We are constantly bombarded with alarming statistics, depressing news and sad outlooks when it comes to fashion and the environment. The climate crisis can sometimes feel anxiety-inducing and way too complex to understand.
"During the pandemic when we weren't using quite as many resources, we actually did better, but now we're back to where we started," Eric Miller, director of the Ecological Footprint Initiative said in a statement earlier this year. On August 2, 2023, the world reached Earth Overshoot Day, meaning we had already used up the planet's natural resources for this year.
We can all make small but significant changes to our daily choices, which in turn will help to undo some of the harm caused to our planet. But where do we as consumers start? It can be difficult to figure out what changes to make, so we have put together a list of our favourite sustainable books to help you make meaningful choices.
How to Be Fabulous: Sustainable and Secondhand Style on a Shoestring by Charlotte Dallison
Writer, podcaster and vintage fashion expert Charlotte Dallison has just released this beautifully illustrated book celebrating secondhand. Learn all about Dallison's insider tricks, how to hunt down vintage and secondhand gems, how to care for your pre-loved pieces and much more. Sprinkled with gorgeous illustrations and advice from fashion experts, this book is all you could need to create your perfect pre-loved wardrobe.
Fashionopolis: The Price of Fast Fashion and the Future of Clothes by Dana Thomas
Bestselling journalist Dana Thomas reveals the truth behind fashion's impact on our planet. In the book, Thomas chats with activists, designers and tech experts, and explains the reality of mass-produced clothes and overconsumption. A necessary read for anyone wanting to learn about the effects of fast fashion.
No One is Too Small to Make a Difference by Greta Thunberg
In 2018 15-year old Greta Thunberg made a choice that would spark a global movement. If you by any chance missed it, Thunberg decided not to go to school one day to strike for our planet and the climate crisis. This books is a collection of her speeches that made history across the world, from UN to mass protests.
Wardrobe Crisis: How We Went from Sunday Best to Fast Fashion by Clare Press
Who made what you are wearing today? Very rarely we have an answer to that question. Journalist, podcaster, author, consultant and speaker Clare Press explores the history and ethics behind what we wear. In this book Press gives an eye-opening look at the state of the fashion industry.
The Conscious Closet: The Revolutionary Guide to Looking Good While Doing Good by Elizabeth L. Cline
Written by journalist, fashionista and clothing resale expert Elizabeth L. Cline, this book teaches you everything there is to know about building an effortless capsule wardrobe, how to keep up with trends without harming the environment, buying better quality and seeking out ethical brands.
How To Break Up With Fast Fashion: A Guilt-free Guide to Changing the Way You Shop – for Good by Lauren Bravo
The ultimate guide on how to break up with fast fashion. In this book, journalist Lauren Bravo will help you change your mindset and how to embrace a more sustainable way of shopping. Full of advice and tips, this book will inspire you to repair, recycle and give your clothes a new life.
Consumed by Aja Barber
Aja Barber is a writer, stylist and consultant who works with sustainability and fashion. This book is Barber's call to action for consumers everywhere, the book asks us to look at how and why we buy the things we buy, how it's created, who benefits from it and how we can solve the problems that have been created by consumerism.
To Die For: Is Fashion Wearing Out the World? By Lucy Siegle
Written by the Observer's 'Ethical Living' columnist, Lucy Siegle, this expose examines the inhumane and environmentally devastating story behind the clothes we buy and wear without much thought. Siege preaches that it is fully possible to be an 'ethical fashionista', by being aware of how, where and by whom our clothes are manufactured by.
Loved Clothes last by Orsola de Castro
In this book, co-founder of Fashion Revolution Orsola de Castro gives us the ultimate guide on how to love, mend and repair items we already own. This will not only help you breath new life into your clothes, it has a positive environmental impact and it is personally rewarding.
