The Disposal of Textiles and the Consequent Adverse Effects:

How the West Wears Down the World

Brady Lorenz
Mr. Toole
Global Perspectives
May 10, 2019
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Table of Contents

Preface………………………………………….…………………………………………………2

Significance………………………………………………………………………………...……..4

Background
Textile Waste is a Global Issue....…………………………………………………………7
History of Textile Waste………………………………....…………………....……........10

Expert Resources……………………..…………....……………………………....……..…….12

Role of Control…………………….………………………………………………....…………14

International Organizations…………………………………………………………………....17

Case Studies
Kenya…………………………………………………………………………………….20
China………………....………………..………..…………....…………………....……..24
United Kingdom………………………………………………………………….………27
Canada……………………………………………………………………………………30

Logic of Evil…………………………………………………………………………………….32

Solutions………………………………………………………………....………………………37

Appendix………………………………………………………………………………………...42

Bibliography…………………………………………………………………………………….52
Preface
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When many people envision pollution, their minds turn to coal power plants, plastic
littering our beaches and oceans, or strip mines and bare mountaintops. Rarely do we consider
that the clothes in our closets represent a similar global environmental crisis.

The textile industry is a labyrinth of nasty and messy business. It involves long,
controversial methods of supply and production, and immeasurable environmental impacts from
production to disposal. There are several different ways to approach the crisis of textile waste.

First, one could consider the global environmental impact of creating clothes. The
statistics are staggering. Even a simple pair of cotton t-shirts and jeans requires more than 5,000
gallons of water to make. In other words, the water required to make just one outfit could sustain
an adult human for almost their entire life.1 In fact, while many people consider 100% cotton to
be eco-friendly, it is the most toxic crop in the world according to the Organic Consumers
Association.2 Cotton crops use more than 24% of all the insecticides in the world and 11% of all
pesticides.3 Cotton as a product diminishes in quality as it is repurposed, so options are limited
with regard to recycling the fiber as well.

The second way to consider the crisis of textile production is from a shipping standpoint.
The clothes on your back have probably travelled halfway around the world in a container ship
fueled by the dirtiest of fossil fuels. More than 60% of the world’s garments are manufactured in
a developing country and then shipped to retail stores in first world countries.4 China has always
been the leading world producer and supplier of clothing, accounting for 13% of the world’s
exports.5 However, as production and labour costs have risen in China, the world’s clothing
companies have looked to other countries such as Bangladesh, Pakistan, the Philippines, and
Vietnam to produce clothing. Why is this problematic? These countries often do not have the raw
materials needed to manufacture clothing, and consequently they are shipped from countries like
the United States, China and India. It is virtually impossible to estimate exactly how much fuel is
used to ship clothes and clothing material around the globe, but considering that 90% of
garments are transported between countries in some way or another each year, it is clearly a
considerable problem. A single ship can produce as much cancer and asthma causing pollutants
as 50 million cars in just one year.6
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The focus of this research paper is the third environmental consideration of the textile
industry — disposal. Clothing, now more than ever, is being seen as increasingly expendable,
the result of a new trend called “fast-fashion”. Shopping no longer represents purchasing for
necessity, but rather for entertainment. Shopping, for many, has become a way of life — a
weekly pastime, and sadly for many, an addiction. Shopping malls, magazines, the mass media,
and the worldwide web barrage consumers with plentiful and enticing ways to spend their
money. The moment a model leaves the catwalk, the mad race to get the product into stores
begins. Fast-fashion is a relatively young phenomenon that in the past ten years has become
especially alarming — leaving multinational corporations increasingly rich, landfills worryingly
full, and the world straining under the weight of an underestimated and largely unaddressed
waste crisis.

This research paper will illustrate that clothes, although seemingly harmless and often
purchased thoughtlessly, continue to negatively impact the environment long after purchase.
Final disposal when a garment is out of style, missing a button, or no longer fits is undoubtedly a
pervasive world phenomenon that has widespread and long-lasting repercussions on the entire
planet; an issue that will be henceforth thoroughly dissected and analyzed within this paper.

