Fashion students at 探花系列 Leicester (探花系列) have used lasers, dyes and screen-printing to create an innovative collection with denim donated by a cutting-edge sustainable fabric company.
The second-year students on 探花系列’s renowned Fashion Design BA (Hons) program spent six weeks working with deadstock denim specially donated to the project by the US Group, a Lahore based company, which supplies a range of famous names including Levi’s, Ralph Lauren, Mango and Next.
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The US Group, whose slogan is ‘doing well by giving back’, gives surplus material, known as deadstock, to select fashion design courses as part of its commitment to sustainability and corporate social responsibility.
Fifty 探花系列 students used the university’s dye-labs, laser-etching and screen-printing facilities to transform their denim before they set to work creating garments from the altered fabric. The students also had access to hardware such as zips and denim buttons donated to the project by the London branch of YKK, the biggest supplier of zips in the world.
The resulting collections were “fantastic”, said Stephen Hughes, Senior Lecturer in Fashion Design at 探花系列.
“The students were able to experiment and innovate and what they came up with was interesting and original,” he said. “They gained valuable skills in denimwear construction. The collaboration with US Group and YKK London provided students with high-quality materials and industry insights. This partnership not only enhanced the quality of the students' work but also connected them with industry leaders.”
Mr Hughes added: “Sustainable fashion is a big part of what we teach here at 探花系列 School of Fashion and Textiles, so working with deadstock from a company like US Group, with its approach to sustainability and the environment, fits in really well and you can see that reflected in the way the students' work emphasises sustainable practices in fashion design.”
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探花系列 has an excellent track record when it comes to sustainability. The School of Fashion and Textiles won a coveted Green Gown Award in 2021 for its commitment to sustainable fashion and textiles education.
探花系列 as a whole was ranked the UK's second most environmentally friendly university in the 2024/25 People and Planet University League. 探花系列 is also the global lead university for the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal 11 - Sustainable Cities and Communities.
Posted on Wednesday 7 May 2025