UGA Ph.D. candidate, Ziyou Jiang, promotes fashion sustainability while pursuing her doctorate research

Caroline Kostuch

Ziyou Jiang, UGA Ph.D. candidate and campus sustainability grant winner, poses in front of her clothing upcycle program flyer. The program invites students to drop off unwanted clothes and turn them into new items they will use. (Photo/Caroline Kostuch)

Ziyou Jiang welcomes students into the activity lab with a smile as they stop by to drop off old clothing pieces and give them a new life. She wears a gray hoodie and black leggings elevated with classic silver hoops and platform Prada sneakers as she teaches participants how to reinvent and reattach to once loved items.

Jiang sets up one student to take a reflective survey about the experience while another student works at the sewing machine. She joins the student at the machine, talking to her about classes, hobbies and more as they turn an old camouflage t-shirt into a tote bag. 

“Upcycling Education: Give your clothes an unintended second life” is a program and research study that allows students to bring in unwanted clothing and create a new item out of the material with the guidance of project leaders. The upcycling program, led by Jiang alongside Yujun Lin and Yinan Liang, received a 2022-2023 Campus Sustainability Grant from the university. The workshops take place on campus at the Consumer Experience Learning Lab and the Product Development and Design Lab. 

Jiang is a third-year Ph.D. candidate and graduate teaching assistant at the University of Georgia studying polymer, fiber and textile science with an emphasis in international merchandising. She teaches classes and conducts research, yet she found the time to lead the upcycling education program and use her experience in fashion to make a larger impact. 

“I know it is a very important topic and a popular topic as well because it’s regarding our environment, our living environment,” Jiang said.

Jiang’s relationship with fashion and textiles dates back to 2010. Jiang received her bachelor’s degree in fashion design from Dalian Polytechnic University, just four hours away from her hometown of Shenyang, China. After graduating, she made the decision to move to the United States and pursue her dreams of further education. 

“There’s two different parts: one part is I will miss my parents and my other friends, the other part is I will have a new life in different cities and different countries,” Jiang said. 

Jiang moved to San Francisco and earned a master’s degree in fashion merchandising from the Academy of Art University before attending her long-term dream school Parsons School of Design in New York where she earned her master’s degree in strategic design and management. 

With both of her parents being professors at universities in China and multiple close family members having doctorates of their own, Jiang felt influenced to keep expanding her knowledge. She decided to apply to the polymer, fiber and textile science Ph.D. program at UGA. 

Jiang’s husband wanted to pursue his doctorate in sports management, so they searched for the best schools in the nation offering both programs and applied. After they both got into their programs at UGA, they moved to Athens. 

The upcycling education program has been a relaxing escape for Jiang from the pressure of school as she teaches students to sew while also promoting sustainability in fashion. 

“Research is so hard for me and sometimes makes me feel stressed,” Jiang said. “I think [the upcycling program] makes me happier and releases some of my stress.”

85% of all textiles end up in landfills each year, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. Sustainable fashion is becoming more relevant than ever, drawing attention to Jiang’s upcycling project.

Jiang doesn’t just teach students to sew, but provides a positive experience in sustainability and mental health. After over ten years of higher education, Jiang sees her future in fashion consulting or teaching as a professor.

“I’ve never seen a Ph.D. student like her,” said Jewon Lyu, Ph.D. advisor for Jiang and assistant professor in textiles, merchandising and interiors. “She’s a go-getter.” 

The upcycling education activity workshop was open to participants for two weeks, welcoming students wanting to help contribute to sustainable practices and take a break from school.

Kyla Stallings, second-year UGA student, works with Jiang to create a tote bag out of an old t-shirt. Jiang guides each student through the upcycling process, whether it is their first-time sewing or if they have prior experience. (Photo/Caroline Kostuch)

Why I Wrote the Story:

During spring 2023, I was assigned to cover the sustainability beat in my reporting and writing across platforms course. One of our last assignments was to profile a person related to our beat, so I found Jiang and her work. With this being the first profile I have completed on my own, I learned in-depth interview skills as well as how to write for features rather than hard news.

Mayor Kelly Girtz feels positive about the March 7 Georgia Square Mall redevelopment vote

Caroline Kostuch

(Photo/Andrea Hudson)

Athens-Clarke County Mayor Kelly Girtz feels positive about the Georgia Square Mall redevelopment project vote taking place March 7 at 6 p.m.

The vote to pass the community benefits agreement with The Leaven Group has been delayed multiple times. If the vote does not pass on the seventh, the zoning option deadline will not be met and the developer would need to resubmit under Georgia zoning law. This would create significant difficulty in moving forward with the project, Girtz said.

“I feel positive about this called session on the seventh,” Girtz said at a news conference held at the University of Georgia Friday morning. “You can’t just feel positive though, you have to do things that get you to feel positive.”

Girtz said at the news conference that he is meeting regularly with the county attorney, county management, development representatives and county commissioners in an effort to ensure the March 7 vote takes place. 

The county and developers are negotiating final decisions on solid timelines for the community benefit components of the project. ACC Unified Government is working to ensure public benefits are completed within a predictable timeline, Girtz said. 

Community benefits incorporated in the plan include affordable housing, paved multi-use trails, a transit station, a child-care facility, public greenspace and more. 

The current plan proposes approximately 1200 homes with at least 10% to be affordable housing. Affordable housing would be reserved for tenants whose household income is less than 80% of the median income of the Georgia Square Mall’s census block. 

The ACC government would provide about $189 million in TAD funds towards the project. The funds would come from the development’s new property tax flow over the next three decades and not from any existing property taxes. The developers expect to spend around $400 million on the redevelopment project. 

Belk is the only anchor store still open at the Georgia Square Mall and would remain open under the current plan. Belk has a multi-decade lease and the right of refusal for any redevelopment of the surrounding property.

The Georgia Square Mall was built in 1980 and now stands in deteriorating structural condition with large amounts of vacancy. 

“I don’t want to have my name attached to a gravel pit on Atlanta Highway,” Girtz said.

The county is hosting a public input session Thursday to hear citizen comments and ensure public understanding of the project before the vote takes place on March 7. ACC Unified Government will also vote on an amended intergovernmental agreement with the Clarke County School District extending their partnership until 2052.

Why I Wrote the Story:

Mayor Kelly Girtz hosted a news conference at UGA to discuss the Georgia Square Mall redevelopment plan. Journalists gathered to ask him questions about the upcoming vote that would decide the future of the plan. While writing about the news conference, I gained knowledge about covering local government and learned how to identify a newsworthy element when given a multitude of information.