Significance

It is difficult to deny the fact that clothes are more cheaply made than ever before in
history. This is evident through a variety of factors, including the type of material that
manufacturers commonly use to make articles of clothing. In fact, companies are now designing
clothes to be bought for cheap prices, worn for just a short period of time, and then discarded
(see appendix I).7 As a result, consumers are encountering a false sense of value associated with
cheap clothing, demonstrated by an estimated $500 billion dollar annual loss due to clothes that
are barely worn then thrown away.8 As Myles Munroe once eloquently stated, “We live in a
disposable, 'cast-off and throw-away' society that has largely lost any real sense of permanence.
Ours is a world of expiration dates, limited shelf life, and planned obsolescence. Nothing is
 Lorenz 4

absolute.” In this manner, clothing is considered by society to be both expendable and

inconsequential, with little regard for its adverse effects on the global environment.

In addition, clothing manufacturers exacerbate the problem of textile waste by discarding

garments with simple or repairable flaws. Minor imperfections such as broken zippers, ripped
linings, small holes among other deformities are problems that are easily fixed. However, the
Environmental Protection Agency estimates that 10-12% of garments with simple flaws end up
in landfills before they even reach store shelves.9

Failure to fix simple flaws doesn’t solely lie with the manufacturers. Consumers are
increasingly less likely to fix these simple issues, too. The phenomenon of fast-fashion makes it
easier for one to buy something entirely new rather than sew on a button or replace a zipper. The
low quality and consequent short lifespan of today’s clothing means that people have less of an
emotional attachment to their clothing, further compounding people’s tendencies to dispose
rather than repair. Sewing was, in the past, regarded as an essential skill that was passed on from
generation to generation. However, the failure of post-war generations to share this knowledge
does not excuse careless textile disposal— If people would learn basic sewing and laundering
skills, far fewer garments would be meaninglessly and harmfully disposed of.

Consumers are not only enticed by cheap price tags to buy new clothes, but they are also
continually bombarded by media campaigns that are designed to make people feel outmoded, out
of style, and guilty about it. These campaigns can be directly seen through standard
advertisements, but are also exhibited through movies, television programmes, and famous
personalities on social media. Even if advertisement is not apparent, multinational corporations
also strongly influence the content that consumers subconsciously absorb. Additionally, where
companies in the past offered only four seasons with their respective style choices (spring,
summer, fall, winter), they now offer 52 “micro-seasons”, designed to fuel the consumer’s desire
to be dressed in the most current trends (see appendix II).10

Roughly every week and a half, most large clothing companies introduce new clothes that
echo current styles or trends in society. Clothing companies dub this concept as “trend scouting”,
 Lorenz 5

where companies pay millions of dollars for a “trend report”. Included in these reports are
current media trends, upcoming movie releases, and new television shows that a company could
possibly exploit. Reports may even highlight a current “mood” of society that companies believe
will affect the tastes and preferences of consumers. This exploitative thinking indirectly harms
the environment. 11

The clothing industry also follows the age-old concept of programmed deficiency.
Mainstream clothing, simply, is designed to fall apart shortly after purchase. What large
corporations such as H&M, Zara, and Forever 21 desire most is an easy and abundant profit. If
clothes keep falling apart, consumers will obviously continue to buy new ones. This business
model makes perfect sense from an economic, capitalist perspective. But why is this important?

Easy come, easy go; cheap clothing is simply not built to last. According to the Recycling
Council of Ontario, the average consumer throws away an estimated 81 pounds of textiles
annually (see appendix III).12 This is in part due to the quality of clothing. This does not
represent clothing that is resold, donated or recycled — the statistic encompasses only clothing
being deposited directly into a landfill. For reference, because most clothing today is made with
synthetic plastic based fibers, it will take centuries for garments to fully decompose. Because of
this important factor, it is imperative that society confronts this issue of textile waste in a timely
manner.

