GW Students Explore Sustainable Fashion Innovations in Los Angeles | GW today

Ten George Washington University students spent a semester diving into the world of sustainable fashion by participating in an experiential program through theGW Center for International Business Education and Research(GW-CIBER).

This unique experience included a four-day trip to Los Angeles to visit companies pioneering ethical practices in the apparel industry and participating in theInternational Case Study Competition on Business Ethics and Sustainable Development 2024(IBESCC) held at Loyola Marymount University in April.

GW-CIBER is one of 16 U.S. Department of Education-funded centers that aim to prepare future leaders in international business.

Anna Helm,the director of GW-CIBER, explained that the program focuses on developing students' problem-solving skills by providing opportunities to address real-world scenarios. Participating in IBESCC challenged students to answer the same difficult questions that many companies ask as they attempt to develop more sustainable business practices.

Helm said the trip to Los Angeles exposed students to the city's innovative and entrepreneurial fashion industry and highlighted the importance of integrating ethical practices into business while providing networking and networking opportunities. learning from various perspectives.

This experience wasn't just about winning or losing, Helm said. It was about growing and learning, finding connections, getting inspired, being motivated by what others are doing and getting a feel for the very rich and dynamic fashion industry of Los Angeles. That’s a big part of what we took away from this trip.

Sarah Bodewes, BS23, MS24, said this experience was the highlight of her semester. She was one of 10 students who participated in the program, beginning with classroom instruction in January and ending with the trip to Los Angeles in April.

“I didn’t know much about the fashion industry before, but CIBER gave us a lot of resources to prepare for the competition,” Bodewes said. We worked with professors and invited speakers to lead workshops. In our meetings we did a lot of reading and spent a lot of time researching.

There were two GW teams, one made up of graduate students and one of undergraduate students. The teams focused on sustainable fashion and each chose a company to conduct an analysis and determine opportunities to integrate more sustainable practices into their operations.

Ethics is really a key pillar of this competition, Helm said. She said the goal was to push students to explore the social responsibilities of business and find innovative answers to difficult problems.

Members of the graduating team included Bodewes, Paige Garczynski, Letiyo Mawadri, Bradley Whittaker and Lara Zeitoun. The undergraduate team included Aevyn Koczera, Natalia Parientes, Jaime Perez-Bedmar Merello, Brenda Santiago-Ramos and Christine Yoo.

Teams had to make a total of three presentations for the judges, including an analysis of the ethical, sustainable, legal and financial aspects of a problem, as well as a viable solution.

Bodewes and his team members chose to do their project on Ralph Lauren and used what they learned over the semester to highlight areas where the company could incorporate more environmentally friendly practices , including using AI to improve demand forecasting and reduce waste. They also proposed using digital product identifiers for clothing tracking to improve product lifecycles and promote circular fashion.

Bodewes and his team came in first place for their 25-minute presentation which provided an overview of their main ideas.

The undergraduate team chose Zara and highlighted the problems of the fast fashion industry. They examined solutions to improve safety conditions in factories, reduce waste and make transportation throughout the supply chain more environmentally responsible.

I think they both did a fabulous job with their final product, Helm said, adding that the students demonstrated a real understanding of the challenges businesses face today and came up with creative solutions.

Before the competition, students participated in mock presentations in front of guest judges, including alumni likeErik Haug,BA11, to get feedback that they used to improve their proposals.

Helm said Haug played a pivotal role in shaping the experience to be more enriching for students.

Haug, who now works as director of new business models, strategy and innovation at Earth Finance, was a former student of Helm during his time at GW. He has experience in the clothing and textile sector as an innovation consultant and led a workshop on fashion reinvention for students leading up to the competition.

Haug has also helped facilitate site visits to leading companies in the apparel industry, including Patagonia. Haug said the students were able to see first-hand how Patagonia engages with local communities and implements sustainability initiatives at the retail level.

Patagonia is a true market leader in sustainability, particularly in consumer education, at the retail level and through local programs, Haug said. It goes beyond theory and into practice, and Patagonia has set the bar for these types of programs.

He also helped arrange a visit to Lefty Production Co., located in Los Angeles' fashion district.

Lefty has excellent sourcing and supplier relationships for eco-friendly textiles, Haug explained. It was an opportunity for students to see what cutting-edge bespoke fashion design and production looks like and how to make the process more sustainable and intentional.

Haug said he was impressed by the students’ work throughout the competition and appreciated the opportunities to stay connected with GW.

I think Professor Helm is an incredible teacher and leader, and GW is truly a remarkable institution and professional network to be a part of, Haug said. From an alumni perspective, I continue to learn a lot from students. Every time I participate in a program like this, I truly believe that GW can continue to shape international trade and policy in meaningful ways. So it's an honor to be able to contribute and participate, Haug said.