One way to fight climate change is to reduce clothing waste
- Students should buy fewer new clothes and reuse or recycle the ones they have.
- You could organise a clothing swap party with your friends so everyone walks away with something new.
Christina Dean, founder of Redress, feels the fashion industry has a responsibility to protect the environment.
I am writing in response the article, “Sustainable fashion in Hong Kong: NGO Redress wants you to restyle your old clothes into new looks” (Young Post, December 4, 2019).
According to the article, the non-profit group asked Hongkongers to donate their unwanted outfits. They managed to collect 15.4 tonnes of garments during the month-long campaign.
The donations were given a “second life” when they were found new homes, resold, or recycled.
There are lots of ways teenagers can be more eco-friendly while still looking fashionable. Redress suggests that we could restyle the clothes we have in our wardrobes.
Apart from recycling and donating our clothes, I believe we should think twice before going shopping. We should not buy new clothes all the time.
I believe that if we act responsibly, we can protect our environment and save the Earth. It is time for us to make our move.
Cherry Leung, St Paul’s Co-educational College
Sustainable fashion in Hong Kong: NGO Redress wants you to restyle your old clothes into new looks
From the Editor
Thank you for your letter, Cherry. Clothes are thrown away every day in Hong Kong, and our planet is paying the price.
As teenagers, you can play a significant role in reducing the damage caused by the fashion industry, which includes water pollution and heavy carbon dioxide emissions.
Why not exchange clothes with your friends? Organise a get-together where each person brings clothes that he or she no longer wants. Then everyone can leave with fresh items for their wardrobe – without spending a cent or sending anything to the landfill.
Here’s another suggestion. Your unwanted clothing, for example, faded T-shirts or shorts, might be great for household cleaning.
Clothes should not end up in landfills. They are almost 100 per cent recyclable. So, in the same way we handle paper and metal, we must get better at recycling clothes.
M. J. Premaratne, Sub-editor