Sundressed: Natural Fabrics and the Future of Clothing

by Lucianne Tonti

For conscious consumers, buying clothes has never been more complicated. Even as fashion brands tout their sustainability, the industry is plagued by pollution, waste, and poor working conditions. If our clothes reflect our values, is it possible to be truly well-dressed?

Sustainable fashion consultant Lucianne Tonti answers with a resounding yes. Beautiful clothes made from natural fabrics including cotton, wool, flax, and cashmere can support rural communities and regenerate landscapes. They can also reduce waste—but only if we invest in garments that stand the test of time rather than chasing fast fashion trends.

In Sundressed , Tonti travels the world to showcase producers who are reforming the industry, from Mongolian goatherders, to Mulberry groves in China, and American hemp farms. Many of these innovations begin in the fields, with the cotton crops that will ultimately be spun into a soft T-shirt or the sheep’s wool than will be knitted into a cozy sweater. Fiber farmers are taking a page from the regenerative agriculture movement, giving back to the land as they tend it. Meanwhile, further down the supply chain, top designers are working with Indigenous communities to relearn the artistry of sewing—and reward them financially. And global brands, including Levi’s, are working to produce a pair of jeans that can withstand dozens of washes without any sign of wear.

Tonti also shows readers how accessible sustainable fashion can be. Not everyone can afford a designer shirt that was lovingly hand-sewn. But most of us can buy less, choose natural fabrics over polyester, thrift shop, and wear our clothes longer.

Sundressed is an exploration of a revolution taking place in fashion. And it is a love letter to clothing that embodies beauty and value, from farm to closet.

Genres: Fashion, Nonfiction, Environment

216 pages, Hardcover

Published January 19, 2023

Reviews

[bowiesbooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a love letter to clothes and earth that they come from. It’s exactly what I think a compelling non-fiction book of this nature should be - a personal aspect of the topic you are discussing in detail, a mixture of facts and figures while retaining a level humanity and storytelling throughout.

I learnt so much about the fashion industry and the impact of clothes on it. If you fear capitalism has taken its hold on you and led to overconsumption of clothes - this is exactly the book you need.

I also love the writing. Tonti describes her love for clothes, landscapes and the earth with such care and tenderness, it truly is lovely to read. You can see the connection she has to materials and how clothes are crafted through this book.

[Brooklyn Attic Books]

I read this book as part of a Choose Your Own Book themed Book Club Meeting. The theme is Sustainability in Fashion for tonight's discussion. It was the first time I will participate in such an interesting concept for a book club meeting. This was a fantastic read. I regret nothing.

I would recommend this book to environmentalists, fashionistas, farmers, scientists, etc. For me this book did not bring anything new to the table from the perspective of how damaging our modern society is on the planet, in general. I have a Masters degree with a background in environmental engineering. It has been about 20 years of being involved in the academia side and watching the changes occur and play out. Back in the mid-2000's, there was so much talk about all this, I thought the planet would have moved in strides towards better practices in farming and production industries, apparently it did not.

This book hones in on the fashion industry from a ground up. It dove into farming techniques of raw textile materials, and critiqued some questionable metrics of greenwashed practices in the industry, while talking about soil science and the beautiful properties of natural fabrics against the body from the design/functionality side. My mind is blown! DOWN WITH AMAZON!

Ok, back to the topic... the book is multifaceted. Yes, it is a quick read at under 200 pages, but it encompasses a general overall of the industry currently & it truly packs a punch.

What else I got out of the pages was the immense amount of traveling this author is 'privileged' to do while standing on a soapbox talking about reducing consumption of raw, finite goods... *crickets* I do not believe humans should be traveling by airplanes as much as they do. It is incredibly harmful to the environment (I believe the statistic is like a 747 firing to take off is like blowing up a gas station???). And everyone I know is fully involved with air travel. My best friend and her husband work for a major airline as flight attendants. So, I'm aware. I definitely do not go around talking about this because I live by my standards, and everyone can do whatever they feel is right. I am a conscious traveler and take modes of travel into consideration.

