Understanding apparel’s lifecycle from design to disposal promotes sustainability. Weave these lessons into back-to-school discussions:
- Show children the raw natural and synthetic materials that fabrics are woven from to illuminate sourcing impacts.
- Explain the steps garments go through in ethical factories vs. the harms of sweatshop labor.
- Demonstrate how to wash clothes properly to maximize lifespan and reduce microplastics entering waterways.
- Share creative upcycling and DIY redo ideas to give wardrobe items renewed purpose instead of trashing them.
- Illustrate how donated clothes get reworn or recycled into new materials for other items.
- Have them draw pictures charting a shirt’s journey from farm, to factory, to store, to owner, to donation.
- Help them host used clothing swaps/drives to circulating preowned pieces locally.
- Encourage care and repair over replacement to use wardrobes thoughtfully.
Understanding the interconnected systems behind our clothes cultivates conscious young consumers who consider the human and environmental impacts of their fashion choices.
