Teaching sequence

Work through this resource material in the following sequence:

10 minutes

Tune in: Fast fashion - pros and cons

30 minutes

Find out: The value of fast fashion

30-40 minutes

Take action: from linear to circular

10-15 minutes

Reflection

Tune in: Fast fashion pros and cons

Step 1

Facilitate a discussion with your class about the pros and cons of the fast fashion industry. You might like to list these on a T chart. Keep this chart and re-visit it during future lessons.

Step 2

Ask students to think about their local shopping centers, the fast fashion shops that might be there, the people that make the clothes and work in those shops etc.

Explain that this lesson will focus on what the fast fashion industry contributes to our economy.

Find out: The value of fast fashion

Step 1

Explain that the production of fast fashion - of clothes - is increasing exponentially. Many people are dependent on the industry for income. Share (or select some of) the following stats with the class:

More than $15.7 billion were paid in fashion sector wages.
The fashion and textile employment rate is higher than Australia’s mining and utilities industries.
More than 24,333 clothing retail businesses operate across Australia.
Consumer spending on fashion items accounts for $25 billion annually.
The fashion and textile industry is 77% female, making it central to driving women’s economic security and advancement.
More than $6 billion in textiles, clothing and footwear products are generated annually.
Export revenue of $7.2 billion represents 1.7% of all Australian exports (double the value of wine and beer).
1 and 6 people are employed in the fashion supply chain (have a discussion about the meaning of ‘supply chain’
220,000 people are employed in the fast fashion industry in Australia.
It is estimated 300 million people are employed the fast fashion industry globally
The clothing industry is worth $1.3 trillion globally
Globally, in the last 15 years clothing production has doubled
In 2011, the global fashion industry size was USD 1,051.66 billion. By 2020, the market is more than USD 1,652.73 billion. (Source)

Step 2

Discuss the term ‘supply chain’ and have students consider what industries are involved in the fast fashion supply chain from growing or producing the raw materials to purchase. Explain that very rarely, would materials, manufacturer and sales occur in close proximity in this linear process:

Growing the raw material (eg. cotton)
Manufacture of material
Transportation of materials
Design of clothes
Manufacture of clothes
Transportation of clothes
Retail - Sale of clothes
Wear and disposal (Source)

Step 3

Ask students to represent this supply chain in a diagram.

Sources:

Take Action: From linear to circular

Step 1

We cannot ignore the fact that our fast fashion, and the fashion industry more broadly, contributes significant value to the global economy. However, we also cannot ignore that there are issues at every stage of the supply chain that have negative impacts on our environment.

Consider the graph below from Ellen MacArthur Foundation, A new textiles economy: Redesigning fashion’s future (2017).

Step 2

In pairs students will research the concept of a circular economy and how it could work within the fashion industry.

They should use the student worksheet to guide their research.

Thinking about the linear economy and the fast fashion industry, how is waste dealt with?

Reflection

As this is the end of the third lesson in this unit it is timely to reflect on what has been learned so far:

Review the definition of fast fashion
Reflect on some of the ways the fast fashion industry impacts the environment
Consider how the fast fashion contributes to the global economy. How can we balance this with environmental impacts?

Ask your students to think of small acts they might be able to make to reduce their participation in the fast fashion industry or to reduce fashion waste. Have them make a pledge for change.

Fast Fashion and the Economy

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