Second-hand clothing: A growing threat to environment

By Fiifi NETTEY

For many Ghanaians growing up, second-hand clothing—popularly known as “obroni wawu”—was seen as the gold standard. These clothes were believed to be more authentic, durable, and original than the new items sold in local shops. Regardless of one’s social status, people flocked to second-hand markets because the quality seemed unmatched. Even when prices rose, patronage remained strong, largely due to the belief that brand-new clothes were more likely to be fake.

Today, second-hand clothing has become a major pillar of Ghana’s fashion and retail economy. It is a vibrant industry that offers affordable clothing, sustains thousands of jobs, and provides business opportunities for importers and retailers across the country.

According to the Ghana Used Clothing Dealers’ Association (GUCD), imports of used /second-hand clothes reached over US$ 300 million between 2021-2022, and will even go up more this year looking at the trend. Demand has grown so significantly that second-hand clothing now dominates the wardrobes of many households in the country.

Some Ghanaians continue to trust the second-hand market because of the perceived authenticity of the items—especially those sourced from Europe and the United States. For some families, these clothes are far more affordable and often of better quality than brand-new garments sold in boutiques. This trust was fueled by the massive patronage for second-hand clothing.

Recent research shows that Accra is now the second-largest importer of second-hand clothing in the world. An estimated 15 million tons of used clothing enter the country every week. Shockingly, about 40% of these garments are immediately discarded because they are damaged beyond what can be used or unusable. An investigation reveals that, about 40-50% of these second-hand clothing’s are never sold and end up as waste. Looking at the growing waste from second-hand clothing poses a serious threat to Ghana’s already struggling waste management system.

Bright, a second-hand clothing dealer, has been in the business for over 25 years. Introduced to the trade by his mother, he describes it as profitable and reliable. “Many big business owners and fashion shops come to me for supplies,” he said, emphasizing the level of trust built over decades.

Another dealer, Nana Ato, echoed this sentiment. “These clothes are authentic and last longer than most new clothes in shops,” he said. According to him, many boutique owners struggle to distinguish between genuine and fake clothing, which leads them to stock low-quality items. “You’ll be surprised by the number of high-profile individuals who come here to select clothes,” he added. He further explained that sometimes the bales are full of bad clothes that cannot be sold and when that happens, we discard them or give it out.

A corporate businesswoman who preferred anonymity said she buys most of her clothes at second-hand markets. She explained: “The quality is better, and you hardly find someone wearing the same outfit as you. Boutiques buy in bulk, so you often see many people wearing the same clothes, especially in the banking sector. As ladies, we don’t like that.”

Even though the second-hand market employs thousands and contributes significantly to Ghana’s economy, it also presents challenges that can no longer be ignored.

Beatrice, a dressmaker and fashion enthusiast, believes the industry has contributed to the collapse of Ghana’s local textile market and dressmakers’ business. “Our textile industries are struggling because they cannot compete just like the us dressmakers. Many people are buying second-hand clothing so nobody is sewing, so we are redundant.  Many of these imported second-hand clothes are already damaged, and they end up as waste,” she noted.

Large amounts of second-hand waste now pollute beaches, choke gutters, and accumulate in lagoons and other water bodies. “We must act fast,” Beatrice warned. “The waste is overwhelming. The government needs to rethink how this market operates before the situation becomes even worse.”

Yaw, a tailor, lamented that the second-hand clothing market has severely affected their profession, especially for dressmakers and tailors. According to him, many Ghanaians no longer sew new clothes; most of the work they now receive involves only alterations can you imagine? As a result, many dressmakers have abandoned the industry to pursue other businesses. He stressed that the local fashion industry once employed a large number of people, but its future is now threatened.

Michael, an environmentalist, cautioned that if nothing is done about the growing waste from second-hand clothing, it could lead to a major environmental disaster. He noted that the increasing piles of clothing materials washing up on our beaches show that “we are sitting on a time bomb that may soon explode.” He added that urgent action is needed, including considering a ban on the importation of second-hand clothes.

Yaw believes it is time to discourage excessive importation and promote locally made clothing. “People have been made to believe that locally produced garments are of poor quality or not fashionable, but that is not true,” he said.

A friend in Germany told me that the second-hand clothing crisis has grown into a global disaster, affecting not only Africa but the entire world. Africa, in particular, has become a dumping ground for unwanted garments. Many of these discarded clothes eventually end up in seas, lagoons, and other natural environments. He was very furious with the companies in Europe and US producing these clothes with no recycle plan than to dump them in Africa. “It’s a shame,” he said.

“During my recent visits to several places in Accra, Ghana, I was shocked by the scale of the problem. I saw firsthand how second-hand clothing waste is damaging ecosystems and contributing to the destruction of the environment. Some water bodies have been polluted by piles of textiles, and markets are littered with scattered garments,” he said.

He is considering forming an advocacy group to push for stricter measures—including a possible ban on second-hand clothing imports and sue these companies for the environmental degradation. He believes such advocacy could help curb the growing menace and protect the environment.

Second-hand clothing is undeniably important to Ghana’s economy and culture. It offers affordability, convenience, and diversity that many rely on daily. But, the environmental damage, collapse of local industries, and overwhelming waste signal an urgent need for intervention.

As Ghana works to rebuild and reset key sectors of the economy, policymakers, environmentalists, traders, and consumers must come together to strike a balance—one that preserves livelihoods while protecting local industries and safeguarding the environment.

The writer is a Media Consultant in Accra

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