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/164283= 2715

Synopsis: For consumers, buying clothes has never been more complicated. Ev=
en 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 Clot= hing ", sustainable fashion consultant Lucianne Tonti answers with a resoun= ding yes. Beautiful clothes made from natural fabrics including cotton, woo=
l, flax, and cashmere can support rural communities and regenerate landscap= es. They can also reduce waste -- but only if we invest in garments that st= and 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 gr= oves 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, givi=
ng back to the land as they tend it. Meanwhile, further down the supply cha= in, top designers are working with Indigenous communities to relearn the ar= tistry of sewing -- and reward them financially. And global brands, includi=
ng 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 eve= ryone 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 we=
ar our clothes longer.

"Sundressed" is an exploration of a revolution currently taking place in th=
e world of fashion from farm to closet.

Critique: A simply fascinating read that will have a special appeal and rel= evance to professionals and non-specialist general readers alike who have a=
n interest in the impact of the Green movement on today's fashion makers an=
d clothing manufacturers. Informatively enhanced for readers with the inclu= sion 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 Bus= iess collections and supplemental Environmental Economics curriculum studie=
s lists. It should be noted that "Sundressed" is also available in a digita=
l book format (Kindle, $10.99).

Editorial Note: Lucianne Tonti (https://www.luciannetonti.com) has worked i=
n fashion in Melbourne, Sydney, London, and Paris since 2008. In 2020 she l= aunched the sustainable fashion site Prelude, profiled in Vogue. Lucianne h= olds a Bachelor of Communication, a Juris Doctorate, and a Postgraduate Dip= loma in Political Science. Her writing appears in The Guardian and she is t=
he fashion editor of The Saturday Paper.

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