Session 2 - Strand 1 (Online)

Abstract:

This session examines a collaborative project with staff and students from BAL and CCI, alongside University Estates and the Wildlife Trust, in a cross-faculty initiative grounded in sustainability and experiential learning. Wildlife-friendly dye gardens were created on campus by students, with plants selected for natural textile dyeing and capacity to support local wildlife, a dual purpose developed with the Wildlife Trust to improve campus biodiversity. Fashion Design students harvest plant material to produce natural colourants, while QR codes installed alongside the planting connect the public to associated design work, extending student outputs beyond the studio. Marketing students submitted business proposals to the University’s Estates department, gaining authentic experience of advocating for sustainability within organisational structures. The project creates meaningful engagement with the natural environment on campus. Within Marketing, it grounds teaching on ethical sourcing and conscious consumption in lived experience. Within Textiles, it situates dye knowledge within a broader ecological framework, tracing the full cycle from cultivation to creation. Sourcing colorants from local landscapes reconnects students to plant-based processes, promoting an understanding of colour origin and locality. The garden invites a fundamental reconsideration of how colour is produced, from plant to cloth, and proposes a model of circular colour systems rooted in environmental accountability. It enhances campus biodiversity while generating a meaningful sense of community across disciplinary boundaries, enabling students to create a lasting legacy for future cohorts. This session reflects on how place-based, cross-faculty collaborations might enrich pedagogical practice, inviting participants to consider transferable approaches for their own contexts.