Greenpeace Urges Hong Kong Residents to ‘Buy Smart, Buy Less’

HONG KONG, 23 June 2016 – Today in Causeway Bay, Greenpeace visualized Hong Kongers’ shopping habits in the form of a 2.5m tall ‘Giant Girl’ that wore a dress upcycled from dozens of articles of used clothing and held shopping bags that featured the message ‘100 Clothes But Nothing to Wear?’. The performance art was created to highlight the key findings of a recent Greenpeace study focused on the shopping habits and mentality of consumers in Hong Kong and Taiwan.

The study showed that a Hong Kong resident owns an average of 100 pieces of clothing and 16% of these clothes are seldom or never worn. Results also showed that each year the average resident will still shop 10 times for clothing and spend nearly HK$10,000 on new clothes. Greenpeace calls on the Hong Kong public to ‘Buy Smart, Buy Less’ by reducing unnecessary spending and embracing a sustainable, fashion lifestyle.

Greenpeace Campaigner Bonnie Tang said: “’I have 100 pieces of clothing but I still feel like I have nothing to wear.’ Is that really what people think? Yes. According to our study, Hong Kong people really think and act like that. We encourage the public to be aware of their shopping habits and to try shopping alternatives such as wearing second-hand clothing, repairing worn items, and considering upcycling rather than discarding old clothes.”

Greenpeace collected used clothing from sources online and collaborated with local artist Wong Wing Fung to upcycle them into a dress to visualize the shopping habits of Hong Kong people. Wong Wing Fung said: ‘Personally, I will not buy T-shirts anymore, as their lifespans are way too short. I love vintage clothes though! Not only are vintage clothes much more durable, they also have interesting and personal stories of the previous owners attached to them. Isn’t that lovely?’ 

Greenpeace calls on the Hong Kong public to reflect on their shopping habits and consumer mentality as well as realise the detrimental environmental impact of their unsustainable shopping lifestyles. We must pursue a sustainable fashion lifestyle.