Sustainable Fashion: A Handbook for Educators

187

suMMary

Students are given case studies about Fairtrade, the Ethical
Trading Initiative, Slow Fashion, Social Audits, Trade Unions
and the Reducing Overtime Project, and are asked to
reflect on their strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and
threats.

MatErIals EnclosEd

Six case studies. Copy enough case studies so that each
student has just one of the six case studies and so that the
six are divided equally.

A presentation to introduce the activity is available
online at http://fashioninganethicalindustry.org/resources/
techingmaterials/initiatives in pdf form (go to ‘View’ then
select ‘Full Screen View’ to use the pdf as a presentation);
or request a Powerpoint version from
[email protected].

runnIng thE actIVIty

Choose which case studies to cover in your session.
Students are divided into groups so that each group
examines one case study:

• Fairtrade


• the Ethical Trading Initiative


• Slow Fashion


• Social Audits


• Reducing Overtime Project


• Trade Unions

In small groups, students discuss the strengths, weaknesses,
opportunities and threats of the initiative they have been
given, in terms of improving working conditions.

The following questions are aimed at focusing the students’
discussions but do not all need to be discussed or
reported back on:

• Does the initiative involve workers?


• Is it a long-term approach?


• Does it address the root causes of poor working
  conditions in factories?


• Does it address the overall behaviour of companies?


• Does it change behaviours and attitudes?


• Do you have different criteria to assess the impact of the
  initiative on working conditions?

After around 15 minutes, the facilitator should introduce

the case studies one at a time (the presentation highlights

some of the key points from each of the case studies),

and then allow the relevant group to feedback from

their discussions (approx 10 minutes per case study for

feedback). Allow other students to ask questions and share

their views.

Once all case studies have been considered, a plenary

discussion could be held around the following questions:

• Can company practices alone improve working
  conditions?


• Do we also need to address the way we consume?


• Do governments have a role?


• What else needs to happen to improve working
  conditions?


• ... (use this space to add your own questions)

rEFlEctIons on usIng thE actIVIty

Most students have enjoyed having detailed case studies,

although some have found the level of information difficult

to manage in a relatively short space of time. Comments

from participants show they value the time to debate the

strengths and weaknesses of the material.

IntEractIVE actIVItIEs