What is sustainable fashion?

On this three-week course, you’ll deepen your understanding of what sustainable fashion is and start to assess how the industry can change for the better.

You’ll begin by identifying biases and debunking misconceptions about the industry to help you explore fashion from an inclusive perspective.

You’ll also think about ways to ensure sustainability and human rights as the fashion industry continues to expand.

Explore the future of fashion

To look at the bigger picture of the industry, you’ll examine the different ecosystems within fashion from both a personal and global perspective. This will help you categorise types of fashion ecosystems and understand how your behaviours impact the industry.

With this information, you’ll evaluate the personal actions you can take to influence a sustainable future for fashion ecosystems.

Gain expert insights from the Parsons School of Design

As you begin to reimagine the future of fashion, you’ll explore emergent alternatives in the industry to discover the pioneers in sustainability.

By the end of this course, designed by the specialists at Parsons School of Design, you’ll know your role within fashion, and feel empowered to help the industry have more positive impacts in the future.

Syllabus

Week 1
Understanding Our Thinking of Sustainable Fashion
- Introduction
  Welcome to Week 1
- Assumptions and Preconceptions about Sustainable Fashion
  Assumptions and Preconceptions about Sustainable Fashion
- Value Mapping
  Value Mapping
- Exploring Values/Action Gaps
  Exploring Values/Action Gaps
Week 2
Intersections of Fashion Ecosystems
- Welcome to Week 2
  Welcome to Week 2.
- Diversity of Ecosystems- Personal, Local, and Global
  Learn about personal, local, and global diversity of fashion ecosystems.
- Industry Movements Towards Change
  Learn more about mobilizing the fashion industry for change and how the UN's 17 Sustainable Development Goals are changing the industry.
- Activating Change Within Ecosystems
  Discover how to activate change within fashion ecosystems.
- Wrap Up
  Wrap Up
Week 3
Reimagining Future Sustainable Fashion Ecosystems
- Welcome to Week 3
  Welcome to Week 3.
- Breaking Old Cycles: From Individual to Industry
  Learn about how you can be aware of fashion behaviors you would like to change, and how to create those changes.
- Targeting New Mindsets and Behaviors
  Discover how to target new mindsets and behaviors.
- Case Studies in Sustainable Fashion
  Let's take a look at what some industry leaders are doing!
- Course Conclusion
  Course Conclusion

Learning on this course

On every step of the course you can meet other learners, share your ideas and join in with active discussions in the comments.

What will you achieve?

By the end of the course, you‘ll be able to...

Describe the concepts of sustainable fashion
Classify the types of fashion ecosystems
Explore actions that will influence sustainability and the future of fashion ecosystems
Assess how your values align with your actions

Who is the course for?

This course is designed for anyone interested in the social, environmental, and economic impacts of fashion.

It may be of particular interest if you are considering a career in fashion or sustainability.

Who will you learn with?

Jennifer Whitty

I am a sustainable systems educator, researcher, and designer. I work on developing new mindsets, models, and systems for alternative ecologies of fashion practice for social and environmental justice

Who developed the course?

Parsons School of Design

For more than a century, Parsons School of Design has been inspired by the transformative potential of design. Today, the school’s groundbreaking academic programs carry forward that mission, making Parsons the number one design school in the U.S. and among the top three globally. At the heart of a comprehensive university — The New School — Parsons draws on a range of academic fields to deliver a uniquely interdisciplinary education enriched by the resources of its home in New York City

Learning on FutureLearn

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Join a global classroom

Experience the power of social learning, and get inspired by an international network of learners
Share ideas with your peers and course educators on every step of the course
Join the conversation by reading, @ing, liking, bookmarking, and replying to comments from others

Map your progress

As you work through the course, use notifications and the Progress page to guide your learning
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Complete 90% of course steps and all of the assessments to earn your certificate

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