Bedford Middle School sixth grader Katherine Rose Li won a top prize in an international video competition addressing overcrowding with a 60-second take on waste in the fashion industry.

With her succinct, colorful video, “Hanging by a Thread,” Li won the recognition in the World of 8 Billion International Student Video Contest, which drew thousands of entries from teens in 63 countries. Her video took first place in the middle school level in economics, one of three categories that the contest focused on. The others were energy and wetlands.

Li’s video tackles the environmental problems – including 92 million tons of textile waste annually – created by “fast fashion,” which involves selling cheap, trendy clothes that fall apart quickly, requiring the consumer to spend more money to replace them. 

“All over the world, people like to purchase cheap clothes that end up piled in landfills and open spaces,” Li said in a press release on the contest. “If people continue to make these small decisions, it makes it worse around the globe.”

More than 3,275 videos were produced in the annual contest, which is sponsored by Population Connection, a Washington D.C.-based organization that seeks to address overpopulation. It is organized by the group’s Population Education program. Videos are judged by a panel of educators, filmmakers and subject matter experts.

“It takes real skill to communicate a persuasive message in just one minute about urgent problems facing our growing world,” said John Seager, President of Population Connection. “These students both explain complex issues clearly and think creatively about how we collectively can build a more sustainable future.”

In Li’s video, she proposes fashioning clothes with biodegradable fabrics made from pineapple leaves, mushroom mycelium and wood pulp.

“Repair, reuse, rethink,” her video concludes. “A smarter economy starts in your closet.”

Her entry stood out for its analysis of fast fashion as well as its colorful animation, which she pieced together from copyright-free graphics and her own drawings, the organization said in a press release.

Li’s prize for first place is $600. But she’s not stopping there.

“I just scratched the surface on learning about fast fashion and their sustainable solutions,” she said on the webpage showcasing her project. “I am excited to learn more, spread awareness at school and through videos, and even work in the sustainable fashion industry one day!”