{"id":1268,"date":"2016-01-24T15:43:01","date_gmt":"2016-01-24T14:43:01","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/mskpu.pl\/en\/csr\/"},"modified":"2025-01-28T14:04:53","modified_gmt":"2025-01-28T13:04:53","slug":"csr-2","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/mskpu.pl\/en\/csr-2\/","title":{"rendered":"CSR \u2013 Ethics in Fashion"},"content":{"rendered":"[blank_spacer height=”10px” width=”1\/1″ el_position=”first last”] [spb_single_image image=”733″ image_size=”full” frame=”noframe” intro_animation=”none” full_width=”no” lightbox=”yes” image_link=”https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/magdalena_plonka_csr\/” link_target=”_self” width=”1\/1″ el_position=”first last”] [spb_text_block pb_margin_bottom=”no” pb_border_bottom=”no” width=”1\/1″ el_position=”first last”]\n

MSKPU implements a program in line with international standards.<\/strong> For a decade, a shift towards responsible fashion education has been observed in leading fashion schools worldwide. This is the specialization of the future, which is why Central St. Martins, Parsons, and Aalto have established entire departments dedicated to sustainability<\/em>.<\/p>\n

Our institution, already at the beginning of its activity – 16 years ago – was aware of the importance of this specialization, and ethics in fashion was taught at MSKPU even then.<\/p>\n

We were and still are the only fashion school in Poland (unfortunately) that teaches CSR in fashion.<\/strong> The only existing textbook on CSR in fashion on the Polish market was published by MSKPU – “Ethics in Fashion, or CSR in the Clothing Industry” by the Director of MSKPU, Dr. Magdalena P\u0142onka.<\/p>\n

The MSKPU staff is aware of the impact of the textile industry on the natural environment, human rights issues in the clothing business, and animal exploitation for fashion purposes. With our empathy and passion, we strive to inspire our students and a broader group of fashion enthusiasts.<\/p>\n

For this reason, MSKPU initiated a noble educational initiative this year, the competition dedicated to CSR in fashion, aimed at designers – Responsible Fashion Awards<\/a>.<\/p>\n[\/spb_text_block] [blank_spacer height=”30px” width=”1\/1″ el_position=”first last”] [spb_text_block pb_margin_bottom=”no” pb_border_bottom=”no” width=”1\/3″ el_position=”first”]\n

\"cotton\"<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n

Cotton is not as eco-friendly as it seems<\/h3>\n

Even professionals active in the fashion field may not know that cotton, although a natural fiber, is not considered an eco-friendly fiber. The cultivation and processing of conventional cotton, the most commonly used in the clothing industry, is one of the largest ecological threats in the world…<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n

READ MORE<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n[\/spb_text_block] [spb_text_block pb_margin_bottom=”no” pb_border_bottom=”no” width=”1\/3″]\n

\"fur\"<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n

Furs – the true face<\/h3>\n

While food producers, such as those of fruits, vegetables, and even mineral water, place idyllic views and pictures of pastoral scenes on their labels, fur and leather producers have never shown what the behind-the-scenes of their production looks like. Numerous documents reveal that, regardless of the geographical area…<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n

READ MORE<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n[\/spb_text_block] [spb_text_block pb_margin_bottom=”no” pb_border_bottom=”no” width=”1\/3″ el_position=”last”]\n

\"eco<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n

Natural furs are not eco-friendly<\/h3>\n

The argument often misused by fur enthusiasts, claiming ecological benefits, is questionable and never supported by the studies mentioned earlier. Supporters of fur fashion also fail to cite specific scientific sources. Typically, statements approving natural furs concern their biodegradation…<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n

READ MORE<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n[\/spb_text_block] [blank_spacer height=”30px” width=”1\/1″ el_position=”first last”] [spb_text_block pb_margin_bottom=”no” pb_border_bottom=”no” width=”1\/1″ el_position=”first last”]\n

