Sowing the seeds of change: educating emerging textile and apparel professionals on sustainability from cotton industry perspective

Abstract

Purpose This study aims to promote sustainability-based education in fashion design and merchandising program to enhance students’ knowledge, skills and attitude about sustainability development, organizational responsibility and personal responsibility from the cotton industry perspective. Design/methodology/approach To conduct this study, three learning components were considered: learning from experts, learning by doing and outreach activity. Sustainability-related topics were strategically incorporated in different courses for one year; project-based learning approach was adopted; and pre–posttest survey was conducted to study the impact of sustainability-based education on student learning outcome. Rand’s principles-attributes matrix was applied to analyze the impact of sustainable education on student learning outcomes. Findings The results of course projects indicated enhanced student’s abilities on using use different types of cotton materials in product development, creative use of cotton in visual merchandising and development of business plans focused on sustainability. The two-group mean comparisons showed a significant positive impact on students’ knowledge in cotton and sustainability, followed by students’ skills and attitudes. Originality/value In response to the lack of systematic approach to incorporate sustainability-related topics in textile and apparel design discipline, this study offered an opportunity to involve approximately 110 students in various sustainability-based teaching and learning projects.

Toward sustainability in cotton textile production: education through project-based learning can help

“…These principles and attitudes are further investigated by Jaiswal et al . (2024) in a study involving Fashion Merchandising and Design (FMD) students at different levels of an undergraduate program at a university in the southeast USA.…”

“…Study evidence from the USA These principles and attitudes are further investigated by Jaiswal et al (2024) in a study involving Fashion Merchandising and Design (FMD) students at different levels of an undergraduate program at a university in the southeast USA. Pre-and post-assessment of sustainability-based learning activities was carried out with data from 84 participants obtained.…”