Listen to #Hashtag Hong Kong every Sunday morning at 8.15
Focusing on issues affecting civil society, we'll hear from representatives of NGOs, associations, statutory bodies, and non-profit groups.
(Sundays 8.15am - 8.25am)
Good morning! What are you wearing today? Still in pajamas in bed or have you already put on your Sunday outfit? Whichever clothes you’ve chosen today, the fact that you’re wearing clothes makes you an actor of the fashion industry. Most of us think about clothes from a price, comfort or style perspective, not often about their environmental impact. But making clothes is a very energy intensive process that requires a huge amount of resources, such as land to grow cotton, chemicals to dye fabrics, and a lot of human labour - which makes fashion one of the most polluting industries. And what happens to the clothes that aren’t sold? Or if you no longer fit them? Often, landfill is the ultimate destination. In Hong Kong alone, we throw over 402 tonnes of textile every single day, that’s the equivalent of 17,480 large suitcases full of clothes. Fashion’s current linear system of ‘take, make, use and waste’ creates huge amounts of pollution and waste with for example less than 1% of material used to produce clothing being recycled into new clothing. This is not sustainable, and this is why Redress exists. We are an Asia-focused environmental NGO on a mission to build a world where fashion is no longer a burden on the environment. We believe in educating and empowering on one side consumers, to provide them with the knowledge and solutions necessary to reduce the negative environmental impact of clothing. And on the other side, emerging designers, to provide them with circular design know-how and opportunities to bring their circular skills to leading fashion brands.
In the last 10 years, there’s been a real change in how Hong Kongers think about the
climate crisis, with growing knowledge and awareness of the issues. At the same time the abundance of scary news can feel paralysing and it can be hard to know where to start. This is why I believe providing simple solutions, easy switches to lead a more sustainable lifestyle is so important. One thing about fashion that we cannot change is that it has to look good! So what can we start with? Buying less clothes is the obvious, and great for your wallet too, but I think it’s mainly about buying better: making sure it’s an item that fits you really well, makes you feel amazing and that you know you’ll wear many times. Keeping clothes in use for a long time is key to reducing their environmental impact. This can be achieved through mending, tailoring, being creative with mix and match, and promoting secondhand shopping as an alternative to retail. In the last few years, there’s been an exciting growth of options in Hong Kong, from clothing swap events to wardrobe clean-up IG accounts and a number of physical secondhand shops like our Redress Closet in Sham Shui Po. People's attitude towards secondhand clothing is slowly changing, and we see an increasing number of curious customers who may be lured in by accessible prices or the chance of a unique style. The main reason people tell us they are reluctant to buy secondhand is hygiene, which is a bit of a myth given that clothing bought in a retail store have also been touched by just as many hands and probably tried on a couple of times too. As long as you wash it before wearing it, there’s nothing to be worried about. Finding solutions to keep clothes in use for longer can be challenging, but it’s certainly easier for clothes that are of good quality and timeless style, fast-fashion is generally quite hard to rehome as the initial retail price and therefore the perceived value is low. With so many ads and the thrill of online shopping, it is challenging to resist the temptation of buying more. For your next purchase, you can consider this interesting concept of cost-per-wear which is to think about the number of times you’ll be able to wear an item, which is usually a lot more for
an expensive but high quality item than for a cheap, fast fashion item making the former a better investment.
Moving towards a circular economy requires both the availability of options such as
clothing recirculation options, recycling, secondhand shops, etc at the same time as a
change of mindsets. Our approach is to support people, and especially young ones, to understand the relationship between their personal clothing habits and find out what sustainable fashion means for them.
Last year, we educated 7,500 people and extended the life of 55 tonnes of clothing. We need everyone in Hong Kong to rethink their clothing habits to bring back the
positive power of fashion!
Good morning everyone. Recently, I was referred to a case involving an 8-year-old girl whose father had tragically passed away in an industrial accident. Her mother was concerned about her daughter’s excessive internet use, spending over five hours per night watching Chinese dramas. Her exam result was poor and stopped talking to her mother.
When I first met her, she kept silent, avoiding eye contact and mumbling as if she felt guilty. Gradually as we built mutual trust, she began sharing dramas she watched with me, which mostly focused on family topics. These dramas were actually helping her to cope with the loss of her father and the absence of the father and daughter relationship.
Expressive art therapy was applied to her case. By drawing and painting, she found ways to express her emotions and dealt with the memories she wished she could have shared with her father. She even drew herself holding hands with her father at a park, a memory she cherished deeply. As she released her repressed grief, she became less rely on the internet and began developing healthier coping mechanisms.
While tools like time limits and internet restrictions help manage screen time, they are addressing behaviours but not the root cause. The root causes, such as unresolved grief or emotional struggles, must be identified and addressed. For this girl, her internet use was a way to cope with shattering loss.
This case indeed reflects a broader issue in Hong Kong. A recent study on Internet Gaming Disorder (IGD) revealed that 11.8% of around 4,300 students surveyed showed signs of IGD, with 27.7% spending four or more hours daily on online games. Excessive internet use can lead to negative consequences such as poor eyesight, abnormal bone development, obesity, memory loss, and difficulty concentrating. However, one of the most alarming effects is the strain it placed on family relationships, which often leads to conflicts and communication breakdowns.
Parents often worry about their children’s gaming habits, citing deterioration in academic performance, loss of interest in hobbies, and an inability to disconnect from their devices, even during meals. While "time-limiting" tools and device monitoring help regulate behaviour, these solutions cannot address the deeper needs driving excessive gaming. According to Glasser’s theory, all humans have five basic needs which are survival, power, love and belonging, freedom, and fun. For Hong Kong students, academic success or sports performance often fulfills the need for power and satisfaction. However, the city's competitive and high-pressure studying environment make it difficult for students to meet these needs. As a result, they would rather turn to video games, where effort is rewarded with rankings, badges, and achievements, providing a sense of power and satisfaction.
Furthermore, gaming offers a sense of belonging. Many students team up with classmates or online friends to play games, forming communities where they feel accepted and included. These emotional needs—such as love, belonging, and accomplishment—are often missing in the real life, thus they turn to gaming in order to escape from the real life.
Before addressing gaming addiction, it is crucial to understand the underlying needs and tackle the root causes. Family plays a key role in the intervening process. Establishing clear rules and boundaries early on, negotiating screen time, and ensuring children balance their time between studying, resting, and family interactions are essential steps. Encouraging diverse interests like sports, arts, and social activities can also help students build a support system and reduce their reliance on gaming. Fostering open communication in the family, where children feel that their feeling is being heard and understood, is of equal importance.
Schools can also contribute by boosting awareness and understanding of online gaming addiction. Educational programs on internet safety and gaming risks can equip students with knowledge and self-management skills to prevent addiction.
While the challenges of managing excessive internet use and gaming addiction may seem daunting, they are not unconquerable. By addressing the emotional and developmental needs behind these behaviours, families, schools, and the community can work together to help children build a healthier habit. These efforts take time, patience, and understanding, but they pave ways to a brighter future where children feel supported, balanced, and emotionally fulfilled.
Our service, “Net” Education and Counselling Service of Hong Kong Family Welfare Society provides a WhatsApp messaging and hotline for enquiring any concerns like Internet addiction, online dating and so on, feel free to contact us at 5592 7474.