MSKPU<\/strong> is a creative, empathetic, and active art school, a community of designers and costume designers focused on a better future. Since the establishment of the school, we have aimed to create better fashion, beautiful and simultaneously responsible.<\/p>\n

As the first and, until recently, the only artistic institution in Poland, we teach CSR – Corporate Social Responsibility<\/strong> in fashion. Environmental protection, workers’ rights protection, and animal rights protection are the three areas of CSR application. These issues are thoroughly analyzed with our students during classes. We discuss greenwashing in the clothing industry, explain why cotton has a larger environmental impact than polyester, why wool is not only a ‘cruel’ raw material but also one of the least eco-friendly fibers, what mulesing is, and how the political system in Bangladesh is linked to the dire working conditions of seamstresses in the global south, or we explore phenomena of neutralization, among many other CSR-related topics.<\/p>\n

And why is CSR so important to us? It’s not just a matter of our mission, modern education for the MSKPU<\/strong> faculty, and the resulting awareness of ecosystem issues or the state of contemporary global societies. Knowledge of CSR is one of the most sought-after skills. The largest portal, Business of Fashion, where job postings from global fashion brands are published, reports a record number of job openings seeking individuals with CSR knowledge. Ethics and ecology are not just in fashion, but currently essential competencies in the job market.<\/p>\n

However, the educational activity of MSKPU<\/strong> is not limited to running an art school and teaching fashion. MSKPU<\/strong> is the most awarded and most frequently invited fashion school in Poland, which is why we participate in numerous external events, fashion shows, conferences dedicated to the clothing industry, and collaborate with NGOs, all in the spirit of promoting eco-friendly and ethical attitudes in business.<\/p>\n

We also regularly provide financial support to organizations whose activities align with our ethical and ecological priorities. For years, we have made donations to the Association for Nature Wilk and the Mysikr\u00f3lik Association – both effectively engaged in wolf conservation in Poland.<\/p>\n

You can read about the connection between wolf conservation<\/strong> and fashion in the book “Ethics in Fashion – CSR in the Clothing Industry.” It is the first CSR textbook in Poland, written by me and published by MSKPU<\/strong> with the focus on sustainable fashion. In it, I describe the challenges in the fashion industry, and expose the fake news<\/i> still prevailing in the apparel sector.<\/p>\n

MSKPU<\/strong> is an educational project, international, but above all, with an ethical mission, to which I invite future clothing designers and costume designers. To people curious about the world, cultural, and sensitive to contemporary social and environmental issues, I dedicate my work. I believe that together we can do more.<\/p>\n

Director of MSKPU Dr. Magdalena P\u0142onka<\/strong>
\nhttps:\/\/etykawmodzie.com\/etyka-w-modzie-magdalena-plonka\/<\/a>
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Quick Reference | CSR Glossary<\/span><\/h2>\n

For all those who are busy but interested in ecology and ethics in fashion, we have prepared a brief summary of this wonderful concept.<\/span><\/p>\n

Mulesing<\/span><\/h4>\n

A phenomenon mainly occurring in Australia (the largest wool producer in the world), it is a practice for cheaply handling the so-called flystrike<\/i>, an infection of the anal area in sheep caused by fly larvae. Sheep are subjected to the painful removal of skin and infected parts of the body using garden shears, without anesthesia. Some animals do not survive the procedure due to complications and stress. Despite the risk and potential loss of the animal, mulesing<\/i> is considered more cost-effective than purchasing medical treatment or costly care. This process is legal in Australia and contributes to the negative evaluation of this fiber.<\/span><\/p>\n

Environmental Impact<\/span><\/h4>\n

This is an evaluation of the environmental effect of a given product. The most important factor in environmental impact is the measurement of primary production, where the most ecological and ethical damage occurs.<\/span><\/p>\n

Neutralization<\/span><\/h4>\n

A phenomenon discovered only a few years ago, explaining the deactivation of moral consumer behavior and their avoidance of responsible decisions. It describes several stages of creating so-called excuses and ways of rationalizing unethical behavior.<\/span><\/p>\n

