Sustainability and ethics in the fashion industry, covering topics such as environmental impact, social responsibility, and case studies of sustainable brands.
This course will explore the topics of sustainability and ethics pertaining to the fashion industry. It is imperative to apply a critical lens on the industry as we all consume and partake in global fashion markets. Fashion’s global reach knows no limits, this will be a recurring theme in this course.
This course will focus on issues pertaining to the risk the fashion industry poses in regard to environmental sustainability and social impact and ethics.
In the first portion of the course, sustainability and ethics in fashion will be examined in the following areas: education, gender equality, industry, innovation and infrastructure, responsible consumption and responsible production and climate action. Recommendations will be presented as examples of actions which brands and key actors in the fashion industry can take. At this point students are invited to develop their own recommendations to fashion’s environmental and social issues.
In the second portion of the course, case studies will be featured to highlight brands which have taken actions to create a more sustainable and ethical fashion industry. The intended goal of this course is to equip students with sufficient knowledge to begin their own sustainable ethical fashion journey in order to better contribute to a climate positive global fashion industry.
Who is this course for
Professionals, entrepreneurs, and recent graduates interested in sustainable and ethical fashion
Course Deliverables
Power Point presentations for each class. PDF documents for classes which require it.
What you will learn
Explanation of Impacts of the fashion industry.
Ethically Responsible Consumption and Production
Sustainable Fashion application on case studies: Kering, Ganni and Gap.
Course Content
11sections • 12lectures 01H:05M
Introduction to Sustainable and Ethical Fashion
Introduction to the course and answering "What is sustainable and ethical fashion? "
00H:01M:29S
Session 1
What is sustainable and ethical fashion? Explanation of environmental and social impacts of the fashion industry. Explanation of how fashion has a global impact and why it matters.
00H:05M:29S
Session 2
Explanation of the circular economy in relation to the fashion industry.
00H:03M:37S
Session 3
Education for all actors in the fashion industry is critical. This video will explore how best to educate textile farmers, garment workers, designers, and consumers about sustainability and ethics in the fashion industry. Women are the core of the garment workforce, yet they are not equipped for the same job training or prospects as their male counterparts. This session will explore actions brands can take to rectify the fashion industry’s gender gap.
00H:04M:46S
Session 4
Cross-collaboration between fashion and other industries fosters innovation. Without innovation, there is no infrastructure for the industry to grow.
00H:05M:48S
Session 5
Actors in the fashion industry must consume fashion responsibly. This session will outline how consumers can be more responsible in their consumption patterns and how brands can ensure their consumers are consuming their products responsibly.
00H:05M:48S
Session 6
Brands must responsibly produce their products. This session will outline how brands can sustainably and ethically produce their products.
00H:04M:43S
Session 7
Climate action is a culmination of all actions by actors in the fashion industry.
00H:04M:59S
Session 8
In this session, we will study Kering’s sustainability and ethics strategy.
00H:05M:02S
Session 9
In this lesson, we will study Ganni’s sustainability and ethics strategy.
00H:05M:40S
Session 10
In this session, we will study Gap’s sustainability and ethics strategy.
00H:12M:20S
Session 11
In this session we will go over the main takeaways from this course and how you can follow them to become a sustainable and ethical fashion brand
Hawa Patel is a sustainable and ethical fashion professional. Hawa has a Master of Arts degree from Rice University in Global Affairs with a concentration in international security. Hawa’s award-winning graduate thesis, Corporate Social Responsibility For A More Sustainable and Ethical Fashion Brand has been converted into a class for Seeds Platform. Researching fashion from a global view affords Hawa a broad perspective of the environmental and social risks the fashion industry poses to society and the planet. Currently, Hawa is Supervisor of Trade Compliance at Neiman Marcus Group where she divides her time on issues of trade and social compliance and responsible sourcing, ranging from animal welfare to counter-terrorism, the implementation of the human rights due diligence program and the roll out of the factory audit program. As Hawa refuses to stop talking about fashion, she has been invited to speak on panels on the topics of sustainability and human rights in fashion, including at SXSW 2023.
