The challenges of textile waste in Africa are numerous, with serious environmental, economic, and social consequences. People on the red carpet wear outfits that they will never wear again. This is to argue that the fashion sector lacks sustainability and environmental care, resulting in increased textile waste in Africa. The catchphrase is always “Who are you wearing” and there will be no recycled outfits on the next red carpet.
According to the Future Investment Initiative Institute, the fashion industry emits more than 1.2 billion tons of greenhouse gas emissions every year as more clothes are produced each year and worn for increasingly shorter periods.
That represents one-tenth of total emissions, more than all foreign flights and maritime shipping combined. Fast fashion companies are dumping textile waste in Africa, exacerbating a cycle of environmental degradation and social injustice. Africa is at the centre of the expanding textile waste challenge.
Every year, millions of tons of discarded clothing and textiles arrive on the continent, much of it of such low quality that it is simply dumped. This pollutes the environment, puts communities’ health in danger, and adds to the climate problem.
The challenges of textile waste in Africa are enormous, with a rising contribution to landfills. These difficulties underscore the critical need for more sustainable textile production and waste management procedures, as well as greater responsibility in the global textile trade, to reduce the detrimental effects on the environment and local economies in Africa.
Some challenges of textile waste in Africa include
Economic dependence and policy challenges: African countries face a difficult task in combining the economic benefits of the second-hand clothes trade with the need to protect their indigenous industry and the environment. While some countries have established policies to reduce the import of second-hand clothing, others continue to rely on this trade for economic reasons. This dependency challenges efforts to establish and implement appropriate rules for the environment and industry.
According to the UN, Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, and Burundi are all planning to phase out the second-hand clothing trade by 2019. However, only Rwanda carried out this plan. The other countries have decided not to do so, citing the financial advantages of the used clothing trade.
Textile waste in Africa might raise health and safety problems: Workers who collect and process worn clothing in marketplaces and recycling centres frequently labor in hazardous settings, putting their health and safety at risk. Labor exploitation is a major social issue in Africa’s textile waste trade. There is no doubt that textile waste in Africa pollutes the environment, endangers community health, and adds to the climate problem.
Impact on the local industries: The influx of low-cost, second-hand clothing from overseas has had a negative influence on the local textile and garment sectors in various African countries. This influx of imported second-hand apparel has forced the closure of local firms, resulting in job losses and economic suffering. Imported second-hand clothing poses a challenge for the indigenous textile industry in Africa, as most of these textiles end up as waste.
Environmental pollution: A major amount of textile waste in Africa is derived from worn garments exported mostly from Europe. These textiles, which are generally of low quality and unsuited for reuse, end up in landfills and informal waste streams, causing severe environmental contamination. Many African countries lack proper garbage management and recycling infrastructure, exacerbating the problem.
According to the European Environment Agency (EEA) assessment, used textile imports in African countries appear to be mostly intended for local reuse. This is because there is a need for inexpensive, second-hand clothing from Europe, which appears to be preferred above new items. These outfits are known as “Okirika” in Nigeria.
Recycling and waste management infrastructure: The lack of strong recycling and waste management infrastructure in many African countries exacerbates the textile waste problem. This gap impedes the proper processing and reuse of textile waste, resulting in increasing environmental contamination and lost chances for economic development through recycling enterprises. Every day, about 200 tons of textile waste are thrown in landfills in African countries.
Faro’s efforts in South Africa, which aim to build a circular economy approach to textile waste, are strides forward in tackling these difficulties. To successfully manage and reduce the effects of textile waste in Africa, greater structural changes and collaborative initiatives at both the local and international levels are needed.
Addressing textile waste in Africa necessitates collaboration between governments, corporations, non-profits, and communities. By integrating these measures, the continent’s textile sector can become more sustainable and waste-free.
