It’s Fashion Revolution Week, and we’re celebrating this important week of action by bringing you the information you need to know about the world of sustainability. Our resident sustainable fashion journalist, Megan Doyle, who has been working with GFW since 2019, is creating content for us all week – including an interview with Fashion Revolution co-founder and creative director Orsola de Castro and a webinar on starting your career in sustainable fashion. Below, Megan has created her go-to list of resources to learn and develop your knowledge about sustainability. From interesting Instagram accounts, books you can buy to newsletters, apps and podcasts, there are so many ways to get into the world of sustainability.
Sustainable Fashion Journalist Megan Doyle
As a sustainable fashion journalist, a huge part (and one of the best parts) of my job is seeking out experts to share their wisdom with me. I’ve been lucky enough to interview a huge diverse range of people for the stories I’ve written – from ethically minded fashion designers, innovators in fashion tech, activists and educators who spread the word about important issues on social media, podcasts, books and research papers, to union leaders and advocates working on the ground to make the lives of garment workers better.
My mission, as a journalist working in what is a really complex and saturated market, is to cut through the noise and highlight the voices that are influencing the way we look at fashion for the better. Below, I’ve shared my go-to list of resources that are a great place to learn more about sustainability. It’s by no means exhaustive – feel free to comment and add your own favourite resources to the list!
Books to Read
In the last few years, the number of books on sustainable fashion has rapidly grown as interest in the sector booms. Books are a great way to deep dive into a particular topic from experts in the industry. If you’re interested in a specific issue, investing in sustainable fashion books is a great way to deepen your understanding and inspire you to make changes in your own life. If you’re buying a book, please consider shopping with your local independent book store if you can!
Loved Clothes Last: How the Joy of Rewearing and Repairing Your Clothes Can Be a Revolutionary Act by Orsola de Castro
How To Break Up With Fast Fashion Notebook: A Guilt-Free Guide to Changing the Way You Shop, for Good by Lauren Bravo
Empire Of Cotton: A Global History by Sven Beckert
Stitched Up: The Anti-Capitalist Book of Fashion by Tansy Hoskins
Wardrobe Crisis: How We Went From Sunday Best To Fast Fashion by Clare Press
The Conscious Closet: The Revolutionary Guide to Looking Good While Doing Good by Elizabeth Cline
Secondhand: Travels in the New Global Garage Sale by Adam Minter
Check out this Fashionista story for more great book recommendations.
Organisations to Follow
There are many important organisations working hard to make the fashion industry better. From groups advocating for the rights of garment workers around the world to NGOs raising awareness for environmental causes, you can follow them on Instagram to learn more about their causes.
Influencers, Journalists and Eco-Educators to Know
Last year, I wrote about the rise of the eco-educator for Eco-Age, delving into the social media platforms sharing knowledge in bite-sized, easily accessible graphics that have become super popular in the last year. Below, you can find a few more of my favourite influencers, journalists and eco-educators sharing knowledge on social media.
Isaias Hernandez (Queer Brown Vegan)
Newsletters to Subscribe To
Newsletters are having a moment. I launched my own last year, after realising the format is a really great way to share information far and wide with like-minded subscribers. My favourite newsletters bring a unique lens to sustainable fashion by sharing product recommendations, musings on various issues, curating news round-ups and more. Delivered straight to your inbox, what’s not to love?
Slow Fashion Weekly by Inês Fressynet
The Titian Thread Newsletter by me!
The Ethical Fashion Roundup by Ruth MacGilp
Places to Shop & Rent Sustainable Brands
Finding sustainable alternatives can be a huge barrier to making more conscious shopping decisions, but luckily there are some great sustainable retailers online that do the hard work for you! Below, check out some great stores that have a huge selection of ethical and sustainable fashion brands at all different price points. I’ve even thrown in a few rental platforms, which is a good alternative to buying occasionwear and often a lot cheaper too.
Loma: Search secondhand and rental sites in one click.
Fashion Apps to Download
Tech makes our lives easier in a lot of ways, and fashion tech platforms are no different! I recently wrote about a few of these for Refinery29 UK, and I’ve included even more great apps below. From helping you to digitise and organise your wardrobe, to getting your clothes altered, there are so many exciting new fashion apps that are free to download and fun to try out.
Whering: Your wardrobe, digitised
Nuw: The app to swap pre-loved fashion
Little Black Door: The Social Wardrobe App
By Rotation: The Social Fashion Rental App
Efitter: Finding Your Perfect Fit
Sojo: Deliveroo for clothing alterations & repairs
Renoon: Your Universe of Responsible Fashion
Podcasts to Listen To
Podcasts are a really great way to learn more about sustainable fashion. My favourite podcasts on the topic speak to experts from around the world, many of whom don’t often get written about elsewhere, to hear their stories.