We’ve learned a lot about our clothes since we started this program.  This includes the impacts to people and our planet that occur when they are produced and when they are thrown away.  As you all shared on the Angel City FC Runway, we’ve also learned some great ways to extend the life of our clothes and reduce their impact.

Slide 1

Today we are going to learn about circularity, the most sustainable form of consumption.  We’re then going to break out in groups in a Susty Fashion Challenge to get your Top 3 ways the fashion industry can become circular.  We will share your suggestions with Jas. Remember Jas has her own apparel company, Jas It Up.  After the Susty Fashion Challenge, we are going to check out your amazing Susty Game Day Fits on the Runway from last week.  Finally, we’re going to close with a student survey.

Slide 2

The biggest reason why our clothes have so many negative impacts around the world is that they are produced in a linear economy model of take, make, and waste. 

We need a better way to produce the things we need.  A way that eliminates waste and makes the most of the resources we use.  One focused on designing products so that they can be reused, repaired, and recycled so that they never become waste.  Rather than take, make, and waste we need to reduce, reuse, and recycle.

Slide 3

Luckily there is a better way.  A circular economy model.  A circular economy keeps products, materials, and resources in use for as long as possible.

Let’s take a closer look.

Slide 4

The first stage is called manufacturing.  This is the stage where we think about how products are made.

The goal is to use materials that prevent waste and ensure that the product can be easily reused or recycled. Designers ask questions like:

• How can I make this product last longer?

• Can it be easily repaired or recycled?

• Can I use materials that are better for the environment?

Slide 5

The next stage, Use, includes everyone.  We all play a critical role in extending the life of products. Proper care, repair, and thoughtful use are key to ensuring that products last as long as possible.

• Follow the care instructions on labels for washing and storing your items

• Instead of getting rid of items at the first sign of damage, learn basic repair skills, such as sewing

Slide 6

The last stage, Reuse, is about finding new life for products instead of throwing them away.

Before throwing away a product, consider how it can be reused. Can it be donated, resold, or repurposed?

• Instead of throwing away clothes, consider reselling them through secondhand platforms and stores

• Think creatively about how items can be repurposed. They could be part of your next Susty Game Day Fit.

Slide 7

Closing the loop and completing the circle focuses on the end of a product’s life. Here companies play a key role in making sure that product doesn't end up in a landfill. Recycling, composting, and proper disposal options are crucial here.

For instance, many companies and communities have established recycling programs where they collect old or unused products, break them down, and recover valuable materials that can be used to make new products.

Slide 8

Here is an example I think we are all familiar with, beverage cans.  The needed raw materials for one can are extracted and made into aluminum.  That aluminum is then rolled into a can, filled with beverage, sold and consumed, recycled, sorted, shredded, melted, and rolled into a new can where this process starts over again.  This all happens every 60 days or just 2 months.  And the great news is that there is no limit to how many times a can is able to be recycled.

Slide 9

There are 3 key reasons beverage can production has been able to evolve from a linear economy to a circular economy.

• Production is local/regional (close to consumers)

• Local infrastructure for can collection

• Consumer incentives to recycle

Slide 10

We just learned that the most sustainable form of consumption is circularity.  We’ve also learned that this model is not just a dream but already successfully used in the beverage industry.  How could the fashion industry evolve from a linear system to a circular one?  What advice would you give to Jas?

What are your Top 3 ways the fashion industry can become circular?

Break up the students into groups and allow 5 minutes for them to develop their top 3’s.  Ask each group to share their top 3’s with the class.

It was incredible to watch you all share your amazing Susty Game Day Fits on the Angel City FC Runway last week.

In less than 2 months you all learned about the impacts of our clothes, how to transform them into a force for good, and how to use this knowledge to educate, influence, and inspire others.

That's quite a lot in a very short time so we made a slide show of you all in action making and sharing your Fits. Who wants to check it out?

Open Slideshow

Slide 12

Remember the survey you took a few weeks ago when we started this program?  Think about what you’ve learned since then about sustainability, climate change, and the connection between our closet and the climate.

Let’s try it again.  I think you all will do even better than you did the first time.

Please join with your phone, tablet, or laptop, using the following link.

Student Survey Slide