Inspired by Industry: Community Clothing
Plastic Free Trainers
This context has been developed to give students the opportunity to explore sustainability, materials and manufacturing within the fashion and textiles industry, using Community Clothing as the industry partner. The focus is on the challenge of designing plastic-free trainers, but the context is intentionally open so schools can adapt or extend it to suit their curriculum priorities. While the brief centres on footwear, students may choose to focus on a specific element of a trainer, such as the sole, upper or fastening system, or broaden the challenge to consider alternative garments or products where plastic reduction is a key concern. The Community Clothing model, which prioritises UK manufacturing, local labour and ethical production, also provides a strong real-world context for exploring cost, business decisions, production methods and sustainability.