leaders for the

environment, art, and fashion L

E

A

F

Michelle Tang Student Initiatives Intern

June 2011 – June 2013 Center for Sustainability

Santa Clara University

Learn by Design • Create similar programs on your

campus to engage students – Eco-Fashion Show – Swap for Good Clothing Exchange

•  The social, economic, and environmental impacts of fashion

We all have something in

common in this room �hopefully�.

what is

your favorite clothing

item?

Refashioning is pushing the idea that each item of clothing tells a story.

Shoppers have become used to the

disposable clothing model.

We want to say� "I'd rather have a few things that I love than a closet full of things that

I'll never wear and have no connection to.”

In China, people often joke that to know what colors are

currently in fashion, one need only look at the rivers.

Textile dye houses often dump wastewater

underground or directly into rivers

and lakes.

Jian River turned red after becoming polluted by a powerful dye.

The dye was being dumped into the city's storm drain network by two illegal dye workshops.

Officials raided the factories to shut them down, and then disassembled their machinery.  

The more consumers know about the content of their clothing, the more they may begin to see it in all of its

"life-cycle," from grower to garment.

ECO-FASHION is about drawing the connections

between consumers and their clothing and moving away

from a disposable mentality.

WHAT’S THE REAL PRICE OF FASHION?

WHAT’S THE REAL PRICE OF FASHION?

“Excessive working hours, forced overtime, lack of job security, poverty wages, poor health,

exhaustion, sexual harassment, and mental stress are repeated over and

over again.”

Source� Fashioning an Ethical Industry

THERE’S NO SUCH THING AS A FREE LUNCH.

The price tag on our clothing is related to the wages of

garment workers.

A living wage meets the basic needs for a life lived

in dignity� food, shelter, childcare, and education.

High School

Sustainability Outreach First Eco-fashion show MAKING

WASTE WEARABLE

stapling, taping, and gluing

our way to the runway

How could we make this program better?

How could we make this program better?

triple bottom line of sustainability

social, environmental, and economic

issues and impacts of fashion

Durable.

Recyclable.

Wearable .

February 2011�

First Eco-Fashion Show

April 2011�

First Swap for Good

April 2013�

3rd Annual Eco-Fashion Show

and Swap for Good

INSTRUCTIONS 1.  Partner with your campus COSTUME

SHOP � check with Theater Department. 2.  Decide where you’d host the event. 3. Outreach to students �and even staff and faculty� to design pieces.

4. Host DESIGNER WORKSHOPS in the COSTUME SHOP and teach your designers sewing basics� Sewing Machines 101, Measurements 101, Pattern-Making 101, etc.

WHY Get a new wardrobe and help

domestic violence shelters at the same time.

In addition, our Swap for Good also supports other local community organizations that our campus

community cares about.

WHO •  Open to all students, staff, and

faculty members to donate unwanted clothing items in exchange for someone else’s “new-to-them” donation. •  Student organizations, departments,

and university programs will sponsor, support, and promote.

PARTNERSHIPS •  University Housing •  Women’s and Gender Studies Department •  Athletics Department and Groups •  Fraternities and Sororities •  Offices for Student Life/Student Involvement/

Student Leadership •  Cross-Cultural/Multicultural Groups •  Sociology or Anthropology Groups •  Fashion and Design Groups •  Service Groups (Interact, Kiwanis, Rotaract)

WHEN It’s up to you and the goals of your

organization. •  Move-out initiative to divert waste

before students leave at the end of the school year •  A “spring-cleaning”?  •  Have at least a week of collection to

give people a chance to donate.

WHERE •  Find a space on-campus that could

serve as the Swap for Good “store”: a classroom, conference room, meeting area. •  Reserve this space for more at least

four days to set up the “store” (Day 1), have it open (Days 2 and 3), and to clean (Day 4).

STORE •  Set up this store like a store you’d want

to shop at! •  Decorations, décor, a fitting room area,

mirrors, music, art: the possibilities are endless!

•  Get some ideas from different storefront window displays from your favorite stores and get students to create them!

•  Organize sections separating Men’s, Women’s, Children’s, Accessory items!

OPEN UP SHOP •  Sign up students to volunteer

one-hour shifts to staff the store! •  Suggestions: over 2 days,

staggered hours – ex. 10 am – 10 pm – Morning to early afternoon – Early afternoon to evening

FAQs Is the Swap for Good free?

Yes, absolutely. Ask for donations on a sliding scale.

What kinds of items are collected at a Swap for Good?

Besides clothing—books, household items, etc.

A New L.E.A.F. For 2013-14, focus on leadership development:

•  Develop L.E.A.F. to find and foster

student leaders interested in sustainability, art, and fashion •  Two-unit class met weekly over the

course of two academic quarters

OUR CLASS •  Students learned to articulate and

define sustainability for themselves •  Developed communication skills to

engage others in sustainable behavior •  Gain experience in event planning •  Guided by NRDC’s “Clean by

Design” impact areas

CLASS FEATURES

readings

field trips

discussions

HEADLINES FROM OUR READINGS

“TOXIC CHEMICALS MAKE ALL OF US FASHION VICTIMS”

“H&M OFFERS CLOTHING RECYCLING FOR CUSTOMERS”

“CLOTHING SWAPS POPULAR WITH SHOPPERS”

“TURNING MOUNT EVEREST TRASH INTO TREASURE”

“ARE YOU DONE WITH PHOTOGRAPHING THE RESULTS OF YOUR GOODWILL?”

“AFRICA FOR NORWAY VIRAL VIDEO POKES FUN AT STEREOTYPES IN AID EFFORTS”

Field Trips Artist-in-Residence Art Show

in San Francisco

plastic bags used to

deliver The Wall Street Journal and

The New York Times

�

DISCUSSIONS

• Weekly engagement reports through Google Forms about readings or field trips, provided updates on event planning •  Led one weekly workshop

related to the “Clean by Design” impact areas

follow this pattern

tailor it to make L.E.A.F. fit for your

students

REDUCE

Don’t buy what you don’t need.

Find clothes that you really love, ones that never will go out of

fashion.

REPAIR

Fix stuff that still has life in it.

REUSE

Share, or swap with a friend!

Center for Sustainability

Santa Clara University

sustainability@scu.edu

Michelle Tang Sustainability Intern, 2011-2013

michellelinhtang@gmail.com