Hi everyone!
I know it's been a little while since my last update, but we've been busy here at school over the past couple of weeks! I wanted to take a moment to highlight a fun and creative project that Middle School wrapped up the day before break.
The students hosted a TRASHION SHOW for the whole school, showcasing the clothing they designed as part of their study on the fashion industry. The project was a fantastic way to show off their work on Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) #12: Responsible Consumption and Production.
For the project, students were challenged to design two pieces of clothing using only sustainable and recyclable materials. The one rule? Nothing could be bought for the project! Instead, students brought in old clothing to use as fabric and visited Makers Space to find nontraditional materials to incorporate into their designs.
Throughout the unit, students learned about the impact of fast fashion on both people and the environment. Fast fashion refers to the quick production of cheap, trendy clothing that is mass-produced and sold at low prices. On one hand, it allows people to keep up with the trends affordably, but it also comes with a lot of problems. Students learned that fast fashion relies on factories where workers often face poor working conditions and low wages. In addition, making all these clothes uses a lot of natural resources, like water and energy, and creates pollution. When people buy so many clothes quickly and then throw them away after only a short time, it leads to huge amounts of waste and fills landfills across the world.
After learning about fast fashion students explored ways they can take action against it in their own lives. We discussed that as consumers, our choices about what and where to buy clothes (or any item) can have a big impact. Students researched sustainable alternatives like buying from ethical brands, choosing second-hand clothes, or upcycling old items. However, as a class we also acknowledged that sustainable clothing can sometimes be expensive or hard to find and that not everyone has the same access to eco-friendly options, and sometimes affordability must come first.
We came to the conclusion that the most important thing to do is make small, mindful choices—whether it’s caring for clothes longer or supporting brands that prioritize sustainability. Every little bit helps!
Some Fashion Facts:
4% of global CO2 emissions are caused by the clothing and apparel industry.
The average consumer now buys 60% more clothing than they did 15 years ago.
Making a new pair of jeans emits the same amount of CO2 as driving 58 miles in a car.
Annually, the fashion industry uses enough water to fill 37 million Olympic-sized swimming pools.
The Trashion Show was a fun and creative way to showcase what they’d learned, and it was a big hit with everyone who attended! It’s been amazing to see the students take on such an important topic with so much enthusiasm and creativity.
So at last, I present to you their runway pieces!
Until next time,
Ms. Emily
Comments