As of 2024, an average of 15 million pieces (Fact check) of second hand clothing is imported to Ghana annually and this corporate waste has devastated many aspects of the world’s most beautiful coastal cities. The issue facing Ghana, as well as other underdeveloped countries affected by Western colonialism, can be attributed to the lack of technological facilities or the overhaul of corporate waste that operates without an efficient system of recycling or economic sustainability. Petitions and corporate call-outs to the Ghanaian government from various organizations are underway but there is an underlining divide for those that are pro-ban or anti-ban of second hand clothing importation. 

Despite many organizations and activists bringing awareness to the consequences of fashion waste in Ghana, little to no resolution has been resolved. Beach clean ups, empowering fashion designers, up cycling programs, festivals and social media influencer campaigns have raised global awareness but organizations are demanding for an all hands on deck approach to the solution. 

One of the organizations whom have been one of the loudest voices on social media sharing their message to fight the environmental damages caused by fashion waste in Ghana is the Oris Present, (www.theor.org). Over a course of more than 4 years, the organization have utilized effective resources including social media, artists cosigns, festivals, events, petitions and data collection from second hand clothing vendors in Ghana to further provide information regarding their presence in Ghana’s textile industry. An interesting conversation has been revealed as petitions against corporations causing the unnecessary waste seems to come from the market vendors who are reliant on their textile businesses for income. 

Recently, the Oris Present NGO posted a graphic on Instagram that stated “We do not support a ban” and their concerns were focused on the immediate needs of the Kantamanto market community. Therefore, the Oris Present NGO have positioned themselves on the side of Kantamanto and have developed a fund account for donations to support the market vendors in Kantamanto. Their website states,  the fund will “Redistribute funds to individuals who physically, culturally, psychologically and financially carry the burden of Big Fashion’s waste crisis.” They will also, “Reserve funds for community wide crises such as a market fire, demolition, cholera outbreak or outbreaks of sexual violence.” The goals are clear for this NGO, but there is another perspective that is pushing for a ban immediately. 

Greenpeace is an international organization known for exploring environmental issues around the world and the Greenpeace Africa Instagram account shared their petition which seems to counter Oris Present’s position against a ban. Can this disagreement in organizational society affect the support the Kantamanto community as well as other Ghanaian market vendors in all regions deserve?

It is also stated on Greenpeace’s website, that their demands are targeted directly to the Ghana government and president Nana Akuffo-Addo. Their demands include to “Ban the import of textile ‘dead waste’ immediately” and “Call for mechanisms to make polluters and clothes companies pay for the environmental and health damage they cause.” However, both organizations do agree that an investment in Ghana’s textile industry is a priority for longevity and sustainability in the fashion market. Both organizations strongly claim they’ve conducted investigations which have led to their public petitions. 

In a recent PBS News interview, Kate O’Neill, an author of the recycling industry from U.C. Berkeley, was asked about her position on ‘How donations from the West are inundating Ghana with toxic waste’ and Kate stated, “Those people can’t be just tossed off their jobs. You have got to create jobs…move from a waste economy to a repair and reuse economy”. More information about Ghana’s waste economy includes cars, electronics or household items that are usually low quality was discussed in this interview which further exposes the current state of Ghana’s second hand importation crises.

Ghana has an interesting market for fashion that is heavily reliant on second hand clothing aside from the West African style fabrics, Ghana Kente clothing, Hausa mud cloth or traditional leather pieces which are often reliant on imported cotton fabrics. However, in 2019, Ghana imported textile and clothing valued over $200 million USD (https://wits.worldbank.org/CountryProfile/en/Country/GHA/Year/LTST/TradeFlow/Import/Partner/by-country/Product/50-63_TextCloth), but the inefficiencies of market development corrupt the economic potential of second hand clothing profits for market vendors who are typically women sellers. 

The cycle in which clothing becomes waste begins with fashion corporations, consumers and major retailer thrift stores. Fashion corporations include department stores, boutiques, luxury fashion and any entity that buys or sell wholesale clothing. Consumers are unintentionally aggravators of this system by disposing their clothing waste into trash or landfills instead of recycling the fabric for repurposed materials. Major retailer thrift stores, however, play a surprisingly large role in the disposal of second hand clothing. For example, Goodwill, have executive departments who resell retail clothing after its shelf life has passed to vendors who purchase bales of clothing to ship overseas. In other words, using ‘middle men’ vendors in the U.S. to ship to vendors in South America, India and Africa as the most popular destinations. At the end, beaches and garbage landfills are filled with an exuberant amount of waste which encompasses items thrown away by market vendors and excess unusable items as its reported over 40% of second hand items sent is commonly unusable. Ultimately, fashion retailers use these tactics to cut their tax expenses and decrease their waste bill.

Overall, environmental concerns in Africa are at the hands of the communities and government but assistance from international organizations can also unintentionally cause tension politically on the ground. This shouldn’t detour supporters from their hopes of assisting the Ghanaian community fight this cause. Fast fashion companies and major thrift store chains are responsible for the overconsumption and transport of textile waste.