Kangan Institute’s fashion program recognised at global awards

Kangan Institute in Melbourne has won a bronze medal in the ‘Sustainable Development’ category at the World Federation of Colleges and Polytechnics (WFCP) 2020 Awards of Excellence.

This is in recognition for their partnership with the Australian Red Cross for their annual sustainable and circular fashion design program, which provides fashion students at Kangan Institute with experience in creating sustainable fashion designs.

Sally Curtain, CEO of Kangan Institute, said the students and team at Kangan Institute are thrilled with their bronze medal result.

“Our program, in partnership with the Australian Red Cross, has now been running for five years. It is based on the philosophy of reduce, reuse and recycle – students select donated garments and textiles from Red Cross Shops,” said Ms Curtain. 
 

“Our fashion students are taught and encouraged to embrace sustainable techniques throughout the process of design and transformation, especially since fast fashion is a major polluter in Australia - around 85 per cent of textiles purchased by Australians end up in landfill each year,” Ms Curtain continued.

The 2020 Awards of Excellence received 113 nominations from across the world, including Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, Fiji, Kenya, Spain, the United Arabic Emirates, the United Kingdom and the United States.

The other winners in the ‘Sustainable Development’ category were, gold medal: Shaanxi Polytechnic Institute (SXPI), China, and silver medal Jiangxi Environmental Engineering Vocational College (JEEVC), China.

Kangan Institute’s close and long-standing connection with the fashion industry allows it to provide its fashion students with a range of exciting opportunities.

This year at Melbourne Fashion Week, Kangan Institute students presented a multi-media showcase titled Phoenix, Paradigm, Evolution in collaboration with the Australian Red Cross' up-cycling sustainability project.

“COVID-19 meant our students had to present their designs virtually, and to mark 2020, a year that has presented us all with unprecedented challenges, our talented students themed their showcase P.P.E – but not the medical meaning of this acronym,” Ms Curtain added. 

Kangan Institute’s definition of P.P.E:  

• Phoenix: ‘A Stitch in Time’, Kangan Institute and Australian Red Cross’ up-cycling sustainability project. 

• Paradigm: Scrub Chic, our student’s design interpretation of fashion and PPE. 

• Evolution: Kangan Institute’s Advanced Diploma students' signature showcase.