Slow Fashion – Books for Becoming Stylishly Sustainable

By Kat La Mantia | January 13 2023 | AdultsGeneralAllBlog

Fast fashion is taking its toll on the planet, on workers, and on our closets. For those seeking to live a more sustainable lifestyle, there’s a solution: slow fashion. Slow fashion covers everything from buying from smaller eco-conscious brands to thrifting to re-working your own existing clothes. The goal is to extend the life of your clothing as much as possible to minimize waste, and also to take a more ethical and thoughtful approach to consumption.

The books on this list are fantastic guides for those who want to take a more careful look at their closet, with tips for mending, sewing, preserving, and re-styling things you already own. Giving up fast fashion doesn’t mean giving up style. Check out these titles, and transform your old wardrobe into a brand new look.

Sew your own stylish, sustainable clothes
9781782218753
Reuse and sew a sustainable capsule wardrobe that is tailored to you - and with it, break the cycle of throw-away fashion, with Portia Lawrie, leader of the Refashioners - fashion reuse pioneers.Publishers Weekly Top 10 Lifestyle books 2023Creative Book Awards 2024 Winner - Best Upcycling Book and Best New Author from Crafts Beautiful Magazine
$24.95 US
Apr 25, 2023
8-1/2 x 11
Paperback
176 Pages
Search Press

How to Buy, Fix, and Keep Secondhand Clothing
9781683693246
Sick of cheap, wasteful, disposable fast fashion? Learn how to shop for vintage clothing and accessories and build a more sustainable, stylish closet.
$16.99 US
Nov 08, 2022
5-1/4 x 6-3/4
Paperback
192 Pages
Quirk Books

Using What You Have to Get the Look You Want
9780593139103
A radically simple and universally flattering system for getting dressed, from the Emmy Award–winning stylist who turned Fran Drescher of The Nanny into a fashion icon.
$23.99 US
Feb 08, 2022
7 x 9
Paperback
256 Pages
Clarkson Potter

Stitch Your Way to a Sustainable Wardrobe
9780744026801
A practical tool kit for mending and upcycling your wardrobe.It's "sew" simple to give your wardrobe an eco-chic edge! With fast fixes and clever techniques, this accessible, fully illustrated sewing book has everything you need to mend, customize and care for your clothes.Parting with damaged, yet beloved, clothes can be one of the saddest things, but what if you were able to fix those holes, give them a fresher look, and extend their life? Luckily, with this guide to mending and patching, you don’t have to say goodbye to your favorite clothing items ever again!Now you can cherish all your garments, even those in the furthest corner of your closet! This sewing book for beginners will help you master the skills to repair a seam and mend a hem, even if you’ve never touched a needle and thread before!Enjoy Your Clothes for LongerThis sewing book arms you with the techniques you need to enjoy your clothes for longer and express your creativity. Detailed step-by-step illustrations and clear instructions explain how to sew, repurpose, and care for your clothes in a range of materials. For anyone who cares about reducing fashion waste but doesn't want to sacrifice style, this is the book for you! It addresses the way mending is great for fashion sustainability and gives you the low down on "fast fashion". From polluting ecosystems and breeding unsafe work environments, discover the huge human and environmental impacts those irresistibly cheap t-shirts have.The Art of Mending and Sewing Mend It. Wear It. Love It is for everyone! Packed full of simple fixes, as well as more advanced techniques, this book is perfect for sewers, crafters, and fashion lovers of all experience levels.
$14.99 US
Feb 09, 2021
5-13/16 x 7-9/16
Hardcover
144 Pages
DK

From Seed To Style The Sustainable Way
9780241536445
A fully illustrated, practical guide that explains how to follow a sustainable approach to food and fashion
$25.99 US
May 24, 2022
7-7/16 x 9-11/16
Paperback
224 Pages
DK

Handmade Clothes for Any Body
9781632172815
Learn to sew beautiful, simple handmade clothes and begin a journey to loving the body you have.
$29.95 US
Aug 23, 2022
7-1/4 x 8-1/2
Paperback
288 Pages
Sasquatch Books

How to minimize waste and maximize style
9781782219606
Creatively mend and customize your old clothes to revitalize your outfits and save the planet
$23.95 US
Jun 08, 2021
7 x 9
Paperback
272 Pages
Search Press

How to Make and Modify Clothes to Wear Every Day
9781611808339
A complete guide to sewing simple garments--with four full-size patterns and all the tricks of alteration and embellishment explained so that you can make a wardrobe all your own.
$26.95 US
Apr 27, 2021
8 x 10
Paperback
176 Pages
Roost Books

25 reusable projects for sustainable sewing
9781782219262
Sew 25 planet-saving projects to help reduce waste
$17.95 US
Aug 03, 2021
8 x 10-1/4
Paperback
96 Pages
Search Press

How Toxic Fashion Is Making Us Sick--and How We Can Fight Back
9780593422618
A Silent Spring for your wardrobe, To Dye For is a jolting exposé that reveals the true cost of the toxic, largely unregulated chemicals found on most clothing today.
$32.00 US
Jun 27, 2023
6 x 9
Hardcover
304 Pages
G.P. Putnam's Sons