The textile industry is damaging on many different fronts; they produce cheap and low-
quality clothing using exploitative labour, and outright manipulate consumers to purchase
copious and unnecessary amounts of clothes. Moreover, these companies provide no serious
remedy when the clothes are inevitably disposed of in unprecedented quantity. No charity,
company, or government is in any position to fully address this issue either, making any
plausible solutions riddled with cooperative challenges. Textile waste is thus an issue of
monumental proportions with no clear solutions in sight.
 Lorenz 6

Background
Textile Waste is a Global Issue

Regardless of the journey textiles undergo from production to retail sales, they will
inevitably create a long series of various elaborate and alarming global issues. Textile waste is a
far-reaching social, economic, and environmental catastrophe that is only recently being
recognized around the globe. Clothing waste involves a culture of consumption that creates vast
detrimental economic impacts, and eventually a long retirement for clothing in a landfill either
locally or abroad.

The first shocking reality of textile waste is the contrast between the developed and
developing world. In Ontario, a six-month old child will have used the same amount of textiles
that a person in a developing country will use in their entire lifetime.13 People oftentimes justify
their consumerist habits by donating their used clothing to charity, which (although a
convenience for many) is not in any way a solution. In fact, second-hand textile exports and
donations may actually cause more damage than they solve.

A common misconception that often propels Western agendas is the idea that poor people
in less developed countries, such as Africans, need our textile exports; that they are so
impoverished that they cannot even afford basic clothing. This could not be further from the
truth, especially since our clothing has become so cheaply made. In fact, there are many
countries that have closed their doors to global textile donations completely, like Rwanda. This is
due to the fact that clothing donations disrupt and destroy local industries, largely because
second-hand clothing is enormously less expensive than locally produced textiles. To visualize
the raw quantity of product, consider that around 70% of the world’s donations somehow end up
 Lorenz 7

in Africa.14 The consequent slow and painful death of the African textile industry is particularly
evident in the country of Uganda, where approximately 81% of all clothing purchases are
second-hand.15 The statistics are similar in other developing countries.

“The Textile Industry Faces Imminent Death” - Betty Maina, CEO of the Kenyan
Association of Manufacturers, the title of an article she authored.

Other adverse effects of exporting second-hand clothing can be exemplified by Kenya.

Historically, Kenya had a secure and thriving textile industry — the second largest industry in
the entire country. Forty years ago, the textile industry employed half a million Kenyans.16 Now,
however, that number has dropped to less than 20,000 people.17 Donations from countries in the
Western world, Canada included, directly destroy African textile industries in countries like
Kenya.

As a result of damaging clothing imports, the Eastern African Community (or EAC) has
proposed a full ban in order to strengthen their own textile industries.18 There is speculation
about whether EAC clothing industries will be strong enough to provide enough viable clothing
options to their countries, and about whether the industry will be able to compete on an
international stage. Several Western countries, namely Canada, Great Britain, and the United
States, have voiced criticisms of this ban through an economic lens; regardless of their status as a
key contributor in second-hand clothing exports to many African countries. The United States
went so far as to issue threats against the EAC for proposing a ban, citing that it would violate
the African Growth and Opportunity Act. 19

As a result of Western consumerism and its relentless promotion of unappeasable

capitalism, a shocking divide exists and continues to grow between the developed and
developing world. When a child in Canada has already used more textiles than some Africans
use in their entire lifetime, one has to wonder if maybe there is a profound issue pertaining to
textile management. Entire industries in developing African countries, like Uganda, are reliant
on what the Western world considers waste. Even amid efforts from African nations to become
independent from the humiliating burden of second-hand textiles, international objections force
 Lorenz 8

this subjugation to continue. It is therefore indisputable that textile waste is a complex and
damaging global issue.

History of Textile Waste

Once upon a time, the textile industry actually invested time and money to produce
quality products with care. Purchasing new clothing was an expensive proposition; an activity
that most people could not afford to partake in more than a few times per year. At a time,
clothing was custom and was made to fit perfectly. The materials were hardy and robust,
demonstrating the pride of a tailor’s trade. And then the world decided to teach machines how to
make clothing.
 Lorenz 9

The Industrial Revolution paved the way for quick production, standardized quality,
standardized sizes, and low cost. Gregory Clark is a professor of economics at the University of
California, who captures the fundamentals of the Industrial Revolution in his paper, The
Industrial Revolution in Theory and in History stating; “At one level the transformation the
Industrial Revolution represents is very simple. Beginning with the Industrial Revolution,
successful modern economies experience steady rates of efficiency advance. Every year more
output is produced per unit of input.”20 Clark states, simply, that the Industrial Revolution
increased the efficiency of production, which entails both quick assembly and low cost. The First
and Second World Wars only further exacerbated this need for efficiency.

