Africa’s Textile Waste Crisis: 10 Initiatives leading the Charge
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Africa’s textile waste is increasing due to the fast fashion phenomena and massive influx of second-hand clothing. despite providing affordable options for poorer nations, imported used textiles have a serious environmental impact.
Around 30% of imported second-hand clothing in Africa ends up in landfills, waterways, or is openly burned which pollutes the environment with microplastics and releases greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. An Oxford Economics survey undertaken on second hand clothing retailers in Kenya, Mozambique, and Ghana discovered that almost 55% of informal retailers discard unsuitable garments into clothing dumps (Fig. 1).
How does Africa address the apparently ‘circular’ practice of the fashion industry to give second-hand clothes a second life by exporting it to the continent? We have looked at 10 initiatives that tackle this ‘old-fashioned’ issue in Africa.
Figure 1: Responses from second-hand clothing retailers in Kenya, Mozambique, and Ghana in 2024
Source: Oxford Economics On-Site observations
The textile industry accounts for 8-10% of global greenhouse gas emissions due to the high energy demand of its logistics. The effect of the industry on ecosystems is a weakening of the oceans’ ability to absorb carbon, and it also contributes to climate change.
To address the issue, some stakeholders within the fashion and textile industry have turned to circular economy frameworks, strict policy enforcement, and community-based fashion waste collection initiatives. These programs are intended to shift Africa from the status of a giant clothes dumping ground for second-hand textiles to a lasting fashion innovator hub.
Ten programmes tackling textile and fashion waste in Africa
♻️ Kenya’s Africa Collect Textiles (ACT) Initiative
In 2023, Kenya surpassed Nigeria to become the biggest importer of second-hand clothing in Africa by introducing used clothes with a value of almost US$300 million. The ACT initiative collects used clothes and shoes from landfills through drop-off points and either sorts these for reuse or upcycles them into bags, uniforms, and rugs. the program also provides affordable and subsidized clothing for low-income households via the Mitumba market and through donations to vulnerable communities.
## Turning Trash into Treasure: Innovative Textile Waste Management Initiatives in africa
Africa is facing a growing textile waste crisis, fueled by fast fashion and the influx of second-hand clothing. However, innovative initiatives are emerging across the continent, transforming this waste into valuable resources and creating sustainable solutions. Here’s a look at some inspiring projects leading the charge:
♻️ Planet 3R, Kenya
Launched in 2020, this initiative is transforming textile and plastic waste into eco-friendly products via its approach, ‘Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle’ approach. It collects, sorts, cleans, and shreds plastic from landfills to transform these into finished products like fashion wear and home decor. In addition, the enterprise recycles over 20 tonnes of textile and plastic waste monthly, transforming it into affordable, eco-friendly products for middle-income households.
♻️ Kenya’s Transferring UPMADE Know-how to Kenya Project
This is a 2023-2025 project utilizing Upmade technology to help Kenya’s Rivatex factory to recycle textile waste directly on-site, transforming it into new products. UPMADE gives brands and manufacturers a holistic and transparent view of their material flow. The project has trained 55 seamstresses and five designers on upcycling principles and how to incorporate circular design in textile waste management. By the end of the project, the factory earned UPMADE certification, enabling the production of high-quality products using textile and fashion waste.
♻️ The Or Foundation program, Ghana
This is a non-profit organization partnering with Ghana’s Kantamanto textile market (the biggest second-hand clothing market in the world), where more than 15 million garments arrive weekly and more than 40% end up as waste. Through its Tide Turners Cleanup Team, the organization removes over 18 tonnes of clothing dumps from Accra’s beaches every week. It also has Kanta Keepers, a community engagement team with more than 30 members who haul textile waste inside to prevent it from leaking into waterways and dumpsites.
♻️ AfDB’s Fashionomics Africa initiative
Launched in 2015 by the African Growth Bank (AfDB), this initiative provides knowledge about how to develop a sustainable, digital, and circular fashion and textile industry. It has trained over 7,000 fashion entrepreneurs with close to 65% being women in Africa on sustainability, waste-ware practices, and circular design. Through its competitions, Fashionomics has supported brands to upcycle textil
Tackling Textile Waste in Africa: Empowering Women through Circular Economy Initiatives
Africa faces a growing crisis of textile waste, fueled by the influx of second-hand clothing and the rapid expansion of fast fashion. However, innovative local organizations are emerging to address this challenge through recycling, reuse, and upcycling initiatives, creating both environmental benefits and economic opportunities.
One such program is clothes to Good, which empowers women and mothers with disabilities to build sustainable enterprises. The organization sources post-consumer clothing from schools and clothing dumpsites, diverting materials from landfills and giving them a new life. Since 2011, Clothes to Good has recycled nearly one megaton of pre-loved clothes. This effort has supported the creation of 172 micro-enterprises and provided resources to 148 early childhood centers.
The surge in textile waste is a important problem across the continent. According to a 2023 report by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), Africa is a major destination for used clothing, much of which ends up discarded due to poor quality or changing fashion trends. This creates environmental pollution and strains local waste management systems.
To combat this, organizations like Clothes to Good are vital.They are supported by a network of foundations,multilateral banks,and aid agencies,demonstrating a collaborative approach to tackling the issue. These programs not only address environmental concerns but also generate “green jobs” and empower local communities, notably vulnerable populations like women with disabilities.
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