Faced with the worrying global environmental crisis, and the fashion industry being one of the most polluting, companies are becoming aware and orienting their practices towards sustainability, giving rise to new career opportunities in sustainability in fashion.
The demand of conscious consumers to protect the planet and technological innovations have influenced this trend of new responsible jobs, providing the opportunity to develop a professional career in the fashion sector adding a positive impact.
New job opportunities in sustainability
A wide range of sustainability job opportunities are available in the fashion industry.
That is why it is essential to be able to identify exactly in which area you want to develop professionally since for each sector of work it is necessary to have specific knowledge and skills.
Some of the roles and professional profiles that are requested now are:
- Engineers, chemists, or bioengineers: for the design of sustainable fabrics and materials;
- Technicians in textile research and development in raw materials;
- Technicians in laser printing technology;
- Environmental scientists;
- Managers for supply chain management;
- Specialists in sustainable products;
- Specialists in corporate social responsibility;
- Human Resources specialists that incorporate diversity and inclusion practices and worker safety;
- Marketing for consulting and development of ethical projects;
- Independent consultants in sustainability.
Education
In order to succeed in these new job opportunities in sustainability, it is necessary to dedicate time to professionalize through specific training that allows acquiring the skills required for the chosen job position.
Listed below are some sustainability-oriented alternatives in fashion:
Fashion Institute of Technology
FIT was ranked No. 1 on the list of the world’s best fashion schools for 2023.
It is part of New York University and focuses on art, business, design, communication, and technology related to the fashion industry.
Currently, they are providing a certified course for non-native English speakers, with a keen interest in the fashion industry and sustainability.
Istituto Marangoni
It is considered the fashion school par excellence. The institute has offices in Milan, Florence, Paris, London, Dubai, Miami, Mumbai, Shanghai, and Shenzhen.
It has a short course on Experimental Textile Design and a postgraduate program on Responsible Fashion.
University of the Arts London
UAL is in the top 10 of the most prestigious universities in the world. It specializes in arts, design, fashion, and performing arts.
In the sustainability department, they offer several programs such as a Master’s degree in Fashion Marketing and Sustainability; online short courses in Sustainable Fashion Design and Sustainable Textiles; among many others.
Istituto Europeo di Design
IED has offices in Milan, Cagliari, Florence, Rome, Turin, Barcelona, Madrid, Bilbao, São Paulo, and Rio de Janeiro.
It has postgraduate programs and summer courses in design, fashion, visual arts, and communication.
On fashion and sustainability, we can highlight the courses on Sustainable Fashion; Sustainable Design, and Social Impact and Design for Sustainable Fashion Technology.
Elle Education
It is a project of Mindway, the School of Design and Innovation in Madrid, which highlights the importance of highly specialized, flexible, and up-to-date training.
It offers within the Expert Title in sustainable brands, the specialization in the profession of Sustainability Manager.
This program has flexible hours and can be done from anywhere in the world. It allows people to acquire basic knowledge of sustainability throughout the value chain: from design, production, and distribution to marketing.
Honest Fashion
Honest Fashion’s mission is to change the fashion industry.
That is why they create research-based courses on the latest sustainable advances in the fashion industry, and with the benefits, they give free courses to factory workers.
It offers various courses on topics such as artificial intelligence, business models, new materials, or blockchain and transparency.
We want the fashion industry to be ethical, sustainable and fair
Ana Diaz Schiavon Founder and Director of the Sustainable Program
Coursera
It is a massive provider of online courses that partners with more than 275 leading universities and companies to deliver flexible, affordable, and employment-relevant learning to individuals and organizations around the world.
It offers a wide range of learning opportunities, from projects and practical courses to certificates and degree programs.
One of those courses is on sustainable fashion, taught by professors from Copenhagen Business School, one of the largest business schools in Europe.
FutureLearn
It is a digital education platform with a mission to transform access to education by offering online courses.
Most of its courses are free to access during their duration that is taught by experts from the world’s leading universities and companies.
In relation to the fashion industry and sustainability, it offers numerous courses among which we can highlight:
- Fashion and Sustainability: understanding luxury fashion in a changing world
- The Future of Fashion and the Sustainable Development Goals by Fashion Revolution
- Fashion Revolution: Who made my clothes?
- Upcycling: from green ideas to starting a business
Where to look for job opportunities in sustainability?
You can find several job portals for both applicants and established professionals:
- Indeed
- Business of fashion
- FashionJobs
- Conscious Fashion Collective
- Sustainable Fashion Forum
- Fashion United
In addition, many firms in the fashion sector have their own talent search.
Connect and actively participate
It is not only necessary to professionalize to improve knowledge about sustainable fashion.
You can also start by looking for volunteer opportunities in the sustainability sector to gain previous experience.
It is important to generate a solid network of contacts with specialized and expert people within the area of professional interest as they can present job opportunities in the industry.
Go for your dream job!
