Suggesting a good read

Illustration by Lena Corwin - source

I found this very interesting piece of writing by Brooklyn-based author Elizabeth Cline at The Etsy Blog. It was published back in May '11 but it will be relevant for months to come. Here's an extract:

"We now only make 3% of our apparel in the United States, down from 90% in 1955. The prices of these imports are so low that we have long since abandoned our sewing machines and deserted our dressmakers. Our clothes have also become increasingly casual and simplified, another reason for lower price tags.

As clothes have become cheaper, our clothing consumption has gone through the roof. In 1930, the average American woman owned an average of nine outfits. Today, we each buy more than 60 pieces of new clothing on average per year. Our closets are larger and more stuffed than ever, as we’ve traded quality and style for low prices and trend-chasing".

The whole post is worth reading, you'll find it here. Looking forward to her book 'The Good Closet' on responsible shopping in the age of cheap fashion, expected this Spring. Till then, I'll be following The Good Closet blog.