Animals, wild, Manufacturing industry, Dressmaking, patterns and materials, Jewellery, hats and accessories, Climate change
What is the impact of fashion on biodiversity?
This resource is inspired by the Open University's Hunting for Feathers film, part of their 'Art and Climate Change' series. It uses historical artworks to explore how fashion from the seventeenth century to the present day has impacted biodiversity by encouraging the hunting of endangered species.
Use the resource to:
This Art & Design and Design & Technology resource offers a series of activities that can be used together as a lesson plan or as individual components to integrate into your own scheme of work. It is devised for Key Stage 3 / CfE Level 3 and 4 students but may also be useful for teaching older students. The resource has cross-curricular links with Science and Geography.
Art and design
- Produce creative work
- Become proficient in craft and design techniques
- evaluate and analyse creative works
- Know about great artists and understand the historical and cultural development of their art forms
- Actively engage in the creative process of art, craft and design in order to develop as effective and independent learners, and as critical and reflective thinkers with enquiring minds
- Develop critical understanding through investigative, analytical, experimental, practical, technical and expressive skills
- Develop and refine ideas and proposals, personal outcomes or solutions with increasing independence
- Acquire and develop technical skills through working with a broad range of media, materials, techniques, processes and technologies with purpose and intent
- Develop knowledge and understanding of art, craft and design in historical and contemporary contexts, societies and cultures
Pupils should be taught:
- to use a range of techniques to record their observations in sketchbooks, journals and other media as a basis for exploring their ideas
- to increase their proficiency in the handling of different materials
- to analyse and evaluate their own work, and that of others, in order to strengthen the visual impact or applications of their work
- about the history of art, craft, design and architecture, including periods, styles and major movements from ancient times up to the present day
Design and technology
- Identify and solve their own design problems and understand how to reformulate problems given to them
- Develop specifications to inform the design of innovative, functional, appealing products that respond to needs in a variety of situations
- Use a variety of approaches [for example, biomimicry and user-centred design], to generate creative ideas and avoid stereotypical responses
- Develop and communicate design ideas using annotated sketches, detailed plans
- Understand and use the properties of materials and the performance of structural elements to achieve functioning solutions
Geography
- Understand the processes that give rise to key physical and human geographical features of the world, how these are interdependent and how they bring about spatial variation and change over time
- Understand how human and physical processes interact to influence and change landscapes, environments and the climate; and how human activity relies on the effective functioning of natural systems
Science - Biology
Interactions and interdependencies – relationships in an ecosystem
- How organisms affect, and are affected by, their environment, including the accumulation of toxic materials
Genetics and evolution
- Changes in the environment may leave individuals within a species, and some entire species, less well adapted to compete successfully and reproduce, which in turn may lead to extinction
- The importance of maintaining biodiversity and the use of gene banks to preserve hereditary material
Art and design
- Researching, gathering and interpreting information from direct experiences, observations, memory, imagination and a range of traditional and digital sources;
- Developing an appreciation of the work of artists, designers and craft workers from their own and other cultures, past and present;
- Developing creative thinking skills and personal creative outcomes through investigating, realising, designing and making;
- Using the visual elements with understanding when engaging in art and design;
- Evaluating and appreciating their own and others’ work through discussion and reflection
Geography
- Develop a sense of place through the study of: a range of local, national, European and global contexts; contrasting physical and human environments
- Investigate the impact of conflict between social, economic and environmental needs both locally and globally, for example, erosion, flooding, pollution, loss of biodiversity, climate change, desertification, deforestation, etc.