Greenwashing<\/span><\/h4>\n

Promoting green slogans that are disproportionate to a company’s real achievements in that area. Greenwashing<\/i> is not a lie, but an exaggeration and use of insignificant achievements in ethics or ecology for marketing purposes.<\/span><\/p>\n

CSR<\/span><\/h4>\n

A pro-ethical and pro-ecological strategy of a company that must go beyond the legal obligations in a given country, be voluntary, and involve additional financial and human resources for its implementation. CSR<\/em> must be applied holistically, meaning across the entire company, in all its fields of activity, and involving all stakeholders in the production chain. CSR obligatorily and inseparably includes areas such as: environmental protection, human rights protection, and animal rights protection.<\/span><\/p>\n

Higg Index<\/span><\/h4>\n

Higg Index<\/em> is a tool that presents a set of research results regarding water, CO2, land, chemicals consumption, and the contribution of various popular materials to the global environment. The Higg Index website even allows you to calculate the ecosystem impact of an entire product. It’s a table with numbers and a summary that helps designers and manufacturers measure the environmental impact of a given material or product. In the Higg Index, you can discover that wool, cotton, leather, and silk are a greater burden on the environment in most measurements when compared to synthetic or artificial fibers.<\/span>
\nThe Higg Index does not separately address the biodegradation period, as it is less relevant when estimating environmental impact, which is 80%… created during the primary production stage.<\/span><\/p>\n

LCA \u2013 Life Cycle Assessment<\/span><\/h4>\n

<\/a> This is a measurement of the entire life cycle of a product, considering all possible factors influencing the ecosystem. For example, in the case of natural leathers, water used for cattle breeding, methane emissions from herds, land destroyed by farms for grazing, the environmental impact of animal feed, and chemicals used for tanning are all taken into account.<\/span><\/p>\n

Biodegradation<\/span><\/h4>\n

This is the breakdown of a material or product. In biodegradation<\/em>, factors such as exposure to sunlight, water, and temperatures are important, as they influence the time it takes for a product to decompose. The term is often used in the context of environmental impact, often stigmatizing artificial and synthetic materials due to their long biodegradation periods or even lack of biodegradability. However, on the other hand, long biodegradation periods are beneficial in the case of circular economy models, where the durability\/non-biodegradability of fibers is an advantage in their continual recycling.<\/span><\/p>\n

Circular Economy<\/span><\/h4>\n

Designing and producing a product with the assumption that it will be reintroduced into circulation multiple times. The concept aims to close the production loop by maximizing the lifespan of a material (through good quality, servicing, reusing, recycling), thus reducing the use of virgin raw materials. Currently, the world mostly follows a linear economy model.<\/span><\/p>\n

Linear Economy<\/span><\/h4>\n

The consumption of virgin natural raw materials to create a product whose materials will not be reused.<\/span><\/p>\n[\/spb_text_block]\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

[blank_spacer height=”10px” width=”1\/1″ el_position=”first last”] [spb_single_image image=”733″ image_size=”full” frame=”noframe” intro_animation=”none” full_width=”no” lightbox=”yes” image_link=”https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/magdalena_plonka_csr\/” link_target=”_self” width=”1\/1″ el_position=”first last”] [spb_text_block pb_margin_bottom=”no” pb_border_bottom=”no” width=”1\/1″ el_position=”first last”] MSKPU implements a program in line with international standards. For a decade, a shift towards responsible fashion education has been observed in leading fashion schools worldwide. This is the specialization of the future, which is why Central […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/mskpu.pl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1268"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/mskpu.pl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/mskpu.pl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mskpu.pl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mskpu.pl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1268"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/mskpu.pl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1268\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":15077,"href":"https:\/\/mskpu.pl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1268\/revisions\/15077"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/mskpu.pl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1268"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}