In the bustling Kantamanto market, piles of discarded clothing from the West find eager buyers and crafty creators.
This vibrant secondhand market in Ghana’s capital is a hub of opportunity but also a stark symbol of fast fashion’s environmental toll.
Nearby, the Obroni Wawu Festival showcases innovative designs crafted from textile waste, blending art and activism on a makeshift runway.
The festival, named after a local term meaning “dead white man’s clothes,” is a call to disrupt wasteful fashion cycles.
Richard Asante Palmer, one of the festival’s designers, repurposes discarded fabrics, saying, “Instead of choking our land, I create something new.”
Ghana imports millions of used garments weekly, but 40% become waste, littering beaches and waterways with non-biodegradable textiles.
Fishing nets in Accra’s Korle Lagoon often snag fabric waste, a problem that fisherman Jonathan Abbey says worsens his daily struggle.
Organizations like the Or Foundation are stepping in, transforming waste into fashion statements while educating on environmental justice.
The ease of online shopping fuels the problem, with castoffs from Western donations often landing in African markets or dumps.
