A Virtual Journey into Global Sustainable Practices

The purpose of this course is to increase students’ awareness of ethical and sustainability issues in the design industry. 

Hosts from across the world and from different areas of the design industry will share their interpretation of what sustainability means in their business and what practices they adopt to ensure they are meeting the needs of the future as well as benefiting the people involved throughout the supply chain – from farmers to consumers to everyone working in end-of-life facilities such as recycling factories.

Students will learn about social responsibility, environmental concerns, and sustainable design practices, such as zero-waste design. They will explore sustainable approaches to design, manufacture, distribution, and the new technologies that are being adopted to support these approaches.

Sample Hosts

Santi Mallorqui

Santi is the CEO of Organic Cotton Colours, a Girona based and well-renowned organic cotton brand that offers beautiful, soft and comfortable apparel. Santi’s business is a key example of a business with a focus on CSR and an entirely transparent production process, with everything being made from a raw cotton yarn that is 100% naturally grown and coloured from its seed.

Kathrin von Rechenberg

German designer Kathrin von Rechenberg is best known for using natural dyes (such as from yam and beetroot) to create tea silk and help revive an ancient Chinese textile technique. From her studio near the Forbidden City in Beijing, Kathrin creates simple, elegant designs with her trademark tea silk and a range of other exquisite fabrics. Her designs, complete with leather piping, intricate seams and hand-stitched details, are all evidence of her rigorous Paris training. 

Sylvia Calvo 

Sylvia is the Founder and CEO of Sylvia Calvo BCN, an eco-friendly and ethical fashion brand created and located in Barcelona. Working mainly with originally used coffee bags, the brand applies Circular Economy principles to transform them into garments. Together with five colleagues, Sylvia also co-funded the non-profit Association "Moda Sostenible Barcelona" (MSBCN), the first association of this kind, in order to promote the benefits of sustainable fashion, its creation, production, and  sale, and to bring it closer to consumers.

Patrick McDowell

Patrick has been turning heads since graduating from Central Saint Martins in 2018; from gracing the cover of the September Issue of Elle UK to being featured in publications including Multiple Vogue’s, Dazed and many more, to becoming a favourite of singers Rita Ora and M.I.A on and off stage. But it’s sustainability that is at the core of Patrick’s practice, as he strives to reinvent luxury through a sustainable mindset. Anna Wintour and Vogue USA nominated Patrick for the Stella McCartney Today for Tomorrow Award in late 2019.

Kristine Upesleja

Kristine is both the Founder and President of consulting firm MADISONS – Innovative Materials and the Founder of the impressive Innovative Materials’ Department and Collection at FIDM - the largest of any US college. She has been featured as expert on Wearable Technology, Smart Fabrics, and Sustainable Fashion on several panels and in such publications as French Vogue. Most recently, Kristine shared her expert knowledge with Project Runway for their STEM in Fashion web series on bravotv.com.