Yearly Archives: 2011

From Understanding to Design and Back Again // Denver Cumulus

The Cumulus conference will be held in Denver from Sept. 29 – Oct.2, under the theme From Understanding to Design and Back Again.

“Designers can no longer be spectators. The boundaries we are used to have disappeared and as human beings we ‘play’ a real role in designing the world around us.” (Cumulus)

Cumulus is a global association serving art and design education and research.

The Paper Lectures and Discussion Sessions look very interesting. Here are just some that caught my eye:

  • Ethics Matters! Re-Thinking the Moral Discourse in Design: Lorenzo Imbesi, Carleton University Canada
  • Visions of Environmental Art Education – Environment Means Responsibility and Art Stands for Freedom: Markku Matti Hakuri, Aalto University Finland
  • Designers as Agents of Sustainable Change: Siriporn Peters, King Mongkut’s Institute of Technology Thailand
  • Values Added: The Legacy of Design Responsibility: Patricia Beirne, Parsons The New School for Design United States of America
  • Revision the Future of Design: SEED (Social Economic Environmental Design)

Click here to check out the program.

Students—there is a discounted rate for you!

 

Made-by updates fibre benchmark to reflect current research

The Made-by  Environmental Benchmark for Fibres has been updated to reflect new research. The benchmark considers six categories: greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) until spinning, human toxicity, ecological toxicity, energy and water input and land use (Made-by).

“In response to feedback we have included new fibres in this updated Benchmark; mechanically and chemically recycled polyesters are now differentiated to represent the different environmental impacts of the recycling technologies used, and recycled wool has been added in Class A. Whilst we are keeping an eye on this area, there have been no new studies made publically available to help us review the current classification of virgin wool.” (Made-by)

Please note: This is an environmental benchmark, and does not include information on any labour rights issues that may or may not be associated with the growing, processing, or manufacturing of the fibres.

For more information, click here.

Call for Papers // Research Journal of Textile and Apparel

The Research Journal of Textile and Apparel is seeking papers for two Special Issues:

1) Fashion and Textile Strategies for Sustainable Design and Consumption

Submission of original papers: December 2011

Reviewer’s feedback and evaluation: February/March 2012

Notification of acceptance: April 2012

Publication: August 2012

2) The influence of natural colorants in modern textile design and production

Submission of original papers: September 2011

Reviewer’s feedback and evaluation: November/December 2011

Notification of acceptance: January 2012

Publication: March 2012

Submissions for each are encouraged (but not limited to) the following topics:

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

1) Fashion and Textile Strategies for Sustainable Design and Consumption:

  • New sustainable textile and fashion design strategies combined with new materials or technologies
  • Emerging fashion and textile strategies in the context of sustainable design
  • Fashion and textile design systems which aim for sustainable consumption
  • New eco-materials for textile and fashion manufacturing
  • Green economic systems in the field of fashion and textile design
  • Product service systems PSS for textiles and clothing
  • Sustainable innovations in the field of textiles and fashion
  • Consumer perspectives towards sustainable textile and fashion design

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

2) The influence of natural colorants in modern textile design and production:

  • colorant production, dyes, pigments
  • techniques of applications, dyeing and printing techniques
  • design for natural dyed and printed textiles
  • quality of final textile products
  • consumer perspectives towards natural dyed and/or printed textiles
  • economical aspects of the usage of natural colorants
  • environmental aspects of the usage of natural colorants
  • cultural aspects of the usage of natural colorants
  • green textiles and natural colorants

 

Click through for the details, and to meet the editors. Good luck with your research!

 

Source: Cumulus – International Association of Universities and Colleges of Art Design and Media

Bangladeshi garment workers denied rights, War on Want reports

War on Want has published a new report outlining current conditions for garment workers in Bangladesh—Stitched Up: Women workers in the Bangladeshi garment sector.

Of the many issues addressed in this report, the research outlines the true impact of short lead times, explaining how wages earned can depend on whether or not a worker meets production deadlines. It also showcases certain worker rights that have been denied as a result of an absent rule of law.