- Explore how we can exercise environmental stewardship and help promote a better quality of life for present and future generations, both locally and globally, for example, sustainable classrooms, eco-schools, Citizenship Action Projects, resource and waste management strategies, promotion of geo- and bio-diversity, sustainable towns/cities, conservation of natural resources, eco-tourism, Fair Trade, etc. (Key Element: Education for Sustainable Development)
Art and design
- I have experimented with a range of media and technologies to create images and objects, using my understanding of their properties (EXA 3-02a)
- I can use and combine the visual elements and concepts to convey ideas, thoughts and feelings in expressive and design work (EXA 3-03a)
- Provides opportunities for me to deepen my understanding of culture in Scotland and the wider world. While working through a design process in response to a design brief, I can develop and communicate imaginative design solutions (EXA 3-06a)
- I can respond to the work of artists and designers by discussing my thoughts and feelings. I can give and accept constructive comments on my own and others' work (EXA 3-07a)
- Through creating a range of reference material, I can demonstrate my skills of observing and recording and apply them to work in other areas of the curriculum (EXA 4-04a)
- By working through a design process in response to a design brief, I can develop and communicate imaginative and original design solutions (EXA 4-06a)
- I can analyse art and design techniques, processes and concepts, make informed judgements and express considered opinions on my own and others' work (EXA 4-07a)
Design and technology
- I can use textile skills in practical and creative situations in my place of learning, at home or in the world of work (TCH 3-04b)
- By using problem-solving strategies and showing creativity in a design challenge, I can plan, develop, make and evaluate textile items which meet needs at home or in the world of work (TCH 3-04c)
- I can explore the properties and functionality of textiles and equipment to establish their suitability for a task at home or in the world of work (TCH 4-04a)
- I can confidently apply preparation techniques and processes to make textile items using specialist skills, materials, equipment in my place of learning, at home or in the world of work (TCH 4-04b)
- Showing creativity and innovation I can design, plan and produce increasingly complex textile items which satisfy the needs of the user, at home or in the world of work (TCH 4-04c)
- I can apply skills of critical thinking when evaluating the quality and effectiveness of my own or others' products (TCH 4-04d)
- Having chosen personal themes and developed my own ideas from a range of stimuli, I can express and communicate my ideas, thoughts and feelings through 2D and 3D work (EXA 4-05a)
- By working through a design process in response to a design brief, I can develop and communicate imaginative and original design solutions (EXA 4-06a)
- I can analyse art and design techniques, processes and concepts, make informed judgements and express considered opinions on my own and others' work (EXA 4-07a)
People, past events and societies
- I can describe the factors contributing to a major social, political or economic change in the past and can assess the impact on people's lives (SOC 3-05a)
People, place and environment
- I can identify the possible consequences of an environmental issue and make informed suggestions about ways to manage the impact (SOC 3-08a)
- I can discuss the sustainability of key natural resources and analyse the possible implications for human activity (SOC 4-08a)
- I can develop my understanding of the interaction between humans and the environment by describing and assessing the impact of human activity on an area (SOC 4-10a)
- Having researched the globalisation of trade, I can explain the interdependence of different parts of the world and assess the impacts for providers, consumers and the environment (SOC 4-11a)
- I can identify threats facing the main climate zones, including climate change, and analyse how these threats impact on the way of life (SOC 4-12a)
Science – planet earth
- I can explain some of the processes which contribute to climate change and discuss the possible impact of atmospheric change on the survival of living things (SCN 3-05b)
Topical science
- Through research and discussion, I have contributed to evaluations of media items with regard to scientific content and ethical implications (SCN 3-20b)
- Having selected scientific themes of topical interest, I can critically analyse the issues, and use relevant information to develop an informed argument (SCN 4-20b)
Expressive Arts
Progression step 4:
- I can explore creative work, understanding the personal, social, cultural and historical context, including the conventions of the period in which it was created
- I can investigate and understand how meaning is communicated through the ideas of other artists and performers
- I can effectively evaluate my own creative work and that of others showing increasing confidence to recognise and articulate strengths, and to demonstrate resilience and determination to improve.
- I can apply knowledge and understanding of context when evaluating my own creative work and creative work by other people and from other places and times
- I can use my experimentation and investigation to manipulate creative work with purpose and intent when communicating my ideas
Progression step 5:
- I can explore and experiment with my own creative ideas and those of others, demonstrating technical control, innovation, independent thinking and originality, showing confidence to take risks and developing resilience in order to overcome creative challenges.
