Every day, millions of garments are discarded, entering a global secondhand supply chain. However, the rise of fast fashion complicates this process. Ghana, especially Accra's Kantamanto market, imports millions of used garments weekly, but around 40% become waste, straining the city. Fast fashion items wear out quickly, and synthetic blends are difficult to recycle. Since 2000, the average number of times a garment is worn before disposal has dropped by 36%, and less than 1% of old clothes are recycled into new ones. Companies like Canam International in India repurpose some textiles into products like insulation, but much still ends up in landfills. The fashion industry contributes 2% to 8% of global carbon emissions. Some companies are shifting toward sustainable practices, such as producing fewer, higher-quality items, though their scalability remains uncertain.
Vocabulary:
• Tossed out (verb): To throw away or dispose of something.
• Out of sight, out of mind (phrase): When something is not visible, it is easily forgotten.
• Wholesalers (noun) : People or businesses that sell large quantities of goods to retailers or other merchants.
• Resellers (noun): Individuals or businesses that sell items they have purchased to other customers.
• Unsellable (adj.): Something that cannot be sold because it is not in a condition that people want to buy.
• Synthetic (adj.): Materials made through chemical processes rather than derived from natural substances.
• Incinerator (noun): A machine or facility used to burn waste material at high temperatures.
• Blended fabrics (noun): Textiles made from a mix of different materials, such as cotton and polyester.
• Carbon emissions (noun): The release of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, often contributing to climate change.
• Capping growth (verb): Limiting the increase or expansion of something, often to control environmental impact.
• Waste (noun): Any material, substance, or item that is discarded, unwanted, or no longer useful.
Source: Bloomberg Quicktake Youtube channel.