By PAGE Editor

Ethical and unethical fashion raises a number of considerations that we have to be aware of. Today’s students are the generations our future depends on, and teaching them about the importance of this segment of our everyday lives is crucial. From social and economic to environmental and existential factors, we need to find the best way to present it to students.

This article breaks down the best strategies for teaching students about ethical fashion choices. The goal is not just to inform them but to motivate them to change the way they look at fashion and the way they consume it.

Here’s how to do it.

Consequences: Raise Their Interest

Students have a lot on their plates, and capturing their attention about anything other than academic life can be tough. This is why you should open strongly by laying out the facts about the consequences of unethical fashion choices.

Give them a brief presentation of how our individual fashion choices are negatively impacting and reshaping the world globally. Try to put things into perspective by talking about specific details like:

• child labor

• pollution, water consumption, toxic chemicals

• waste and landfills

• animal cruelty 

• depletion of natural resources

• poor and unsafe working conditions

Mention how unethical fashion is a waste of their money to give them a reason to listen carefully. Instead of spending on clothes, they could save for educational practices like to pay for essay writing, finding a tutor, or using educational software. This sort of perspective will shake the students up and signal that it's important for them to listen to what you have to say and engage in the rest of the lecture or presentation.

Analyzing Their Habits

Next, try to get the students to think about their current fashion habits. Most likely, they're not even aware that the choices they're making belong to a group of unethical fashion practices. Plus, giving them a chance to speak will increase their attention and make it more interesting for other students.

Some of the practices that you’ll singe out as unethical include:

• buying clothes excessively 

• buying from fast fashion brands

• not considering second-hand

• throwing away clothes you don’t like anymore or that have minor damage

• not practicing recycling, upcycling, or giving clothes away

• not reading clothes labels to learn about caring about clothes properly

Tell them that statistics show 49% of people their age buy new clothes once a week. Once you get the students to talk about their habits, they’ll quickly realize there’s so much room for improvement. 

Brands Analysis

Continue talking to students to get more information about the way they currently consume clothes. Get them to name their favorite brands and choose the brands most students like. Do a brand analysis in terms of:

• sustainability practices

• labor practices

• certificates for ethical practices

Get the students to gather as much information as possible about greenwashing, child labor accusations, the use of toxic chemicals, and more. This will get them to rethink every other unethical brand they unknowingly support.

Teach Practical Strategies

Finally, you’ve reached the most important part of this education journey. You now need to teach students practical tips for making ethical fashion choices regularly and hopefully changing the way they buy and treat clothes for good.

Here are some of the key advice to share with them.

• Shop Locally

Smaller, local brands are a great option for those looking to change their unethical habits. These brands typically have more sustainable and ethical practices.

• Always Research

Before engaging with a new brand, do research about their practices. Look into all the details about where their laborers come from, how they treat them, and what their stands on sustainability are.

• Know the Certificates

Learn about fashion certificates like Fair Trade, Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS), Animal Welfare Certifications, where to find them on clothes or brand’s website, and what each of them stands for.

• Try Second-Hand and Thrift Shopping

There are tons of great, quality clothes in second-hand and thrift shops that save you money and allow you to act responsibly about clothes shopping.

Final Thoughts

Ethical fashion choices are something students should learn about and be inspired to practice. Giving them the right information in the right way will motivate them to rethink their current practices and make better choices in the future.

The strategies we’ve shared above will hopefully help you inspire your students to take ethical fashion seriously and truly understand the power that each one of them holds in their hands as a consumer.

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