ENVS 280: Political Ecology of Sustainable Textiles (with Dr. Amy Telligman)

Packed with examples from groundbreaking designers such as Vivienne Westwood, Stella McCartney, Edun and People Tree, A Practical Guide to Sustainable Fashion is a much-needed overview of current models of fashion design and production. Alison Gwilt introduces the key issues associated with the production, use and disposal of fashion clothing and gives step-by-step guidance on how to identify and evaluate the potential impacts of a garment during the design process. With innovative examples of best practice from international designers and brands, the chapters follow each key stage in the life cycle of a fashion garment and explores approaches such as low-impact textiles techniques, mono-materiality, zero waste techniques, upcycling, repair and maintenance techniques and closed-loop design systems. New to this edition: More in-depth coverage of design thinking, materials manufacture, practical techniques for creating 'faster' recyclable fashion and new ways forward for fashion, such as including the circular economy and the Sustainable Development Goals.

"The production, use and eventual disposal of most clothing is environmentally damaging, and many fashion and textile designers are becoming keen to employ more sustainable strategies in their work. This book provides a practical guide to the ways in which designers are creating fashion with less waste and greater durability. Based on the results of extensive research into lifecycle approaches to sustainable fashion, the book is divided into four sections: source: explores the motivations for the selection of materials for fashion garments and suggests that garments can be made from materials that also assist in the management of textile waste make: discusses the differing approaches to the design and manufacture of sustainable fashion garments that can also provide the opportunity for waste control and minimization use: explores schemes that encourage the consumer to engage in slow fashion consumption last: examines alternative solutions to the predictable fate of most garments - landfill. Illustrated throughout with case studies of best practice from international designers and fashion labels and written in a practical, accessible style, this is a must-have guide for fashion and textile designers and students in their areas"--Publisher's description.

"The clothing industry employs 25 million people globally contributing to many livelihoods and the prosperity of communities, to women's independence, and the establishment of significant infrastructures in poorer countries. Yet the fashion industry is also a significant contributor to the degradation of natural systems, with the associated environmental footprint of clothing high in comparison with other products. This comprehensive handbook recognizes the complexity of aligning fashion with sustainability. It explores fashion and sustainability at the levels of products, processes, and paradigms and takes a truly multi-disciplinary approach to critically question and suggest creative responses to issues of fashion in a post-growth society, fashion, diversity and equity and fashion, fluidity and balance across natural, social and economic systems"-- Publisher's description.

"Combines practical examples, flat patterns, and more than 20 exercises to help you incorporate this sustainable technique into your portfolio. There are also beautifully illustrated interviews with innovative designers, including Richard Lindgvist, Mary Beth Bentaha and Daniel Desanto to show how sustainable practice continues to evolve within industry. Industry pioneers, Timo Rissanen and Holly McQuillan, offer flexible strategies and easy-to-master zero waste techniques to help you develop your own cutting-edge fashion designs. This updated edition includes new content on integrating 3D design into a zero waste process, additional coverage of the historical context of zero waste around the world, and expands on the related technique of subtraction cutting to make this the ultimate practical guide to sustainable fashion design"--Publisher's description.

Life cycle assessment (LCA) is used to evaluate the environmental impacts of textile products, from raw material extraction, through fibre processing, textile manufacture, distribution and use, to disposal or recycling. LCA is an important tool for the research and development process, product and process design, and labelling of textiles and clothing. Handbook of Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of Textiles and Clothing systematically covers the LCA process with comprehensive examples and case studies. Part one of the book covers key indicators and processes in LCA, from carbon and ecological footprints to disposal, re-use and recycling. Part two then discusses a broad range of LCA applications in the textiles and clothing industry. Covers the LCA process and its key indicators, including carbon and ecological footprints, disposal, re-use and recycling Examines the key developments of LCA in the textile and clothing industries Provides a wide range of case studies and examples of LCA applications in the textile and clothing industries.

