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Exploring the Everyday
Where Did My Clothes Come From? by Chris Butterworth
Fun retro illustrations entice kids to follow the thread and learn where their clothes had their start—and how they were put together.Did you know that the cotton for your jeans was picked from a bush? How did the colorful wool in your sweater get from a sheep’s back to a ball of yarn? Where did your soccer uniform, your rain boots, and your fleece jacket come from? And what does recycling plastic bottles have to do with anything? Visit farms, forests, and factories all over the world to find out how everything you wear has a story behind it. Back matter includes an author’s note, an illustrator’s note, a bibliography, and an index.
Hardcover
First published August 4, 2015
2 people are currently reading
122 people want to read
About the author
Chris Butterworth
79 books75 followersCHRIS BUTTERWORTH is the author of more than seventy nonfiction books for children on such diverse subjects as influenza, Antarctic exploration, and Ancient Egypt. "A sea horse looks as magical as a mermaid," she says, "but sea horses really exist. We need to know as much as we can about them, so we can protect them."
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews
August 19, 2016
Read this entire book out loud to my love, who's a recycled clothing designer, and she said it's accurate and well represented, as far as the truth of fabric technology goes. Obviously the working conditions of the factories and specifics of the technologies are simplified, but not overly so, even for progressive and knowledgeable eyes.
The illustrations are bright and engaging, and I liked how the content flows across the page - often marked with numbered steps. The people in the illustrations have a wide variety of skin tones and apparent genetic heritage, which is a step in the right direction. I do wish more variety of ability or physical frames were present in a book about clothes, which is a nearly universal topic.
I took this out to local elementary schools in May/June 2016, along with an empty plastic water bottle and a piece of fleece, and basically walked the students through the steps on pages 22-23.
Not a smash hit or innovation of the genre or anything, but a pretty solid entry in engaging elementary nonfiction.
The illustrations are bright and engaging, and I liked how the content flows across the page - often marked with numbered steps. The people in the illustrations have a wide variety of skin tones and apparent genetic heritage, which is a step in the right direction. I do wish more variety of ability or physical frames were present in a book about clothes, which is a nearly universal topic.
I took this out to local elementary schools in May/June 2016, along with an empty plastic water bottle and a piece of fleece, and basically walked the students through the steps on pages 22-23.
Not a smash hit or innovation of the genre or anything, but a pretty solid entry in engaging elementary nonfiction.
November 29, 2022
I was trying to think of what to say about this book and then realized Cheryl already said everything I was thinking: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
For a kid's perspective, my boys were fairly interested in the book -- they enjoy seeing how things work, machines, etc. etc. so it was up their ally in that regard. They were amazed to learn how synthetic fibers are made -- I think they were a little appalled. (They'd be even more appalled if they learned about the toxic chemicals added to even natural-fiber clothing but that's not in this book...)
So, yes, this is a view of the clothing manufacturing process through rose colored glasses, sufficient to show kids the "process" but your family will need to bring their own values to the table if you want to go further than mechanics. For example, many vegan families will disagree with the segment on wool which mentions that the sheep like being sheared and it doesn't harm them at all. And there's no mention of sweatshops. But, fortunately, it does mention that millions of tons of clothing are thrown away annually and presents some ideas for upcycling and donating unwanted clothing.
For a kid's perspective, my boys were fairly interested in the book -- they enjoy seeing how things work, machines, etc. etc. so it was up their ally in that regard. They were amazed to learn how synthetic fibers are made -- I think they were a little appalled. (They'd be even more appalled if they learned about the toxic chemicals added to even natural-fiber clothing but that's not in this book...)
So, yes, this is a view of the clothing manufacturing process through rose colored glasses, sufficient to show kids the "process" but your family will need to bring their own values to the table if you want to go further than mechanics. For example, many vegan families will disagree with the segment on wool which mentions that the sheep like being sheared and it doesn't harm them at all. And there's no mention of sweatshops. But, fortunately, it does mention that millions of tons of clothing are thrown away annually and presents some ideas for upcycling and donating unwanted clothing.
