Is knowledge about the impact of fast fashion enough to change young people’s habits? The experience of the Erasmus+ project Sustainable Advocates in Latvia, Sweden and Ireland shows that information alone is not enough — young people also need opportunities to try sustainable choices in practice.
Based on the results of the project’s 30-day “No Fast Fashion” Challenge, partners in Latvia, Sweden and Ireland developed nine National Policy Briefs — three in each country. The briefs bring together young people’s experiences, identify key barriers to more sustainable clothing consumption, and provide practical recommendations for VET institutions, municipalities, policymakers and other relevant stakeholders.
A Shared Challenge, Different Solutions
Each country’s Policy Briefs are based on the results of the national 30-day challenge and the specific national context.
In Latvia, the briefs focus on integrating sustainable clothing consumption into green skills education, reducing impulsive purchases in the digital environment, and strengthening habits related to reuse, repair, borrowing and clothing swaps.
Policy Briefs from Latvia.
In Ireland, the materials explore the pressure created by digital advertising and shopping apps, the accessibility of second-hand and clothing swap options, and the need to strengthen practical clothing care, repair and reuse skills within vocational education.
Policy Briefs from Ireland.
In Sweden, the Policy Briefs address the integration of sustainable fashion consumption into VET, the impact of digital marketing and product transparency, as well as the expansion of repair, upcycling, second-hand and clothing swap opportunities.
Policy Briefs from Sweden.
From Insights to Action
The Policy Briefs do more than describe the problem. They provide practical recommendations — from using short behavioural challenges in education and strengthening digital consumer literacy, to organising clothing swaps and repair workshops, building partnerships with second-hand and circular economy initiatives, and embedding sustainable consumption more strongly into vocational education.
The materials are particularly relevant for VET leaders and educators, curriculum developers, municipalities, youth organisations and circular economy stakeholders.
We invite you to explore the Policy Briefs from all three countries, compare the different approaches, and use the recommendations in your own work. The project experience shows that sustainable behaviour becomes much more achievable when young people are given the opportunity not only to learn about it, but also to try it themselves.