Seeing the unseen: A conversation with artist and designer and the connection between nature and people
To introduce our new swimwear collection ECLIPSE, BAYTHE Founder Tina Ishak and Australian Artist Joyce Lubotzky come together to discuss ocean-bound plastic waste and the connection to regenerative technologies in the fashion space.
Join us in celebrating the natural form and encouraging ethical choices in how we dress and live – with intention, care, and respect for ourselves and the planet.
Enjoy swimwear crafted from eco-sustainable techno-fabric made with regenerated ECONYL® Nylon yarn.
Tina (T): I'm Tina Ishak, the Founder of BAYTHE, and I have Joyce Lubotzky here with me, who is an Australian artist. Welcome, Joyce.
Joyce (J): Hi Tina, thanks for having me. This is very exciting.
T: I’m very excited. So today we're going to be talking about this beautiful collaboration that we've done together. We are in your studio right now, with some scones and coffee to get us through.
So I might just start by asking: when did you first start collecting your beachside waste, and how did it inspire you to transform this into art?
J: I live in Clovelly on the eastern beaches of Sydney, and I do a lot of walking around my local area. It’s so beautiful around here. But I started to notice a lot of trash, and over the years it’s just become worse. I felt really compelled to pick it up because it was ruining this beautiful natural environment. I just couldn’t walk past it.
I started collecting the waste, and I thought it was kind of interesting when I started putting it all together. I didn’t put it in the trash—I started keeping it. You know how artists are; we’re great collectors of things. This collection started to grow in my studio. At the time, I was doing my BFA at the National Art School, thinking about still life, objects, and their historical meaning.
During COVID, like everyone else, I did a lot of walking. I noticed more and more waste, and my collection became bigger. It struck me that there was something meaningful about the collection itself—how it could speak to society, archives, and human behaviour. That’s really what motivated me to do my MFA on the collection.
T: Wonderful. I love that you call it the archive. When I first saw it, it was fascinating because you could really see obvious themes. For example, soy sauce bottles or dummies.
J: Exactly. Through my research, I explored museology, taxonomy, and how objects are named, categorised, and archived. It made me think—if someone arrived on our planet and didn’t know what we were, they’d collect these discarded things and treat them like artifacts. What does that say about our culture?
So my whole practice looks back in order to look forward. I wanted to understand how we got here: politically, economically, and industrially. That way, we might learn how to behave differently and take better care of our natural environment.
T: And what did you find when you looked back in history? Were there significant turning points that brought us to this point?
J: Absolutely. Some real turning points stand out. For example, the Industrial Revolution had a massive impact on mass production. But one major shift was the invention of plastic. Originally, plastics were created to replace natural materials like tortoise shells, beetles for cellulose, and ivory from tusks. It’s ironic because plastics were meant to save animals that were being overused for production.
The Second World War also played a huge role. Plastics became critical for machinery because they were lighter, and synthetic rubbers were invented because natural rubber was scarce. After the war, the economy boomed, particularly in America, and that led to the rise of marketing and advertising.
T: You mean people were encouraged to buy more to support the economy?
J: Exactly. Pre-war, frugality was patriotic. Post-war spending became patriotic. Marketing tapped into unconscious desires to sell products people didn’t necessarily need. That’s where ideas like planned obsolescence started—products like light bulbs were deliberately made to fail sooner to drive demand. This endless cycle of consumption is a major issue.
T: I think on a personal level, there’s the economy, but also as individuals, we’ve become so accustomed to consuming and spending. Advertising plays a huge role in that—it’s “out with the old, in with the new” constantly.
J: That’s so true. Marketing strategies back then were seen as brilliant—planned obsolescence, mass production, globalization, and the rise of online shopping all contribute to overconsumption today. But that’s why I wanted to reframe how we look at these discarded objects.
I started using product photography to present the objects I found on the beach as commodities—almost as if I were selling them back to society. It’s about drawing attention to what we consume and reconnecting with the natural world in a sustainable way.
T: I love that perspective—reframing the way we see things. And I think it connects so well with what I do at BAYTHE. My focus has always been on sustainability and creating products that are both considered and versatile.
J: Tell me more about that. Why is sustainability so important to you?
T: When I started BAYTHE about seven years ago, I was at a point in my life where I was really considering my choices—moving away from fast fashion and focusing on quality. That led me to create my brand with sustainability at its core. Everything I do—from the materials to how products are made and shipped—is very considered.
