Focusing on ethical consumers, their behaviour, discourses and narratives as well as the social and political contexts in which they operate, this text provides a summary of the manner and effectiveness of their actions.

A no-holds-barred examination of 'ethical' consumerism.

From journalist, fashionista, and clothing resale expert Elizabeth L. Cline, “the Michael Pollan of fashion,”* comes the definitive guide to building an ethical, sustainable wardrobe you'll love. Clothing is one of the most personal expressions of who we are. In her landmark investigation Overdressed: The Shockingly High Cost of Cheap Fashion, Elizabeth L. Cline first revealed fast fashion’s hidden toll on the environment, garment workers, and even our own satisfaction with our clothes. The Conscious Closet shows exactly what we can do about it. Whether your goal is to build an effortless capsule wardrobe, keep up with trends without harming the environment, buy better quality, seek out ethical brands, or all of the above, The Conscious Closet is packed with the vital tools you need. Elizabeth delves into fresh research on fashion’s impacts and shows how we can leverage our everyday fashion choices to change the world through style. Inspired by her own revelatory journey getting off the fast-fashion treadmill, Elizabeth shares exactly how to build a more ethical wardrobe, starting with a mindful closet clean-out and donating, swapping, or selling the clothes you don't love to make way for the closet of your dreams. The Conscious Closet is not just a style guide. It is a call to action to transform one of the most polluting industries on earth—fashion—into a force for good. Readers will learn where our clothes are made and how they’re made, before connecting to a global and impassioned community of stylish fashion revolutionaries. In The Conscious Closet, Elizabeth shows us how we can start to truly love and understand our clothes again—without sacrificing the environment, our morals, or our style in the process. *Michelle Goldberg, Newsweek/The Daily Beast

`This book was radically challenging when it was first published, and is only more so today as the concept of consumer collapses under the weight of its many meanings' - Madeleine Bunting, Columnist, The Guardian Western-style consumerism appears unstoppable. Yet it is has failed to deliver greater happiness and is now facing major environmental, population and political challenges. This book examines the key Western traditions of thinking about and being a consumer. Each chapter posits a consumer model with examples from the international community. Readers are invited to enter an exciting and radical analysis of contemporary consumerism which suggests that consumerism is fragile and consumers unpredictable. Updated with new material, this Second Edition looks at the impact of new technologies on consumerism and the consolidation of consumerism and 'consumer' language in spheres like education and health. The authors discuss the spread of consumerism to developing countries like India and the effect of demographic change and migration. The fallout from 9/11 and United States military hegemony is examined, as is the influence on consumerism of Islamic fundamentalism, the anti-globalization movement, environmental concerns and depleting natural resources. This book is of interest to advanced undergraduate, postgraduate and MBA students taking courses on behaviour, buyer behaviour, customer behaviour, consumers and society and retailing. Any one interested in better understanding consumerism will also find this book a fascinating read.

Non-toxic beauty products and eco-fashion to help you be magnifeco! In the wake of the Rana Plaza factory collapse in Bangladesh—the worst garment industry accident in recorded history—the words "fashion disaster" acquired a new and much more sinister meaning. Commentators suggested that the tragedy was completely predictable in a sector with a shocking track record of rampant environmental damage, the use of toxic chemicals, and chronic human rights abuse. Now the industry is undergoing a shift, and many of us are questioning our buying habits. The rise of socially and environmentally responsible retailers like Patagonia and The Body Shop has led to dramatic changes in the eco and ethical fashion landscape. Magnifeco is the Fast Food Nation of the fashion world—your guide to making a difference too. In this guide, author Kate Black: Examines non-toxic beauty and ethical fashion Recommends a multitude of ways for consumers to make better decisions Introduces the brands and designers leading the way along this socially responsible path. With this complete head-to toe guide covering everything from hair and beauty products to shoes and footwear, you can feel better about everything you put on your body and be— magnifeco! Kate Black is the founder and editor-in-chief of Magnifeco.com, the digital source for eco-fashion and sustainable living. She has lived and worked in the major fashion centers of the world, has written over 1,000 articles about designers and ethical fashion, and speaks regularly at regional and national green living events.

This series focuses upon policies which affect the management of natural resources in support of sustainable livelihoods, primarily in developing countries. Its core is issues which affect livelihoods of poor people in rural areas, but it also recognizes linkages u notably the role of non-natural resource components in livelihoods, the interests of the urban poor, and the role of associated factors such as health and education. It aims to provide topical analysis to inform development practitioners concerned with issues of poverty in development.