'This riveting behind-the-scenes story of the clothes on our backs is a must-read for
clotheshorses everywhere' Harper's Bazaar 'Extraordinary . . . fascinating . . . a
wonderful way into history quite often through the voices of people who don't have a say in
history' Cerys Matthews Linen Cotton Silk Synthetics Wool: through the stories of these
five fabrics Sofi Thanhauser illuminates the world we inhabit in a startling new way
travelling from China to Cumbria to reveal the craft labour and industry that create the
clothes we wear. From the women who transformed stalks of flax into linen to clothe their
families in nineteenth century New England to those who earn their dowries in the
cotton-spinning factories of South India today this book traces the origins of garment-making
through time and around the world. Exploring the social economic and environmental impact of
our most personal possessions Worn looks beyond care labels to show how clothes reveal the
truth about what we really care about. 'A must-read . . . combines remarkable research with
heartfelt care' Clare Hunter
