Going Green in Chinatown at MINI Extraoddinary 2019

Last year, MINI Singapore took us through the artsy alleys of Katong and Joo Chiat with their first edition of MINI Extraoddinary, reinventing the odd corners and spaces peppered across our urban landscape.

This weekend, 22 – 24 November 2019, MINI once again brings us fresh perspectives—this time in the field of sustainability. If you’ve been wanting to go green but have no idea how, MINI Extraoddinary is the best place to start. Here’s a quick rundown of everything you’ll get to see and do on the trail in Chinatown!

Where fashion meets flora

We all love a good watermelon print, but did you know you can literally wear fruit and veggies? The Pineapple Trading Store offers leather-like accessories made from pineapple leaves, while Mushroom Style Pte Ltd brings you myleather created from mycelium, the ‘roots’ of mushrooms.

(P.s. Mycelium can even be used as a building material. Isn’t that crazy? Check out the stone-like lion statues for yourself at Guardians of the Future!)

On the water pollution front, Changing Room showcases natural fabrics dyed and printed using only plants and leaves, which you can learn to do at the Verte Couture workshops just next door.

Turning trash into treasure

Now that we’ve seen how experts are repurposing agricultural waste in fashion, take a look at how your morning cold brew can also be used to cultivate food at Kopi Gu. Even our longkang sludge can be recycled, as you’ll find at the sewage ink demos at Rewriting Our Fate.

And then, of course, there’s plastic waste. Wits vs Waste invites you to play a game of Chinese chess with upcycled plastic chess pieces, table, and stools, in a symbolic war on plastic pollution.

Robries Gallery also displays a stylish homeware collection at What Goes Around and keepsakes at All I Got Was This Trashy Souvenir, with everything created out of plastic trash.

Food of the future

The longevity of plastic is depressing, that’s for sure. But what if there was a plastic that could dissolve in water, or even be eaten? Learn how this seaweed-based alternative can possibly solve the plastic pollution problem at Soup for the Eco-Soul’s edible plastic demos!

Speaking of the sea, the live food installation at Scum & Scrumptious also gives you a glimpse into a future where “fish are friends, not food!” And if you’re wondering what we’ll eat next, well, algae cookie tastings are right next door at Fortune in a Cookie.

Veggie Might further zeroes in on the issue of food security with a focus on urban farming. But for now, you can get your plant-based fix with ‘bak kwa no bak’ at Meatless Packing District and kombucha at Cha, Cha, Cha!

Conserving our culture

This MINI Extraoddinary also spotlights cultural sustainability. With the trail located in the heart of Chinatown, MINI has tried to incorporate snippets of Chinese culture in as many installations as possible.

Remember, the trail is only available from this Friday to Sunday, so mark your calendars and make sure you don’t miss out! More details on exhibits, collaborators, and programmes here.

MINI EXTRAODDINARY
Meeting point: People’s Park Complex
(outdoor space near Chinatown MRT Exit C)
Date and time: 22 – 24 November 2019, 10am – 7pm