Eco-Chic: The Fashion Paradox - Tapa blanda

'Here was a chance to our insatiable appetite for cheap clothes, which has led to a booming textile production industry, employing more than 26 million people worldwide... This is not a light read, and Black makes it clear that ethical practice is riddled with complexity' The Times 'What Black makes us consider are the trade-offs: Are renewable materials, made from by-products of the oil industry, a better ethical buy than natural fabrics?' Elle Canada 'Sandy Black offers a fascinating account of the fashion industry's attempts to balance the high demands of style-hungry consumers and the impact it has on the environment' The Ecologist

Fashion and environmental awareness are two concerns that do not comfortably sit side by side. Over the past ten years, high street fashion, led by global chains, has become ever more affordable and disposable. The sourcing of materials, the manufacture and the distribution of clothes have become the dirty secrets of the beautiful industry. In a comprehensive survey of this highly pertinent subject, leading academic Sandy Black examines the way the fashion industry is changing to accommodate the environmental concerns of the twenty first century. She exposes the naked truth behind the clothes we wear, exploring alternate practices and assessing their feasibility. Using case studies of designers from the catwalks and the high street, including Katherine Hamnett, Marks and Spencer and Linda Loudermilk, she illustrates how these processes are finding their way into the industry, and shows how ethical fashion has moved on from its traditional connotations of hemp shirts and rope sandals.