Regenerative fashion A nature-based approach to fibres, livelihoods and leadership

Review by Booklist Review

Recent books like Alyssa Hardy's Worn Out (2022) and Dana Thomas' Fashionopolis (2019) explored the fashion industry's excesses, decrying such practices as the enslavement of clothing workers, the overuse of fresh water and non-renewable resources, and the disposal of tons of clothing which sits rotting in warehouses the world over. This book offers hopeful, ethical, and sustainable alternatives gathered through interviews with nearly 50 clothing producers, designers, and craftspeople hailing mainly from the U.S. and the UK, but also from India, Egypt, Vietnam, Iran, Nepal, and Ethiopia. Some of the individuals run small family farms and local collaboratives. Others are suppliers to major international outlets. All have committed to methods that value the well-being of humans and our planet. There are discussions about returning to traditional crop rotation and herding techniques and reinstating the use of natural fabrics and dyes alongside explanations of emerging research on new sources for sustainable fabrics, such as seaweed. It's both refreshing and reassuring to know that these initiatives exist; hopefully the fashion industry will use them.

From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.

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Review by Publisher's Weekly Review

This thought-provoking outing by Minney (Slave to Fashion), CEO of fair-trade fashion company People Tree, advocates for sustainable and ethical practices in the fashion industry. Fashion has the ability to "restore what it has taken from the natural world and revive communities," she contends, exploring sustainable business models through interviews with designers, businesspeople, and activists. Minney suggests that fashion should take cues from regenerative agriculture, which seeks to implement production processes that promote soil and ecosystem health. Several interviewees emphasize the importance of going local, as when Bethany Williams, the designer of the eponymous label, notes that doing so cuts transportation costs and generates jobs within the community. Other interviews with industry insiders from such brands as Eileen Fisher, the Fair Wear Foundation, and Patagonia discuss how to ensure fair wages for textile workers, improve sustainability, and negotiate necessary trade-offs (the product director of outdoor clothing company Finisterre says that consumers should be willing to "pay a bit more" for "better products that last longer"). Minney's stimulating interviews offer a panoramic view of the innovative ways the fashion world is grappling with the need for more sustainable and ethical practices. The result is a fascinating look at how the fashion industry can design a more equitable future. (Nov.)

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Review by Library Journal Review

Long active in revolutionizing the way fashion is created, British social entrepreneur Minney (Naked Fashion: The New Sustainable Fashion Revolution) promotes a holistic and sustainable approach to the way clothes are manufactured. Her book also goes further, to the need to change the entire cycle of clothing production and use from start to end. Minney explains how the concept of regeneration affects both farming and textiles. The book is divided into three sections: "Nature and Materials"; "People, Livelihoods and Craft"; and "New Economy and Leadership," Minney includes a plethora of in-depth interviews with industry leaders both big and small from all over the world, as well as researchers and designers. A variety of natural fibers including cotton, wool, orange fiber, and kelp are introduced and explored in detail. Of particular interest are Minney's explanations of the regenerative cycle, such as a colorful diagram of regenerative wool and the sections on adapting new business models. Striking color pictures are included in all three sections. VERDICT This book will appeal to a broad array of readers. Fans of ethical fashion, as well as those interested in sustainability, regenerative farming, minimalism, fair trade, and climate change, will all find something to love.--Holly Hebert

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