Having said that ONE thing that irked me about the author, I truly enjoyed this book. The final thing I took away from this book was how thirsty America is for a major shift to happen. We need major industry to come back to the mother land. We need people to bring the technology and know how to produce natural fibers locally. The lobbyists really did a number on this nation when it comes to locally grown and produced fashion goods. Levi's...jesus you're a disappointment. And didn't the owner of Patagonia step down claiming he's done taking profits knowing the damage its causing and donate it to some organization? I stopped paying attention to these things because once you SEE, you can not UNSEE things.

However, being a more conscious shopper is definitely a major cool thing. I already partake in a lot of the suggestions in the book: shop at thrift stores, repurpose old clothes, donate, I give clothes to my friends. What was new and surprising is the damage that microplastics in synthetic fibers have and how PREVAILANT they are in FAST FASHION. I've talked to a lot of friends about this recently, how come clothes from the 60s -80s are still in good condition but clothes from a year ago goes 'bad'...like spoiled milk. The modern clothes spoil. Well, here's the answer: synthetic plastic fibers.

[Julia Mortensen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sundressed beautifully illustrates what Tonti describes as 'the significance of the connection between our clothes and the land' (p.215), but also the connection with ourselves as individuals and our wider communities. It seamlessly wove her favourite pieces (which I related to so much!) with textiles, industry, agriculture and fashion more broadly. It tells an encouraging story about what the clothing could be and yet doesn't shy away from the urgency of the climate crisis. In terms of readability, I was impressed at how this was all approached in such an elegant and accessible way. Five stars!

[Amanda O · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this book! It is a quick but detailed look at what it takes to turn crops into fabric with a focus on regenerative agriculture opportunities in each supply chain. A grim look at the present but a hopeful view of the future of fashion. I would have liked to see some discussion on the sustainability (or lack thereof) of garments made from recycled plastic.

[tasiahydrangea · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sundressed is such a wonderful and enlightening read that I would recommend to anyone. Tonti’s incredible skill makes this book understandable for any reader while also being informative and makes the reader sympathize with the call for more sustainable, long wearing, and carbon neutral fashion.

In each chapter, Tonti discusses a different natural material for clothing and gives: how to obtain this material in ways that will lower its carbon footprint and help the land prosper, a firsthand account from an expert in regenerative farming, and a general overview of how these materials for clothing can be harmful if not taken in a better direction. Each chapter is so informative and after every single one I came away with a more complete understanding of the labor that goes into the clothes I wear.

Above all, this book is Tonti’s love letter to fashion in the hopes that we start being more mindful in everything that we’re buying, where the materials come from. Sundressed is a love letter for all the pieces you’ll have for life and repair when the time comes. One of my favorite reads recently and will definitely purchase a copy when I’m able.

[Lisa Wright · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tonti is a sophisticated, intelligent woman who has spent most of her adult life working in the fashion industry so it is worth listening to what she has to say. Fast fashion is destroying the world both in its production and its clogging of landfills. Tonti writes beautifully of the pleasure in a garment well made of natural fibers. She advocates for buying fewer clothes that are better made.

There are people all over the world who are working hard to reduce the toxins and carbon footprint associated with turning cotton, silk, wool, rayon and hemp into clothes you would want to wear for years. Many are using regenerative agriculture to improve soil that has been decimated by thoughtless production. Others are finding earth-friendly ways to produce fabrics that feel wonderful against our skin and last for many years.

[Shannyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

A must read for everyone that wears clothes.

[Ryan Harris · Rating 4 out of 5]

A book about natural fibres advocating for regenerative farming, ethical supply chains and recycled fabrics, but most of all beautiful clothes.

I fell in love with the Sydney brand Jac + Jack over my summer break and refreshed my wardrobe by visiting the store every Sunday for four weeks in a row which became a running gag with the staff. They were so warm and friendly and made me feel the same. I felt so done with online shopping in comparison.

The brand is all natural fibres: cotton, wool, cashmere, linen, silk. Each is touched on in this book.