April 3, 2019
Wow! I did not know most of the information in this book. Most fascinating takeaways: cashmere comes from a GOAT (a cashmere goat! Who knew?!), fleece is made from recycled water bottles, and velvet is made from silk.
My brain feels so much bigger now.
My brain feels so much bigger now.
September 9, 2022
Oh what a sunny interpretation of the facts that this book spins.... If only we didn't use petroleum for synthetics, and sweatshop labor for fashion, etc. At least it does take us to the thrift store at the end.
March 25, 2022
There was a lot in here I didn’t know!
September 15, 2022
This book takes readers through the many different processes of making clothing. There are many different materials made in many different ways, and this book explains a lot of them as meant for a young child to understand.
I like this book because it is very educational. Every child can relate to it, and adult too, because we all wear these materials that somehow became our clothes. It was interesting for me to learn where my clothes come from.
I would keep this book on my shelf because, like I said, every child can relate in some way to it. It will probably catch the eye of many students, and it will be an interesting read for all of them.
I like this book because it is very educational. Every child can relate to it, and adult too, because we all wear these materials that somehow became our clothes. It was interesting for me to learn where my clothes come from.
I would keep this book on my shelf because, like I said, every child can relate in some way to it. It will probably catch the eye of many students, and it will be an interesting read for all of them.
Read
September 3, 2020Where Did My Clothes Come From? was written by Chris Butterworth and illustrated by Lucia Gaggiotti. This book describes the process of how clothes are made to be. It takes the reader through multiple different clothing pieces, including a sweater, party dress, and rain boots. Then, the book challenges the reader to mindful of your clothes after they do not fit anymore. Instead of throwing them away, reuse them in a different way, pass them to a friend/family, or donate them to a thrift store.
I loved this book! It simplified the version of how clothes are made but were also super educational for school-aged children. The pictures definitely help the reader understand some terms they may not have known before. This allows the children to truly see how their sweater is made before they purchase it at the store.
I would for sure use this book in my classroom. During our reduce, reuse, and recycling unit- we would explain how necessary it is to find other purposes for our things. I would bring in old clothes and each group can decide what they wanted to do with it. One group could give it to a friend, another could turn it into a bag, etc. Then, we would research the aftermaths of clothing- how much goes to landfills/thrift stores.
I loved this book! It simplified the version of how clothes are made but were also super educational for school-aged children. The pictures definitely help the reader understand some terms they may not have known before. This allows the children to truly see how their sweater is made before they purchase it at the store.
I would for sure use this book in my classroom. During our reduce, reuse, and recycling unit- we would explain how necessary it is to find other purposes for our things. I would bring in old clothes and each group can decide what they wanted to do with it. One group could give it to a friend, another could turn it into a bag, etc. Then, we would research the aftermaths of clothing- how much goes to landfills/thrift stores.
September 10, 2020
Summary:
This is an informational children's book with fun illustrations, that shows kids the process behind the creation of different types of clothes. From rain boots to party dresses, this book shows how all of it is made.
Review:
I thought the pages were a little busy, and the amount of words on one page would have intimidated me as a kid. That said, the illustrations were beautiful and represented each process very well. I think this book is a great way to address children's questions about where certain things come from, rather than giving vague answers.
Uses for This Book:
I can't see myself using this book as a read-aloud, but it would be a good resource to have for kids that are intersested in this topic. I feel like this is a niche topic of interest that many kids would find boring. If I'm teaching the process of how things are made, this would be a fantastic book to use, but other than that one topic, I don't see myself reaching for this book.
This is an informational children's book with fun illustrations, that shows kids the process behind the creation of different types of clothes. From rain boots to party dresses, this book shows how all of it is made.
Review:
I thought the pages were a little busy, and the amount of words on one page would have intimidated me as a kid. That said, the illustrations were beautiful and represented each process very well. I think this book is a great way to address children's questions about where certain things come from, rather than giving vague answers.