“The research conducted for this report reveals that women in the garment sector have been systematically denied their rights to maternity leave under Bangladeshi law.” (Stitched Up: pg 8 )

The report investigated 41 garment factories (there are an estimated 4,825 garment factories in Bangladesh) and interviewed nearly 1000 workers (there are an estimated 3 million garment workers in Bangladesh) (Stitched Up: pg 2). 86% of the mostly women interviewed (988/1000) were between the ages of 18-31 (Stitched Up: pg 2).

Head on over to War on Want to read the report and to learn more.

Autodesk streamlines responsible design education with innovative video lecture series

With a little help from Mr. Imagination, Dawn Danby, Sustainable Design Program Manager at Autodesk, and Jeremy Faludi, Sustainable Design Expert and Stanford University Lecturer,  deliver video tutorials on responsible design through Autodesk’s Education Series: Design for Product Lifetime Strategies.

“Introduction to Design for Product Lifetime” (embedded below) is just one of many lectures up and running, including “Design for Durability” and “Design for Disassembly and Recycling.”

Head on over to Autodesk’s Education Community to learn more, and check out the YouTube channel!

Designing values, Cradle to Cradle

No matter where we sit—consumer, designer, marketer, researcher, educator, etc.—on the global apparel supply chain, our understanding of responsibility stems from our values, individual or shared.

“By design, we start with values” (William McDonough)

We must constantly ask ourselves: “What are my values? What are my intentions? Do they align? How do they translate in practice?” Easier said than done? Not with Cradle to Cradle (C2C) design theory: C2C encapsulates values in design, by design.

 

Designers Accord – Sustainability in 7 – Bill McDonough from Core77 on Vimeo.

Image Source: “Am I happier now?” image by Carlotta Cataldi, of Slow Fashion Forward

Video Source: Core 77, Sustainability in 7 (via the Designers Accord)

 

Fashioning an Ethical Industry and London College of Fashion report // Steps Towards Sustainability: Snapshot Bangladesh

 

Earlier this year, Fashioning an Ethical Industry (FEI) and London College of Fashion joined forces to produce Steps Towards Sustainability: Snapshot Bangladesh — A resource for fashion students and educators.

“the seeds for creating a vibrant, more sustainable fashion industry in Bangladesh have started to be sown”

(Steps Towards Sustainability: Snapshot Bangladesh: pg. 4)

This must read report presents case studies as a snapshot that “[e]ducators and students can explore them from design, business and apparel management perspectives.” (Steps Towards Sustainability: Snapshot Bangladesh: pg. 6)

Case Study 1

People Tree: Designing differently

Case Study 2

New Look and Echotex: Addressing long hours, low pay and buying practices

Case Study 3

Aranya Crafts: Pioneers in natural dyes

 

Citation: Parker, E. (2011) Steps towards Sustainability in Fashion: Snapshot Bangladesh, edited by Hammond, L., Higginson, H. and Williams,D., London College of Fashion and Fashioning an Ethical Industry.

Ethical Fashion Forum inspires and rewards through INNOVATION

The 2011 Ethical Fashion Forum INNOVATION Award winners (UK) and shortlisted candidates (USA) have been announced!

With an expert judging panel, the INNOVATION award inspires and rewards, with winners showcased through widespread press coverage, an opportunity to show at Pure London (August) or Nolcha Fashion Week (September) and a professional photoshoot.

Head on over to EFF site to check out all the details:

EKO – Winner of Pure Award

Chichia for Made by Africa – Winner of Pure Award

Caipora – Winner of Accessories Award

A.L.A.S – Winner of PURE Spirit Award

Genuine Article – Winner of One to Watch Award

ULTRA – Winner of Innovation in Design and Sourcing Award

Shortlisted candidates for the Innovation USA Award have also been announced:

ADO Clothing

AFIA

The Andean Collection

Auralis Inc

AVNI

Carrie Parry

ETHOS

MADIT TUISK

MODAHNIK

SOHAM DAVE

Congratulations to EFF, INNOVATION Award winners and all shortlisted entries!

