Why I chose to study Sustainable Fashion online

This blog was written by Sustainable Fashion MA (Online) student Alanis. 

Hey, my name's Alanis and I study Sustainable Fashion online with Falmouth. From a young age I had always been pretty creative with a love for art, writing and fashion. However, fashion is something that felt out of reach to me; it felt reserved for the rich and beautiful, not for girls like me from the countryside.  

Yet, as I entered my teens, the sparkle of the fashion industry began to fade as I learnt of its darker side. After college, I decided to leave my creative interests as hobbies and instead went on to study French and Spanish as my undergrad. After graduating in 2018 I went straight into working in retail. For around two year I worked for a French fashion brand and as much as I enjoyed my role and learning about the beautiful prints and fabrics, the vast amount of waste we accumulated each day shocked me and stirred up a moral dilemma inside me - I cared about the planet and sustainable practices yet through my role I was openly contributing to vast amounts of waste.  

Of course, the issues within the fashion industry run much deeper than the waste it creates but seeing it in such vast quantities made me question not only my actions but the industry in general. I left my job towards the back end of the pandemic after experiencing a hard time with my health. In November 2021 I was diagnosed with two chronic illnesses which I found difficult to process and for a while I struggled to find enjoyment through the creative hobbies I normally would have turned to.  

Choosing to push past my doubts and apply was one of the best decisions I have made for myself. I have learnt so much and made such wonderful friends through my studies.

One afternoon, whilst having coffee with some close friends we got to talking about knitting - I'm not sure how, but I'm glad we did because this ignited something inside me that had been lacking for a while. The next day I went to my local yarn shop, bought some needles and yarn and began to teach myself how to knit from scratch through online tutorials, and once I started, I didn't stop. Knitting brought me such joy and pulled me out of one of the darkest times in my life.  

As I grew as a knitter, I began to learn more about slow fashion, natural fibres and sustainability. I soon realised that this is something I wanted to build on and was passionate about doing. Sustainability wasn't really something that was discussed when I was younger and as a result it didn't feel like there were many routes to explore. Often, issues in the industry were exposed and quickly glazed over again by the glitz and glamour. I wanted to help change that.  

I began to consider my options and came across the online Sustainable Fashion master’s at Falmouth. I really loved the sound of the course, but I doubted whether I would get accepted coming from a languages background. I allowed some time to pass before finding the courage to apply. I felt stuck; I was frustrated in my current job role and craved something that would help me make a difference in the world, where I could continue to learn and expand my skills. Eventually, I told myself: "Nothing changes if nothing changes” and sent off my application. To my surprise, I received an unconditional offer, and I remember bursting into tears from the wave of excitement that flooded through me.  

Online learning gives me the flexibility to study around work and other commitments as well as my varying energy levels while having chronic health issues.

Choosing to push past my doubts and apply was one of the best decisions I have made for myself. I have learnt so much and made such wonderful friends through my studies. Despite studying online, we have also had the opportunity to meet up in person. The in-person event in London back in December which was organised by our team of lecturers was a massive highlight for me; it not only acted as an eye-opening learning experience, but the chance to have fun with other students and to meet my lecturers who have all been so supportive throughout my learning so far.

Online learning gives me the flexibility to study around work and other commitments as well as my varying energy levels while having chronic health issues. With the way the weekly content is divided it is easy to jump in and out where needed with extra resources also easily accessible.