From waste to wearable fashion

The influence of the show went beyond the runway, prompting lifestyle changes. "The Trash Fashion Show serves as a creative platform to raise environmental awareness among young people," said Poonyisa Chutichetpong, a 19-year-old student from Thailand and one of the event organizers. "Students are encouraged to reflect on their own perception of waste and consumption."

For Yu, the show triggered a realization about her extensive use of plastic bags in daily life, leading her to switch to cloth bags for grocery shopping. Woc also noted, "Participating in sustainable design has allowed me to visualize a second life for many of the things we consider as 'trash' and to be able to turn them into something unique and creative, like a wearable piece."

For Wang, participating in the show provided her with insights into recycling efforts exerted by young people from other countries. For example, her friend Caitlin McMahon, a student from the United States studying at NYU Shanghai, collected plastic bottles and soda cans as a daily hobby. In fact, some of the materials used in Wang's design were sourced from McMahon's "collections". Wang said she once recycled plastic bottles and cardboard boxes too when living with her parents, but abandoned the habit after moving to campus, considering it a practice too trivial to matter.

"Being in the show and seeing what Caitlin did made me realize how important those little daily habits are for the environment," she said.

This realization is also what Yang gained from the designing experience: although the changes seem small, they can still make a difference.

"We humans make tons of waste every day — takeout boxes, bubble tea cups, electronic waste. But in this garment we made, every stitch and every recycled piece is like a small effort to help take care of the environment," Yang said.

In the end, when people talk about events like the Trash Fashion Show, it's a good beginning. "I think the main contribution of the show is starting conversations about this problem and making it visible," said Marcela Godoy, an associate arts professor and undergraduate coordinator of Interactive Media Arts at NYU Shanghai. "It's important to show people solutions and things they can do to contribute to a more sustainable life."