Hong Kong-based nongovernmental organization Redress has revealed it collected a staggering mountain of unwanted clothing in just one month, highlighting a sneaky threat to public and environmental health. 

What's happening?

As RTHK News detailed, Redress says it picked up nearly 20 tons of discarded clothing from 120-plus collection sites around Hong Kong. 

While that figure may seem massive, Redress Executive Director Nissa Cornish suggested it pales in comparison to the roughly 443 tons the city tosses each day. 

"It really opens your eyes as to how big the actual problem is in Hong Kong; this is just a tiny drop in the ocean," Cornish told RTHK News. 

Why is this important?

Hong Kong isn't the only city dealing with an abundance of wasted textiles — which are often treated with toxic, ecologically damaging chemicals and made from dirty fuel-derived synthetic materials. 

Earth.org estimates the world generates around 101 million tons of textile waste each year, and fast fashion plays a significant role, encouraging consumers to invest in trendy, mass-produced garments that quickly go out of style and aren't made to last beyond a few wears.

Despite attempts from fast fashion brands to market themselves as more sustainable than they are — a practice known as greenwashing — the rapidly growing industry accounts for as much as 10% of global carbon pollution, per the Center for Biological Diversity. 

What's more, human rights violations such as child labor, unlivable wages, and unsafe working conditions have emerged from the sector.

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What's being done about this?

Nonprofits such as Redress are empowering people to be part of the solution. In addition to providing collection points for residents to donate unwanted clothes, it hosted an exhibit to educate consumers about the problem of textile waste at Get Redressed Month 2025.

According to the organization, more than 600 volunteers participated in sorting through the roughly 20 tons of textile waste collected as part of the event, with items headed to local charities, put up for resale, or designated for responsible downcycling.

Cornish told RTHK News that more consumers are ditching fast fashion and building their wardrobes through other means, including by buying secondhand. 

"We are also seeing an uptake in people participating in campaigns like this one, shopping secondhand or swapping [clothes], especially among younger people. … There is a trend toward more sustainable clothing habits in Hong Kong," she said.

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