I share the author’s philosophy about quality and sustainability but I think only certain brands can achieve that whereas system-wide I think it’s a case of incremental improvements without making clothes exclusive. I also think synthetics have their place, especially in activewear, whereas some natural fibres like silk actually seem quite gross to me in that I don't want to wear anything that's been secreted.

My biggest takeaway was an appreciation of how much had to happen behind the scenes to make those conversations in-store possible. The farming, designers, business administration, retail setup, marketing; all of it, for an outfit – a new ritual.

My fidelity to brands. My absolving of perfectionism. The relief of a looser fit, a looser attitude, quality fabrics, colour, monochrome, connected to a store with people in it that now know a little side of me.

I feel at ease.

*

What the coat gave me in that moment was some emotional resilience and a kind of protection. Not like the physical protection we get from clothes – warmth or shelter – but protection, nonetheless. The type of protection the late fashion photographer Bill Cunningham described when he said, 'Fashion is the armour to survive the reality of everyday life.' If all we needed from our clothes was insulation or reinforcement, we could simply and efficiently meet those needs. But what we get from clothing is so much more – belonging, self-expression, comfort – and the volume of resources we consume to satiate these is incredible.
Professor and author Kate Fletcher describes how, 'in the context of fashion, the resource intensity of our need for identity formation, communication, and creativity as expressed through our dressed bodies is also the chief challenge for durability.' [...] 'I think this is because we are always searching for a garment that makes us feel stronger, calmer, more beautiful.'
Fashion has captured our imagination by making us believe it can change something fundamental about our lives, about ourselves. I'm inclined to believe the right outfit can.

Clothes are beautiful because they clothe a person. A context for seeing them differently; for feeling different.

I bump into a friend who says he's never seen me wear black. 'I have eras', I say. He agrees.

I look forward to going back to the store when it gets cooler and I need something warm. I am relieved of the control of choosing something perfect and instead being chosen by the 10 percent of the brand that works for me. The rest can be absurd, I almost want to work there to tell them 'olive and brown, no, please', 'this silhouette, a parachute, no'.

But there is some core design philosophy to the brand that unsettles my commitment to the other ones. I am learning to work with it through repeat wears; that linen is too hot and delicate, that blue can be paired with purple, and my matching black leather brogues and watch fit perfectly with it all.

I don't feel new. I feel relieved of being anything but me. How good it feels to not feel there is a right way.

*

Addendum on a moring coffee buzz some weeks later:

Something I keep thinking about this book: the time we take to get to know clothes. Tonti describes wearing pieces again and again to learn how it works and doesn't work; for situations, for climate. The relationship we have with clothes.

Always with white t-shirts, they stain with sunscreen. With chinos in humidity, it's too hot. With black light wool trousers, a light double monk brogue, a linen t shrunk to the perfect fit in the wash, a black leather strap watch with silver buckles that match the shoes, I feel light, strong, soft, authoritative, embodied.

Tonti describes a pair of Comme des Garcon trousers she wears constantly; mends to save again and again before eventually they tatter. This is the relationship she has with clothes; she doesn't want disposability, she wants to wrestle, know and adapt.

This is how I feel about the brand I love at the moment. I learn what colours don't pair well, what is too hot, what makes me feel beautiful. Time and experience refines our understanding of what it means to love garments; through disappointment, enthusiasm, tweaks.

The future of clothing is relationships. Not disposability. Committment to the idea, sacrificing iterations.

[p · Rating 3 out of 5]

Every time I fly through a book I pick up one right after it that puts me in the biggest slump ever.

I mostly picked this up because I'm trying to read *some* nonfiction here and there even though it makes me want to die. Every summer and winter I go through my closet to get rid of clothes that don't fit anymore, and, doing this the last couple years has made me aware I used to buy a LOT of clothes. I had just done this year's unhaul when I saw this book at the library.

Overall, I thought it was interesting. I really liked learning about the different natural fabrics and regenerative techniques being utilized in their cultivation, and how there is still room for improvement.

