10 Sustainable Fashion Certificate Programs That’ll Help You Put Your Best Foot Forward
By Jharna Pariani
Whether you’re looking for a leg up in your sustainable fashion career, want to launch your own business, or simply wish to gain some knowledge, here’s where to start.
If you fancy a dream career in sustainable fashion, but can’t commit to a several year-long study program, then look no further. As long as you have a few hours to spare each week, these sustainable fashion certificate programs will have you covered within a span of a few months.
Offered by prestigious fashion universities and institutions, these online certificate courses provide an in-depth understanding of various subjects within the sustainable fashion realm to empower you with the knowledge to better navigate what has become the industry’s need of the hour.
Fashion education was once focused exclusively on design, but the adoption of sustainable policies has created new demand for specialized training. Sustainable fashion jobs are increasingly growing with some of the biggest names in the industry recruiting for green roles.
These roles are responsible for the development and implementation of sustainable decisions and require recommendations to help reduce any negative environmental impact. Fortunately, a wide range of institutions are rising to meet the sustainable fashion education need and we’ve done the work of finding you 10 of the best and most comprehensive online certificate courses available.
We have divided the list of courses into “Certificate Programs”, where you’ll gain knowledge on a specialized subject through an intensive program, and “Short Courses” which are provided by the leading global universities in fashion that offer general, albeit insightful knowledge on the concerned subject.
So without further ado, here’s our list of 10 sustainable fashion certificates to help you get a head start in your sustainable career.
Certificate Programs:
1. Fashion Sustainability Certificate
Educational Institution: Parson's The New School
The Fashion Sustainability Certificate at The New School is an online program that’ll empower you to incorporate sustainability into your work by the time of completion.
Irrespective of professional or educational experience, the course welcomes all individuals to help students "to navigate the fascinating terrain of sustainability so it becomes actionable, relatable, and relevant to you and your personal and professional values,” claims Jennifer Whitty, Assistant Professor of Fashion Systems and Materiality.
Through engaging video lectures, direct interaction with faculty, and project-based learning, you’ll cover four main courses in this program:
1. Putting Fashion Sustainability in Practice
2. New Roles for Fashion Designers
3. Slow and Regenerative Fashion
4. Sustainable Wardrobe Practices
Price: $3,255
Duration: 5-9 weeks
What you’ll learn: Conscious approach to fashion design; An understanding of material processes; Opportunity to employ sustainable design strategies through a project; Principles of conscious consumption
Educational Institution: University of Delaware
Created by the Department of Fashion and Apparel Studies at the University of Delaware, this is an online graduate certificate comprised of nine one-credit courses. The course addresses labor and environmental problems in global supply chains of the apparel, textile, and footwear industries, while providing students with the knowledge needed to help manage these issues in ways that are socially responsible and sustainable.
The skills embedded in the courses are based on research gained from industry leaders and professionals who lead non-governmental organizations and civil society groups with a stake in the global apparel businesses. These professionals have also reviewed the program and claim that “The courses are comprehensive of all areas that should be reviewed to have a good understanding of social responsibility in these industries. Anyone completing these courses should be equipped with the knowledge to contribute to the industry.”
Price: $1028 per credit hour 2023-24; nine credit hours
Duration: Varies; requires nine credit hours
What you’ll learn: Evaluate how businesses address ethical and environmental stewardship; How to recommend various strategies for effecting change in the industries
Explore Socially Responsible and Sustainable Apparel Business
Educational Institution: Glasgow Caledonian New York College
Data plays a huge role in sustainable fashion. It can help brands market their conscious claims and provide substantial proof. However, the use of generalized and trivialized data has been known to cause the spread of greenwashing — just take a look at the Higg Index controversy.
Offered by the Glasgow Caledonian New York College in collaboration with Fashion Revolution USA, this online certificate program will introduce learners to the sustainable fashion data landscape along with best practices in using data for positive impact decision-making.
Get educated by seasoned data scientists, fashion practitioners, and academics, who will help you gain a better understanding of the unique challenges that face the data landscape. Upon completion, students will be confident in how to make empowered, effective, evidence-based sustainability decisions in a flawed fashion data system.
The classes of this certificate are live and interactive, featuring guest speakers who work with data to measure sustainability and social impact in the fashion industry. The final module of the certificate is exclusively focused on an applied project completed under the guidance of experts in fashion as well as data science.
Price: $2,325
Duration: Synchronous online classes run for 5 weeks, followed by 2 weeks for project completion
What you’ll learn: Understand the fashion data landscape; Data literacy for decision making; Applied project in fashion data for sustainability
Explore Measuring Sustainable Fashion: Understanding and Applying Data
Educational Institution: Fashion Institute of Technology
Provided by the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT), one of the internationally recognized fashion colleges in NYC, this online certificate program will teach its students brand strategies and how they work for accelerating the achievement of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) objectives.
As students, you will gain a deep understanding of how a corporation’s branding — their financial and marketing policies, products (including textiles and fibers), and supply chains — can unify concerned communities and align with various stakeholder values in pursuit of a sustainable circular economy. You will understand why brands end up resorting to greenwashing and how it can be avoided.
Jenn K, a Senior Design Consultant reviewing the course shares that it has “improved my communication skill set in discussing CSR and ESG with clients which is an important first step to develop a strategy for sustainability for a brand.”
Price: $1,200
Duration: Dates TBD
What you’ll learn: Why branding is needed for CSR/ESG and circular economy (CE) success and how to measure it; Develop your own brand-focused sustainability strategy; Increase relevancy and ROI's for stakeholders with branded supply chains; Brand sustainability values for CRM and achieve customer loyalty
Explore Branding ESG for Advancing a Circular Economy & Sustainable Fashion
Educational Institution: Circular Economy Institute
This is a highly intensive assessment-based certificate program and professional credential offered internationally by the Circular Economy Institute to people who are aiming at implementing circular economy strategies in the fashion industry.
