Ethics, Laws and Environmental Impact
Fashion Design
Arts, Audio/Visual Technology, and Communications
Lesson Plan
Performance Objective
 Upon completion of this lesson, the student will be able to describe the impact of ethical
practices, legal considerations and sustainability in the fashion industry.
Specific Objective
 Students will understand ethical conduct related to interacting with others such as client
confidentiality, privacy of sensitive content, and providing proper credit for ideas.
 Students will discuss and apply copyright laws in relation to fair use and duplication of
materials.
 Students will analyze the impact of the fashion industry on society, including concepts related
to persuasiveness, marketing, and point of view.
 Students will explain the impact of labor laws.
 Students will summarize procedures within the apparel industry that protect the environment.
Terms
Ethics
Copyright
Fair trade agreements
Sustainability
Time
When taught as written, this lesson should take approximately 1 class period to teach.
Preparation
TEKS Correlations:
This lesson, as published, correlates to the following TEKS. Any changes/alterations to the activities
may result in the elimination of any or all of the TEKS listed.
AAVTC: Fashion Design: Ethics, Laws, and Environmental Impact
Copyright © Texas Education Agency, 2014. All rights reserved.
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130.93. Fashion Design. (c) Knowledge and Skills.
(7) The student applies ethical decision making and understands and complies with laws
regarding use of technology in fashion, textiles, and apparel. The student is expected to:
(A) exhibit ethical conduct related to interacting with others such as client
confidentiality, privacy of sensitive content, and providing proper credit for ideas;
(B) discuss and apply copyright laws in relation to fair use and duplication of materials;
(C) analyze the impact of the fashion industry on society, including concepts related to
persuasiveness, marketing, and point of view.
(10) The student develops an understanding of fashion and the textile and apparel industries.
The student is expected to:
(C) evaluate factors influencing the apparel industry by:
(ii) explaining the impact of labor laws;
(iii) summarizing procedures within the apparel industry that protect the
environment;
Interdisciplinary Correlations:
110.32. English Language Arts and Reading, English II
(9) Reading/Comprehension of Informational Text/Expository Text. Students analyze, make
inferences and draw conclusions about expository text and provide evidence from text to
support their understandings. Students are expected to:
(B) distinguish between different kinds of evidence (e.g., logical, empirical, anecdotal)
used to support conclusions and arguments in texts
(C) make and defend subtle inferences and complex conclusions about the ideas in text
and their organizational patterns
Occupational Correlation (O*Net – www.onetonline.org/):
Job Title: Fashion Designer
O*Net Number: 27-1022.00
Reported Job Titles: Apparel Fashion Designer, Clothing Designer, Costume Designer, Product
Developer
Tasks:
 Direct and coordinate workers involved in drawing and cutting patterns and constructing
samples or finished garments.
 Examine sample garments on and off models, modifying designs to achieve desired effects.
 Sketch rough and detailed drawings of apparel or accessories, and write specifications such as
color schemes, construction, material types, and accessory requirements.
 Confer with sales and management executives or with clients to discuss design ideas.
 Identify target markets for designs, looking at factors such as age, gender, and socioeconomic
status.
AAVTC: Fashion Design: Ethics, Laws, and Environmental Impact
Copyright © Texas Education Agency, 2014. All rights reserved.
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
Provide sample garments to agents and sales representatives, and arrange for showings of
sample garments at sales meetings or fashion shows.
Soft Skills: Active listening, speaking, writing, social perceptiveness, judgment and decision making
Accommodations for Learning Differences
It is important that lessons accommodate the needs of every learner. These lessons may be modified
or accommodated to your students with learning differences by referring to the files found on the
Special Populations page of this website.
Preparation
 Review and familiarize yourself with the terminology and instructional materials.
 Have materials ready to go prior to the start of the lesson.
References
Liddell, L., & Samuels, C. (2004). Clothes and your appearance. Tinley Park, Illinois: The GoodheartWillcox Company, Inc.
Instructional Aids
 Lesson Plan: Ethics, Laws and Environmental Impact
 Slide Presentation: Ethics, Laws and Environmental Impact
 Search online for a video clip about “ethical fashion in China”
 Search online for a video clip about “shopping for everyone”
 Search online for a video clip on the “environmental impact of the fashion industry”
Introduction
Introduce the lesson by asking students to define what ethics means to them. Describe some different
scenarios involving ethics and ask students to identify and discuss what both proper and improper
responses would be to these scenarios.
Display and discuss slideshow presentation with class. Students may take notes. (Optional)
Show online video clips about ethics and environmental issues related to the fashion industry.
In this lesson, students will write a one-page persuasive letter to an executive at a fashion retail
business taking the stance on the importance of one of the following issues: ethical practices in the
workplace, legal practices, or sustainability in fashion. In the letter students should give at least three
examples of possible practices that may be implemented to achieve the goal.
AAVTC: Fashion Design: Ethics, Laws, and Environmental Impact
Copyright © Texas Education Agency, 2014. All rights reserved.
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Outline
MI
Outline
Go through the Slide Presentation with
students. Discuss the following:
I: Title slide
Instructor Notes
Begin Slide Presentation here.
II. Overall Objectives
a. What students will learn
b. How students will demonstrate
their learning
Slide 2: Discuss what students
will learn in this lesson.
III. Ethics in Fashion
Slide 3: Students discuss ethical
fashion practices
IV. Legal Considerations
Slide 4: Students discuss legal
considerations in fashion
V. Environmental Impact
Slide 5: Students discuss
sustainability in fashion
VI. Student Assignment
Slide 6: Review students’
assignment and teacher
expectations
AAVTC: Fashion Design: Ethics, Laws, and Environmental Impact
Copyright © Texas Education Agency, 2014. All rights reserved.
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Multiple Intelligences Guide
Existentialist
Interpersonal
Intrapersonal
Kinesthetic/
Bodily
Logical/
Mathematical
Musical/
Rhythmic
Naturalist
Verbal/
Linguistic
Application
Guided Practice
Throughout the slide presentation, the teacher will stop periodically for the class to participate in short
activities.
 After Slide #3, the teacher may want to show an online video clip about ethical fashion in China.
The teacher will lead class discussion about ethics following the video clip.

