Fashionopolis

May 27, 2019
In this informative volume, fashion journalist Thomas convincingly lays out multiple arguments against fast fashion (low-cost, mass-produced clothing) and the cycle of rapidly manufacturing, purchasing, and discarding clothes that is sweeping the globe. Thomas points out that American “shoppers snap up five times more clothing now than they did in 1980,” that fast fashion also preys on consumers’ insecurities, that synthetic dyes and fertilizers have harmful effects on the environment, that southern mill towns emptied when clothing manufacturers sent those jobs overseas, and that outsourcing grievously exploits laborers (as evinced by the devastating collapse of Rana Plaza in Bangladesh, where many U.S. companies subcontracted work, which killed more than 1,000 garment workers). In the latter part of the book, Thomas delves into efforts to mitigate these effects through “slow fashion,” such as Levi’s using domestically produced organic indigo for some of its denim, and small, socially conscious companies bringing their manufacturing operations back to the U.S. Thomas interviews individuals such as Alabama Chanin, who grew up in Florence, Ala., “the Cotton T-shirt Capital of the World,” and, upon returning home, has reimagined how clothing can be produced locally in a manner that exploits neither its employees nor the environment. Thoroughly reported and persuasively written, Sexton’s clarion call for more responsible practices in fashion will speak to both industry professionals and socially conscious consumers.

Starred review from December 1, 2021
Grades 5-8 *Starred Review* It's easier than ever to procure a new piece of clothing for an affordable price, but it's also easy to overlook the system that makes accessible fashion possible. This young readers' edition of Fashionopolis (2019) welcomes a new audience into the incredibly complicated world of apparel sourcing and manufacturing, taking time to establish how the fashion world evolved into the sea of ready-to-wear and fast-fashion options that inundate modern consumers. Though shifting the industry is clearly presented as an enormous challenge--how do companies learn to accept smaller profits while consumers learn to pay more and buy less?--there is also an undercurrent of hope that buoys the proceedings. The different sections cover some major negative aspects of the process--dire working conditions, toxic cloth and dye manufacturing, devastating environmental consequences--but also explore ways in which individuals and companies have worked to improve the industry in the past and continue to innovate for the future, whether through digitization, 3-D printing, biotech material, or enhanced recycling systems. The text stays conversational, never talking down to young readers, and instead equipping them with economic and manufacturing knowledge through personal anecdotes and company spotlights (and even occasional pronunciation help). Back matter includes a glossary and some practical tips that readers can implement. An immensely compelling and critical guide for young readers beginning to make their own fashion choices.

COPYRIGHT(2021) Booklist, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.