Finally, in the 1960s, a pivotal change in society saw young people embracing cheap and
trendy fashion unlike ever before. The generation known as “Baby Boomers” embraced the idea
of pushing past social norms, filled their closets with new and colourful clothing, and relegated
their old and reliable garments to the bottom of the dresser. During this time, shopping
reinvented itself as an activity of entertainment rather than necessity. Enter fast-fashion.21

Only within the past two decades has the textile industry truly evolved into the waste-
making menace it is today. Fast-fashion only took flight in the early 2000’s, and production of
cheap, shabby clothing has doubled since that time.22 According to a report by Greenpeace,
scaling with the doubling of production, consumers purchase 60% more clothing than they did in
the year 2000 — but it is only kept for half as long.23

Textile waste, the concept and culture of fast-fashion, and their associated global impacts
have developed briskly and abruptly, hence presenting a true global crisis. Pivotal developments
and events in history, more specifically in the form of technological advances like the Industrial
Revolution, have unequivocally led to the creation of waste issues like that of textile waste.
 Lorenz 10

Expert Opinion

Alexandra and Lindsay Lorusso are pioneers in upcycling textile waste into new and
trendy children’s clothes. In their formative years, they experienced firsthand the vast amounts of
textile waste that litters our landfills. Lauren Hardy, author for the Globe and Mail, states:

Sustainable practices are gaining traction in the fashion world as labels scramble to try
and soften the blow the apparel industry is dealing to the planet. Enter Toronto twin
sisters Lindsay and Alexandra Lorusso, whose father Carl Lorusso co-founded the waste
management company Wasteco in 1978. Lindsay and Alexandra, who grew up in
Tottenham, Ont., began working for their dad in their early 20s, learning firsthand about
material excess and waste. - Lauren Hardy, The Globe and Mail 24

Alexandra and Lindsay Lorusso have formed a textile upcycling company for children
called ‘Nudnik’, based in Toronto, Ontario. The sisters envision a world where all textiles that
can be recycled, are recycled. The t-shirts are unisex, are designed to meet current fashion trends,
and feature colourful designs. The primary virtue of Nudnik is the fact that the t-shirts are
 Lorenz 11

created by 100% ‘end of the roll’ threads and off-cut fabrics that would otherwise pollute the
environment.

Both sisters are extremely knowledgeable on the topic of textile waste, and have offered
much insight in the field of recycling textiles. (For the full interview, see appendix IV).

Nudnik recycles clothing made from 100% organic cotton. Most mainstream clothing
nowadays is manufactured with a mix blend of polyester and cotton, which cannot be recycled
into new clothing. Only individual threads or fibers may be cut, torn, broken down, or sewn into
new products.

Nudnik also recognizes that it is not enough to make an eco-friendly product if the
packaging surrounding it is not environmentally friendly itself. The sisters have a strong opinion
about companies who refuse to undertake responsibility for their packaging, asserting; “Take
ownership. For example, landfills are full of branded packaging, like Tim Hortons coffee cups.
Businesses should be considering the lifecycle of the products they create and ultimately take
ownership in terms of where they will end up when the consumer is finished with them.” Each
shirt made by Nudnik is therefore packaged in 100% compostable packaging.

The sisters’ advice to consumers includes maintaining a consciousness to avoid

overconsumption, and to use purchasing power in order to buy products that are made ethically
and sustainably. Furthermore, the sisters endorse government legislation that would either give
incentives for eco-friendly products, or penalties to heavy polluters. They agree that there needs
to be a shift in society, as throw away culture is primarily perpetrated by big, multinational
fashion brands.

