Reviews

What our course participants are saying

5 star rating

Must-do!

Hester Vanacker

This online course was a pleasure to follow. Both engaging and interactive, it introduces you to the "basics" of sustainability in a profound and critical wa...

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This online course was a pleasure to follow. Both engaging and interactive, it introduces you to the "basics" of sustainability in a profound and critical way. It makes you question everything: from the company's actions to how you can improve your own behaviour. I highly recommend it to everyone and will make sure to promote it as much as I can.

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5 star rating

An outstanding sustainable fashion course.

Nasim A.

This is an excellent 6-week program to bring you up to speed with sustainability issues in the fashion industry. I enjoyed this course a lot. Course materi...

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This is an excellent 6-week program to bring you up to speed with sustainability issues in the fashion industry. I enjoyed this course a lot. Course material is informative and covers diverse areas and issues associated with the fashion industry harmful practice.

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5 star rating

Would definitely recommend

Meri Stewart

I would definitely recommend this course to anyone interested in sustainable & ethical fashion. Clare and Sofia were great facilitators, and managed to c...

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I would definitely recommend this course to anyone interested in sustainable & ethical fashion. Clare and Sofia were great facilitators, and managed to condense an incredible amount of information into the 6 week course without it feeling overwhelming. The course content is really well organised - about 3 hours of learning a week - a mixture of videos, podcasts, interviews, quizzes, discussions, reading materials - and then weekly Zoom meetings with other colleagues. Meeting like minded people from around the world has been amazing. Getting to hear their different experiences or recommendations, as well as support and interaction was probably the best part of the course.

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5 star rating

An excellent course that brings community together

Julia Browne

The course content on this platform is excellent, easy to follow, and engaging, but the "ace in the hole" is the additions of the FaceBook group and the zoom...

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The course content on this platform is excellent, easy to follow, and engaging, but the "ace in the hole" is the additions of the FaceBook group and the zooms chats where you get to share and hear ideas from people around the world.

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5 star rating

As Confronting as it Is

Kelly Carrigan

Appreciate the time and effort to create this course for all of us to become aware and learn about these many problematic issues facing the wonderful world o...

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Appreciate the time and effort to create this course for all of us to become aware and learn about these many problematic issues facing the wonderful world of fashion in the design, production, retail and re-inventive industries of the modern world.

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5 star rating

New structure!

Giuliana Rubulotta

Dear Clare and Sophia, Thank you for this amazing course and for the effort you have put in it. I have learned something new and got a new structured appr...

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Dear Clare and Sophia, Thank you for this amazing course and for the effort you have put in it. I have learned something new and got a new structured approach to my future project. I look forward to new courses! 😁 If you will ever want to propose the course in other languages, let me know! I will be happy with to support you. In Italy this course will be well perceived I believe.

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5 star rating

Very Inspiring

Moira Smythe

An excellent thought provoking course. As a sustainability manager who attends numerous webinars/conference and sits working groups all things Ethical and S...

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An excellent thought provoking course. As a sustainability manager who attends numerous webinars/conference and sits working groups all things Ethical and Sustainable, s I was surprised how many OMG moments I experienced during this course. I loved hearing from experts who are and have made a huge difference with what to do with the excesses created by the clothing industry. Excellent course to help people make better shopping decisions !

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WHO IS THIS COURSE FOR?

Sustainable Fashion 101. is our introductory fashion course - recommended for anyone looking to move forward in this area. We cover the essential basics, and help you figure out an action plan based on your values.

Perfect for you if...

  • You've ever wanted to upskill on sustainable fashion, but found it overwhelming or didn't know where to start. We've pulled together everything you need to know in the one spot.

  • You want to feel confident talking about sustainability and avoid greenwashing.

  • You're ready to dive into related issues such as climate change, circular economy and fair working conditions.

  • You are looking to access industry experts and practical examples of how they problem-solve.

  • You want to be part of the change - or lead it! - & join a values-led community.

Your Instructor

Course Leader

Clare Press

Clare Press is the founder of WARDROBE CRISIS. A Sydney-based sustainable fashion podcaster, journalist, author and presenter, she was the first ever Vogue sustainability editor. She hosts the popular Wardrobe Crisis podcast and co-hosts the UN's Ethical Fashion podcast. Clare is obsessed with sustainability and has spent the past 7 years researching it from every possible angle. She is so glad you are here!

Course Curriculum

  • 1

    The introduction

  • 2

    Week 1 Why?

    • Why Sustainability Now?

    • Discussion

    • Which Words? Defining Sustainable Fashion

    • Journal Prompt

    • Clarity Exercise - What Motivates You?

    • Core Values Meditation

    • Get to Know the Sustainable Development Goals

    • Extra Help From Famous People

    • Preparing for next week

  • 3

    Week 2 Workers

    • Who Made My Clothes?

