1. What is the true cost of cotton? L/O: to examine the social and environmental effects of cotton production Starter: brainstorm all the ways that fashion can affect the environment

2. Fashion and the environment Carbon emissions – transporting goods Increasing landfill Use of pesticides Loss of biodiversity Large scale manufacture – noise, air and water pollution

3. Cotton Cotton has been grown and used by people in many parts of the world for at least 5000 years. Most important of all natural fibres, accounting for almost half of all textiles in the world. Huge variety of uses - because it is so strong it can be made into fine, thin textiles, as well as hard-wearing fabrics like denim. Cotton is now the world's most important non-food crop, covering five per cent of the planet's cultivated land area. It is grown in more than 80 countries around the world. The conditions are found in a band that stretches around the world between latitudes 45° north and 30° south.

4. What are the problems with cotton? http://ejfoundation.org/cotton/white-gold- video Answer the question whilst watching the video 1.Child labour 2.Depleting water supplies 3.Pesticide use

6. Become the expert! Read through the information – Paired activity Represent your information on one of the issues using one of the following: – Create an awareness poster – Write a letter to the government – Design a cover page for ‘The Big Issue’ – Draw an informative 6 box cartoon – Write a song/rap/chant Use as many symbols and pictures as you can and up to 15 words. You will then be presenting to the class about the information you have found out about.

7. Swap your information! ALL: Go round the class room and take notes summarising the key issues under the following headings – Child labour and cotton, water and cotton, pesticides and cotton MOST: what do you think is the most significant issue and why? SOME: Suggest ways in which each issue could be resolved.

8. How can you be part of a more sustainable and ethical fashion industry? In pairs, come up with as many ways as possible to answer the question Did you think of these? – Look for items that are certified organic and / or fairtrade. – Re-use and re-cycle. – Think local. – Buy to last. – Ask your retailer where their cotton comes from.

9. Plenary/homework ALL: Design a t-shirt with a slogan promoting sustainable cotton production MOST: Annotate your t shirt to explain your design SOME: is solving the issues of cotton production easy? Justify your answer.