6 BOOKS TO HELP YOU EMBRACE SLOW FASHION
In the last few years, more and more people have become conscious of the devastating impact of fast fashion on people and planet, but moving towards a slower approach to fashion can feel daunting. Whether you’re a seasoned thrifter, mender and sustainable shopper, or you’re looking for ways to make your wardrobe more eco-friendly, these books are must-reads to guide you on your slow fashion journey.
Loved Clothes Last by Orsola de Castro
One big problem with fast fashion is that they are often poor quality clothes made to be trendy for one season and thrown out the next — or even if you still like them next year, they might fall apart before you’re done with them. This book shows you that you don’t need new clothes to have a wardrobe you love. Orsola de Castro, co-founder of Fashion Revolution, shares practical tips for making the clothes you own last longer, and how to shop for better quality clothes in the first place if you do want new pieces.
How To Break Up With Fast Fashion by Lauren Bravo
This book is a guilt-free guide to a more sustainable wardrobe. The inspiring Lauren Bravo knows first-hand how hard it can be to give up fast fashion, but shares plenty of tips that make it easy-peasy — from swapping clothes to mending the ones you own and everything in between.
Fashionopolis: The Price of Fast Fashion and the Future of Clothes by Dana Thomas
In this rousing book, Dana Thomas walks you through the tangible impact of fast fashion — what it’s doing to our planet and the people who make our clothes — and offers an optimistic vision of a future where we think about fashion intentionally.
Slow Fashion: Aesthetics Meets Ethics by Safia Minney
In this clever book, Safia Minney, founder of one of the original commercial sustainable brands, People Tree, introduces us to the ideal future for brick and mortar shops: a model that is fair trade, sustainable, organic, local or second-hand wherever possible. She tells the inspiring stories of eco-concept stores and changemakers around the world, and shows us what we can learn from them.
Wear, Repair, Repurpose: A Maker's Guide to Mending and Upcycling Clothes by Lily Fulop
Many of us have never thought to sew a hem back when it unfurls or patch up a pair of jeans — instead we throw the piece away and replace it with a new one. This book is for beginner and experienced makers alike to discover the joy of mending and repurposing our clothes, giving them a new lease of life.
Wardrobe Crisis: How We Went From Sunday Best to Fast Fashion by Clare Press
Our grandparents didn’t buy new clothes every week — they bought high quality, durable items that lasted them years, if not decades. Somewhere along the way, we as a society stopped caring about quality and turned instead to the infinity of choices fast fashion gave us. In this eye-opening book, Clare Press examines how we got here — and how we can find our way back to more sustainable values.