Sydney Chung
USA, 17
She/Her
Project: Recycle the Runway
After Sydney’s eighth-grade science project exposed the environmental and social costs of fast fashion, she relentlessly searched for sustainable alternatives she could afford. She founded Recycle the Runway to make sustainable fashion accessible and appealing to Gen Z, transforming unwanted textiles into affordable, trendy clothing while promoting slow fashion. Rather than focusing on new materials or carbon offsets like many industry leaders, Recycle the Runway tackles the problem at its source: textile waste overflowing landfills. To date, Sydney has upcycled 300+ pieces and reached 210,000+ people with educational content on fast fashion through social media and community events. As rural poverty rises across her home state, Hawaii, she is developing workshops that teach young people accessible upcycling skills – helping them save money, build practical vocational skills, and reduce long-term textile waste.