PublishedIsland Press, January 2023 |
ISBN9781642832716 |
FormatHardcover, 240 pages |
Dimensions22.9cm × 15.2cm |
For conscious consumers, buying clothes has never been more complicated. Even as fashion brands tout their
sustainability, the industry is plagued by pollution, waste, and poor working conditions. If our clothes reflect our values, is it possible to be truly well-dressed?
Sustainable fashion consultant Lucianne Tonti answers with a resounding yes. Beautiful clothes made from natural
fabrics including cotton, wool, flax, and cashmere can support rural communities and regenerate landscapes. They can
also reduce waste-but only if we invest in garments that stand the test of time rather than chasing fast fashion trends.
In Sundressed, Tonti travels the world to showcase producers who are reforming the industry, from Mongolian
goatherders, to Mulberry groves in China, and American hemp farms. Many of these innovations begin in the fields, with
the cotton crops that will ultimately be spun into a soft T-shirt or the sheep's wool than will be knitted into a cozy
sweater. Fiber farmers are taking a page from the regenerative agriculture movement, giving back to the land as they tend
it. Meanwhile, further down the supply chain, top designers are working with Indigenous communities to relearn the
artistry of sewing-and reward them financially. And global brands, including Levi's, are working to produce a pair of jeans that can withstand dozens of washes without any sign of wear.
Tonti also shows readers how accessible sustainable fashion can be. Not everyone can afford a designer shirt that was
lovingly hand-sewn. But most of us can buy less, choose natural fabrics over polyester, thrift shop, and wear our clothes
longer.
Sundressed is an exploration of a revolution taking place in fashion. And it is a love letter to clothing that embodies beauty
and value, from farm to closet.