In summary, Nudnik is a Canadian-based clothing company that focuses on the three p’s;
people, profit, and planet. Their clothing is high quality, is made from 100% organic cotton that
would otherwise end up in a landfill, and is trendy.
 Lorenz 12

Role of Control

Large companies such as H&M and Zara retain high market shares of the textile industry.
They both open an average of one store per day, control massive marketing companies, and host
or participate in world fashion events that further promote their companies. Regardless of the
tight and influential market presence large companies have, however, wealthy Western
consumers ultimately control which products they will purchase. Consumers have the ability to
buy products of higher quality, that will inevitably last longer and resist damage. Finally,
consumers have the ability to dispose, share, or donate their textiles responsibly.

Consumers of the Western world are vastly richer, have more clothing options available
to them, are more educated (by Western, Eurocentric standards), and are better informed than the
rest of the world. Canada has a GDP per capita of $58 450 CND, and has approximately 25,000
clothing retailers for people to choose from.25 Should Canadians, among other Western
consumers, therefore be held responsible more than anyone else for purchasing an ethical,
quality product that will last longer? Of course — and there is a plethora of reasons for the rest
of the world to follow suit as well.

Buying higher quality clothing is actually more affordable than purchasing cheaper
clothing, despite the (often) higher upfront cost.26 Up to a certain threshold, the rule holds true
that the more you spend on a product, the higher quality (and therefore more long-lasting) the
product will be. For people living in developing regions, or even undeveloped regions, buying
 Lorenz 13

new and more expensive clothing will save them money. For most of the world who has access
to any type of clothing, there is no reason why they cannot help the environment, save money,
and dress better.

The clothing industry is dominated by only a handful of powerful companies, who for the
most part decide what is considered a ‘trend’. Zara and H&M are among two of the biggest
clothing retailers. They outpace almost all other competitors in the race to provide clothing
value. Inditex, the company that owns Zara, opened more than 300 stores last year across 19
countries. H&M’s profits are up 25% over last year and the company is beginning to increase
their expansion exponentially.27 Companies also control the quantity and quality of the clothes
they create. These two factors are at the heart of the textile waste crisis.

In 1953, a new plastic product called polyester began to emerge as a cheap, strong, and
easily manufactured product that was quickly incorporated into clothing manufacturing. The
fabric was widely adopted as a superior thread to that of cotton, before the unsustainability of
petroleum, from which plastics are made, was fully realized. Fast-fashion, whose proponents
desire most a cheap material, managed to make the product even cheaper — but sadly degraded
the quality of the product in this regard.28

Finally, and perhaps most importantly, the companies behind the harmful phenomenon of
fast-fashion have been and continue to produce more and more clothing.29 As these companies
scale their production to meet an expanding consumer desire, they spread their cheap plastic
products internationally. Besides being made of a material that will not decompose in a landfill,
this abundance of cheap clothing creates a ripple of several economic issues as garments are
preemptively disposed of.30

The sole purpose of a company is to provide a product or service that meets consumer
demand.31 Because of this fact, it makes sense that any immediate solution to the problem of
textile disposal starts with the consumer, who ultimately controls what products they purchase,
and which ones they do not. Massive international corporations that dominate the clothing
industry, also known as fast-fashion giants, only control the means of production and not the
 Lorenz 14

means of generating a profit without a consumer. However, these companies still have the
opportunity to reinvest their clothing with quality and value, which would most certainly help
mitigate textile waste. For the time being, quantity trumps quality in the textile industry.
Consumers love their cheap and trendy clothes.

International Organizations

It is fair to say that there is no incentive for huge international corporations to attempt to
solve the environmental disaster that they are responsible for. Why would they? If consumers
bought less, it would directly impact their profits. The donation bins, the rhetoric about
 Lorenz 15

sustainable fabrics, etc, is all an exercise in public relations, with no real meaningful action to
back it up.

H&M is considered a crusader in their campaign to recycle clothing, as they recycle more
than any other fast-fashion giant. The fact is, sadly, that their new products only contain 0.7%
recycled product based on their own sustainability reports.32 There are not any economic
incentives to pursue recycling further, and there is barely a meaningful whisper of critique to
force them either. H&M will therefore not increase their recycling efforts in the future unless
circumstances change.

