s a barrier: Who do you approach, how do you talk to someone if you’re alone at an event? But I practiced that there – and met many people, even outside the fashion and sustainability scenes.
There were often 80 participants from all kinds of industries. I think networking is something you just have to practice – and we women have definitely gotten better at it. Although, things are changing again.
Because of COVID, a lot of that momentum faded – I definitely notice that.
In general, there are so many women’s networks now – almost too many. Sometimes I feel overwhelmed by the sheer number of options, because I can’t possibly keep up with or filter all of them.
How did you build your network in the fashion industry over time?
To be honest, networking wasn’t my strong suit for a long time. That changed in the last few years – mainly through LinkedIn and industry events. The Green Fashion Tour helped expand my network a lot – through the many shops and brands involved. My previous employers and my work in audits and certifications also contributed significantly.
In 2018, I joined a female business club – and that was a real turning point. At first, there’s a barrier: Who do you approach, how do you talk to someone if you’re alone at an event? But I practiced that there – and met many people, even outside the fashion and sustainability scenes.
There were often 80 participants from all kinds of industries. I think networking is something you just have to practice – and we women have definitely gotten better at it. Although, things are changing again.
Because of COVID, a lot of that momentum faded – I definitely notice that.
In general, there are so many women’s networks now – almost too many. Sometimes I feel overwhelmed by the sheer number of options, because I can’t possibly keep up with or filter all of them.
