- Students learn responsible fashion consumption through school programs
- Lessons focus on recycling, reuse, and waste reduction skills
- Early education aims to shape greener future consumer behavior
Students in Ho Chi Minh City are learning how everyday fashion choices can impact the environment, as schools introduce lessons on responsible and sustainable clothing consumption. The initiative helps young learners understand how clothes are made, used, and discarded and why mindful consumption matters.
At Vietnam Australia International School, students take part in a project called 'Green Detox for the Wardrobe'. Through hands-on activities, they learn to reuse fabric scraps by turning them into gloves, socks, decorations, and souvenirs. When clothes can no longer be used, students are guided to bring them to collection points for environmentally safe textile processing.
The program responds to a growing global challenge. According to the United Nations, over 92 million tonnes of textile waste are generated worldwide each year, with only a small portion recycled. The rise of fast fashion and online shopping has made waste management more difficult, including in Vietnam.
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The initiative is led by B’Lao-Scavi-Corele Group, which says school-based education is key to building long-term habits. The group estimates that each student throws away three to five kilograms of clothing annually. In large schools, this can add up to tens of tonnes of textile waste every year.
Teachers say educating children early is more effective than changing habits later in life. By learning repair, recycling, and donation practices, students gain practical skills and awareness that can influence future jobs, industries, and sustainable lifestyles.
