Clothing waste

Accra, Ghana

Type of waste: industrial

Over 400 tons of used clothing from western countries arrive daily to Ghana. In a ridiculous attempt to justify massive overconsumption, nations on the northern hemisphere pretend they're helping "a cause" by sending their used, often poorly kept, clothing somewhere they can't see it and does not bother them. This careless and selfish attitude is directly affecting the people from Ghana who now have to deal with our waste. Most end up Accra’s Kantamanto markets, a bustling labyrinth of 5,000 retailers and their timber stalls, many of them overflowing with the West’s unwanted fashion were the name obroni wawu- dead white man's clothes - was born.

Obroni Wawu October

Downtown Accra hosts OWO where models walk the runway wearing five emerging designers that merged traditional artistry with contemporary design using textile waste coming from the Global North. The Obroni Wawu October (OWO) event, which also included thrift vendor pop-ups and DJ sets, shone a spotlight on Ghana upcycling ecosystem. The event organisers make clear that while upcycling and sustainability have become trending topics in the fashion industry more broadly, in Ghana they represent long-standing tradition, as well as a lived reality.