Certain charities do exist as a supposed remedy for the colossal mountains of textile
waste that clothing giants create. Charities too, however, have a bottom line — they need to
make money to provide their services. The Diabetes Trust is a non-profit organization based out
of Toronto, Ontario that earns the majority of their money through collecting and transporting
used textiles for Value Village. The Diabetes Trust provides pick-up services, creating a
convenience offered by many disease-specific charities. The Diabetes Trust, among other
charities, sell their donations to Value Village — a well-known, for-profit organization based in
Bellevue, Washington State, in the United States. Whatever Value Village cannot sell is
unfortunately exported and shipped to Africa where, among creating other issues, the waste will
likely be burnt and disposed of in a landfill.33 This does not help anyone but the charities, and
Value Village (See: Case Studies - Kenya).

Other charities centered around clothing donations, like The Salvation Army, are
primarily concerned with keeping textiles out of landfills altogether. The Salvation Army
embraces the concept of ‘deterrence’ (deterring from a landfill) as their primary operational
strategy, and they seek to achieve this by redistributing donations to other companies that
repurpose the fabrics. This deterrence model is highly successful, as certain companies can
repurpose the fabrics regardless of the composition (for example, some textiles can only be
repurposed if the fabric is made of a single material, like 100% cotton). The Salvation Army’s
strategy, in large part, has worked. Only five percent of donations to the Salvation Army will
eventually end up in a landfill.34
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Smart and innovative companies like ThredUp reinvent and innovate upon the concept of
thrifting to better mitigate their environmental impact. ThredUp currently represents the largest
online market for second-hand clothing, and also generates massive income. Traditional thrift
stores aren’t able to make such high profits because they rely on the quantity of donations rather
than the quality, where low prices and large sales create subpar profit. With ThredUp, sellers
pride themselves on seeking out and repurposing well-maintained textiles that cost more but are
still significantly cheaper than retail. Thrifting also does not involve mulching, cutting, or
disposing of apparel, so it therefore represents the most efficient way possible of solving the
textile waste crisis.35

There are countless variants and brands of thrift stores that give clothes a chance to be
purchased and appreciated once again. However, the thrift system of donating and reselling
clothes is not perfect — in fact, it is far from it. Why? People are foolish and proud, and there is
a negative social stigma about buying clothes from a second-hand store. Thrift shops are unfairly
criticised for things that are not true in reality; an unfortunate occurrence that manifests in
statements such as ‘thrift shops are for old people’, ‘clothing at thrift shops can be dirty’, ‘the
clothes sold at thrift stores are ugly’, etc. Despite this problem, an article for The Oracle US
interviewed multiple students who claimed quite the opposite about thrifting. “I honestly don’t
know where else I’d go for clothing if second-hand shops weren’t an option,” said one student.
“I’m very easily able to find clothing that looks new and fits me well,” said another.36

Several options exist for disposing textiles rather than throwing them away. Some
options, as will be later discussed, leave a trail of negative consequences while others are fairly
clean. Some options, like the donation bins implemented by H&M, are little more than a
marketing scheme. The Salvation Army and ThredUp fully embrace and implement thrifting,
which is an ethical and responsible response to fast-fashion. The Salvation Army takes it a step
further, by introducing deterrence methods through various companies to ensure that almost all
textiles that can be recycled, are recycled. Once more, it is ultimately the responsibility of the
consumer to identify which method of responsibly disposing textiles they choose.
 Lorenz 17

Case Studies
Kenya

Kenya is an east African country with a population of roughly 50 million, and an average
GDP of $1 500 USD (see appendix V). Kenya is part of an economic union called the ‘East
African Community’, which includes an eventual plan to create a larger African federation,
while maintaining open borders and free trade in the meantime.

