Untitled Notes

The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly influenced various sectors, including education in practical arts traditionally associated with home economics.

The phrase, attributed to Prime Minister Boris Johnson during the pandemic, means it is better to address small problems promptly to avoid larger issues later.
The proverb can be traced back to 1723 and connects to sewing, highlighting the practical skills of crafting.

Numerous sewing machine manufacturers faced shortages due to a surge in demand as individuals began sewing masks for various purposes:
- Personal use
- Support for frontline workers
- Retail and sales
Fashion designers also contributed by ramping up mask production.

As a curriculum researcher and former home economics teacher, the rise in home sewing presents an opportunity to reevaluate the importance of education in practical arts.

Grandmother's teachings emphasized the importance of repairing and recycling clothing, encapsulated in mottos like "waste not, want not."
Historical sewing before garment manufacturing included:
- Custom clothing by seamstresses/tailors for wealthier families
- Households' reliance on making and recycling clothes
The Great Depression promoted mottos such as "repair, reuse, make do, and don’t throw anything away."
World War I and II textile restrictions led to responses like “use it up, wear it out, make do or do without.”
Post-20th century, the emergence of industrialization and globalization popularized "ready to wear" garments.

The arrival of fast fashion diminished the prominence of home sewing, with millions of tons of clothing waste filling landfills every year in North America — 10 million tons annually, where 95% could be reused or recycled.
The garment industry presents unfair working conditions, highlighting the current clothing consumption's unsustainability.
Education theorist Madhu Suri Prakash noted that ecological issues are tied to everyday decisions and consumption of basic items.

The decline of home economics in the educational system has led to diminished practical skills training, despite some still being taught under various names like family studies, family and consumer sciences, or human ecology.
Over the past half-century, home economics has faced downsizing, restructuring, and elimination in higher education due to changing societal norms and consumerism.
- Post-second wave feminism presented new workplace opportunities, shifting societal views away from traditional home economics.
As per education scholar Maresi Nerad, the departments once dominated by women were deemed less useful by administrators, leading to their gradual elimination.

The notion of reinstating home economics emerged in response to research findings by nutrition scientists Alice H. Lichtenstein and David Ludwig.
Where home economics exists, it is often marginalized, leading to discussions questioning the validity of the knowledge acquired.

According to the American Family and Consumer Science curriculum, practical arts education empowers students to solve practical problems in families, workplaces, and communities.
Emotional benefits and wellness associated with hands-on activities contribute to mental and emotional health.

Home economist Abby Marlatt emphasized how sewing and related crafts contribute to intelligent consumerism and social justice.
The field's roots lie in Greek terms: "oikos" (home/family) and "oikonomikos" (household management, frugality, thrift).
Modern home economics scholars like Eleanore Vaines link ecology to the concept of home, framing the Earth as the ultimate home requiring resource conservation.

The International Federation of Home Economics envisions sustainable living as its ultimate goal.
The resurgence of sewing during the pandemic brings forth benefits across utilitarian, psychological, and environmental dimensions.

The pandemic offers a pivotal moment to not only revisit but also emphasize the relevance of home economics.
Sewing and other practical home-based activities hold significant meaning, offering opportunities for sustainability and conscious consumerism.

Mary Gale Smith, Sessional lecturer, Faculty of Education, University of British Columbia.
Disclosure: No financial conflicts, received no external funding related to the article.