"Non-toxic beauty products and eco-fashion to help you be magnifeco! In the wake of the Rana Plaza factory collapse in Bangladesh--the worst garment industry accident in recorded history--the words "fashion disaster" acquired a new and much more sinister meaning. Commentators suggested that the tragedy was completely predictable in a sector with a shocking track record of rampant environmental damage, the use of toxic chemicals, and chronic human rights abuse.
Now the industry is undergoing a shift, and many of us are questioning our buying habits. The rise of socially and environmentally responsible retailers like Patagonia and The Body Shop has led to dramatic changes in the eco and ethical fashion landscape. Magnifeco is the Fast Food Nation of the fashion world--your guide to making a difference too. In this guide, author Kate Black: Examines non-toxic beauty and ethical fashion; recommends a multitude of ways for consumers to make better decisions; and introduces the brands and designers leading the way along this socially responsible path. With this complete head-to toe guide covering everything from hair and beauty products to shoes and footwear, you can feel better about everything you put on your body and be--magnifeco!"--Publisher's description.

This is the the "only book specifically for fashion designers to explain the behavior and properties of different fabrics. Fashion design is largely determined by how the fabrics work, move, feel, and look. The most successful fashion designers are those who understand their materials, who match design skill with technical knowledge. This book bridges that gap by providing a mix of practical information and industry vocabulary, visually examining generic fabric types, discussing the characteristics of fabrics, and showing how to exploit materials to push the boundaries of design. With stunning color photographs that show how fashion designers, both past and present, have worked with fabrics, the book’s prime objective is to stimulate creative exploration of the relationship of fabrics to fashion"--Publisher's description.

"In recent years, the study of textiles and culture has become a dynamic field of scholarship, reflecting new global, material and technological possibilities. This is the first handbook of specially commissioned essays to provide a guide to the major strands of critical work around textiles past and present and to draw upon the work of artists and designers as well as researchers in textiles studies.The handbook offers an authoritative and wide-ranging guide to the topics, issues, and questions that are central to the study of textiles today: it examines how material practices reflect cross-cultural influences; it explores textiles' relationships to history, memory, place, and social and technological change; and considers their influence on fashion and design, sustainable production, craft, architecture, curation and contemporary textile art practice. This illustrated volume will be essential reading for students and scholars involved in research on textiles and related subjects such as dress, costume and fashion, feminism and gender, art and design, and cultural history"--Publisher's description.

"From diapers to Dior, saris to serapes, the world of clothing is nearly as vast and as ancient as the human race. Tracing the stylistic and functional threads that unite clothing across time and cultures, as well as delving into the divergent styles and significance of apparel, this A to Z encyclopedia is the essential resource for exploring the relationship between culture and couture. A new addition to the Scribner Daily Life series, which includes the best-selling Encyclopedia of Food and Culture, this broad-based encyclopedia surveys clothing and body adornment, and examines the origins of clothing, the development of fabrics and technologies, and the social meanings of dress. It also presents information on representative costumes from a wide variety of historical eras. Topics range from the bustle, sari, and toga to Polyester and body piercing. cocktail dress, bathing suit, burqua, Nehru jacket), techniques and manufactures (batik, dry cleaning, zipper, stone washing), body adornment (makeup, mask, tattoo, wig), and important persons and institutions (Coco Chanel, Edith Head, Yves Saint-Laurent, Fashion Institute of Technology). The longer essays provide cultural context: class, gender, sumptuary laws, costume design for stage and screen, advertising; fashion careers; ecclesiastical dress; military uniforms; etc. The Encyclopedia of Clothing and Fashion includes a comprehensive general index in the last volume, a timeline, and a topical outline"--Publisher's description.

Spanning nearly 5000 years of textile history, this book covers the field from the first practical and decorative use of fabrics to the introduction of modern synthetic materials. Organized in an A to Z format, the work provides information on fabric, fabrication methods, machine processes (felting, weaving) and more. At the same time, the book also covers methods of producing and treating fabrics, such as block printing, calendering and delustering. Biographies of major textile and fabric innovators are also included.