But I found Tonti's writing to be a bit dense and arrogant at times. She addresses a lot of the nuances in the fashion and fast fashion world, but also does so with a lack of consideration for those who aren't wealthy, in my opinion. For example: she suggests early on that you should buy one expensive, ethically sourced pair of pants a year, rather than several from mass-produced areas - which, sure, that's fine if you can afford to drop $700. But what happens if you outgrow them? If they shrink? If they don't go with everything else you own?

Another solution she suggested was thrifting (which, I know is generally popular and don't come after me bc I don't judge) but .... not everyone wants to wear someone else's used clothes. And thrifting, generally, should be left to lower-income people who actually need it.

That is not to say I have any suggestions for solutions, other than buy less, or buy items that are staples if you want to have a robust closet. But these solutions aren't designed for middle-class people. Of course, the whole book points out that there's a lot of stuff in this area that needs to be worked on.

I liked it. Got a bit bored at the end. But wouldn't readily recommend it to anyone.

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Four point five.

The author offers a position I've long held and over which I keep strengthening my determination: that we should, instead of buying quantities of new clothes, care for and repair what we have, and when buying something new, spend a little bit more to purchase an item that is more sustainably made. Buying items that are well-made and timeless instead of trendy, avoiding fast and disposable fashion, and finding ways of actually recycling unwanted textiles would slow the deluge of landfills.

The author quickly establishes herself as someone from the fashion industry, so it is pleasantly surprising when she goes on to follow farmers and producers and their attempts at maintaining and/or reviving paths of sustainability for specific fabrics. Her informed reporting is full of footnotes and not just off-the-cuff supposition. She addresses the migration of textile manufacturers post-NAFTA and how we've lost control of where our clothing comes from. Is sustainability just a buzzword at this point for selling to a niche audience? The author considers not just natural fabrics but regenerative farming and the impact that could be had.

[Tyler · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this in preparation to interview a designer duo based in Perth who work with mills and factories in Japan to develop their wax cotton that’s at first stiff, but softens into a papery texture with time and wear.

What I got from Sundressed was the power of natural fibres and how they react to the skin and temperature. How a fabric like cotton remembers the contours of your body the more you wear it, reacting and moulding to your body temperature. Clothes that are designed thoughtfully, require you wear in. The ultimate reward is a personal connection to what you’re wearing — that comfort.

This book is also refreshingly optimistic. Perhaps you don’t change behaviours merely by showing people the ills of what fashion is doing to the planet, but by showing them a better way; again, being more thoughtful. What could easily be a dense read, the author grounds each chapter with her own connection and experiences with the fabrics. And as it happened, I wore fabrics that were written about every time I picked up the book, heightening my experience even more! (I recommend doing the same.)

[Kaylee Tanner · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was lovely and compelling. Tonti's writing isn't spectacular or anything, but it's clear enough and pleasant to read and she's done her research well. Not everyone who writes about sustainability gets the science right but she does. And I really enjoyed learning about a new angle on sustainability, especially since it turned out to intersect so nicely with my personal favorite angle of regenerative agriculture. After just a few chapters of this I'd resolved to never buy another piece of clothing with polyester in it again, and to make my entire wardrobe high quality and sustainably-made (which will take a while because I'm a poor college student but I think the process will be fun haha). As with most books in this genre there were parts that were a tad out-of-touch and insufferable, but it's been very long time since I read something that caused such an immediate, tangible change in my behavior, so for that Tonti deserves a lot of credit and I will happily do what little I can to make the world she envisions come to pass.

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s clear Tonti is very passionate about both fashion and sustainability and the writing never veers far from keeping this in mind. Each chapter takes on a different fabric (more or less) and explains its creation (and environmental impact), common use and recyclable potential. But it keeps hammering home the fact that the fashion industry has a long way to go before all the greenwashing terms that are used actually mean something.
This is a critical read for those looking to understand more about what they are wearing, what they should be looking to wear, how they should be maintaining their garments and those who care about what happens to their clothing.

