Ethical Fashion Forum: UK SME Sector
26-04-2007
Ethical Fashion Forum: Training seminars, workshops and networking events, 2007-2008
UK SME Sector
This menu of training opportunities has been drawn up in response to priority requests received by the Ethical Fashion Forum for information and expert training, from predominantly London based fashion SME’s, designers, students, graduates, fashion industry individuals and business start ups.
Training is delivered through workshops and seminars, takes the form most appropriate to delivering information and skills, and includes networking opportunities, panel discussions, one to one advice opportunities, and expert input in order to meet the goals of each session.
All EFF training sessions include an evaluation process. The EFF strives to use creative, innovative , and enjoyable formats in order to deliver key information on sustainability to the fashion sector.
The EFF training menu has been organised into three training series designed to deliver specific training, skills and networking opportunities around sustainability. Each session can also be delivered as a one off event or in conjunction with any of the sessions listed below.
Training sessions can likewise be tailored to the specific needs or requests of the target audience.
- Fashion Management – for sustainability
This training series is designed to compliment or run as part of standard fashion management training- bringing in an awareness and understanding of the options available to designers to become more sustainable in every aspect of their work.
This series can be managed as an addition to any existing course or as one off sessions. It is designed to be integral to education and skills training in managing and running a fashion business.
- How to set up and run a sustainable fashion business- hear from and meet leading ethical fashion designers and entrepreneurs: Seminar and networking event
- Target market: The make up and growth of the ethical market sector – Who is buying ethical fashion now? Followed by meet the buyer networking event.
- Sourcing, manufacture and production to sustainable criteria (NB this session can be delivered as part of this series as an introduction- it is expanded upon in training series 2, Sustainable sourcing for fashion)
- USP, brand building, and product range: Building upon opportunities through fair trade and sustainable product design. Turning challenges into opportunities for brand creation and successful product range development.
- Marketing and sales: Sustainable practices in the marketing, promotion, distribution and sales of fashion collections. Exhibition, promotion, catwalk and sales opportunities- Estethica, Pret a Porter , Ethical Fashion Awards, Conscious Style, EFS Paris.
- Sustainable fashion and the retail sector- setting up a retail business and internet retailing
- Business structure for social enterprise- Business models which add value in the fashion sector – Hear from the experts
- Business planning and finance- Sustainable finance for sustainable fashion- Budgets, pricing, and forecasting.
(NB the above two seminars are expanded upon in series 3- Social Enterprise in the fashion sector)
- Sustainable sourcing for fashion
- Supplier/ sourcing networking event – bringing together suppliers and manufacturers working to specific sustainability criteria with designers and fashion businesses
- Fair trade, organic, and ethical certification for fashion – the options
- Recycling- the options
- Local and UK sourcing and manufacture- to sustainable criteria
- Sourcing sustainable fabrics- an overview
- Sourcing to support sustainable livelihoods
(NB the above two seminars are extendable to a seminar series on a variety of fabric and production opportunites: eg organic cotton, Scottish/ irish organic wool, hemp, bamboo, fair trade hand woven fabrics, embellished fabrics from fair trade co-operatives, From local skills to high fashion- lacework from Brazilian shanty towns, beadwork from Ghana, West African batik, Jamdani and kantha from Bangladesh, Scottish weaving skills- an inspiring and creative series of talks is possible, delivered by experts on each of these topics)
- Manufacturing your product to ethical criteria- the options
- Dyes and sustainability
- Sourcing from China
- Sourcing from Africa
- Uzbekistan cotton
PDF link to the Ethical Fashion Forum Brochure
