Ethical Fashion and Kids

We have touched on ethical fashion in past blog posts and the importance of buying clothing that is both kind to our earth and to those who are involved with all aspects of the production process. We believe that ethical fashion should be taught to kids as well since they are the consumers of tomorrow. Instilling upon them the importance of buying ethically produced clothing is one of the best ways we can as a society can start being more conscious towards the natural world and the treatment of our fellow humans.

One school that is tackling the issue of sustainability in the classroom is the Haggerston School in London, UK. Through the design and technology class, students are taught about recycling and the life cycle of materials to help get students thinking about their own choices regarding fashion.  The school offer workshops such as upcycling as well as lecture based workshops to help teach students about the textile industry and to be more aware of their choices affect the world around them.

Another organization that hopes to educate young people about ethical fashion is TRAID. TRAID is an acronym and it stands for “Textile Reuse and International Development”. They have three main goals; to encourage the reuse of clothing, to advocate for the improvement of working conditions and production processes within the textile industry; and to educate. TRAID is based in the UK and operates workshops in classrooms all over the country. They offer workshops aimed at all ages with some workshops being centered on reusing clothes and sewing lessons to more information dense lectures.

While not every school will be able to host workshops from organizations like TRAID, you can still incorporate elements of their workshops. Teaching your child how to sew or finding ways to turn old clothes into something new is a great way to introduce them to the concept of ethical fashion. If you are looking for more information on ethical fashion, TRAID and Fashion Revolution are both great resources.