First lady Emine Erdoğan, chairperson of the U.N. High-Level Advisory Board on Zero Waste, visited the “Zero Waste Installation Exhibition” at the U.N. headquarters in New York on Wednesday. Erdoğan, who traveled to New York to deliver a speech at the U.N.’s special event for International Zero Waste Day on March 30, toured the exhibition held in the U.N. garden.
The exhibition, organized in collaboration with the Zero Waste Foundation, U.N.-Habitat and the U.N. Environment Programme (UNEP), was attended by Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change Minister Murat Kurum, U.N. High Representative for Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States Rabab Fatima, U.N. Assistant Secretary-General Ligia Noronha, members of the Zero Waste Advisory Board, fashion designers and diplomatic mission representatives.
The exhibition will remain open to visitors until April 11 as part of the International Zero Waste Day events. Erdoğan received detailed information about the exhibition’s various sections.
‘We have enough’
The exhibition highlights the theme of “zero waste in fashion and textiles,” the focus of International Zero Waste Day 2025, aiming to raise awareness about sustainability in the industry.
The exhibition promotes the idea that people already have enough resources and products, emphasizing that consumption habits can be reduced. It also conveys that there are sufficient solutions, knowledge and people to drive change and make a better future possible.
At the center of the exhibition is the striking “We Have Enough” sculpture, representing global textile waste. The textile waste inside the sculpture reflects the amount produced worldwide during the exhibition’s duration. Visitors can enter the installation, which features mirrors on the ceiling and floor, creating the illusion of infinite textile waste. The installation transforms abstract waste statistics into a tangible experience.
All textile waste used in the exhibition will be donated for recycling after the event.
9 thematic sections
Surrounding the central sculpture, the exhibition takes visitors on a journey through nine thematic sections, illustrating the current state of the world, the role of textile waste, individual and collective responsibilities and existing solutions.
The first section, “Reality Zone,” delivers a stark message: “Our World is Drowning.” Through real images, data and soundscapes, visitors experience the severity of the environmental crisis. The exhibition highlights that pollution causes 9 million deaths annually, with a 66% increase over the past two decades.
The “Interactive Experience Zone” encourages visitors to step into designated areas labeled “Oceans, Humans, Animals, Air, Water and Soil” to access visual and data-based information about the environmental impact of textile waste.
In the “Information Zone,” visitors encounter striking facts about textile waste on digital screens. One statistic reveals that during a 90-minute football match, enough textile waste is generated to fill 5,400 garbage trucks. Another states that the textile industry consumes 215 trillion liters of water annually, equivalent to 86 million Olympic swimming pools. Globally, 92 million tons of textile waste are produced each year – equal to the weight of 9,109 Eiffel Towers.
In the “Confrontation Zone,” visitors face their personal impact on waste. Initially welcomed by a beautiful landscape, they soon find their silhouette composed of plastic and textile waste, underscoring the message: “It’s hard to accept, but we are all part of this picture.”
The “Our Role in Solutions” section features touchscreens displaying the environmental impact of daily clothing choices, particularly water consumption. Visitors are urged to “Reduce. Appreciate what you own. Buy only what you need. Prioritize durable, high-quality products.”
The “Screen Experience” area highlights the significance of reuse, showing its impact on the planet.
In the “Recycling Journey” zone, visitors watch a visual representation of how everyday clothing items undergo the recycling process.
The “Rethink” section, also called the “Reflection and Commitment Zone,” presents a wardrobe designed for a zero-waste lifestyle. Visitors can scan a QR code to sign the Zero Waste Declaration.
Finally, the “Best Practices Zone” showcases successful zero-waste and recycling projects worldwide. The section carries the message: “Change starts with us. This is not a utopia – it is real and achievable.”
Global initiatives
Another section of the exhibition introduces the Emine Erdoğan International Zero Waste Award, created under Erdoğan’s leadership to recognize and encourage global initiatives in the field. Organized by the Zero Waste Foundation in collaboration with UNEP and U.N.-Habitat, the award aims to highlight and promote impactful zero-waste projects worldwide.
Through a combination of technology, immersive experiences and physical installations, the exhibition seeks to make visitors more aware of the urgent need for sustainability and inspire them to adopt a zero-waste lifestyle.