Minna High (Laura): Vintage Clothes & Vision for a Better World

When we chatted with Laura, we wanted to cover many aspects of sustainability: food, fashion, and the foundation that is important for any changemaker—loving and caring for yourself. 

The German content creator has impressed hundreds of thousands of followers with aesthetically pleasing photos and soul-filled words to match. She works with SESAMY, a Berlin-based and female-driven agency that uses social media as a tool for good. 

When Laura’s not using the platform to spread the word about feel-good fashion brands, she’s busy finding her own feel-good fashion pieces! She’s used some of the skills she obtained while studying business informatics and working in marketing to launch her own line of vintage clothes, MNAVINTAGE.

Laura’s clearly a wonder woman, but at the heart of everything, she realizes how important mental health and self care are. In fact, she actually has a separate Instagram account (@soulbooksociety) for all of her favorite books about mental health, as well as those that are simply good for the soul. She speaks the truth about how each of the books have impacted her, highlighting some of her own struggles with mental health. 

As we discovered in our interview with her, being in tune with herself and her needs allows her to be the environmental champion she is. She’s very mindful when it comes to things like using what is already there instead of making purchases, as well as consciously eating meat and realizing that she can be a mindful eater without a goal to become 100% vegan. 

In a world where we feel constant pressure to “do this,” “avoid that,” and “always act like…,” her mindful, holistic, and soulful approach is inspiring. After you’ve read our interview with her and start thinking about how to build an ethical wardrobe for yourself, consider checking out Laura's handpicked vintage line because she keeps it exclusive in order to prevent rash, excessive purchases!

We have often found that the answer to sustainability isn't a 24-hour home renovation, but a process of reconditioning how we look at the world around us. Then one day our mindful habits add up and we have found ourselves in a more sustainable living environment. What mindful habits have transformed your life?

Mindful Consumption (clothing) I try my best to consume consciously. I choose very specifically what I really need and what not. I prefer to invest in good quality instead of buying a lot of stuff that I don’t really need. I love shopping and buying beautiful things. But I prefer to buy second hand. Whether its clothing, books, furniture or decoration. For me, this is the most sustainable way to consume. To use what is already there.

Mindful consumption (nutrition) My consumption of meat, fish and animal products has changed a lot over the past few years. I rarely eat meat or fish, and when I do, I eat it very consciously. I have a feeling that small changes in our diet can have a big impact. I still don't manage to eat or live 100% vegetarian or vegan. But that is also not what I expect from myself. For me, the most important thing here is to consciously decide what eat.

I try to reduce my plastic waste. At home I only drink tap water. On the way, I bring my own drinking bottle and shopping bags with me. If possible, I try to bring my own container with me when I do take away. I don’t buy vegetables or fruits packed in plastic.

Sometimes people think sustainable fashion means less expensive items, but brands like Sami Miro and Boyish are showing people that true sustainable fashion prices actually reflect realistic time, effort and employee wages. Tell us more about MNAVintage and how you see it fitting into the new world of sustainable fashion?

I founded MNAVINTAGE because Vintage Shopping is a big passion for me. I love to stroll through vintage stores and get lost between the rags. During corona vintage shopping wasn’t possible so I thought about creating a room where people will find their new favorite pieces. The thought was to make it more exclusive. I didn’t want to overwhelm my customers with a huge selection. My vision was to offer exactly what my customers/followers are searching for. (This will prevent rash purchases.) The prices are a little bit higher, because the pieces ware handpicked, washed and shipped out in sustainable boxes. My vision is quality over quantity.

You have amassed an amazing platform and we absolutely love that you use it to champion sustainability through your vintage brand and education through your book club! If you could recommend one book to turn people towards sustainability or practice mindfulness, what would it be and why!

I don’t have that one book recommendation, but here are two small and effective books for reducing plastic in our daily lives and another one about short mindfulness exercises. I read the little book of mindfulness when I was 20 years old and it changed a lot for me. There are small and effective exercises that can be integrated into everyday life.

Say No to Plastic: 101 Easy Ways to Use Less Plastic

The Little Book of Mindfulness: 10 minutes a day to less stress, more peace (The Little Books)