Sustainable Fashion: Business and Practices MA
- Design
- Creative professions
- Postgraduate
Kingston University’s MA in Sustainable Fashion Business and Practices will give you the change-led perspective you need to make a real impact in the industry.
Envision a new future for fashion
Challenge current thinking and explore transformational systems
On our Sustainable Fashion: Business and Practices MA, you'll challenge current thinking in fashion by exploring holistic sustainable design solutions.
The programme is designed to create systemic change. As a result, you're come up with innovative and ethical solutions, as well as have the chance to transform systems and organisations. Projects are designed to develop and deepen your understanding of the multi-dimensionality of sustainability as it relates to fashion.
You'll have the opportunity to plot a new future for yourself and the fashion Industry by displacing a dysfunctional system and replacing it with practical and inspirational alternatives. This is fashion not designed to produce more ‘stuff’ but intended to develop systems and practices which intervene in the mainstream fashion system.
The course capitalises on the studio ethos of learning by doing. You'll produce tangible outcomes and solutions to industry problems through creative problem-solving and crossing disciplines for inspired responses. The work you do will challenge the accepted and traditional methodologies within the fashion system. You'll be encouraged to question every step of the fashion process from inspiration to end-of-life considerations.
Using design thinking, the course will support you in the analysis of industry impacts. You'll be able to test ideas in the development of solution creation. Project work adheres to the four pillars of sustainability: economic, environmental, social and cultural.
Before entering this course my knowledge on sustainability was less than half of what I know now. Sustainability was one of the topics discussed on many occasions during my undergrad, but this course gave me a much deeper understanding on what sustainability really is and the other factors that comes with it that many are not aware of.
Student work
Janhavi Dandwate Values Map 2023.
Voices of Hope Sisterhood Sanctuary craft collaboration 2023. Student team Sacha Daly, Paulina Czajor, Wenshan Shi, Shihui Chen, Victoria Cardona Garcia-Atance and Lucia Marshall Medlik.
Voices of Hope Sisterhood Sanctuary illustrated postcards 2023. Student team: Jingjing Dai, Caya Chen, Yijie Zhao, Wenxi Ji, Xiaotong Chen and Wendy Jiang.
MEHER Embroidery India Instagram mock-up 2023. Student team: Jingyi Ma, Jing Zhang, Erdi Wang, Yuqing Zhang and Si Wu.
Communicating Differences on Disability Zine 2024. Student team: Vanessa Aguilar, Tasha Clements, Jiahua Liu, Priyanshi Gupta and Shayla Sakora.
Communicating Differences on Disability Zine 2024. Student team: Vanessa Aguilar, Tasha Clements, Jiahua Liu, Priyanshi Gupta and Shayla Sakora.
Communicating Differences on Disability Zine 2024. Student team: Vanessa Aguilar, Tasha Clements, Jiahua Liu, Priyanshi Gupta and Shayla Sakora.
Communicating Differences on Disability Zine 2024. Student team: Vanessa Aguilar, Tasha Clements, Jiahua Liu, Priyanshi Gupta and Shayla Sakora.
MEHER Embroidery India artisan lookbook 2023. Student team Jingyi Ma, Jing Zhang, Erdi Wang, Yuqing Zhang and Si Wu.
Natal Colombia artisan photoshoot 2023. Student team Jingjing Dai, Wenxi Ji, Wenyan Qian, Wenshan Shi, Xiaotong Chen and Shihui Chen.
Warmachic Peru artisan project photoshoot. Student team Vanessa Aguilar, Tasha Clements, Jiahua Liu, Priyanshi Gupta and Shayla Sakora.
Warmachic Peru artisan project photoshoot. Student team Vanessa Aguilar, Tasha Clements, Jiahua Liu, Priyanshi Gupta and Shayla Sakora.
Shimena Ethiopia artisan photoshoot 2024. Student team Bridgitte Amaut, Dristhi Babu, Frida Lidbom, May Flower and Vaibhavi Joshi
Jiayi Liao Capstone project 2023.
Fiona Barrett Capstone project 2023.
Sacha Daly Magazine Capstone 2023.
Why choose this course
While you study, you'll benefit from teaching staff who are world-renowned researchers and practitioners. Not only are we ranked Gold in the Teaching Excellence Framework, we're consistently rated among the best institutions in the UK for fashion and related disciplines.
Workshops and studios
Explore, collaborate and share ideas in our state-of-the-art workshop facilities, designed by Stirling Prize-winning studio, Haworth Tompkins. Facilities are open to all Kingston University students, and include:
- 3D workshops, with spaces for ceramics, concrete, resin-casting, plastics, metalwork, woodwork, bronze-casting foundry, set design and large scale model making
- Animation and post-production studios
- A digital media workshop
- Knitting and sewing workshops with digital and analogue facilities, plus a working dress archive including from 1750 to the present day
- A HackSpace for collaborative, creative, solutions-focused projects
- A letterpress and printmaking workshop
- A moving image workshop, with studios, an editing suite and industry-standard equipment
- A fully-equipped photography workshop
University museums and galleries
Kingston University has two on-site galleries, which offer exciting opportunities for career progression. Grade II-listed Dorich House is the former home of the sculptor Dora Gordine, while the Stanley Picker Gallery is one of the UK’s leading university galleries. Our Knights Park campus also has a bookable project space for large-scale exhibitions.
