The Life Cycle of a T-Shirt

• This video explains how cotton T-shirts are made and the environmental and health effects of this entire process.
  
• Students will learn where and how cotton is grown, how cotton becomes fabric, how far materials travel around the globe, the process of turning fabric into a garment, what happens once a T-shirt is owned by a consumer, and what we can do to lessen the impact of fashion on the planet. 

Positives

• The video is beautifully animated and will keep students engaged. 
• This resource is incredibly relatable, as many people own a T-shirt, and students will get a first-hand look at what a seemingly commonplace item goes through to get into their wardrobe. 

Additional Prerequisites

• Students need to create a free TED-Ed account to complete the assessment portion of the lesson. 
• In the Dig Deeper section, the link to the video about machines that make your clothing is broken

Differentiation

• Social studies classes could use this resource to consider how global demand, few regulations, trade, and economic growth impact the environment, low-income communities, women, and children.
• Math classes could use the data presented in the video to craft and solve their own environmental word problems. 
• As an extension, have students research the different solutions presented at the end of the video for lessening the impact of fashion on the environment. As groups or individuals, students can create digital public service announcements to spread awareness about the strategy they chose. If possible, have students share their public service announcements outside of the classroom.
• Other related resources include this video about sustainable and ethical clothing, this video about fast fashion, and this activity that allows students to repurpose an old T-shirt into a bag.