Final Project Series: Parsons Paris Sustainability: The Future of Fashion

Consider this: The fashion industry produces over 100 billion garments a year. 87% of these will end up in a landfill or an incinerator (approximately 40 million tons), and only a meager 1% is recycled. Plus, the average person today buys 60% more clothing than they did 15 years ago, but only keeps them for half as long. The average garment may be worn as few as ten times before disposal.

Not only that, but the apparel industry is responsible for 4% of greenhouse gas emissions – the same as Germany, France and the U.K. combined. Unchanged, fashion production would account for 26% of all carbon emissions by 2050. It doesn’t paint a pretty picture for the fashion industry, but the industry is making great strides to improve this. And you can be a part of that change.

Are you a motivated teen that has a passion for sustainability and ethical fashion? Our partner, Parsons Paris, created an amazing course on sustainability in fashion — a topic that's turning a lot of heads, especially with young people emerging into college and the workforce. If this topic, and potentially a career in becoming a fashion designer interests you, check out the Parsons Paris online course on sustainability.

In this course, you will discover the innovative ways the fashion industry is responding to our ecological crisis. You’ll learn about the life cycles of products, eco-friendly approaches to design, the upsides and downsides of “green” branding, fast fashion, and more. And best of all, the course culminates with you having the opportunity to demonstrate all you’ve learned through a final project. 

Final Project in Ethical Fashion

At the end of this course, you’ll submit a final project, where you’ll develop your vision of a sustainable fashion future and present it in an illustrated essay, manifesto, business model, image, or whatever way sparks your creativity. It’s your chance to really put your personal stamp on the course and all that you’ve learned.

Whether your interest is in design, marketing, or another fashion-related field, if you are passionate about the creative opportunities possible at the intersection of fashion and sustainability, this course is for you.