Australian teenagers are tackling the impacts of fast fashion at the Youth Eco Summit held at Sydney Olympic Park.
In the Waste Not Mash it Up! Trashion Project students from Nepean and Northmead Creative and Performing Arts High Schools create garments made from 're-loved' textiles, packaging and plastic waste.
The 'trashion' pieces then compete for prizes including Best Trashion and Most Resourceful and will be judged by artist and activist Marina DeBris and the CEO of Reverse Garbage Naomi Brennan.
In its second year, the project has now gained support from the Australian Fashion Council and IMG Talent which plans to showcase an installation of student trashion at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in May 2020.
Waste Not Mash it Up! Trashion Project program director Ruth Hessey said that the program is tapping into the student's desire to disrupt traditional frameworks.
"This generation is very eager to express opinions that shake up the mainstream.
"Australian teenagers have joined the global school climate strikes. Now they are taking on fast fashion – one of the most wasteful industries on earth.
"With over 83 billion new garments made each year, a third of which are burned or buried and never worn, it’s well and truly time for an overhaul of the way we use our clothes. The environmental impact is huge," she said.
Prizes for the winning pieces have been donated by Replas, Reverse Garbage, Zoggs Australia, Billy Blue Design School and Allerton Swimwear.
The event will take place on September 03 at the Quaycentre at Sydney Olympic Park.