The high cost of cheap fashion

Hour 2

Are you a clothes horse? Are your closets and drawers spilling over with shirts, pants, skirts, and shoes? It turns out Americans buy a lot of clothes — around 64 pieces a year — and that’s because clothes are cheap. But all these bargain prices lead to a lot of waste and are bad for the environment, the economy, and even our own self-image, says journalist ELIZABETH CLINE, who has written a new book, “Overdressed: The Shockingly High Cost of Cheap Fashion.” But there’s a new trend in fashion away from inexpensive and disposable clothing: designers who are making sustainable, eco-friendly, and stylish apparel often manufactured locally. This hour, we’ll also take a look at the “Made in America” fashion movement and find out if consumers are buying it. Also, what’s really wrong with our inexpensive fashion habit.   Guest host Tracey Matisak talks with ELIZABETH CLINE, and Philadelphia Inquirer fashion reporter ELIZABETH WELLINGTON. We’ll also hear from SARAH VAN AKEN, a Philadelphia-based fashion designer and founder of Sa Va, a socially responsible apparel brand.

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[audio: 062012_110630.mp3]