Sustainable Consumption - The Journey of my Clothes

The beginning of November was a busy time at Andersen Primary School (Andersen Grundschule) - and for good reason! Our project week with the 5th grade pupils centred around the exciting topic of ‘sustainable consumption’. With a special focus on clothing, our aim was to give the pupils an understanding of the world behind their favourite T-shirts and hoodies - and to discover solutions for a more sustainable future in a fun way.

The week began with an exciting journey into the world of textiles. The pupils learnt what materials their clothes are made of: polyester, viscose, cotton - and what this actually means for the environment and health. The moment when the children were able to touch the fabrics themselves and discover the differences was particularly exciting: ‘It feels like a plastic bottle!’ wondered one pupil about polyester.

On the second day, a special highlight was on the programme: a virtual exchange with peers from the Nest of Joy English Primary School in Uganda! The pupils were able to ask questions and find out how sustainability is practised in Uganda. The dialogue was lively and insightful - from clothing habits to the challenges of everyday life. There was even dancing at the end of the video call, which brought smiles to both sides.

In the second half of the week, the creative work continued: the children were divided into groups and developed their own projects. Whether comic, animated film or a song - each group showed full commitment and let their imagination flow. The results at the end of the week were impressive and earned a lot of applause.

The final highlight of the project week was our big clothes swap on Friday. The pupils brought unused clothes, toys and even old computer games to swap with their classmates. The event was a great success and showed the children how easy and fun sustainable consumption can be. They proudly presented their new treasures and left with the conclusion that ‘sharing could be the new buying’.

This week has not only imparted knowledge, but also shown how much fun sustainable action can be. The students proved that small actions - whether it's swapping a T-shirt or having a conversation with Uganda - can make a big difference.