Pedagogy and Professional Development

Textile and Apparel Curriculum Development for Sustainability Education

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Abstract

Textile and apparel products cause significant environmental and human health problems in their lifecycle including during production, use, and end of use. Though the importance of sustainability in the textile and apparel industry is widely acknowledged, there exists a gap between industry needs and college curricula in textile and apparel. To fill the gap, an innovative curriculum has been developed to educate the next generation of textile and apparel professionals and help the industry accomplish sustainable development. The curriculum includes revised and new courses for design and merchandising majors, a new “sustainable apparel and textile innovation” minor to teach students who are interested in a career in the textile and apparel industry, and participatory learning experiences in a pop-up store. The curriculum increased students’ sustainability knowledge and helped students gain relevant practical experiences.

Keywords: sustainability, apparel, textile, curriculum

How to Cite:

Shaffer, B., Cao, H., Cobb, K., Dickson, M. A. & Jelenewicz, S., (2019) “Textile and Apparel Curriculum Development for Sustainability Education”, International Textile and Apparel Association Annual Conference Proceedings 76(1). doi: https://doi.org/10.31274/itaa.8375