Criterion A: Sustainable Design | Sewciety

Name: Class:

Image: FashionRevolution.org

Key Concept: Systems

Related Concepts: Sustainability, Resources
Global Context: Globalization and Sustainability

Statement of Inquiry

“Designers have a responsibility to seek sustainable solutions.”

Inquiry Questions
Factual: What is fast fashion? What is planned obsolescence?
Conceptual: What does sustainability really mean? What is the circular economy?
Debatable: How close are we to a sustainable society?
Debatable: Who is responsible for sustainability?

Design situation
Millions of tons of textiles end up in landfills and incinerators around the world every year. This is a problem as the textiles industry
uses huge amounts of raw materials, water, energy and chemicals for the production of their products. It is often claimed that this
industry is a prime example of an industry that is not sustainable. As designers (and world-citizens), we have a responsibility to
design and create with sustainability in mind. Governments, industry and consumers ask us to come up with better solutions to the
life-cycle of textiles.

Your challenge is to recycle a fabric or textile garment into another product that
will be useful for your intended client. This upcycled product will effectively help
to extend the life of your garment.
Task A1 | The Problem
🔎 What? ❗Why?

Explain and justify the need for a solution to a problem. You need to fully understand the ‘problem’ and identify where
you can make a meaningful contribution towards solving this.

⚙ How?
Design situation
● Explain what you are challenged with to create in this unit and why it is important in your own words.

● Identify the fabric your project will focus on and which garment(s) you will retrieve this from. You should have a collage
(and possible gif of you wearing the garment) with an explanation of the material properties. Example HERE. Insert the
annotated collage below.
Project justification
● Explain what fast fashion is and why it is problematic.
● Present photographic evidence of different aspects of the problem. Caption the photos explaining what the image is
showing.
● You must use in-text citation OR footnotes to indicate what source you have used!

Works cited (in MLA format using NoodleTools)

● List any sources of information used in this section. That includes sources of photos used in the project justification.

Assessment
Level Descriptor Typical features of student work

0 The student does not reach a standard described by any of the descriptors below.

1-2 The student states ❏ You have copied and pasted the challenge from above. You should show your
the need for a understanding of the challenge by explaining it and its importance in your own words.
solution to a ❏ You did not provide multiple photos nor explain the properties of your fabric. An
problem. annotated collage with this information was required. Reviewing the provided
example would help you with this.
❏ You provided a limited justification of the problems with fast fashion with no
 photographic evidence. More explanation with evidence is needed.
❏ You did not list your sources nor provide citations. Reviewing expectations for
citations are needed.

3-4 The student ❏ You have simply identified the challenge of the project. You should show your deeper
outlines the need understanding of the challenge by also explaining its importance in your own words.
for a solution to a ❏ A number of required elements of the collage were not included. An analysis of the
problem. material was needed. Reviewing the example would help you with this.
❏ You provided an adequate justification of the problems with fast fashion with no
photographic evidence. More explanation with evidence is needed.
❏ You list your sources but did not provide citations and did not use proper MLA format.
Please use Noodletools to ensure proper formatting.

5-6 The student ❏ You have paraphrased the challenge of the project. You should show your deeper
explains the need understanding of the challenge by also explaining its importance in your own words.
for a solution to a ❏ A few of the required elements of your collage were not included. An analysis of the
problem. material was needed. Reviewing the example would help you with this.
❏ You provided an adequate justification of the problems with fast fashion with
photographic evidence. You needed to provide a caption that explained the photo.
❏ You list your sources in MLA format but did not provide citations in your writing.
Please use Noodletools to ensure proper formatting.

7-8 The student ❏ You effectively showed your understanding of the challenge by also explaining its
explains and importance in your own words.
justifies the need for ❏ You provide an annotated collage with all of the required elements including multiple
a solution to a labelled photos of your garment and explanation of the properties of your fabric.
problem. ❏ You provided a detailed justification of the problems with fast fashion with captioned
photographic evidence.
❏ You list your sources in MLA format and provided appropriate citations in your
writing.