The French Fashion University Esmod (FFUE) in Dubai is starting the academic year 2009-10 with a “green fashion” contest, which will require students to create dresses using a special fabric.

The fabric, called Han-Ji, that is known to last for more than hundred years, and will provide an opportunity for students from the Esmod International Network to work with global fashion houses.

Esmod Dubai also revealed that registration for its three-year fashion program, six-month and three-month workshops and make-up courses will be open until October 11.

“We believe that this ‘green fashion’ contest will raise awareness about the need to cut the fashion industry’s environmental and carbon footprint and highlight the importance of using more sustainable fibers and fabrics,” said Tamara Hostal, founder and director, FFUE-Dubai.

“On the long run, sustainable fashion is better for the earth, for people and animals, as the key to this concept is to design clothes that have a long life, are easy to recycle and clean,” she added.

“As far as this contest is concerned, we have high expectations from students of Esmod Dubai and we wish them the best.”

For the ‘green fashion’ contest, the participating students can take up to a month to create the design and stitch the dress using the special fabric made from a pure white fiber called Han-Ji that is obtained from a Korean tree called Dak –believed to have a lifespan of up to 1,000 years.

Han-Ji, known for its exceptional quality and durability, was used by Koreans in the past to cover their windows for protection against heat and cold, said a statement.

The special qualities of Han-Ji encouraged scientists to conduct extensive research on the fabric. The findings showed that Han-Ji actually could protect the human skin from ailments by acting as an anti bacterial and antibiotic agent – prompting its use in socks and bed sheets – which makes it a hugely popular fabric in the global fashion industry. – TradeArabia News Service