Consumed: The need for collective change; colonialism, climate change & consumerism (Hardback)
Aja Barber (author)Published: 23/09/2021
A blazing polemic against both the exploitation and injustice of the fashion industry and the cynical manipulation of consumer culture as a whole, Barber’s vital book is a clarion call for fundamental change in how we live our lives.
Aja Barber wants change.
In the 'learning' first half of the book, she will expose you to the endemic injustices in our consumer industries and the uncomfortable history of the textile industry; one which brokered slavery, racism and today's wealth inequality. And how these oppressive systems have bled into the fashion industry and its lack of diversity and equality. She will also reveal how we spend our money and whose pockets it goes into and whose it doesn't (clue: the people who do the actual work) and will tell her story of how she came to learn the truth.
In the second 'unlearning' half of the book, she will help you to understand the uncomfortable truth behind why you consume the way you do. She asks you to confront the sense of lack you have, the feeling that you are never quite enough and the reasons why you fill the aching void with consumption rather than compassion. And she makes you challenge this power disparity, and take back ownership of it. The less you buy into the consumer culture the more power you have.
Publisher: Octopus Publishing Group
ISBN: 9781914240041
Number of pages: 304
Weight: 418 g
Dimensions: 218 x 140 x 26 mm
MEDIA REVIEWS
Aja Barber has singlehandedly challenged and changed my approach to consumerism and fast fashion. If we have any hope of addressing the fundamental links between fast fashion and catastrophic climate change, Barber's isn't just a voice we should listen to - it is a voice we MUST listen to. - Clementine Ford
The fashion industry has pulled the wool over our eyes but with this book Aja rips it off, finds out who made it, pays them back and then convinces you to join her in holding the industry accountable. An accessible, wry and hugely compelling exploration of a culture of exploitation and how, together, we can end it. - Gina Martin
A critique on what we buy, how it's made and the systems behind it that make an unfair and broken cycle is coupled with the call to unlearn these practices and challenge the feelings of satisfaction that come with them. - New York Times
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“A must read if you wear clothes and donate them.”
Fast fashion is a problem. Practical steps to address the problem are laid out. If you care about the people who make clothes, this book lays out how you can help them.
“A book to be read right now”
A subject matter close to my heart and I devour anything that comes into print.
Aja brings the horribly uncomfortable truth about our obsession to consume fashion in a fully rounded way with her own journey into a...
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“A Must Read”
I was sent a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review, and I’m very glad I was.
Barber is no-nonsense without being preachy, informative whilst still accessible, and conveys important, pressing topics in...
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