– 16th February 2023
A report published on 16 February by the Changing Markets Foundation said one third of all second-hand clothing donations to Kenya in 2021 was “plastic waste in disguise”. This has led to a slew of environmental damage and health problems for local communities. And the culprit is European ‘fast fashion‘.
Every year, the Global North donates tonnes of clothing to the Global South. However, an estimated 30% of it ends up in landfills. The donations also end up flooding local markets, where it can crowd out local production. The report said that data showed that Germany, Poland and the UK were the biggest direct exporters of used clothing to Kenya in 2021.