After Slide #5, the teacher may want to show an online video clip entitled “Shop for Everyone.”
The teacher will lead a class discussion about legal considerations after viewing the video clip.

After Slide #6, the teacher may want to show an online video clip about the environmental
impact of the fashion industry. The teacher will lead a class discussion about sustainability after
watching the video clip.

Before beginning the assignment, ask students to get in groups and brainstorm ways to possibly
solve problems in the industry relating to ethics, legal practices, sustainability, and
environmental practices.
Independent Practice
 Students will write a one-page persuasive letter to an executive at a retail business taking the
stance on the importance of one of the following issues: ethical practices in the workplace,
legal practices, or sustainability in fashion. In the letter students should give at least three
examples of possible practices that may be implemented to achieve the goal.
Summary
Review
Review and discuss information on ethics, laws and the environmental impact of the fashion industry
to reinforce the information learned in class. Remind students to apply that information in their onepage persuasive letter over one of the given topics.
AAVTC: Fashion Design: Ethics, Laws, and Environmental Impact
Copyright © Texas Education Agency, 2014. All rights reserved.
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Visual/
Spatial
Evaluation
Informal Assessment
Any and all of the following can be used as informal assessments…
 Check student participation in guided practice
 Prompting
 Check progress of student assignment
Formal Assessment
Any and all of the following can be used as formal assessments…
 Notes on slide show presentation
 Completion of student persuasive letter
 Ask students to share their proposed solutions for class discussion.
Enrichment
Extension
Students may continue this lesson by conducting a research project exploring ethics, laws, or the
environmental impact of the fashion industry in depth.
AAVTC: Fashion Design: Ethics, Laws, and Environmental Impact
Copyright © Texas Education Agency, 2014. All rights reserved.
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