Dr. Hakan Karaosman is transforming the fashion industry by advocating for transparency and accountability in sustainable practices. His journey began in a modest home where his mother sewed garments, instilling in him a deep understanding of the labor that supports the multi-trillion-dollar fashion sector. Now an Associate Professor at Politecnico di Milano and a Visiting Scholar at University College Dublin, Karaosman’s work focuses on ensuring that garment workers, particularly women in the Global South, are recognized and valued.
Karaosman has become a leading voice in the intersection of academia, policy, and industry, driving change through his research and collaborations. He co-founded the Fashion’s Responsible Supply Chain Hub (FReSCH), which aims to address the systemic injustices within the fashion supply chain. His influence extends to important initiatives by the European Commission and various UN bodies, where his insights have informed policies aimed at improving labor conditions and environmental sustainability.
From Engineering to Fashion Equity Advocate
Karaosman’s academic background is rooted in environmental engineering, complemented by an Erasmus Mundus Master’s in energy and environmental management across several European countries. His Ph.D., jointly awarded by Politecnico di Milano and Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, focused on integrating sustainability into luxury fashion supply chains. This unique perspective allows him to challenge the trend within the industry that often reduces sustainability efforts to mere marketing tactics.
Through FReSCH, Karaosman has built a coalition that includes NGOs, researchers, and policymakers. This coalition addresses critical issues such as heat stress in factories and governance failures, recognizing that the fight for sustainability must prioritize the human aspect of production. His work transcends traditional boundaries, merging academic rigor with practical applications that have been downloaded thousands of times and adapted into industry tools.
Karaosman’s contributions to sustainable fashion have been widely recognized. He has lent his expertise to a five-part series on sustainable fashion by Forbes, highlighting the need for systemic reforms. His accolades include being named one of the Vogue Business 100 Innovators in 2023, receiving the Greenpeace Italia Voice for the Climate Award, and Cardiff University’s Excellence in Sustainability Award. Under his leadership, FReSCH recently received the Financial Times Responsible Business Education Award, further solidifying its role in shaping policy and industry practices.
Addressing Industry Challenges Head-On
Karaosman’s current research at Politecnico di Milano aims to tackle three significant challenges within the fashion industry: social justice, decarbonization, and supply chain resilience. His teaching emphasizes systems thinking and inclusive leadership, equipping students not only to join the industry but to drive transformative change.
In addition to his academic endeavors, Karaosman is actively involved in high-impact events, including Milan Fashion Week and TEDx stages. These platforms allow him to facilitate discussions where garment workers can share their experiences directly with luxury executives and government officials, fostering a more inclusive dialogue about the future of fashion.
Dr. Hakan Karaosman is reshaping the narrative around sustainability in fashion. By combining academic insights with the realities faced by workers, he is paving the way for a more equitable and transparent industry. In a sector often characterized by aesthetic concerns over substantive change, Karaosman’s commitment to justice is not merely an addition to sustainability; it is its very foundation.
