3 Essential Sustainable Fashion Readings
Getting involved with the sustainable fashion community can be daunting. Sure, you know that fast fashion is exploitative, and you want to help the environment, but where do you start? How can you educate yourself?
Don’t panic. We’ve got you covered. Here are three readings to get you started on your journey into eco-friendly fashion.
“Pieces of Mind” by Jen Nurick
Got an old hoodie from your ex that you can’t seem to throw out, or a lucky pair of sneakers that you still swear helped you pass a test? Turns out there’s psychology behind that, with studies to back it up.
This 2020 Vogue Australia article discusses the real, tangible effects that fashion has on one’s psyche. Clothing sends a message, both to ourselves and to others. As brands compete to appear more sustainable to consumers, this message becomes more important than ever.
What Can We Learn?: It’s important to understand why the fashion industry continues to be highly lucrative and successful, even as we learn more about their unethical practices. If clothing is seriously seen as part of our identity, then how can we be sustainable about it? How can we build a solid, reliable wardrobe that reflects our identities without harming the environment?
In other words, what do you want your clothes to say?
Image Source: Yannis Vlamos/Indigitalimages.com
“The Myth of Sustainable Fashion” by Kenneth P. Pucker
This article was written by the former COO of Timberland for the Harvard Business Review. It deconstructs misconceptions surrounding sustainability, and critiques the fashion industry’s sneaky greenwashing tactics.
Don’t let the title mislead you: Pucker doesn’t believe that sustainable fashion is impossible. But with fast fashion brands’ lackluster sustainability efforts, it comes pretty close. His article makes it abundantly clear that this is an industry whose only method of growth involves cheaply made clothing and poorly paid workers. It’s a sad reality, but an important wake-up call, for businesses and people alike.
What Can We Learn?: Reading from the perspective of a former fashion industry businessman shows how dire the situation really is. Now that we know how little effort the fashion industry puts into sustainability, we know just how important it is to slow down and buy less.
“Fashion as Communication” by Malcolm Barnard
Malcolm Barnard’s 1996 book dissects fashion’s cultural and political connotations. Like Nurick, he challenges the idea that fashion is “frivolous.” Every day, people make snap judgments about others’ gender identity and social class with just a single glance at their outfits.
This isn’t always a bad thing, though. People have been using these judgments as a form of protest for centuries! Take the punk scene, for example: fashion was an integral part of their rebellion. Like it or not, fashion is an irreplaceable fixture of cultures around the world.
Image Source: Norma Morrisseua
What Can We Learn?: Being aware of fashion’s influence on culture, and how it affects people’s perceptions, is crucial in understanding the slow fashion movement as a whole. Treating both the art and the industry as serious subjects worthy of critique is what ultimately sparks these important conversations.
Reading a few books and articles may not seem like much at first. But don’t undervalue its importance! By reading, you’re inspiring yourself to become a more conscious consumer – an inspiration that, when spread, has the power to change the world.
Did you know that Slow Fashion USA has a book club? Follow @slowfashion.usa on Instagram for details. Happy reading!
Written by Sara Traynor
Sara uses she/her pronouns. Fashion and writing are her two favorite modes of creative expression, and she loves to combine them in SFUSA. In her free time, she does crossword puzzles, reads, and watches SpongeBob.