Student researchers at UBC Okanagan are working to improve sustainable practices in the local fashion industry while also fostering community and collaboration. Ariele Parker, master’s student at the UBC Okanagan Interdisciplinary Graduate Studies program, under supervision from Dr. Eric Li, Associate Professor, Faculty of Management, collaborated with Okanagan based fashion brand, Okanagan Lifestyle Apparel (OKGN) on a research project aimed at making their production and supply chains more sustainable and environment friendly.
Through the project, Parker and Dr. Li provided recommendations and strategies to Okanagan Lifestyle Apparel on transitioning to low-environmental-impact textiles and environment friendly dyes. They also worked together on designing neutral colour products.
The global fashion industry is currently the world’s third highest polluting industry, with the production, distribution and disposal of millions of tons of apparel having significant destructive impacts on the environment.
Read the full story at the UBC Okanagan News site.
Through Strategy 8: Student Research, UBC is working to enhance research opportunities and experiences for undergraduate and graduate students and post graduate fellows.