One of the Best Books of 2019. - Real Simple
”A must-read for all fashion lovers who care about the state of the planet.” - Booklist
”This book needs to be in every home.” - Arizona Muse, model and sustainability activist
”An absolute sustainable fashion Bible.” - Isabella David, model and poet
”A thoroughly researched blueprint for making sustainable, humane clothing decisions.” - Publishers Weekly
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about the book
From journalist, fashionista, and clothing resale expert Elizabeth Cline, "the Michael Pollan of fashion,"* comes the definitive guide to building an ethical, sustainable wardrobe you'll love.
With her landmark 2012 investigation Overdressed: The Shockingly High Cost of Cheap Fashion, Elizabeth Cline was the first to reveal fast fashion's hidden toll on garment workers, the environment, and even our own satisfaction with our clothes. The Conscious Closet shows exactly what we can do about it.
In the wake of Overdressed, countless readers and consumers wondered how they should change their approach to fashion: How should they dress with their values? How, where, and how often should they shop? Cline herself struggled at first to merge her knowledge of the issues in the fashion industry and her ethical values with her growing appreciation for style. In recent years, that struggle has become progress: sustainable and ethical fashion has transformed into a worldwide movement.
Building off fresh research and her life-changing experiences getting off the fast-fashion treadmills, Cline now explores inspiring, everyday answers to those questions and so much more in THE CONSCIOUS CLOSET: The Revolutionary Guide to Looking Good While Doing Good (Plume; August 20, 2019), helping readers build a wardrobe they love with greater intention and awareness of our clothes, where they come from, what they’re made out of, and why they matter.
Clothing is one of the leading driver’s of climate change, responsible for 8% of all carbon emissions, more than all international flights combined. Clothing is also one of the fastest-growing categories of waste to landfills, with one garbage truck of clothes dumped every two minutes in the U.S. For the sake of humanity and the environment, we need to be more mindful about our clothes. As Cline reveals, being more intentional about our clothing choices feels better and looks better, too.
Clothing is one of the most personal expressions of who we are, and in THE CONSCIOUS CLOSET, Cline aims to help readers truly understand and love their clothes again. Cline shares how to pare down your closet; swap, resell, or recycle what you don’t love; better care for and repair what you do; and how to affordably buy, thrift, or rent the ethical wardrobe of your dreams. Whether your goal is to build an effortless capsule wardrobe, keep up with trends, buy quality, seek out ethical brands, or all of the above, THE CONSCIOUS CLOSET provides you with everything you need to build a sustainable, safe, beautiful, and mindful wardrobe.
THE CONSCIOUS CLOSET is not just a style guide. It is a manifesto and call to action to transform one of the most polluting industries on earth into a force for good, on both a micro level—our own closets—and macro level, by learning where and how our clothes are made, and how to connect to a global and impassioned community of stylish fashion revolutionaries for bigger systematic change.
In this book, you’ll learn about the following:
Discovering your fashion personality type: are you a minimalist, a style seeker or a traditionalist? For reach of these styles and combinations, Cline provides ways to shift your consumption habits to fit your lifestyle and fashion enthusiasm.
Upping your quality game and knowing what fabrics are best for the lifestyle you lead
and your price point. Cline shares details about the art and science of good construction of clothing and how you can spot the best pieces in stores, regardless of price.
Real experts on real topics: Cline speaks with Kathleen Talbot, VP of Sustainability at Reformation; Kuruna Scheinfeld, VP of Design at Canada Goose; Carl Blakeslee, Creative Director at Sorel; Cynthia Power, Director of Eileen Fisher Renew; and more to hear from industry insiders about the environmental impacts of fashion and what the future looks like.
How to Marie Kondo your closet in a sustainable and environmentally conscious way without giving up what’s most important to you. Clothes are 95% reusable or recycle and Cline provides step-by-step ways to clean out your closet without adding to waste and pollution.
How to afford the conscious closet of your dreams. Cline saved thousands of dollars building her conscious closet, and she’ll share how to spend wisely on clothes and invest in high-quality pieces that hold their resale value.
How to green your laundry routine and make your clothes look better longer. Cline shows how to eliminate hazardous chemicals from your laundry room, mend and repair, and wash your clothes in the most sustainable way.
“About eight years ago, I finished writing Overdressed. I cleaned out my closet, dropped my clothes off at a charity, and wondered what would happen next. Where would I shop? What would I wear? What would the world think of my little treatise against fast fashion? It turns out that many people are looking for a new and more fulfilling approach to clothing, and I immediately found myself in great company. Soon enough, my life started to change for the better in both small and all-encompassing ways. I think yours will too. I hope to share all I’ve learned with a new generation of readers with The Conscious Closet.” —Elizabeth L. Cline
SELECT PRESS
Nothing Wasted [Podcast] Undressing the Conscious Closet with Elizabeth Cline
Green American [Q&A] “Being Closet-Conscious With Elizabeth L. Cline”
The Cut [Q&A] Really, Anyone Can Shop Clothing Sustainably [Q&A]
The Independent - Fast Fashion Books: Learn the Truth Behind the Industry