Uses for This Book:
I can't see myself using this book as a read-aloud, but it would be a good resource to have for kids that are intersested in this topic. I feel like this is a niche topic of interest that many kids would find boring. If I'm teaching the process of how things are made, this would be a fantastic book to use, but other than that one topic, I don't see myself reaching for this book.
Read
September 17, 2021Where did my Clothes Come From?, by Christ Butterworth, tells the story of how different articles of clothing are made. The author goes into great detail about the machines and the materials that are used to create clothings such as jeans, sweaters, dresses, and more. The illustrations were done by Lucia Gaggiotti.
I liked this book. I thought that at some points it was a little hard to follow because there was a lot of information crammed onto each page. If I were to read this to elementary, I would read one section at a time. I thought that the illustrations were very fun. If there would have been less words per page I think I would have enjoyed them more, but it was very busy.
I would use this in my classroom. I would have the students hypothesize how they think the articles of clothing are made and then reflect as to whether they were right or wrong. I would also have them draw a picture of the process as to how the article of clothing is made.
I liked this book. I thought that at some points it was a little hard to follow because there was a lot of information crammed onto each page. If I were to read this to elementary, I would read one section at a time. I thought that the illustrations were very fun. If there would have been less words per page I think I would have enjoyed them more, but it was very busy.
I would use this in my classroom. I would have the students hypothesize how they think the articles of clothing are made and then reflect as to whether they were right or wrong. I would also have them draw a picture of the process as to how the article of clothing is made.
February 18, 2018
I had no idea about the recycled plastic being turned into fleece or how polyester was made. After reading this book, I watched a few videos on YouTube and was fascinated. It's always a bit stunning to discover something so everyday and feel like its fantastical and then wonder how I never knew this? I wish I'd had this book when I was a kid.
I've read a book from this series before, so I knew what to expect. Generally it's a bit advanced for my age group (preschoolers), but not overly so -- it can easily be modified while reading to simplify or to go into greater detail. And having nicely designed books that aren't adult eyesores (I'll never understand the atrocious design given to children's stuff as if adults aren't constantly interacting with them or that children are specifically into garish things) that give children insight into how the world works is always a good thing
I've read a book from this series before, so I knew what to expect. Generally it's a bit advanced for my age group (preschoolers), but not overly so -- it can easily be modified while reading to simplify or to go into greater detail. And having nicely designed books that aren't adult eyesores (I'll never understand the atrocious design given to children's stuff as if adults aren't constantly interacting with them or that children are specifically into garish things) that give children insight into how the world works is always a good thing
April 5, 2019
Similar to "How Does My Home Work," this book is a colorfully illustrated book that details the process of the making of clothes from multiple kinds of materials. The book illustrates processes of picking cotton, shearing animals, and making synthetic materials, and what happens to these materials after.
This book, like the others set up like this one, is a little too wordy for me. Although the illustrations are pretty, the book isn't super interesting. My favorite part of it is the glossary at the end that lists the different processes discussed.
Although this isn't the most fun book, I think it would be nice to have in the classroom as a resource for when students have questions about materials. You could also do a lesson on what clothes are made of/sewing and have cotton balls for students to pull apart and spin into yarn.
This book, like the others set up like this one, is a little too wordy for me. Although the illustrations are pretty, the book isn't super interesting. My favorite part of it is the glossary at the end that lists the different processes discussed.
Although this isn't the most fun book, I think it would be nice to have in the classroom as a resource for when students have questions about materials. You could also do a lesson on what clothes are made of/sewing and have cotton balls for students to pull apart and spin into yarn.
October 3, 2024
Does a good job summarizing where different materials come from - one page each with a reasonable amount of text and helpful illustrations.
I didn't like that it doesn't talk about the human part of clothing production, or the environmental impact. I think both of those are a huge part of "Where your clothes come from." They did include one page at the end encouraging recycling, repairing, reusing, but without discussing the context of why we should limit production and consumption, it felt a bit disingenuous.
I didn't like that it doesn't talk about the human part of clothing production, or the environmental impact. I think both of those are a huge part of "Where your clothes come from." They did include one page at the end encouraging recycling, repairing, reusing, but without discussing the context of why we should limit production and consumption, it felt a bit disingenuous.
