Unraveling Fashion: A Discussion Group on Sustainable Fashion

SEMESTER

Spring 2025

LEVEL OF COMMITMENT
  • Meetings every three weeks between January and May
  • You must commit to 5 of the 7 sessions to participate
  • All dates are Frodays from10:00AM - 12:00 PM:
    • Jan. 31
    • Feb. 28
    • March 7
    • March 28
    • April 11
    • April 25
    • May 2
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Discussion Group Facilitators
Discussion Group Overview

Have you ever wondered about the connection between coral reefs and jeans? Or whether H&M is more eco-friendly than Chanel? What are the environmental and social consequences of the fashion industry, and how did the clothes we wear become one of the world's most polluting industries?

If these questions spark your curiosity, consider joining our discussion group, where Yale undergraduate, graduate, professional school, and PhD students come together to explore these topics and more. This multidisciplinary group will tackle the fashion industry's real-world challenges and evaluate current solutions. Participants will gain a comprehensive understanding of the issues, emerging solutions, policies, and actionable insights for their future research, advocacy, and careers.

The fashion industry is one of the most polluting and exploitative industries globally. Pollution occurs at every stage of production, beginning with cotton cultivation and toxic dyeing processes, to global transportation that contributes to greenhouse gas emissions, and ultimately, landfilling, which pollutes land and air while releasing microplastics into the ocean. Socially, the industry relies heavily on low-wage labor, particularly among women and children in developing countries, perpetuating systemic inequalities.

In recent years, awareness of these environmental and social costs has grown. Tragedies such as the Rana Plaza collapse and movements like the Fashion Revolution and the Clean Clothes Campaign have driven a global call for reform, spurring the rise of the slow fashion movement—which many see as the industry's future.

Our discussion group will critically examine the environmental and social consequences of the fashion industry, explore the cultural and social contexts behind the rise of fast fashion, and analyze the intersections of sustainability with luxury fashion. We will also delve into current and future solutions, emphasizing the critical role of policy in driving systemic change.

Structure

Part One:  We will begin by exploring the fashion industry’s connection to the climate crisis, uncovering the mechanics of the fast fashion model, tracing the journey of clothing donations, and understanding why fundamental change is necessary.

Part Two:  In the second half, we will take a solution-oriented approach.  Discussions will focus on existing and emerging initiatives to address sustainability challenges, from innovative technological solutions and international regulatory efforts to the contributions of female designers and other trailblazers in the industry.  We’ll also examine practical steps for individuals—from fashion enthusiasts to those who simply wear clothes out of necessity—to engage with these solutions.

By exploring the historical, environmental, social, and economic dimensions of sustainable fashion over six sessions, this group will provide participants with a deep understanding of the systemic issues driving unsustainable practices and inspire actionable strategies for creating meaningful change.

Topics Covered will include (order and specific guest speakers may change):

1. Introduction:  The History of Sustainability

Led by Mary, this session examines the origins of sustainability as a concept, tracing its evolution within the context of fashion and broader societal movements.

2. Environmental and Social Implications:  Gender, Economics, and Politics

Meital will lead this discussion, focusing on the environmental and social impacts of the fashion industry. We will explore how gender, economic inequality, and political contexts intersect with sustainability efforts.

3. Policy Check-In:  Developments in the US and Europe

Mary will provide an overview of current policies addressing sustainability in fashion, comparing approaches in the US and Europe and their implications for the industry.

Field Trip and Volunteering

Participants will visit a local sorting center for clothing donations to better understand the lifecycle of secondhand garments and contribute through hands-on volunteering.

4. Consumer Solutions:  The Role of Individuals

Meital will explore consumer-driven solutions to sustainability challenges, emphasizing actionable changes in purchasing habits, clothing care, and waste reduction.

5. Luxury and Sustainability

Mary will guide a discussion on how the luxury fashion sector is addressing sustainability, examining innovations and tensions unique to this segment of the industry.

6. Summary:  Imagining Sustainable Futures

In this final session, participants will engage in a creative project, imagining a sustainable future for fashion and beyond. This collaborative activity will encourage participants to integrate their learnings from the group into actionable visions for the future.

If you are a Yale student and interested in engaging in peer discussions about these critical topics and exploring how this knowledge can drive positive and effective social change in the fashion industry, we encourage you to apply.

APPLY HERE

Applications Due by Friday, January 17, 11:59 PM.

Accepted students will be notified by Thursday, January 23, 2025.