Never before has such an abundance of clothing been available to society. The excesses of the fast fashion industry, combined with an unquenchable thirst for outfits, contribute to the development of this phenomenon. On average, big brands like Zara or H&M update their collections every three weeks. As opportunities for reusing and recycling second-hand clothing are limited in Europe, most discarded and donated items are exported to Africa and Asia.
In 2000, about 550,000 tons of textiles were exported. In 2019, this figure was almost 1.7 million tonnes. This corresponds to an average of 3.8 kilograms per person. 46% of all used textiles end up in Africa.
Among the buyers is Kenya, one of Africa’s biggest importers of second-hand clothes, through which 185,000 tonnes of “mitumbas” (“second-hand clothes” in Swahili) transit annually.
“Textiles are mainly reused in remote areas where there is a demand for cheap second-hand clothes from Europe,” the environmental agency said.
According to the EEA’s Environmental Protection Agency, “after export”, “the fate of used textiles often remains uncertain”. Despite the pre-sorting of the second hand, many objects are too damaged to be resold. As a result, they are dumped or burned in open landfills, which has a catastrophic effect on the environment.
“It’s a global problem”
In 2019, around 41% of used textiles were reportedly shipped to Asia for the first time, where old items were sorted and recycled at several central locations.
Today, most second-hand items are either used as fabric or upholstery for industry, or sent to other Asian countries for recycling or to Africa for reuse, the EEA said.
From the perspective of Alex Musembi, founder of Africa Collects Textiles, an organization that fights against textile waste, the fault clearly lies with exporting countries that do not carefully monitor the quality of shipments. “It’s a global problem. Fast fashion must abandon its lucrative logic to move towards the design of clothing with sustainable materials. Too many clothes are made from environmentally harmful microplastics. “We are not a trash can. Europeans must find a solution for better recycling of clothes in their country. They should also think about a true circular economy and consume less.
