🇮🇹🇩🇪 Planning of the Exchange Week in Milan

Project title: Green is the New Black – Sustainable Fashion and European Exchange

Monday – Arrival, Getting to Know Each Other and Team Building

Official Welcome

• Reception at the host school
• Presentation of the partner schools
• Overview of the project week and programme

Intercultural Icebreaker Session

• Interactive “get-to-know-each-other” activities
• Cultural exchange games and introductions

Team Building and Project Introduction

• Formation of multinational working groups
• Introduction to the theme “Sustainable Fashion”
• Distribution of roles and responsibilities within the project teams

Project Planning

• Definition of the weekly objectives and expected outcomes
• Coordination of appointments for company and organisation visits

Final Products for the School Year:

• Professional vlogs on sustainable fashion (3–6 minutes)
• Documentation of project experiences
• Digital presentation of research results

Tuesday – Preparation and Content Development

Morning
Work in five mixed classes:

Designing the Vlog

• Brainstorming and script development for the sustainable fashion vlog
• The script should include:
  • Key information on the Fast Fashion industry
  • Ecological, social, and economic impacts of fast fashion
  • Sustainable alternatives (second-hand, upcycling, slow fashion, vintage shops, etc.)
• Selection of filming locations in Milan
• Planning of scenes and video sequences

Creating Questionnaires for Interviews

• Development of interview questions for students about personal fashion consumption
• Questions on youth awareness of fast fashion
• Preparation of interviewing techniques in English

Participation in Regular Lessons (integration with Italian students)

Wednesday – Practical Phase: Interviews and External Visits

Morning
Work in five classes:

• Finalisation of interview questions
• Conducting interviews in English with students from different classes
• Topics: youth fashion consumption and awareness of fast fashion
• Recording interviews for the vlog using smartphones
• Collecting opinions and testimonials

Participation in Lessons

Afternoon – External Visits (German Group)

• Visits to organisations, shops, or companies engaged in sustainable fashion (locations chosen on Tuesday)
• Interviews with experts in sustainable fashion
• Video recordings of selected locations for the vlog
• Documentation of real-life sustainable alternatives to fast fashion

Thursday – Completing Interviews and Recordings

Morning
Work in five classes:

• Conducting additional interviews with school students
• Completing video recordings required for the vlog

Participation in Lessons

Afternoon – External Visits (German Group)

• Continuation of visits to organisations and shops engaged in sustainable fashion
• Filming at pre-selected locations in Milan
• Documentation of sustainable production processes and good practices
• Collection of additional B-roll material
• Filming of final reflections and impressions

Friday – Material Analysis and Project Closing

Morning
Work in five classes:

• Viewing and reviewing the material collected during the week
• Selection of the most relevant interviews and video clips
• Analysis and discussion of interview results
• Identification of key findings and messages for the vlog

Joint Final Meeting (All Erasmus Groups)

• Presentation of each group’s work
• Sharing of experiences and insights from the week
• Discussion on acquired knowledge and collaboration outcomes
• Feedback and reflection on the intercultural experience
• Farewell session between Italian and German students

Post-Project Phase – Independent Digital Production

Theme: Media Production and Reflection
Period: 2–6 weeks after the exchange

Students’ Tasks:

• Independent editing of recorded video sequences
• Integration of various interview clips
• (Creation of multilingual subtitles)
• Coordination in international teams through online platforms

Future Project – Dortmund 2026: Deepening the Theme

Theme: Sustainable Fashion in the Ruhr Region
Period: Second semester (April–June, one week exchange)

Extended Objectives:

• Comparative analysis of the sustainable fashion industry between partner countries
• Integration of previous videos into a larger documentary project

Local Focus and Resources (Dortmund):

• Sustainable consumption and second-hand culture
• University research: TU Dortmund – Faculty of Textile Technology
• Cultural context: Dortmunder U – Art and Creative Industry Centre
• Youth lifestyles and sustainable consumption in the Ruhr area

Potential Partners:

• Second-hand shops (Humana, Oxfam, local vintage stores)
• Westfalenhallen (trade fair and event management)
• TU Dortmund (research on consumer behaviour and sustainable materials)
• IHK Dortmund (economic promotion and sustainability initiatives)
• Verbraucherzentrale NRW (consumer sustainability advice)
• Thier-Galerie Dortmund (retail sustainability concepts)
• Umsonstladen “Frida”, Nordstadt district

Video Production – Extension Concept:

• Remix project: linking international videos into a documentary series
• Comparative sequences: contrasting national approaches
• Follow-up interviews: developments since the first exchange

New Dortmund Sequences:

• Campus interviews: textile technology students’ views on the future of fashion
• Sustainable Shopping Challenge: youth testing eco-conscious fashion choices
• Second-Hand Stories: portraits of vintage shop owners and customers
• Fashion Footprint: raising awareness of fast fashion’s environmental impact
• DIY & Upcycling workshops: creative reuse of clothing
• Conscious Consumer Street Survey: interviews with local shoppers
• Style Swap Party: collaborative event promoting reuse and circular fashion