Sustainable Wardrobe: Practical Advice and Projects for Eco-Friendly Fashion

Making a fast-fashion T-shirt can take multiple fibers, many months, and an invisible chain of “farmers, merchants, factory workers, spinners, garment workers, packers and delivery workers” spanning the globe, explains journalist Benson in her pragmatic debut guide to sustainable fashion. While the industry statistics are head-spinning—only 5% of clothing Americans wore in the 1960s was made overseas, while today it’s about 98%—consumers aren’t without recourse and can begin by “approaching what [they] have from a new perspective.” Benson recommends using “styling hacks” to breathe fresh life into old pieces (for example, wearing a cardigan backwards) and “repurposing” clothes (turning an old puffer coat into a padded laptop case, for which instructions are included). Readers can donate clothes they don’t want, though should be aware their cast-offs may wind up in landfills as charity shops are often ill-equipped to handle donation volume; an alternative is to share clothing with friends or sell it. While Benson advises readers to take action “on a more global level” by amplifying garment workers’ demands for living wages and sick pay, she wisely notes that perhaps the most important step is to “lead by example,” because “every button you sew on, every secondhand garment you buy” is an inspiration to someone else. It’s an informative resource for fashionistas looking to dress sustainably without resorting to the “beige, boxy, and boring” repurposed clothes of yesteryear. (Sept.)