Trash, treasure and thrifting: China’s youth turns eco-anxiety into trendy action

BEIJING, (Xinhua) — When Cici Tomato donated her ex-boyfriend’s hoodie to a secondhand shop in Shanghai providing what it calls a “Rescue Wardrobe for Your Ex’s Clothes,” she wasn’t only thinking about decluttering.

“Letting it go felt like giving both the hoodie and myself a fresh start,” said Cici, who swapped the item for a cropped tank top.

The spirit of the service — rehoming clothes to reduce waste and support communities — captures the spirit of China’s youth-driven sustainability movement: practical, personal, and undeniably cool.

Whether it’s redistributing surplus food in mystery bags or using worms to compost in high-rise apartments, young innovators are turning sustainability into a joyful, accessible lifestyle — less of a burden and more of a daily rhythm.

Leading the charge is Xishi Magic Bag, a social enterprise tackling food waste by selling “mystery bags” filled with unsold, discounted, perfectly edible food items from bakeries, cafes and convenience stores.

Since 2021, the initiative has expanded to over 100 cities, rescuing more than 10,000 tonnes of food in total. Users see their carbon footprints reduction through an app, blending environmental impact reduction with gamification.

“It’s like being a wizard,” said Luona Cai, 32, a partner at Xishi. “You grab a bag, save food, and bam — you’ve cast a spell against waste.”

Over 80 percent of Xishi users are women aged 18 to 40, drawn by the thrill of treasure hunting while slashing their carbon footprints. The surprise element — the contents of each bag are a mystery — turns sustainability into an adventure.

The initiative’s impact goes beyond reducing emissions. “Magic brings new life” is more than just a slogan for Xishi; It was inspired by a user who found it both an emotional comfort and financial relief during a tough job transition. Others have also shared stories of serendipity, like couples who met during bag pickups.

“When sustainability is convenient and fun, people embrace it,” Cai said.

This fusion of personal and planetary care resonates with influencers like Su Yige, a 27-year-old sustainable and vegan lifestyle content creator with over 110,000 followers on Bilibili and Xiaohongshu, liftstyle platforms.

Su, who began her sustainability journey in college, champions eco-living as “hedonism, not hardship,” sharing tips on thrifting lipstick, plant-based recipes, and DIY decor for rented apartments.

“Eco-living is a lifestyle, not a mission,” said Su, who rejects the pressure to be an extreme environmentalist. “People think you need to quit plastic or avoid flights. I say: Start where you are. Even small choices matter.”

Businesses are also riding the sustainability wave. In Beijing, Amy Li, a restaurateur and co-founder of Susu & Pakpak, has embraced Xishi Magic Bag as a creative way to manage surplus food and empower young chefs.

“We don’t allow popular dishes to sell out,” she explained. “But prepared ingredients would go to waste. The magic bags enable us to reduce waste and give customers something experimental.”

For some, this shift to sustainability goes even deeper. In her 30s, Zhang Ying made a bold career shift, leaving her job as an English tutor to become a full-time nature educator.

Zhang, who now goes by her “nature name,” Sandalwood, teaches children in cities about composting through her apartment earthworm colony. Their “black gold” fertilizer, which is made from kitchen scraps, nourishes plants and minds alike.

“Apart from being producers and consumers, we’re all decomposers in nature’s grand story,” she said. “Even a tiny worm can reshape how we see our place in the world.”

This eco-culture shift is evident in data: A 2023 China Youth Daily survey revealed that over 90 percent of college student respondents expressed concern about environmental issues, with many actively practicing eco-friendly habits like reducing food waste, conserving energy and eating more plant-based meals.

This proactive mindset fuels platforms like secondhand marketplace app Xianyu, which boasts 600 million users. Restaurants are also seeing surging demand for “mini” portions, and apps reward low-carbon habits with subway discounts or tree-planting credits.

Cai sees a contrast between generations: “Older people practiced frugality out of necessity. But today’s youth, raised in a digital age, are asking deeper questions — about their future, their relationship with nature, and what it means to live with purpose.”

Cai and her team now plan to expand Xishi Magic Bag’s supply base to include cooked meals, hotel buffets and upstream food suppliers, aiming to tackle food waste at the source.

Whether sparked by a discarded hoodie or a rescued croissant, China’s youth is rewriting the green playbook one small, fashionable choice at a time.

For Su, progress lies in imperfection. “Eco-living isn’t about being flawless. It’s about doing your best, your way.”

“Self-care,” Su reflected, “can go hand in hand with Earth-care.”