    • Rana Plaza

    • Transparency

    • What Sarah Said...

    • Minimum vs Living Wage

    • Do The Math

    • So What's Stopping the Industry From Raising Wages?

    • Sewing Break With Kate Ng

    • Worker Voices - Spotlight on Bangladesh

    • Modern Slavery

    • Need to Know: Xinjiang Cotton & the Uyghurs

    • What Now? Action Points Based on Your Values
  • 4

    Week 3 Nature

    • Fashion's Connection with Nature

    • Journal prompts

    • Climate Change - Understanding the Basics

    • Level Up - Intersectional Environmentalism

    • Big Picture - How The Fashion Industry Is Taking Collective Climate Action

    • Lightning Lecture - Nicolaj Reffstrup on Carbon

    • Lightning Lecture - Nina Gbor on Water

    • Lightning Lecture - Timo Rissanen on Biodiversity

    • Case Study - Patagonia

    • Meditation to Connect with Nature

    • What Now? Micro-Activism
  • 5

    Week 4 Materials

    • Materials Masterclass

    • Did You Guess Right?

    • Cotton? It's Complex - Here's What You Need to Know

    • How Sustainable is Leather?

    • Discussion

    • Design Thinking

    • Chemistry Homework : How Viscose and Nylon Came To Be

    • Ask The Expert - Claire Bergkamp

    • Pop Quiz - Fibre Facts

    • How Sustainable Is...

    • Future Fabrics to Get Excited About

    • What Now? Locating Meaning
  • 6

    Week 5 Waste

    • Trash Talking

    • Discussion

    • Waste Not, Want Not

    • Make Waste History! Panel Discussion

    • Listen to the Circularity Legends

    • Geography Lesson - Where Do Donated Clothes Travel?

    • Case Study 1 - Fabscrap's Pre-Consumer Waste Fabric Rescue

    • Case Study 2 - Maggie Marilyn's Packaging Problem Solver

    • What Now? Audit & Intention
  • 7

    Week 6 Action

    • Ready? Action!

      FREE PREVIEW

    • Meditation, revisited

    • Reflection

    • Brainstorm

    • Ideas Tree

    • Write Your Plan

    • Download Your Worksheet

    • Extra Help From Famous People

    • Send A Letter

    • The End...

A creative way to learn & grow

It's school, but not like you remember it. Sustainability is complex, and it can feel overwhelming. So we fully and unashamedly intend this to be fun. We believe you'll learn & think more creatively, this way.

FAQs

Practical stuff & need-to-knows

  • "When does the course begin?"

    When you do. Lessons are pre-recorded & accessible any time to enrolled students. Study at your own pace.

  • "Oh, so you're not there, then?"

    Au contraire! We are here to support you. In the courseplayer, you'll find plenty of opportunities to comment and discuss. Our community manager Jae is here to answer your questions. To get the most out of our community, join our Academy-only Facebook Group (it's free).

  • "How long does the course take to complete?"

    Sustainable Fashion 101 is designed to be taken over 6 weeks, but regular access lasts 3 months so you don't need to rush. The entire course content is available once you enrol & how you pace yourself is up to you, but if possible we recommend you take your time and stick to the 6-week schedule.

  • "How long are the lessons?"

    Up to 3 hours of content each week.

  • "Will the lessons disappear once I've completed them?"

    No. While you are an enrolled student, you can go back over the material as much as you like, even when you've clicked 'complete' - which we do suggest you do, by the way, to keep track of your progress. (*Some special offers limit enrolment period. Ask for more info.)

  • "Will I get a qualification out of this course?"

    No. This course is not a degree course and you won't receive a formal qualification. But you can download a Wardrobe Crisis Academy certificate when you "graduate" (complete the course) - and you should be proud of your achievement!

  • "Is this an Australian course?"

    No. This is a broadly relevant course, taught in English, with an international focus. Our course participants join us from all over the world. We are proudly made-in-Australia and Clare is based in Sydney, but, as with the Wardrobe Crisis podcast, we bring in experts, voices, examples and ideas from many different countries. Our first 600 students came from all over, including: Australia, the US, Hawaii, Colombia, Brazil, India, Hong Kong, the UK, Greece, Germany, Netherlands, Ireland, New Zealand and Italy. Featured experts on this course join us from the London, Dhaka, San Francisco, Copenhagen, Amsterdam, Berlin and Sydney.

  • "Who can I expect to learn from?"

    Your instructor on this course is Wardrobe Crisis creator Clare Press. She's brought in a host of leading industry experts, including: Ganni founder Nicolaj Reffstrup, Textile Exchange's Claire Bergkamp, Terracyle founder Tom Szaky, fashion educators Timo Rissanen and Kirsten Lee, recycling queen Veena Sahajwalla, labour rights expert Ineke Zeledenrust and more.