SustyVibes mobilizes youth volunteers to tackle Nigeria’s growing textile waste crisis

NIGERIA – Youth-led sustainability organization SustyVibes has mobilized hundreds of young Nigerians to combat textile waste pollution through the 2025 edition of its annual Street Conference, held simultaneously across 10 states.

The initiative, supported by the UPS Foundation, coincided with World Cleanup Day, reinforcing the call for community-led climate action and responsible consumption.

Themed “Strive for Five”, the conference was founded on the principle that when just five per cent of a community unites for environmental action, they can catalyze a broader cultural shift toward sustainable waste management.

This year’s focus on textile waste spotlighted the mounting environmental toll of fast fashion, which has led to landfills across Nigeria overflowing with non-biodegradable fabric waste.

According to Aniebiet Obot, Projects and Partnerships Director at SustyVibes, the Street Conference, launched in 2016, has become a unifying platform connecting youths, local communities, and government authorities to champion environmental stewardship.

“In line with World Cleanup Day, SustyVibes, supported by the UPS Foundation and in partnership with UPS Nigeria, challenged households and businesses to rethink what they consider waste,” said Obot.

“Textile offcuts, used plastics, and bottles can be transformed into valuable products like jewellery, bags, or flowerpots through DIY upcycling sessions.”

The 2025 edition engaged over 570 volunteers across Lagos, Abuja, Adamawa, Kaduna, Kwara, Abia, Imo, Enugu, Rivers, and Ilorin, collecting an estimated 2,724.8 kilograms of waste.

Activities included clean-up drives, DIY upcycling workshops, and Intervibes surveys to gather insights on local waste management practices.

By turning waste collection into community engagement, SustyVibes demonstrated how grassroots leadership can inspire behavioural change.

The initiative underscored the organization’s belief that mobilizing five per cent of citizens as environmental leaders can motivate the remaining 95 percent to adopt habits like recycling, upcycling, and sustainable fashion practices.

SustyVibes, which aims to make sustainability relatable and actionable for young Africans, has spearheaded several notable projects, including Bioverse NG, the Eco-Anxiety Africa Project, Naija CookWise Campaign, and Street Dreams, in collaboration with global partners such as Ashoka, the UMI Fund, and the Youth Climate Justice Fund.

Through efforts like the Street Conference, SustyVibes continues to prove that youth engagement, innovation, and collective action can drive real progress toward tackling Nigeria’s environmental challenges and building a more sustainable future.

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