Longbeach Mall turns trash into treasure this festive season
Longbeach Mall celebrates a sustainable festive season with recycled art and community workshops.
Image: Supplied
All it takes is a little creativity, a dash of patience, and a whole lot of trash. That’s how Longbeach Mall is celebrating the festive season this year.
The mall’s sustainability campaign has transformed everyday waste into works of art, community connection, and festive cheer.
The initiative launched with an inspiring eco-art exhibition, featuring striking sculptures made entirely from recycled materials - including the now-famous Octoprime, a majestic octopus crafted from repurposed items and crowned as the Mall’s new eco-champion.
But the creativity didn’t stop there.
On Saturday, October 4, Longbeach Mall joined forces with local organisations and volunteers for a community beach clean-up at Fish Hoek Beach.
Armed with gloves, buckets, and plenty of enthusiasm, locals came together to protect the coastline and collect recyclable materials that would later find new life in festive art.
The Mall took it a step further by hosting a series of Earth Art Workshops, where members of the public learned how to turn recycled materials - including those collected during the clean-up - into Christmas decorations.
Guided by talented eco-artists such as Irene Oxley, families and children crafted beautiful wreaths and ‘trash tinsel’. These creations now adorn the Mall’s grand festive tree - a living symbol of community creativity and environmental care.
Regional marketing manager Minnin du Preez said Longbeach Mall is deeply committed to sustainability. “We didn’t just want a once-off beach clean-up,” she said.
“As good as that is, we wanted to use our role in the community to inspire a bigger conversation around sustainability.”
She thanked the Rotary Club South Peninsula-Cape Town, Fish Hoek Lions and Leos, Drizzles, Zone Radio, Life Saving South Africa, Cape Medical Response, The Haven Night Shelter WO Cape Town, and every individual who helped make a difference.
"Through initiatives like these, Longbeach Mall hopes to inspire the far south to rethink waste, embrace creativity, and celebrate the season in a truly sustainable way," Ms du Preez said.