In today’s rapidly evolving world, fashion is no longer just about aesthetics—it’s also about values. The growing movement towards ethical and sustainable fashion is a response to a rising awareness of the environmental and moral implications tied to the industry. As part of this shift, JD Institute of Fashion Technology recently collaborated with PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals), the world’s largest animal rights organisation, to conduct an eye-opening awareness session for students. This campaign, led by Priyanka Mehar, Outreach Coordinator at PETA, focused on the ethical dilemmas surrounding leather and fur production, aiming to inspire future designers to rethink their materials and embrace cruelty-free alternatives.

PETA’s Role in the Fashion Industry

PETA has been a leader in animal rights activism for a long time. Their efforts against fashion stalwarts have led to changes in the whole industry. Thanks to PETA, almost all of the top designers have taken fur out of their collections. This is why they keep being the star of fashion weeks all over the world: to bring attention to the pain animals go through while being used to make clothes and items and to show that alternatives to animal products are in style.

PETA is significantly influencing the values of future designers by collaborating with educational institutions such as JD Institute. The organisation’s efforts extend beyond awareness-raising; they aim to effect structural change within the fashion industry, and JD Institute is honoured to endorse this purpose.

Exposing the Cruelty in Luxury Goods

PETA’s meeting was nothing less than powerful. The initiative revealed the cruel practices that happen behind the scenes in the leather and fur industries through talks, videos, and personal witness accounts. Students learnt about the horrible lives of animals that are used for fashion, and how many of them are hurt horribly for the sake of style. The graphic nature of the content not only brought up social issues with using these materials, but it also made people think about the things they buy.

The lesson primarily focused on the ethical concerns associated with the production of leather and fur. For many years, high fashion and wealth have been associated with these materials. However, getting these things often means putting animals through a lot of pain and suffering, with factory farming and cruel ways of killing creatures coming to light. In their campaign, PETA made it clear that the fashion industry needs to stop using such cruel methods and look for better ones.

Preparing Future Designers through Education

At JD Institute, education extends beyond technical skill development; it focuses on cultivating socially aware and responsible designers. The PETA awareness campaign significantly contributed to this comprehensive objective by informing students about the extensive implications of their consumer and design decisions.

Priyanka Mehar, PETA’s Outreach Coordinator, conducted discussions on the significance of animal welfare, encouraging students to contemplate not only the aesthetic appeal of their designs but also the ethical implications of their materials. She underscored that the brutality within the leather and fur industries goes beyond the mere infliction of damage on animals; it relates to the ethical obligation humans hold towards other living things.

By facilitating our students to learn more about the bad sides of high-end fashion, JD Institute hopes to motivate them to work for change by switching their attention from traditional materials to more environmentally friendly and moral ones.

Cultivating Responsibility and Compassion at JD Institute

The goal at JD Institute is not just to teach design skills but also to develop a stronger sense of responsibility and empathy, which are qualities that every real Jediiian should have. The PETA awareness event demonstrated this idea, emphasizing that fashion can and should serve as a positive influence. Students today are the ones who will shape the future of fashion. JD Institute makes sure that its students are ready to lead the way in sustainable and compassionate design by giving them the information and tools they need to make moral decisions. 

We extend our heartfelt thanks to Priyanka Mehar for her invaluable insights during the session. Her passionate advocacy for animal welfare deeply resonated with our students, who expressed great interest in exploring ethical alternatives to leather and fur.

The enthusiastic response from our future designers shows that they are eager to be part of a more compassionate and responsible fashion industry. Together, we can pave the way for a brighter, cruelty-free future in fashion.