- I can investigate and analyse how creative work is used to represent and celebrate personal, social and cultural identities.
- I can independently research the purpose and meaning of a wide range of creative work and consider how they can impact on different audiences.
- I can critically evaluate the way artists use discipline-specific skills and techniques to create and communicate ideas.
- I can synthesise and apply experience, knowledge and understanding with sophistication and intent when communicating my ideas.
- I can design creative outcomes to professional and industry-standard with sophistication, clear purpose and intent.
- I can consider artistic intent, purpose and audience in an informed way when performing, presenting and marketing my creative work.
- I can use effective strategies to take risks with my own creative work and can display resilience to overcome creative challenges.
- I can evaluate and judge the appropriateness of my creative work in relation to ethical and legal considerations and its effect on participants and audiences.
Humanities
Progression step 4:
- I can use my experiences, knowledge and beliefs to generate ideas independently and frame enquiries, using a range of research approaches when required.
- I can use my experiences, knowledge and beliefs to generate ideas independently and frame enquiries, using a range of research approaches when required.
- I can analyse the usefulness and consider the reliability and validity of a range of evidence relating to my enquiry.
- I can reflect on the approaches I have taken to enquiries and identify areas of improvement for future enquiries.
- I can draw considered and reasoned conclusions to my enquiries while understanding that other people may form different conclusions from the available evidence.
- I can understand and explain how human actions affect the physical processes that shape places, spaces, environments and landforms over time
- I can describe and explain how places, spaces, environments and landforms have changed over time and outline the processes that cause these changes in the natural world.
- I have an understanding of my own and others’ environmental, economic and social responsibilities in creating a sustainable future.
- I can analyse and explain the impact of decisions made by individuals, local, national or global governance, and non-governmental organisations on people, their rights and the environment.
Progression step 5:
- I can independently undertake a range of full and thorough enquiries, selecting the most effective approach and justifying my methodologies.
- I can evaluate and reflect on my findings, synthesise information, analyse patterns and trends, predict possible outcomes (where appropriate), and present well-supported and justified conclusions.
- I can critically evaluate the usefulness, validity and reliability of qualitative and quantitative evidence.
- I can explain and analyse the wide range of interrelationships and interdependencies between human actions and physical processes that shape places, spaces, environments and landforms over time
- I can evaluate the extent to which economic, social, political, cultural, religious and non-religious beliefs, practices and actions have led to changes to the natural world.
- I have built a detailed understanding of what it is to be an ethical, informed citizen and can critically evaluate my role as one, recognising my responsibilities and those of others towards society, the environment and creating a sustainable future.
- I can explain the importance of the role played by groups, governments, businesses and non-governmental organisations in the creation of a sustainable future, and how they impact on people and their rights and on the environment.
Science and technology
Progression step 4
- I can research, devise and use suitable methods of inquiry to investigate my scientific questions.
- I can use my findings to draw valid conclusions.
- I can explain how the impact of our actions contribute to the changes in the environment and biodiversity.
- I can describe the impacts of science and technology, past and present, on society.
- I can adopt an iterative process to improve my design proposals, while minimising their negative impact on the environment and society.
- I can use a variety of design communication methods and techniques to develop and present ideas clearly, and can respond constructively to feedback.
- I can use my making skills and knowledge of materials to produce high-quality and purposeful outcomes.
- I can evaluate and apply responsible habits of working which consider environmental and societal impacts
- I can describe the interdependence of organisms in ecosystems and explain how this affects their chances of survival.
- I can explain how reproduction, mutations and the environment can lead to variation and adaptations within organisms which can affect their chances of survival.
Progression step 5:
- I can link experimental findings and theoretical knowledge to draw valid conclusions.
- I can critically evaluate the quality of data and justify improvements.
- I can evaluate contemporary issues that affect the planet and biodiversity.
- I can evaluate the effectiveness and impact of scientific and technological solutions on a personal, societal and environmental level.
- I can tackle challenging problems, independently and collaboratively, to address wider design requirements in increasingly unfamiliar contexts.
