10 Books For a Crash Course in Eco Fashion

January 24, 2018 Audrey Stanton

I don't know about you but 2018 has been non-stop! There's so many exciting things in the works and, even though there's PLENTY to be enraged about, I like to think a bit of hope is in the air. My excitement might have a lot to do with the fact that I recently bought myself some new year's gifts: an assortment of used eco fashion books! There are so many great texts detailing issues, stories, and possible solutions to the dirty fashion industry. Navigating all this information can be overwhelming, so this week I've rounded up a list of greats reads to help you become an eco fashion expert. Take a look at how to make the most of your individual impact, get industry insights, and read analysis from outside observers.

Individual Impact

How to Shop for Shi(f)t

by Taryn Hipwell, Karen Housel, and Nicholas Brown of Beyond the Label

Magnifeco: Your Head-to-Toe Guide to Ethical Fashion and Non-Toxic Beauty

by Kate Black of Magnifeco

Wear No Evil: How to Change the World with Your Wardrobe

by Greta Eagen of Fashion Me Green

Loved Clothes Last

by Fashion Revolution activists around the world

Slave to Fashion

by Safia Minney of People Tree

Industry Insights

The Sustainable Fashion Handbook

Eco-Chic: The Fashion Paradox

by Sandy Black of Centre for Sustainable Fashion at the London College of Fashion

Eco Fashion

Refashioned: Cutting-Edge Clothing From Upcycled Materials

by sustainable fashion guru Sass Brown

Sustainable Fashion and Textiles: Design Journeys

by ecological design consultant Kate Fletcher

Slow Fashion: Aesthetics Meets Ethics

by Safia Minney

Outsider Analysis

To Die for: is Fashion Wearing Out the World?

by journalist Lucy Siegle

Stitched Up: The Anti-Capitalist Book of Fashion

by journalist Tansy E. Hoskins

Overdressed: The Shockingly High Cost of Cheap Fashion

by journalist Elizabeth L. Cline

Today is day 6 of the #10x10challenge– subscribe to get an early peak at how it went!

Make it Last: Caring for Your Clothes

September 27, 2017 Audrey Stanton

Clockwise: homemade spray (find tutorial here), The Simply Co. detergent, and BLANC stain remover (buy it here).

One of my very first posts was a brief guide on how to care for your clothing and I wanted to revisit this important topic. According to Treehugger 75-80% of clothing's impact happens after items are purchased. How we wash and dry our clothes can actually make a huge difference! This week's post is filled with updated tips on how you can do just that. It can seem overwhelming but try to take baby steps- one small change at a time.

Washing

Wash on cold! This not only saves energy but helps to keep colors from bleeding and extends the life of your clothes.
Wash full loads and limit the amount of loads you do per week. Try one full load a week!
Get the right detergent. Castile soap is fantastic for many things including hand washing. There's also The Simply Co. and Roux Maison.
Speaking of hand washing- do it! It's simple and effective. The Simply Co. has a great video to get you newbies started: here.

Roux Maison detergent- buy it here. — Roux Maison detergent- buy it **here**.

Castile soap- buy it here. — Castile soap- buy it **here**.

Stain Removal

Don't use bleach or regular stain removal. These are incredibly harmful to the environment and there are alternatives.
Check out Bead and Reel's amazing break down of how you can get ride of different types of stains using natural products like white vinegar, lemon, and the sun. Yup, you heard me right, see for yourself!

Drying

Hang dry when possible! If you have the time, hang dry everything. This prolongs the life of your clothes, avoids shrinking, and saves energy at the same time.
Dry on low heat. If you are machine drying try the lowest heat possible.

Dry Cleaning

Find a green dry cleaner. There are incredibly harmful chemicals used at most dry cleaning shops which hurt the environment and our health. Not to mention all the plastic wasted!
Read the care label! Read labels carefully and discern if you can hand wash something rather than send it to the dry cleaners.

In the Spotlight:

A relevant read for this week is Whitney Bauck's piece for Fashionista about a recent climate change panel discussion in New York City. A few brands and fashion industry professionals came together to discuss fashion's role in all of this. Read all about it!

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Why We Swap

March 22, 2017 Audrey Stanton

This week, along with my school's "Commission for Sustainability", I am holding a clothing swap! I thought I'd take this opportunity to get back to basics and remind myself, and others, why it's great to do so.

Fashion Revolution is an organization that I have discussed on the blog before. It's a nonprofit which aims to inform the the public, and spur grassroots activism, in regards to the fashion industry. They have loads of information on their website which outlines alternatives to fast fashion, how to speak up and hold brands accountable. Fashion Revolution has an entire Pinterest board devoted to facts, figures, and quotes about the huge industry of fashion. Here are some to paint a picture:

The fashion industry is the second largest industry polluting our earth aside from the oil industry
More than 70% of the clothes donated globally end up in Africa, which has destroyed the local economy for tailors
60% of garment workers in India and Bangladesh have experienced harassment in the workplace in the forms of verbal or physical abuse

I love the fact that clothing swaps can bring friends- old and new- together, but they are much more than simply a social event. We swap so we can send less clothing to landfills, keep our dollars from supporting sweatshops, and to bring life to old items!

If you found any of this content new and interesting then I highly recommend watching The True Cost, a documentary which reveals the inner-workings of the fashion industry and all its consequences.