As previously mentioned, Kenya bears a huge burden of Western “waste”, or second-

hand clothing exports to an extent that is incomparable to any other African country. This burden
is the result of the death of Kenya’s textile industry, running linearly with the increased
importation of second-hand clothing. Western countries like the United States keep many sub-
saharan African countries submissive in regards to second-hand clothing exports. Overwhelming
threats involving trade deals which many African countries rely upon, including Kenya, keep the
borders open to floods of cheap and damaging textile imports.37 The revival of Kenya’s textile
industry is vital for future economic growth, as textile production is often identified as a
cornerstone to development as a country.38 Kenya must implement protectionist policies against
 Lorenz 18

damaging flood imports like that of cheap, low quality, secondhand textiles if it seeks to combat
the economic destruction and consequent poverty its people face.

Historically, Kenya had a fairly large textile industry during its post-colonial period.
Until the early 1990’s it was the second largest employer in Kenya behind the public sector;
employing over 200,000 Kenyans, or over 30% of all labour jobs in Kenya. 39 Some sources
even identify a number above 500,000 people.40 The mid 1980s saw a multitude of economic
changes for Kenya, which would incur many pitfalls. As Dr. Geoffrey Gertz explains:

In 1980, Kenya became one of the first countries to sign a Structural Adjustment Loan
with the World Bank. Over the next two decades, reluctantly at first but with renewed
commitment from the mid-1980s on, Kenya replaced the import-substitution policies it
had pursued since independence with an open, liberalized trading regime. Tariffs were
decreased, controls on imports were loosened, and the government encouraged trade
through a series of export-promotion platforms.41 - Geoffrey Gertz, PhD, University of
Oxford.

These open-border policies pertaining to trade resulted in the burgeoning second-hand clothing
export industry flooding Kenya’s market with ‘mitumba’, the Kenyan word for second-hand
clothing. 42

It doesn’t help that Kenyan youth have embraced mitumba, as it represents a culture, or
more specifically a lifestyle, that they one day hope to attain. As mitumba was first being
introduced, people of all ages revered the originality of design, and (again, originally) the quality
of clothes. Local industries had quality, quantity, style, and public support all stacked against
them. As mentioned previously, they never stood a chance.

Since 1976, Kenya has experienced a yearly drop in GDP per capita. In Gertz’s analysis
of Kenya’s historic trade policies, he identified the failures of the textile industry in a liberalized
economy as a primary contributing factor for this trend. The slowing of GDP growth, the death
 Lorenz 19

of the Kenyan textile industry, and increasing liberalization of the economy all follow the
timeline of the prevalence of second-hand clothing exports.

Western ‘trash’ — throwaway garments created as a result of fast-fashion — directly

disrupted (and continues to disrupt) the Kenyan economy, and destroyed an industry which
resulted in 180,000 people losing their jobs. Second-hand textile imports have a direct
correlation with the slowing of Kenya’s GDP per capita growth, meaning the Western world is
meddling with the development of a nation by burying them in waste.

Financial mismanagement by Kenyan companies and government is still not entirely to

blame for the consequences of open trade. Even if Kenya wanted to limit, perhaps ban, the
import of mitumba, they would still combat international criticism. Many countries now have
interests in the second-hand clothing market, and want to protect it. When Kenya tried to
implement this policy to the Western world, many countries (namely the United States),
responded with threats and sanctions.

In 2016, all countries of the EAC (East African Community), including Rwanda,
Burundi, Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, and South Sudan proposed a full ban by 2019 on all second-
hand clothing imports. The combined countries imported $151 million of textile waste in that
year alone.43 They claimed that such imports were hampering their ability to develop and
diversify their manufacturing sectors, and that it was a matter of national pride that they should
not be complacent with wearing something that another considers trash.44

The United States responded by threatening to terminate a long-standing agreement

called the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) if they did not reverse their decision to
impose a ban. AGOA guarantees qualifying African countries lower tariffs in American markets
for their goods. This trade agreement is very important, even integral, to the survival and
prosperity of African countries, including those in the EAC.45 All countries in the EAC chose to
back out of the agreement soon thereafter, except for Rwanda. The potential drawbacks or
potential rewards of imposing the ban have yet to be seen.46
 Lorenz 20