- I can use my making skills and knowledge of materials to produce high-quality and effective outcomes.
- I can apply and justify responsible habits of working which take into account impacts on the environment and society.
You may think that the impact of the fashion industry on our planet is a new thing. But our desire for the latest fashions has had a damaging effect on biodiversity – the variety of living species on our planet – for hundreds of years.
Watch this film with your students. Then discuss as a class:
You may find it useful to look again at the portraits featured in the film.
Lord Mungo Murray (1668–1700), Son of 1st Marquess of Atholl
c.1683
John Michael Wright (1617–1694)
You could also explore with your students more ostrich feather accessories and portraits of people wearing or holding ostrich feathers. Use the carousel below or search the artworks on Art UK.
Head Ornament c.1900
unknown artist
Fan c.1870
unknown artist
Princess Alexandra 1885–1895
Prosper d'Epinay (1836–1914)
Lady Brisco (d.1822) c.1776
Thomas Gainsborough (1727–1788)
Philip II of Spain (1527–1598) 17th C
Netherlandish School
Queen Elizabeth I c.1575
unknown artist
Henry VIII (1491–1547) c.1540
Hans Holbein the younger (c.1497–1543) (style of)
In the Open University film, we discovered that portraits of the rich and famous were often used to communicate the latest fashions.
Although up until the twentieth century, portraits weren't generally seen by the wider public: the portraits were made to impress other wealthy and important people.
Look closer at the portrait and discuss it with your students. You could use these prompts to get the discussion going:
Portraits of young men and women were often painted to advertise them to potential suitors. This portrait of Lady Simpson was made when she was 17 years old – around the age when she was presented at court as a debutante. (Debutantes are young upper-class women who are considered by their parents or guardians as ready to make their 'debut' in society.)
Part of the reason debutantes were presented at court was to show them off to eligible bachelors and their families. If they were to attract someone rich or powerful (or both) it was essential that they dressed to impress in the latest and most expensive styles.
The portrait of Lady Simpson was painted at the height of the nineteenth-century ostrich feather accessory craze. Her huge eye-catching ostrich feather fan is an accessory that 'makes' her outfit.
Task students with designing an alternative accessory for Lady Simpson that will be just as eye-catching but far less ecologically damaging!
This could be a fan, a bag, jewellery or a hat. It doesn't have to look like a nineteenth-century accessory – encourage students to have fun designing a statement item for any era!
Top tips!
Students should make sure that their design is spectacular and glamorous enough to tempt Lady Simpson to ditch her ostrich feathers.
They could consider using recycled or sustainable materials. Artist Ruth Spaak has used recycled plastics to create this textured relief artwork. Imagine what a fabulous bag this would make!
Have a look at more artworks for accessory inspiration:
Untitled 1990
Andrew Logan (b.1945)
SVN Stacks/Moon Marauder 2015
Zadie Xa (b.1983)
A Woman in a Red Dress* 1920–1960
Madge Gill (1882–1961)
Kimono 2004
Camilla Løw (b.1976)
Portrait of a Lady 1628
Michiel Jansz. van Miereveld (1567–1641)
Fan-tastic 2006
Derrick Cyril Brown (b.1936)
Lotus Shoe 2002
Lisa Milroy (b.1959)
Kimono for a Girl (Furisode) 1920–1940
unknown artist
Portrait of a Lady with a Red and White Bonnet 1833
Augustine Cochet (1792–c.1835)
Mask Fan c.1740
unknown artist
Feathers are not the only animal attribute used to embellish clothing and reflect fashion and status.
Ask students if they can think of any other luxury fashion materials that come from animals.
Then look at this portrait as a class.
This is a portrait of Queen Victoria. If you look closely at her cloak, you will see that it is lined with white fur with black spots on it.
This fur is called ermine and it was worn exclusively by royalty and the aristocracy. (In fourteenth-century England, ermine fur was ONLY allowed to be worn by members of the royal family.)