Professional Membership
Sustainable Fashion: Business and Practices is a registered member of the United Nations' Education and Academia Stakeholder Group (EASG) in support of the Sustainable Development Goals.
The Art School Experience
As part of Kingston School of Art, students benefit from joining a creative community where we encourage collaborative working and critical practice.
Our workshops and labs are open to all disciplines, enabling students and staff to work together, share ideas and explore multi-disciplinary making.
Course content
You will study the human and environmental impacts of the mainstream fashion system throughout the entirety of the value chain. The programme offers sustainable methodologies for the development of fashion businesses, services and practices. It provides you with the knowledge and skills required to effect positive change through creative problem solving, and equips you with the management, business and creative decision-making skills to develop your own career path.
This is an indicative list of modules and is not intended as a definitive list.
Modules
Core modules for Teaching Block 1
Core modules for Teaching Block 2
Core modules for Teaching Block 3
We were really fortunate to be able to attend lectures from some of the world's top minds in sustainable design thanks to personal contacts in the industry. I now have a broader perspective on sustainability by the end of this module.
Career opportunities
After you graduate
The Sustainable Fashion Business and Practices curriculum helps to prepare students for a multitude of sustainably focused undertakings and employment opportunities that include:
- Brand and product development
- Sustainable supply chain management
- Sustainable systems and services
- Materials sourcing
- Sustainable fashion communications
- Artisan collaborations
- Progressing to MPhil and PhD level study
Live briefs
As part of the course, you’ll have opportunities to work on live briefs with sector partners that champion social and environmental sustainability. Potential clients include:
This course incorporates live briefs with sector partners in pursuit of social and environmental sustainability. Past collaborators have included:
- Build a Nest New York
- The Santa Fe International Folk Art Market
- Voices of Hope
- Kingston University’s Disabled Student Society
Expert speakers
Our industry links have resulted in a number of student opportunities and recognition including:
- Craft of Leather – an invitation-only workshop series in Tuscany with the Vegetable Tanned Leather Consortium
- The Bilbao International Art and Fashion Contest
- Work study with the Saheli Women
- Internships with Safia Minney and By Walid
- The North American Linen Association
- The Polish Cultural Institute
- Deloitte’s Environmental and Social Governance
Industry links
You’ll benefit from Kingston University’s strong connections with industry leaders. Previous opportunities range from professional experience to international recognition, including:
- Craft of Leather – an invitation-only workshop series in Tuscany with the Vegetable Tanned Leather Consortium
- The Bilbao International Art and Fashion Contest
- Work study with the Saheli Women
- Internships with Safia Minney and By Walid
- Employment with: The North American Linen Association, Marks and Spencers, Benetton, Two Hundred Million Artisans, The Polish Cultural Institute and Deloitte's Environmental Social Governance
Teaching and assessment
Fees and funding
Fees for future course years
Part time
If you start your second year straight after Year 1, you will pay the same fee for both years.
If you take a break before starting your second year, or if you repeat modules from Year 1 in Year 2, the fee for your second year may increase.
Scholarships and bursaries
Interested in studying an MA in Sustainable Fashion Business and Practices at Kingston? The following funding support is available:
Additional course costs
Some courses may require additional costs beyond tuition fees. When planning your studies, you’ll want to consider tuition fees, living costs, and any extra costs that might relate to your area of study.
Your tuition fees include costs for teaching, assessment and university facilities. So your access to libraries, shared IT resources and various student support services are all covered. Accommodation and general living expenses are not covered by these fees.
Where applicable, additional expenses for your course may include:
I'd like to take a moment to express my appreciation to Dr Sass Brown. From facilitating insightful discussions to helping us overcome challenges, mentoring our projects, and encouraging our diverse ideas and outputs, she demonstrated unwavering support. Dr Sass Brown's dedication and commitment were inspiring, and she truly practiced what she preached. She is a role model whom I will continue to look up to in my journey in sustainable fashion. Her efforts made our success possible.
Apply for this course
Before you apply
Please read the entry criteria carefully to make sure you meet all requirements before applying.
How to apply online
Use the course selector drop-down at the top of this page to choose your preferred course, start date and mode, then click 'Apply now'. You will be taken to our Online Student Information System (OSIS) where you will complete your application.
If you’re starting a new application, you’ll need to select ‘new user’ and set up a username and password. This will allow you to save and return to your application.
Application deadlines
We encourage you to apply as soon as possible. Applications will close when the course is full.
After you apply
If the admission tutor wants to see your portfolio, we will email asking you to upload your zipped portfolio to the OSIS portal within three weeks. If we need more information or want to invite you for an interview, we will be in touch directly. After that you will then hear whether your application has been successful.
Course changes and regulations
The information on this page reflects the currently intended course structure and module details. To improve your student experience and the quality of your degree, we may review and change the material information of this course. Find out more about course changes
Programme Specifications for the course are published ahead of each academic year.
Regulations governing this course can be found on our website.
