Sustainable Practices in Pattern-Making at Local Fashion Institutions: A Qualitative Study

Pattern making is one of the most important skill-based courses in fashion education, where students learn clothing construction through drafting, draping, and creating basic patterns for garment productions. Issues in fashion sustainability, such as textile waste and fast fashion, lead to this research. However, practices of sustainable innovation in local higher education institutions are still low compared to other countries. The objective of this research paper is to explore the current sustainable practices in teaching and learning pattern-making skills. A qualitative approach has been adopted to explore the current practices of teaching and learning in some local fashion institutions, and 21 fashion educators participated in semi-structured interview sessions. The results from the thematic analyses show six elements of sustainable innovation which currently being practised: minimization technique, pattern manipulation, upcycling, draping, digital learning, and innovative tools are part of the sustainable innovation practices. 
Keywords: Higher Education Research, Education for Sustainable Development, Innovation