Ermine is the winter coat of a stoat – the white tail has a black tip on the end – these are the black dots you can often see when ermine is used for clothing. The linings of coronation cloaks and trims for other garments were made by sewing ermine furs together. These were then often additionally embellished with the black-tipped tails.
Ermine was seen as symbolic of the qualities that kings and queens should have. According to medieval belief, an ermine would rather die than let its white fur get dirty – so ermine fur became associated with purity and the idea of 'death before dishonour'.
Fur, skins and endangered species
Ermine (or stoats) are still hunted and farmed for the luxury fashion industry today, although they aren't considered an endangered species.
But lots of animals that are hunted today for their fur or skin are endangered. This includes crocodiles, whose skin is used for handbags and footwear and is one of the most expensive leathers. In 2020, seven of the 23 crocodile species were listed as critically endangered and four were listed as vulnerable.
Crocodile with Sphinx
c.1920–1930
Joseph Johnston Lee (1876–1949)
Below is a list of some of the endangered animals that are hunted or farmed for their skin or fur. Share the list with your students and ask them to think about the type of clothing that might be made from these animals. You could also ask them to think about alternative materials that have similar properties – or could be designed to look similar – that could be used by fashion brands.
We discovered, in the Open University film, that the desire for the latest fashions sped up in the nineteenth century. Printmaking helped promote new fashions to more people at a quicker pace.
Prints of celebrities in the latest fashions were created and distributed.
Fashion Plate*
(from 'Le conseiller des dames et des demoiselles')
1856
Anaïs Colin-Toudouze (1822–1899) and A. Leroy (active c.1856)
Fashion plates – illustrations of fashion items – were also printed to tell people about the latest clothes, shoes and hairstyles. They were produced for the middle and upper classes.
Fashion plate showing women's bonnets and hats
1880, hand-coloured engraving produced in Italy
Prints of fashionable women and the latest fashion 'must haves' also appeared in newspaper and magazine advertisements.
Fashion plate illustrating day dresses and a hat and coat
1883, hand-coloured etching produced in France
Fashion communication today
Discuss with students how fashion trends are communicated today and to what extent fashion adverts and marketing affect peoples' clothes shopping habits.
Discussion prompts:
Fast fashion
The development of the internet and social media has increased the visibility of the latest fashions and has helped to fuel what we call fast fashion.
Fast fashion is the manufacture of large amounts of cheap clothing in rapid response to catwalk trends. As new collections are being continuously produced, the style of the clothes we buy is soon 'out of fashion', worn just a few times and then discarded.
Fast fashion and biodiversity
While hunting animals and birds for luxury fashion threatens the survival of some species, the huge increase in the manufacture and consumption of clothes since the 1990s is a more general threat to biodiversity. It causes habitat loss, pollution and climate change which all impact the lives of animals, fish and birds.
Watch this film with your students to find out more about what biodiversity means and why it is important.
You could discuss the video as a class afterwards, using these discussion prompts if helpful:
Look at the artworks below as a class. Use them to think about and discuss some of the ways that fast fashion affects biodiversity.
Task outline
Assign students with ONE of the themes listed below to research. They could do this as a group or as individuals. (This would make a good homework project.)
1. Habitat loss
Research how the fashion industry affects animal habitats.
Clues/pointers
2. Pollution
Research how the pollution generated by the fashion industry impacts biodiversity.
Clues/pointers
3. Climate change
Research how the fashion industry contributes to climate change and how this threatens biodiversity.
Clues/pointers
Helpful links
Encourage students to undertake their own research, but they may find these links helpful.
TED-Ed: The lifecycle of a t-shirt
The World is Ours: The impact of fast fashion
BBC Fashion Conscious: The astonishing amount of water used to make a pair of jeans!
Dressed to Kill: The impact of the fast fashion industry
Sustain your Style: Fashion's environmental impact
BBC: Five fashion materials you didn't realise were bad for wildlife
Task students with designing and making a poster or banner to make people aware of how our desires for the latest fashions can damage biodiversity.
Top tips!
Poster design inspiration
