Fashion Revolution "Fashion, Retail & Sustainability" Enterprise Challenge
ABOUT THE COLLABORATOR
Fashion Revolution Week is a global campaign that marks the anniversary of the Rana Plaza factory collapse in Bangladesh, where over 1,100 garment workers lost their lives in 2013. Organised by the non-profit Fashion Revolution, the initiative raises awareness of the fashion industry’s social and environmental impacts, with a strong emphasis on education and activism. Through workshops, school programs, educator resources, and campaigns like #WhoMadeMyClothes, it encourages individuals to question the origins of their clothing and advocate for a more transparent and ethical fashion system.
Retail & Services Management students from the School of Business Technology, Retail & Supply Chain were invited to engage with Fashion Revolution Week through an assignment designed to bridge academic learning with real-world ethical challenges in fashion and retail. The initiative encouraged students to think entrepreneurially and innovatively about the future of fashion retail—moving beyond conventional business models to explore values-led approaches that prioritise sustainability, transparency, and social impact. Students were challenged to critically examine their own consumption patterns, particularly around ultra-fast fashion, and to reimagine what fashion could look like for the next generation of consumers. By aligning with a global movement for change, the assignment inspired students to consider how they, as future professionals, can shape more responsible and forward-thinking retail practices.
BSc Retail & Services Management, 2nd year students, Fashion Revolution Showcase
ABOUT THE COLLABORATION
As part of Fashion Revolution Week, second-year Retail & Services Management students at TU Dublin City Campus were tasked with planning, designing, and executing an awareness initiative on ethical and sustainable fashion. Working in teams, each group focused on a specific issue—from second-hand shopping to ethical brand choices—with all projects culminating in a collective showcase event held in The Courtyard at the Aungier Street campus.
To prepare, students engaged with a range of learning resources that grounded their work in real-world issues. These included a site visit to The Rediscovery Centre in Ballymun, a seminar on the Circular Economy led by Fashion Revolution Ireland ambassador Carrie-Ann Moran, a screening of The True Cost documentary, and access to curated podcasts, articles, and case studies.
Students produced several outputs: the live awareness showcase; a short video (1–2 minutes) documenting their campaign; an in-class presentation reflecting on their initiative (attended by Diarmuid McGilloway, National Retail Development Manager for SVP charity shops); a short written campaign brief; and a personal reflective piece detailing their learning and how they plan to engage with sustainable and ethical business practices in the future. The project blended experiential learning, industry engagement, and creative communication to deepen students’ understanding of responsible retail.
BSc Retail & Services Management, 2nd year students, Fashion Revolution Showcase
IMPACT AND BENEFITS
The collaboration enabled students to develop skills in teamwork, project planning, and ethical retail strategy, while engaging directly with real-world sustainability challenges. It offered professional growth through industry interaction and public-facing work. Industry partners gained fresh insights and visibility. The wider campus community became more informed about sustainable fashion, contributing to societal impact. The project fostered innovation, collaboration, and critical thinking around responsible retail.
“I felt that it taught me a whole lot more than I expected in terms of transferable skills that may aid future events or possibly even in my career … we were lucky enough to get the chance to talk with Diarmuid McGilloway, The National Retail Development Manager of SVP ... we had an interesting discussion on the supply chain transparency and sustainability of fast fashion … This was definitely a main highlight from the day and really showed the effect we were having even if it was only small…” (James, participant)
“For me, the most important aspect of the day was the education factor … The knowledge I gained from the lead up to the event, the event itself and the aftermath is extremely important to me in the workplace, as I work in a designer consignment store … From this I want to not only educate myself further, but my family, my friends and friends of friends.” (Chloe, participant)
“This project exemplified challenge-based learning, requiring students to collaborate with peers, academics, and industry stakeholders to address urgent issues in supply-chain and retail. The experience was both demanding and rewarding, boosting student confidence and preparing them to engage meaningfully with ethical and sustainable practices during their upcoming work placements.” (Dr. Dee Duffy, lecturer)
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