Fashionopolis

Fashionopolis

Juvenile/YA nonfiction
Our kids want a cleaner, more sustainable world. They can see
the effects of climate change more clearly than many of us. They know
that we live in a time of inequity where too many people live
precarious lives. They worry about what kind of world they're growing
up into. They want to do something before it's too late. Dana
Thomas' Fashionopolis: The Secrets Behind the Clothes We Wear gives
them an area of agency centered around one of the most intimate areas
of identity: the clothes they wear.
"What you don't see is how these clothes were made. Where they
are made. Who makes them. You don't know what the factory looks
like. Is it clean and safe? Or a dirty, illegal, falling down
building known as a sweatshop?"
Thomas pictures the fashion industry as a whole as a pymamid.
At the top there's what is called haute couture (women) and bespoke
tailoring (men). These are clothes that sewn by hand to one person's
specifications. With an evening gown costing much more than what most
of us earn in a whole year those creations are for the super rich.
The next layer is the more responsible ready to wear brands. Finally
at the bottom is fast fashion.
Fast fashion is the new and quickly growing swath that Thomas
analyzes. From creation of the materials that go into clothes to
manufacturing and finishing of garments she points out the
environmental and human costs. She proves that the whole mess is
totally unsustainable.
What to do? Fortunately Thomas has some great ideas. Some can
be done by farmers and manufacturers. But some are consumer options.
And there are a lot of things kids can rock.
If you have a preteen or teen at home Fashionopolis is a great
gift or addition to the family library, an inspiration for our younger
activists.
On a purrrsonal note, I have very few first hand items in my
wardrobe. They're gifts. I do my shopping in thrift shops, yard
sales, and clothing swaps. I extend the life of my clothes through
gentle laundering, air drying, and mending. I have a very unique look
that totally works for me anywhere from volunteering to classes to
performing drag. The clothes I choose are an outward manifestation of
my inner self. And the undergrads are always admiring my attire.
(Jules)
All I need to be styling is my purrrfect fur coat. Cats aren't
trashing the world through fast fashion. (Tobago the gorgeous)
A great big shout out goes out to all who working to make clothing
production sustainable and ethical.
Tobago and Jules Hathaway


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