March 2023 MBR The Fashion Shelf

The Fashion Shelf

Sundressed: Natural Fabrics and the Future of Clothing
Lucianne Tonti
Island Press
2000 M St NW Suite 650, Washington, DC 20036
www.islandpress.org
9781642832716, $29.00, HC, 216pp

https://www.amazon.com/Sundressed-Natural-Fabrics-Future-Clothing/dp/1642832715

Synopsis: For 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. In fact, fashion may account for as much as 10% of all greenhouse gas emissions. If our clothes reflect our values, is it possible to be truly well-dressed?

With the publication of "Sundressed: Natural Fabrics and the Future of Clothing ", 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 the pages of "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 currently taking place in the world of fashion from farm to closet.

Critique: A simply fascinating read that will have a special appeal and relevance to professionals and non-specialist general readers alike who have an interest in the impact of the Green movement on today's fashion makers and clothing manufacturers. Informatively enhanced for readers with the inclusion of twelve pages of Notes, "Sundressed: Natural Fabrics and the Future of Clothing" is a seminal and unreservedly recommended addition to personal, professional, community, and academic library Green Fashion & Textile Busiess collections and supplemental Environmental Economics curriculum studies lists. It should be noted that "Sundressed" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $10.99).

Editorial Note: Lucianne Tonti (https://www.luciannetonti.com) has worked in fashion in Melbourne, Sydney, London, and Paris since 2008. In 2020 she launched the sustainable fashion site Prelude, profiled in Vogue. Lucianne holds a Bachelor of Communication, a Juris Doctorate, and a Postgraduate Diploma in Political Science. Her writing appears in The Guardian and she is the fashion editor of The Saturday Paper.

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