Sophie Benson is a freelance journalist working with a focus on sustainable fashion, the environment and workers’ rights. She covers topics including climate, greenwashing, upcycling, materials innovation, consumerism, resale and fashion legislation for publications including Dazed, AnOther, i-D, The Guardian, The Independent, Raconteur and Vogue.

Having started her career as a stylist, Sophie saw first-hand how wasteful and careless the world of fast fashion can be. Unhappy with being part of an industry she didn’t believe in, she quit her job – and shopping – and began to write about the lesser seen side of the industry. Alongside working as a journalist, Sophie has taught at a number of UK universities, specialising in sustainability. She never went back to buying fast fashion, choosing second hand instead. In 2022 she has decided to make all her clothes from scratch.

Introduction
The Knowledge
The typical lifecycle of a T-shirt
The facts (and the fiction)
Who makes your clothes?
Focus on fabrics
Diving into dyes
Interview: Paola Vega, a garment worker
Reassess Your Wardrobe
Taking stock of what you have
The capsule wardrobe: reimagined
Shop your closet
Repurposing
Clearing out
What happens to your cast-offs?
Interview: Liz Ricketts from The Or Foundation
Shopping Habits
Consumerism reality check
What is slow fashion?
How to know what to buy
How to read the label
Your guide to greenwashing
Secondhand first
The sharing economy
Shopping and selling online
Interview: Fashion psychologist Dr Dion Terrelonge
Maintenance
To wash or not to wash?
What comes out in the wash
Alterations
How to store your clothes
Interview: Alexander Nolte, co-founder of Guppyfriend
Repair
The repair revolution
A quick guide to basic mending skills
What to have in your sewing basket
Is anything beyond repair?
Interview: Layla Sargent, founder of The Seam
What’s next?
Index