.
Emma Greensmith and Tess O’Neill at the Haberdashery event at Ballygarry Estate. Photo By : Domnick Walsh © Eye Focus LTD
OVER 300 Transition Year students gathered at Ballygarry Estate recently to take part in the January 2024 Haberdashery event, the largest event of its kind to ever take place in Ireland.
Part of the IKC3 Project at MTU, Haberdashery was a two-day design challenge where senior cycle students develop their research and design skills to create circular and sustainable product ideas for clothing, sportswear, footwear, bags or accessories.
Participants develop their eco-design and entrepreneurial skills to create conceptual sustainable fashion products and services, embracing the business models of the circular economy.
Continued below…
.
Participating schools were Mounthawk Secondary School, Tralee; Killorglin Community College; Causeway Comprehensive; The Green CBS Tralee; Killorglin Intermediate School and Presentation Tralee.
Guest speakers from industry included homegrown designers Paul Galvin and Aoife McNamara and Shane Hassett CEO of WAZP.io a Kerry based company which specialises in additive manufacturing of footwear, homeware and accessories.
Gearóid Donehgan , Thomas Keane and Ciaran Murphy at the Haberdashery event at Ballygarry Estate. Photo By : Domnick Walsh © Eye Focus LTD ©
Dr Helena McMahon, Director, IKC3 Project at MTU outlines the success of the programme: “We are incredibly proud to be able to bring so many transition year students on this journey about circularity and sustainability through the IKC3 Project at MTU. There is a fundamental need to radically change the business model of low-cost high-volume retail and embrace biobased, renewable and sustainable materials and manufacturing. Consumers, in particular Gen Z and Millennials have a lot of power to drive change within these sectors and to increase demand for transparency and sustainability commitments across the design industry. This influences the value and attention they afford to brands, which is hugely encouraging.”
Leagh Mai Griffin and Aoibhe Kearney at the Haberdashery event at Ballygarry Estate. Photo By : Domnick Walsh © Eye Focus LTD ©
Eve Savage, Educational Designer at the IKC3 Project, said: “The premise of the HABERDASHERY programme is to weave climate and sustainability topics along with knowledge of European and Irish policy that are influencing the design sector via the EU Green Deal, Circular Economy Strategy & Textiles Strategy. Using a design sprint methodology students work in teams and develop highly valuable transversal skills including problem-solving, communication, teamwork and creativity.”
If your school or business would like to participate in or contribute towards the HABERDASHERY programme please contact Educational Designer Eve.Savage@mtu.ie
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