For example, the fabrics we use are regenerated, made from ocean and landfill waste. They’re recyclable and have an infinite lifecycle. We work with some of the best suppliers in Italy, and the fabrics feel amazing, which is such a bonus.
J: That’s incredible. I think it’s such a balance between quality and sustainability.
T: Exactly. It’s a constant evolution—I’m always talking to suppliers about what they’re doing to improve and innovate. It’s not perfect yet, but we’re making progress.
J: What about your packaging? That’s another area where waste can easily pile up.
T: Packaging was a big focus for me. I use minimal, biodegradable, and recycled materials. For example, our swing tags are made from recycled cardboard, hygiene labels are biodegradable, and I currently use bamboo envelopes, which are very sustainable. It’s about keeping everything as minimal as possible.
Even in production, I work closely with my makers here in Australia. I oversee everything, which is wonderful because I know exactly what’s being produced. Everything is made in small batches to avoid oversupply. The Industry coins this as the slow fashion movement—creating thoughtful, purposeful pieces.
J: I love that. It connects so well to art too—there’s so much pressure to produce quickly and constantly. Slowing down and focusing on the process, not just the product, is so important.
T: It’s true. My brand is about lifestyle too—being by the ocean, slowing down, reconnecting. That’s why I wanted the pieces to be versatile—something you can wear for yoga, a swim at the beach, or a walk afterwards.
J: There’s such a synergy between what we’re doing. I love that our collaboration brings together these themes—connecting people to the natural world while encouraging thoughtful consumption.
T: Yes! Having some of those objects you collected, paired with our swimwear and model, really highlights the connection between what we consume and the choices we make. I think it will make people think differently about waste and consumption.
J: Exactly. I think it’s about creating something hopeful and positive. It’s easy to feel overwhelmed, but small changes really can make a difference.
T: I completely agree. And as a small business owner, I think about accessibility too. Not everyone can afford expensive sustainable pieces, but I encourage people to be considerate about what they buy—whether that’s choosing quality fabrics or just buying fewer pieces that last longer.
J: Yes! Even in fast fashion stores, you can make better choices—choose a natural material or something that works long-term in your wardrobe.
T: It’s about slowing down and being intentional, right?
J: Exactly. And I think the younger generation gets that—they’ve normalized things like vintage shopping, upcycling, and swapping clothes. It’s very positive.
T: It really is. It’s such an exciting time to see how these shifts are happening.
J: I love seeing how fashionable it’s become too. Every generation wants to be different from the one before, and it’s great to see younger people normalizing these positive habits—op shopping, repurposing, upcycling. It’s a shift toward being more aware and connected to the environment.
T: Absolutely. I think it also ties back to education. What are kids learning in schools now? Surely there’s more awareness about sustainability.
J: I hope so. It starts there, but businesses also need to step up. What do you find specifically that is challenging in terms of what you do?
T: The biggest challenge for me is resisting the seasonal trends. The fashion cycle is so fast, and I don’t want to participate in that endless production. It’s about creating pieces that are considered and timeless. So I don't really follow seasons because I just find that it ends up being this endless cycle. It's a vicious cycle of producing. For example, the autumn-winter period is so short, so trying to release things for the sake of releasing them is just not what I'm about, you know?
J: That resonates so much. Holding back and having restraint is so important.
T: Exactly. And as a small business owner, I think the big challenge is navigating events like Black Friday or sales periods. Everyone participates, and you feel pressure to keep up, but I want to approach it in a thoughtful way—something relevant and considered.
J: I love that. It’s about creating a community too, right?
T: For BAYTHE, it’s about more than just the product—it’s about the lifestyle, wellness, and values that we want to share.
J: Yes, and I think that’s what people connect with. You’re offering something meaningful, not just another product. That’s what people want now—quality, sustainability, and a sense of connection.
I know a lot of people that I speak to, it's not that they don't care about the planet, they just don't necessarily know how to care. They're not even conscious of how their everyday habits are affecting their environment. Hopefully, there's enough of us talking about it in terms of pollution and things that are problematic for our future. So, we have to do something and we can.
T: Exactly.
Joyce, this has been such a wonderful conversation. I can’t wait for people to see our collaboration.
J: Me too! It’s been so fun to work together, and I think people are really going to love it.
T: Thank you so much, Joyce.
J: Thank you, Tina!
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Shop ECLIPSE — Designed for the modern conscious woman. Made in Australia.
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Special Thanks & Credits:
Artist: Joyce Lubotzky // @joylubo
Imagery: Colby Milano // @colbymilano
Words: Kylie Hetherington // @kylie_hetherington