Fashion & Sustainable Design - News - Kangan

A Kangan Institute fashion teacher is poised to make waves in sustainable design as a successful recipient of the 2019 International Specialised Skills (ISS) Institute Fellowship.

Marina McGrath, who teaches fashion design at Kangan Institute’s Richmond campus, has been awarded a $15,000 fellowship to develop quality training for TAFE students who wish to enter the textiles and clothing industry.

She is one of 11 recipients of the 2019 ISS Higher Education and Skills Fellowship which seeks to cultivate the knowledge of talented Australians and foster an aspirational, skilled and smart Australia.

Focusing on sustainability, Marina aims to conduct research and identify best practices at leading fashion conferences and institutes in Berlin, London and Copenhagen.

“Kangan Institute’s fashion program already incorporates a strong sustainable fashion focus but this fellowship will allow me to look at further embedding sustainability into the design development process,” she said.

“Fashion is one of the largest industry polluters in the world and it's important to provide our students with world’s best training practices so they can help to reduce negative impacts when they enter the industry.

“Through this opportunity I hope to return with a wealth of information and teaching materials to share with other teachers and students.”

Her plans include creating a case studies booklet as a teaching tool for teachers and developing short courses in sustainable design.

Kangan Institute’s CEO Phill Murphy congratulated Marina on successfully attaining the fellowship.

“Marina is an outstanding teacher and this Fellowship will provide her with an excellent platform to enhance her expertise and passion in sustainable fashion,” he said.

“We wish her all the best in her research and look forward to her contributions in this rapidly evolving industry.”