Pedagogy and Professional Development

The Uniform Project Reimagined: An Introduction to Sustainable Fashion for Undergraduate Students

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Abstract

The reimagined uniform project was offered in the Spring of 2018 and 2019 during an introductory-level fashion merchandising course. Students are required to select and wear the same outfit for 5 sequential days. The project requirements include a photo and reflective journal, documenting their experiences over the 5-day period. Students are graded on “Quality of Journal Entries,” “Sufficient Photo Journal Evidence,” and “Writing Mechanics.” A total of 35 (n=35) students participated in the project over the two semesters, submitting 245 journal entries and 175 photos. There are several thematic writing patterns that emerged from the student journals stress/anxiety, embarrassment, discomfort, feeling “dirty,” acceptance, and realization. The outcomes of this project are largely positive as students demonstrably grow in their knowledge and understanding of sustainability in the fashion industry. The goal of this project is to help lower-level fashion students gain exposure to sustainability concepts early on in their fashion education. The longer-term goal is that they will apply this knowledge to future coursework to improve sustainability in the fashion industry on a larger scale.

Keywords: sustainability, pedagogy, fashion industry

How to Cite:

Howell, A. L., (2019) “The Uniform Project Reimagined: An Introduction to Sustainable Fashion for Undergraduate Students”, International Textile and Apparel Association Annual Conference Proceedings 76(1). doi: https://doi.org/10.31274/itaa.12378