Oxfam International // Supporting garment workers through education and engagement

You know Oxfam as a leader in global humanitarian efforts—working toward poverty reduction, advocating and campaigning on behalf of human rights, leading the fight against unregulated international arms trade (all the way to the UN, with Arms Trade Treaty negotiations expected to close in 2012), promoting gender equality, health and education, responding to both chronic and acute social, environmental and economic crisis…the list goes on.

What you may not know is that Oxfam is also committed to supporting systemic change with respect to the labour rights of garment workers internationally through education and engagement.

Here are some of the exciting projects they’ve been working on—all excellent for use in the classroom:

While her name has been changed to protect her family and to ensure her job security (‘Sewani’ is an abbreviated word for ‘seorang wanita’ in Indonesian, meaning ‘woman’), her story is real: “I hope that by sharing this story people can have some image of the workers that are making their shoes. Some image of who we are and what our lives are like. I’m sure our conditions are really different with those who can afford to buy the shoes we make. Who knows, when they understand our conditions, they might speak out for us. We also want to live in better conditions.” (Sewani) Readers can send Sewani questions and leave comments on the blog.

By answering these FAQ’s, Oxfam has empowered educators, consumers, designers and proprietors alike to think critically about their role in the global apparel supply chain.

  • Oxfam Australia has run several successful campaigns in support of decent work, driving change through an online actions centre dedicated to worker’s rights.

Workshop //Sweatshops – 70 minutes

Lesson Plans:

No Sweat – Grade 9 Lesson Plan

No Sweat – Grade 10 Lesson Plan

No Sweat – OAC Geography Lesson Plan

No Sweat – OAC Poli Sci Lesson Plan

Oxfam GB has created a 25 minute assembly designed to educate students on the hidden narrative of labour taking place behind the brand, factory conditions and worker’s rights, cause and consequence of cheap labour and ways to take action. Materials include Assembly Slides, (in PowerPoint) and Supporting Notes (PDF).

Oxfam GB has also created a series of lessons that follow the cotton supply chain in India:

Background information about cotton, trade and India

Photo gallery of clothes production

Lesson 1: Placing India in the world

Lesson 2: Finding out about India

Lesson 3: Where does cotton grow?

Lesson 4: Tracking trade

Lesson 5: Questioning a photo

Lesson 6: Before and after

Lesson 7: Matching captions to photos

Lesson 8: Putting photos in sequence

Lesson 9: Oral presentation

Lesson 10: Ways of working

Lesson 11: Print making

Lesson 12: Fair Trade

Extra material to support your teaching

Moving beyond the classroom, Oxfam GB has partnered with Marks & Spencer to keep clothing out of landfills: “[s]ince 2009, they have diverted over 5 million tonnes of clothing from landfill, and raised £3 million for Oxfam.” (Trewin Restorick, for the Guardian Professional Network)

So, Oxfam is not only a leader in global humanitarian relief, but also in responsible knowledge sharing and cross-sector collaboration with respect to responsible apparel.

ATTEND // The Slow Summit

The Textile Arts Research Centre at the University of the Arts London along with Craftspace are running the fourth in a series of open lectures this year. This particular lecture entitled Slow Summit, features Professor Alastair Fuad-Luke and Professor Helen Carnac who is also co-curating this event along with Becky Earley.

“The event examines the emergence of the Slow Movement, within a context of design, making and art practice. The two guest speakers will map out the ground that this new creative thinking occupies, both addressing the theory and the practice, as well as the local/global economics and politics that fuel the movement.”

This is a great opportunity to learn more about Slow Fashion!

To know more about Professor Alastair Fuad-Luke check out his website and for more on Professor Helen Carnac check out her blog.

Special thanks to Clara Vuletich from Love & Thrift for letting us know about this event!