Textilslöjd - en väg mot hållbar utveckling : En kvalitativ studie om textillärares arbete

The purpose of this study is to examine how textile teachers are experiencing and describing their work towards a sustainable society. Since our consumption of clothes is constantly increasing which generates mountains of textile waste, this study seeks to increase the understanding of the problem. The society signals that we must change our ways towards a sustainable society, through among other things change our consumption behaviour. But, how are we supposed to do? How do we teach our students about sustainable behaviour in textile handicraft classes? The European Union adopted a strategy to reduce waste that it’ s members are encouraged to follow. The first step is to minimize, to shop less. The next step is to recycle, to give away things we don’t longer need to others rather than throwing it away. The third step is to repurpose, which is something we often work with in textile handicraft. To sew something new from the old and worn. Through questions in a qualitative interview, I’ve wanted to shed a light on how teachers everyday life is affected and how they go about their work in regards to a sustainable development. Are they doing anything else besides common repurposing in their textile handicraft classes? The result shows that the teachers are facing very different conditions to carry out this work. The unequal situation is rooted in the teachers own education that either did or didn’t have elements about sustainable behaviour. The situation also depends on the teacher´s further education, and if that featured any elements regarding sustainability. On top of that, all classrooms are equipped differently. Keywords Textile repurposing, sustainable development, minimizing, recycling, repurposing. consumption behavior, the conditions of textile teachers.