[Janean Evans · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book has opened my eyes to the importance of buying good quality pieces of clothing. How important it is, when buying clothes, to consider fabric, how it feels on your skin and where and how that fabric was made.
It made me look at my own relationship to my clothes. What I buy and why I buy it.
If you are struggling with over-consumerism and the environmental impacts of the fashion industry, then I would recommend you give this book a go.
It has definitely given me some insights in my own spending habits with clothes and given me some guidelines and strategies that I will be using.

[Miranda Rodgers Martin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely fantastic and a book I wish EVERYONE would read. So transformative in the way I think about clothing. My household is committed to never again purchasing polyester/plastic garments. If you love clothing/fashion, I implore you to read this book and to pay attention to your favorite designers. What is listed on the materials/contents tags? You may be surprised to find an overwhelming amount of plastic.

It's so interesting to read about the farmers and designers who are dedicated to rescuing our planet and the initiative they have to bring solving the climate crisis through fashion.

[Camille · Rating 5 out of 5]

Interesting primer on the natural fibers used in clothing manufacturing. I knew 'bamboo' fibers were pretty bad and cotton has tons of problems. But I didn't expect a review of how these materials turn into clothing to be so ...joyful. Tonti really, really loves well made clothing and was startlingly positive and constructive. The interviews were interesting and her brand of no-bullshit exploration is particularly graceful. This felt like more of an adventure than I expected.

[Celine · Rating 3 out of 5]

A bit over-technical at times, but still a good primer on the regenerative and innovative ways that producers are working to make clothing and materials more sustainable. You can tell that Tonti is passionate about sustainability, and I found her descriptions of her own clothing--worn and well-loved--quite inspiring. It makes me want to love my own clothes as much as she, and invest in timeless pieces that will last me a lifetime as opposed to a season (fast fashion be damned!)

[Ray_Z · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quick but informative book about the complex challenges the fashion industry faces and what the future of sourcing fabrics could look like. The book presents a number of interesting case studies featuring some very well-known brands such as Patagonia and Levis and how they’re changing their ways and products to be better for the planet.

[Melanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pretty good - if you read a lot in this area you'll probably be familiar. But there are some new stories of individual makers, and more of a focus on soil health and regenerative agriculture to make this fresh. Full review at Indextrious Reader

[Julie Clark · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely delightful. Brings the average person into the fashion industry as well as the world of sustainable material management. It also has so many resources for how to make a small difference in how you think about clothes and shop so that you can make a difference.

[Ares Bobares · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really great deep dive into different textiles, their processes, and the steps being made to make them more earth friendly. Tonti describes her relationship to clothes on a way that makes the reader feel envious. This book makes me want to change the way I look at my clothes.

[Emma · Rating 4 out of 5]

AWD recommendation, super interesting

[Bella Peardon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love letters to your clothes — the earth — the beauty — to art & design. Loved it!!!

[Paloma Mate-Kodjo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Okay I’ll stop buying plastic clothes

[Del Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely adore this book. I found it in the library while researching the future of fabrics and fashion for a project I'm working on. I promptly scoured the local bookstore & purchased a copy.

Tonti befriends her readers & tells them intimate details of her wardrobes & suitcases as she lets us tag along with her exciting life.

She describes, beautifully, her fashion choices & how certain garments make her feel. For many male readers, I imagine her perspectives are very illuminating.

The power of this work is in its technical detail. I took the book into my local Patagonia store & asked a staff member if she knew this book contained a chapter about the environmentalism of the company & its founder: Yvon Chouinard. She did not. She said she would pick herself up a copy.

Tonti's work is a call to an industry that must own its mistakes and take responsibility for its role in globalisation & the destruction of our planet. By reimagining the past, Tonti claims that the fashion industry has a bright future which can play a vital role in healing the planet.

Five stars is not enough.

[book worm · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great introduction to the different materials that are used to make clothes and how they’re sourced (and could be sourced more sustainably)!
Reads like a college paper (information sprinkled with personal narrative) which at times made it a slow read for me but it was broken down in self sustained sections which worked to its benefit.