Sociocultural Sustainability and Fashion Culture (4cr)

Evaluation scale

Pass/Fail

Content scheduling

1. Fashion culture and identity: fashion as symbolic communication, identity formation, and cultural practice.
2. Social sustainability in fashion: labor rights, equity, inclusion, working conditions, and representation.
3. Cultural sustainability and fashion heritage: preservation of traditional practices, cultural diversity, and decolonial perspectives, cultural appropriation vs. appreciation.

Objective

By the end of the course, students will be able to:

• Explain the concept of fashion culture and its significance as a form of social and cultural expression.
• Identify key sociocultural issues related to fashion, including identity, representation, equity, and heritage.
• Describe the principles of social and cultural sustainability within the context of fashion and textile systems.
• Critically analyse the role of fashion in both reproducing and challenging societal norms and power structures.
• Reflect on their own fashion consumption, cultural context and possible design practice using sustainability and cultural awareness frameworks.

Content

Key contents of the course are:

• Fashion culture and identity: fashion as symbolic communication, identity formation, and cultural practice.
• Social sustainability in fashion: labor rights, equity, inclusion, working conditions, and representation.
• Cultural sustainability and fashion heritage: preservation of traditional practices, cultural diversity, and decolonial perspectives, cultural appropriation vs. appreciation.

Location and time

Online course in Moodle.
Self-paced. Open 16 March –31 December 2026.

Materials

The learning material and literature will be announced / can be found in Moodle when the course is in progress.

Teaching methods

Online studies 100%
Learning environment: Moodle.

Literature, recorded lectures, videos, and podcasts.
Quizzes, writing assignments, short essays, and discussion forum tasks.
A final reflective and/or creative project and its documentation.

Exam schedules

During the course.

International connections

The course is based on international research and utilises international literature and other teaching materials.

Student workload

4 credits = 108 hours
Orientation, video lectures and other material: approx. 10 hours
Literature and other reading: approx. 35–40 hours
Learning assignments (e.g. writing, reflection, discussions): approx. 40–45 hours
Peer assessment or other participatory activities: approx. 5–10 hours
Self-assessment and final course assignment: approx. 5–8 hours

Qualifications

This course is designed for Bachelor and Master’s level students or professionals in the fields of fashion, textiles, design, or related areas. A basic understanding of fashion systems, sustainability, and/or cultural studies is recommended. The course does not require theoretical knowledge, but students should be prepared to engage critically with social and cultural concepts in the context of fashion.