Our clothing consumption has reached an all time high, and in response, advocates for sustainable, eco-friendly design are screaming their message louder than ever. And it seems the fashion industry is finally listening. The growing trend towards sustainable and ethically designed clothing is not only helping to create a greener planet—it’s created a whole new job market, one where having an education in sustainable design may give you a considerable edge in the industry. Here are some of the top sustainable design programs in the country.
California College of the Arts
What They Offer: MBA in Design Strategy and BA in Fashion Design
CCA may not be the best-known fashion school in the world, but it’s home to the longest-running sustainable fashion design program in the country. The program unites the perspectives of design and integrative thinking, sustainability and systems thinking, finance, entrepreneurship, and generative leadership into a holistic strategic framework. Even for undergraduates, sustainability is a recurring theme in their education, as their courses use sustainability goals as points of innovation and spearheading new systems of making, distributing, and experiencing fashion.
Parsons the New School for Design
What They Offer: Sustainable fashion courses, option to specialize in sustainability
Parsons doesn’t have a specific program that specializes in sustainable fashion design, preferring instead to provide a more holistic approach. The school offers innovative courses on the subject, including Sustainable Systems and Space/Materiality, and a number of students choose to focus on sustainability for their thesis collection. They also work with industry leaders on special projects, like partnering with Loomstate to create jeans that are as close to zero waste as possible.
Fashion Institute of Technology
What They Offer: Sustainable Design Entrepreneur Certificate Program
FIT incorporates sustainability practices into their undergraduate fashion design curriculum, but they also offer a four-week certificate program that focuses exclusively on sustainable design. The certificate program gives design entrepreneurs the knowledge, tools, and access to resources they need to build a viable business based on sustainable design practices. These classes are non-credit and open to the public, conveniently scheduled, and very inexpensive, making them accessible to any designer who wishes to incorporate sustainable practices.
University of Delaware
What They Offer: Graduate certificate in Socially Responsible and Sustainable Apparel Business, Minor in Sustainable Apparel and Textile Innovation
A fundamental objective of the fashion program at UD is to encourage and assist students in cultivating a sense of sustainability, accountability, and social responsibility so that they may enter the fashion industry as socially conscious professionals. Undergraduate students are engaged in interdisciplinary learning that supports social change; rethinks the fundamental ways apparel and textile businesses operate; and tackles environmental issues associated with textile materials and manufacturing. And its graduate certificate addresses labor and environmental problems in the global supply chains with courses based on research by industry leaders and professionals.
Otis College
What They Offer: Sustainability Minor
Sustainable design principles are part of Otis’s core curriculum, which focuses on designing for tomorrow. Recognizing the innovative role designers can play in solving challenges, the Sustainability Minor at Otis provides students with a broad understanding of the social, political, economic and environmental issues impacting humanity and our planet. The department is also the founder of the Otis Sustainability Alliance, a group of creative leaders who are committed to advancing the environmental, social, educational, and economic dimensions of sustainability through their work as artists, designers, and educators.
Pratt Institute
What They Offer: Sustainability Minor
Pratt is home to the Center for Sustainable Design Strategies (CSDS), which serves as a physical and virtual hub for Pratt’s commitment to educate environmentally responsible citizens, and houses a materials research center that supports the integration of sustainability into professional design work. Pratt’s minor in Sustainability Studies deepens the understanding of the interdisciplinary approach to sustainable environmental, economic, and social practices, giving students a broad understanding of the complex interrelationships between humans and ecosystems and the best practices for protecting environmental quality and fostering social equity.
Add Comment