Redefining Conscious Consumption
Bhutan | Redefining Conscious Consumption - Gola-Gola | 2024
Kuzuzangpo la!
We are Gola-Gola Bhutan, a youth-led movement working to bridge the gap between excess and need. In 2024, we launched our campaign to tackle clothing waste in Thimphu while addressing clothing scarcity in Lhuentse. Our mission? To cultivate a culture of conscious consumption and redistribution, ensuring that no clothing goes to waste while supporting those in need.
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18 to 24 years old
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The Right-Sized Problem
Thimphu, Bhutan’s capital, sees massive excess clothing, much of which ends up as waste. Meanwhile, in rural Lhuentse, many families struggle to access proper clothing. This mismatch called for a sustainable solution to redistribute clothing, reduce waste, and promote conscious consumption.
What did we do?
Over three months, we implemented a nationwide movement that combined charity, advocacy, and creative solutions.
Offline Impact
🧥 Clothing Donation Drives – Organized three weekly drives in Thimphu (May-June 2024), collecting over 2,000 pieces of clothing.
🧥 College Donation Campaign – Partnered with Royal Thimphu College, KGUMSB, and GCIT to collect an additional 1,200 pieces (June 2024).
🧥 Distribution in Lhuentse – Delivered 2,800 clothes to 265 beneficiaries across three Gewogs (July 2024).
🌱 Tree Plantation Program – Planted 108 trees at Kuenselphodrang, an auspicious number in Bhutanese culture, to offset textile waste's environmental impact.
Online & Media Impact
👗 Upcycle Fashion Design Competition – Encouraged young designers to create new outfits from repurposed clothing, running from July to August 2024.
📰 Media Spotlight – Featured by Kuensel, Bhutan’s leading news outlet, amplifying the campaign’s impact. Read More.
Campaign Impact
Waste to Resource – Collected and redistributed over 4,000 clothing items, providing dignified clothing to those in need.
Engaged Youth – Mobilized 200+ volunteers and partnered with universities, local businesses, and government agencies.
Cultural Shift – The Upcycle Fashion Design Competition sparked conversations on sustainable fashion, encouraging a shift in how Bhutanese youth perceive clothing waste.
One of our biggest successes was our Lhuentse outreach, where we exceeded our goal by donating 2,800 clothes instead of the planned 1,800. Seeing families receive warm clothes for the harsh winters was a defining moment for our team.
What’s Next?
This is just the beginning. With growing awareness around conscious clothing consumption, we aim to:
✅ Expand the Cloth Drop Box Initiative to more locations in Bhutan.
✅ Scale up sustainable fashion programs to drive long-term behavior change.
✅ Continue partnerships with key stakeholders like Save the Children and the European Union.
Follow our journey:
📍 Facebook:Gola-Gola Bhutan
📍 Instagram:@gola_gola_bhutan
📍 YouTube:Gola-Gola Bhutan
📍 TikTok:@golagola.bhutan