July 20, 2021
I really loved the book as an adult. The reason I am only giving it four stars is because I think it does not do a great job at being appealing to small children, insofar as there is too much written information on the pages.
July 2, 2018
I thought I knew a lot about fabric and each page brought new learning. Fascinating to think about the lifecycle of clothing.
January 22, 2019
Never know it so hard to make clothes and so many steps to follow!! Different clothes make in different ways. Thanks to those who does so much hard work for us!! Good informational book.
March 27, 2021
talks about the process for cotton, silk, wool, fleece & polyester with detailed illustrations
November 15, 2022
Great intro to what our clothes are made of and the process of making them. I learned things from this book that I didn't know.
January 10, 2023
I thought this was a very cute and informative book. I thought they might touch on the human rights of people who make clothes, but that was sadly not included. The illustrations are amazing.
August 3, 2015
Mixed media illustrations accomplish an explanation of the origins of some of the clothing we wear. Young readers learn all the steps that go into making the jeans they love to wear, starting from a cotton boll, and how sheep are sheared of their wool to make yarn that will eventually become a sweater. There is even a section on silk, synthetic fibers, fleece, and rubber. All of this information might make youngsters a little more appreciative of their clothing while an afterword encourages recycling or finding new uses for old clothing. The endpapers feature all sorts of clothing and the cover highlights many tools of the trade. After I finished reading this book, I kept thinking about how long it must take to extract and wind the silk from silkworms to make those lovely dresses many of us like to wear.
September 13, 2015
Cool explanations of how different fabrics (cotton, wool, rubber, silk, synthetic) are created and turned into clothing. It's like the How It's Made tv show turned into picture book form! Tons of fun and very informative.
There's a lot of information packed into each spread, but clear (and cute) illustrations help readers keep it all straight.
The numbering (or lack thereof) of different steps in the process felt inconsistent from fabric to fabric and was a little confusing for me. Other than that, I loved it. I imagine lots of kids poring over the pages, soaking up the info--and looking at their own clothes in a whole new way!
There's a lot of information packed into each spread, but clear (and cute) illustrations help readers keep it all straight.
The numbering (or lack thereof) of different steps in the process felt inconsistent from fabric to fabric and was a little confusing for me. Other than that, I loved it. I imagine lots of kids poring over the pages, soaking up the info--and looking at their own clothes in a whole new way!
March 14, 2016
This is a great book for kids who love asking questions about the things around them (this book would have saved my Mom at least three hours of me asking how string could be made from smaller strings). This book goes through several materials that children are likely to be familiar with, such as denim, wool, and the synthetic fabrics that their sports uniforms or fleece jackets are made of. The book includes suggestions on how to recycle or repurpose old clothes, a short bibliography, and an index. The illustrations are bright, colorful, and clearly illustrate the process being demonstrated.
August 17, 2015
Mixed media illustrations that discuss the origins of all our different types of clothing. Detailed explanations paired with strong illustrations. This could be a fun book for a teacher collection or any lesson about clothes. Gr. 1-3
November 4, 2015
An interesting look on how clothes are made in terms of their fabric- from cotton to wool to silk and so on. Not too much text but lots of vibrant illustrations will make this a fun informative read with kids.
February 4, 2016
Good book for your kiddo NF fans to pore over. Colorful, detailed illustrations that explain how and where jeans (cotton), sweater (wool), party dress (silk), soccer uniform (synthetic fibers), fleece jacket, boots (rubber) are made.
July 25, 2015
Cheerful, informative introduction to the origins of what we wear.
July 26, 2015
Informative look at the manufacture of common clothing materials.
August 20, 2015
Great answer to the title question
October 20, 2015
Fun way to look at where a variety of clothing types comes from and how they are made.
October 21, 2016
We enjoyed reading this fun book and learning about where our clothes come from. It's very informative but not too in depth for young kids and the illustrations are great.
Currently reading
October 1, 2018my child likes it.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews