Practical Sustainable Wardrobe Strategies

This unit teaches actionable strategies to extend garment life, reduce consumption, and make informed sustainable purchasing decisions. Students practice vintage shopping, repair and upcycling techniques, storage and shoe care, and learn to detect greenwashing while assessing brand claims and value—preparing them to apply these practices in design, merchandising, or personal wardrobe management in the following unit.

Learning Objectives

• Analyze brand communications, product labels, and marketing claims to identify greenwashing and rate brands against defined environmental and social sustainability criteria
• Apply sustainable wardrobe management techniques—including vintage shopping, responsible disposal, proper storage, shoe care, and repeating outfits—to develop a 6-month personal wardrobe sustainability plan
• Demonstrate basic alteration, repair, and upcycling techniques by completing and documenting two hands-on projects that extend the usable life of garments or shoes
• Evaluate and compare sustainable brand options (including price, materials, supply chain practices, and feel‑good factors) and justify purchase or non-purchase decisions using environmental, social, and economic criteria