1. LLABS: How We Explored the World of Sustainable Fashion with Eighth Graders in the Creative FLIP Learning Labs

Sustainable fashion is the future – and I’m incredibly proud that BY MARTIS is part of this shift!
As one of the 10 selected projects within the Creative FLIP Learning Labs, we’ve begun exploring the world of sustainable fashion with a group of 8th graders from OŠ Ljubno ob Savinji.

Quiz, Creativity, and Education on Sustainable Fashion

At the first workshop, I was very curious to see how much the students already knew about fast fashion and sustainable fashion. To start, we prepared a fashion quiz filled with interesting questions, creative activities, and an insight into the world of modular design, sustainable materials, and slow fashion.

One of the most surprising things we explored was the history of fashion trends – did you know that men once wore heels as a sign of prestige? The students were also shocked to learn that in many parts of the world, children are still sewing clothes today. 85% of textile products end up in landfills, and even more shocking: every few seconds, a truckload of clothing ends up in the trash!

Diving Into Sustainable Fashion

While exploring sustainable fashion, we learned the basic terms like:

• Sustainable Fashion: Fashion that takes into account the environment, sustainable resources, and fair working conditions.
• Slow Fashion: An approach where clothes are made with sustainability and long-term use in mind, as opposed to fast production and consumption.
• Second-hand: Purchasing used clothes that help reduce the demand for new textiles, consequently reducing waste.
• Recycling: The process where clothes are transformed into new fabric or other useful products.
• Upcycling: Creating new and unique products from old clothing.
• Modular Clothing: Clothes that can be adjusted and modified, increasing their durability and usability.

Our Creative Challenge: Modular Sweaters with Universal Sleeves

In the coming months, the students will be creating their own modular sweaters with removable sleeves, which they can adjust and change into different combinations. The aim of this project is to help the students understand how to design clothing that can be used in multiple ways, promoting long-term use. Additionally, the students will try out different steps of garment creation, such as illustration, pattern design, cutting, and sewing.

The Exhibition at the End of the Project

Once the project is completed, we will organize an exhibition where the students will showcase their creations. This will be a fantastic opportunity for everyone to see what they have created and how they’ve combined sustainable fashion and creativity in their designs.

I’m already excited to invite you to follow the project, join the exhibition, and check out the innovative modular sweaters that the young designers will create!