In the heart of Shanghai, a young woman known as Cici Tomato made a symbolic trade. She gave away her ex-boyfriend’s hoodie at a secondhand shop offering a “Rescue Wardrobe for Your Ex’s Clothes.” In return, she picked out a cropped tank top. For her, this simple action represented a fresh emotional start. However, it also aligned with a larger movement gaining strength across China. Increasingly, China’s youth embrace eco-living not as a trend, but as a practical and personal choice.
Across the country, this generation is reshaping sustainability into something joyful and stylish. In particular, secondhand fashion, composting, and rescued food are no longer fringe ideas. Instead, they are central to a growing eco-conscious culture led by the young.
In over 100 cities, a social enterprise called Xishi Magic Bag is changing how people reduce food waste. Specifically, the initiative offers discounted “mystery bags” containing edible but unsold food from cafes, bakeries, and convenience stores. Since its launch in 2021, the project has saved more than 10,000 tonnes of food. Every bag purchased gives users a sense of surprise and impact. Moreover, the app even tracks how each choice reduces personal carbon emissions. This blend of tech, fun, and sustainability has found loyal users.
Notably, women between 18 and 40 years old make up over 80% of the platform’s user base. For many, grabbing a mystery bag feels like a treasure hunt with a climate benefit. For instance, Luona Cai, one of the platform’s partners, describes the experience as magical. “You grab a bag, save food, and it feels like casting a spell against waste,” she said.
Beyond the app’s environmental goals, users often find emotional comfort and community through the initiative. For example, one person said the service gave them hope during a rough job transition. Others even formed relationships during bag pickups. Indeed, China’s youth embrace eco-living not only to help the planet, but also to enrich their daily lives.
This lifestyle shift resonates with young influencers as well. Su Yige, a 27-year-old content creator, shares sustainable living tips with her 110,000 followers. On platforms like Bilibili and Xiaohongshu, she promotes vegan meals, thrifted beauty finds, and handmade home décor. Furthermore, she avoids guilt-driven activism and instead encourages small, personal steps. “Eco-living is a lifestyle, not a mission,” Su says.
In Beijing, restaurant owners like Amy Li are adapting their businesses too. At her restaurant, Susu & Pakpak, leftover ingredients are creatively repurposed into “mystery bag” dishes. Consequently, this allows chefs to experiment and customers to taste something new, all while cutting waste.
Meanwhile, some young adults are taking even bolder steps. Zhang Ying, who now calls herself Sandalwood, left her job as an English tutor. She now educates city children about composting. From her apartment, she runs a colony of earthworms that turns kitchen scraps into fertile compost. “Even a tiny worm can change how we see our role in nature,” she tells her students.
This new culture of mindful living is also backed by data. A 2023 survey by China Youth Daily showed that over 90% of college students care about environmental issues. Additionally, many actively reduce food waste, use less energy, and eat more plant-based meals. Tech platforms have also caught on. For example, Xianyu, a secondhand marketplace, now has 600 million users. Other apps reward users with perks like subway discounts or tree-planting credits for their low-carbon habits.
Interestingly, this youthful mindset differs from that of earlier generations. Where older citizens practiced frugality out of necessity, young people now choose it out of purpose. According to Cai, today’s youth want to live with intention. They are rethinking their connection to nature, consumption, and their futures.
Looking ahead, Xishi Magic Bag plans to expand further. Specifically, the team wants to include hotel buffets and cooked meals from restaurants. By tackling food waste at the source, they hope to deepen their impact.
As this movement grows, small gestures—like swapping clothes or saving croissants—are driving big cultural change. Clearly, China’s youth embrace eco-living in ways that blend style, innovation, and community.
For Su, the journey remains flexible and forgiving. “You don’t need to be perfect,” she says. “Just start where you are.” Her message captures the core of this shift. In modern China, taking care of yourself and taking care of the planet are increasingly the same thing.