By earning this circular fashion certificate, you will learn how circularity in fashion is being used in the real world and develop the skills needed in today’s business world.
To earn this certificate, students have to pass two 20-question multiple choice exams with a grade of over 70%, submit a two-page assessment of a company based on the upcoming ISO International Standards on Circular Economy, and ultimately submit a 10-minute video of themselves simulating giving recommendations to an organization based on their circular assessment with a score of over 70%.
P.S. It should be noted that this course has a prerequisite of having over three years of work experience.
Price: £460
Duration: Self-paced, estimated 60 hours
What you’ll learn: How to clearly explain the circular fashion principles and real-world applications; Develop competence in the circular economy diagram and its implementation; How circular solutions are implemented through real-life fashion projects; Evaluate fashion organizations based on the upcoming ISO International Standards on Circularity
Short Courses Offered by Top Universities:
6. Sustainable Design Entrepreneurs Courses
Educational Institution: Fashion Institute of Technology
Targeted toward aspiring and existing fashion entrepreneurs, these courses offered by the Fashion Institute of Technology will arm you with the knowledge, tools, and access to resources you need to build a commercially viable business based on sustainable design practices.
Many of these courses may either take place in-person (at FIT NYC) or remotely online. You can choose to pursue the ones that will bring the most value to you and your business.
The courses include:
Price: Available on request for each program
Duration: Available on request for each program
Educational Institution: Central Saint Martins
Offered by one of the most prestigious fashion institutes in London, Central Saint Martins, this online course will teach you the systems and management practices needed to foster sustainable fashion brands. From fiber to fashion, this course covers the impact of materials from a social, environmental, and community standpoint.
You will learn how to source better materials while learning about sustainability standards, certifications, and the verification processes when claiming sustainability attributes on products. You will also gain access to a useful database of direct contacts and tools for efficient sourcing.
Sessions take place in an online classroom, including presentations and discussions with your tutor. Your learnings will then be applied to assignments subjected to feedback from your tutor.
Price: £420
Duration: 4 weeks
What you’ll learn: A thorough understanding of sustainability and responsible sourcing; How to carry out verifications and traceability requirements to market appropriate sustainability claims; Develop understanding of sustainable design inspiration
Educational Institution: Central Saint Martins
Targeted at fashion marketing professionals, strategists, as well as activists, this course covers the all-important topic of fashion sustainability by helping students deepen their understanding and create more sophisticated sustainability strategies.
You will explore critical approaches to fashion marketing and communications from a sustainable perspective and address whether marketing tactics are hampering or helping tackle sustainability challenges faced by the industry.
Students of this course stand to gain hands-on experience by creating a fashion brief by the time of completion. The university claims this course is better suited for individuals who are already active in the fashion industry, as some overall knowledge of the fashion landscape will be useful to participate fully in the course.
Price: £380
Duration: 4 weeks
What you’ll learn: How sustainability issues are being communicated to the public; Explore if sustainability can create a competitive advantage for a brand; Understand consumer attitudes towards sustainability and how this can impact a fashion brand
Educational Institution: Institut Français de la Mode
This course is created by Institut Français de la Mode in partnership with the Kering Group, a French multinational corporation that owns Gucci, Alexander McQueen, and Yves Saint Laurent to name a few.
Over 10 weeks, you will learn about the history and values of sustainable development, and why it matters in the fashion industry, while also understanding how to build a practical CSR and sustainability strategy, and how to communicate it to your company’s audience.
You will also gain insight from fashion industry stakeholders at companies, NGOs, and startups, as well as hear from manufacturers and designers on their first-hand experiences in sustainability implementation.
The entire course is divided into four parts, covering topics like:
1. Building a CSR and sustainability strategy
2. Environment and social implications
3. Sustainability in the value chain
4. Sustainable Innovation
Price: £500
Duration: 10 weeks
What you’ll learn: The history and current issues of sustainability; Analyze the new concepts related to sustainable development and the circular economy model; Develop an environmental and social strategy; Identify the main contemporary innovation areas; Discuss the different models of sustainability implementation through a lifecycle product approach
Educational Institution: London College of Fashion
Offered by the London College of Fashion, this course is aimed at providing you with an overview of the sustainable fabric lifecycle, an introduction to ethical fabrics and processes, recycled fibers, fair practices for manufacturers, and, ultimately, garment care.
This course was created for garment technologists, designers, fashion buyers, manufacturers, or just about anyone who wants to understand more about the environmental issues in textile and garment manufacturing.
It’ll give you an overview of new eco-friendly fabrics and fibers, better and cleaner production processes, along with ethical considerations such as fair trade and safe working. The course will also cover sustainable changes in the consumption of textiles, such as recycling, upcycling, and changes in consumer habits to reduce landfill when buying clothes.
Each week there will be a wide range of reference material to review, and a practical assignment to help you put your knowledge into practice. Upon completion, you will be better equipped at making sustainably-sound decisions.
Price: £420
Duration: 4 weeks
What you’ll learn: Better understanding of where textiles can be poor for the environment; Learn about better alternative options when choosing textiles; Gain confidence in sustainability terminology; How to improve every stage of the value chain raw materials through to textiles and garments and then to retail and consumer
About the Author:
Jharna Pariani is a fashion writer and creative strategist whose work is rooted in honesty and deep observation of the world around her. When she isn’t busy penning down her thoughts, she moonlights as a video editor creating fashion and food reels on Instagram for several brands and influencers.