Recommended Reading | To Dye For

By this time, no one should be surprised. When it comes to the environment, the fashion industry is problematic. For years we've heard how much textile waste is produced by fast fashion. And of course we've all heard stories about the horrible working conditions in far away factories.

Beyond the vast amount of waste, as a fiber artist, I'm aware there are other environmental and health issues related to textile production. It's not an entirely new issue. For example, dyers were using Tyrian purple dye in the Mediterranean as far back as the first century CE and it was a really gross and awful process to produce it. And it's not just dyes that are the problem (although they can be a significant problem).

I recently read Alden Wickers book "To Dye For: How Toxic Fashion is Making Us Sick – and How we Can Fight Back" and was taken aback by how many other chemicals are used in the production of fabric and the kind of health problems they create for consumers, not to mention the people in those far away places.

I guess I should have known. I just figured there must be some entity overseeing the products coming into and being sold in the US. Somebody must be studying the effects of textile chemicals. There must be legislation forcing manufacturers to inform consumers about the dangers of using their products. Surely retailers wouldn't sell products that are essentially covered in poison, right?

The book was a wake up call to the dangers lurking in our closets and also offered actionable ways to combat the problem and make informed choices. It was certainly a page turner for anyone wanting to detoxify their life and do what's best for their family and the generations to come.