A recent exhibition on recreating the art from plastic bags has spread a new perspective on the type of packaging that people use and throw away every day. In addition to artistic value, the young people who organised this exhibition wanted to contribute a small part to the sustainability of the Earth's environment and give plastic bags a "second life".

A dress made from recycled nylon bags on display at the exhibition. Photo: L.V

This was an interactive art exhibition project that recently took place in Da Nang was jointly organised by Gac Sao Branding, the Da Nang campus of the Greenwich University Viet Nam and Limart - Zero Waste.

Here, visitors could access more than 20 works recycled from plastic bags, from everyday items to individual art models. These were flowers, paintings, handbags, bracelets or unique and colourful dresses.

According to Mr. Duong Dinh Vu, a designer at Giac Sao Branding, a unit specialising in designing brand identities, recycled art applied at the exhibition spread a clear message about the environment. Vu said: “From birth to adulthood, we are surrounded by nylon. With a desire to minimise this impact, this interactive art exhibition was aimed at recycling and limiting the use of plastic items.

Behind every creation made from plastic bags is a worth-noting story. For example, there was an artwork with the main image being dried tree branches and plastic bags underneath, implying that littering affects the environment and limits the growth of trees.

As for another one, the ‘Five Elements’ fashion collection by Refly Fashion recycled fashion unit with 5 dresses made from plastic bags with corresponding colour tones of Metal - Wood - Water - Fire - Earth.

According to Ms. Le Thi Minh Nguyet, the co-founder of Refly Fashion, with the orientation of pursuing a line of recycled fashion for performance and display, the company's products attracted great attention of many customers. At the same time, the recycling of discarded things such as plastic bags or old clothes was also a way to reduce the burden on production resources.

Emphasising the concept of the ‘second journey’ or ‘new life cycle' of plastic bags, in the current context of plastic bags becoming the daily usage habit, the exhibition aimed to let visitors themselves feel and share gentle messages so as to gradually change the perception.

In fact, plastic bags are not only used as containers or trash but they are reborn, bringing new value to continue serving human life.

Visitors to the exhibition, in addition to admiring, can also experience an interactive workshop making products from plastic bags or participate in Circle Talk about art.

Being present at the recycled art event for the first time, Nguyen Huu Khanh, 21, said that, in his mind he had never thought of being able to make a handmade bracelet from discarded nylon.

For young people attending at the exhibition, a bracelet from recycled materials not only carried the aesthetic value of an accessory but also contained new and practical things about the environment.

In the near future, programmes like this will continue to spread and expand in scale, form and content to get closer to the community.

Reporting by BACH VIET - Translating by A.THU, T.TUNG