Because of Rwanda’s precedent-setting situation, the effects of a protectionist policy

against second-hand clothing imports has yet to be seen. However, in the past, protectionism has
had many positive short-term effects on many different countries in certain situations.47 America,
for example, has imposed tariffs on Canadian aluminium in order to protect their own industry.
Canada is furious about it, but it has helped protect industry for America in the short term.48 If
Kenya wishes to pursue a protectionist policy in the future, they will have to largely subsidize
the industry to stimulate the necessary growth to allow them to later compete internationally.49

Wrong or right, what the Western world regards as trash, Kenya currently regards as
treasure. Kenya has felt the full weight of what the United States, among the rest of the Western
world, throws away. Industries have collapsed and development has slowed as a direct
consequence of allowing Kenya to become a dumping ground for the western World’s fast-
fashion trash. Kenya should therefore seek compensation for the death of their industry, and their
ongoing trade deficit, in the form of protectionist policies.

China

China is the world’s top producer of clothing and garments, accounting for over 65% of
all clothing production of which many garments are cheap and low in quality.50 As China
 Lorenz 21

develops, millions of Chinese citizens are embracing the Western trend of fast-fashion. The new
trend of fast-fashion comes with the devastating issue of textile waste, which China is under-
equipped to handle. Even more troublesome is that many traditional solutions for textile waste
simply will not work for China. There is little public trust for charities, as they embrace minimal
transparency, and have proven to be consistently untruthful to the public. As a result, most
textiles are disposed of through public waste systems where no standard exists for recycling.
Culminating all of China’s issues with textiles is the irreversible environmental impact it has
created. Some parts of China are, quite literally, buried in textile waste.

Many critics are worried about China as a whole, as even lower class citizens seem to
enjoy high class luxuries. As one analyst wrote; “In a country historically known for the frugality
of its people, this new generational trend is worrying certain Chinese economists. They are
concerned that a society of savers is yielding to the habit of "living paycheck to paycheck," with
the risk that it could turn China as a whole into a high-debt nation obsessed with personal
consumption.” (Bai Zao, economic observer).51

Chinese people are still relatively poor on the international stage, where the GDP per
capita is $8827 USD per year; lower than the international average.52 Scarily, however, Chinese
people still exhibit behaviours that correlate closely with much richer Western nations: “A third
(32%) have thrown away an item of clothing after wearing it just once and, in the past year
alone, one in seven respondents (14%) has thrown away at least three items that they’ve only
worn once.”53 As China develops, and if this trend of consumerism and wastefulness continues in
Chinese society, they will feel a much larger impact in terms of textile waste than the rest of the
world.

China has seen economic growth that is nothing short of spectacular. Since 1990, China
has maintained GDP growth above 6%.54 This can also be reflected through China’s textile
industry, which has rapidly increased in size over the last few decades.55 The issue of textile
waste in China was originally bottlenecked by the middle class, but since 1990, the number of
middle class citizens has grown to 400 million.56 The development of the middle class is
 Lorenz 22

significant because it represents the opportunity for mass amounts of people to access consumer
products — or more contextually, fast-fashion products.

The result of China’s burgeoning middle-class is evident in the form of entire towns
becoming hotspots for illegal dumping rather than responsible disposal. Chuanjiang is a Chinese
village north of Nantong, an industrial city on the Yangtze river. Since fast-fashion has gained
relevance in China, the village has experienced tremendous amounts of illegal dumping.
Chuanjiang is now referred to as a ‘garbage village’, a term that is increasingly used in China,
where people live (often amidst clothing waste) and work with waste disposal personnel. Textile
waste contains many dyes, plastics, and clothing materials that, once they begin to break down,
often become hazardous to both people and the environment. Chuanjiang’s water system is
unusable because of the presence of various dangerous chemicals. Since China has never
outlined a clear strategy for dealing with the waste, this issue will continue to damage both the
environment, and the people living in the garbage villages.57

Chinese companies (and municipalities) resort to dumping because few other options
exist. While charities exist in both the West and in China, the Chinese people show little support
or trust for their charities as a result of several past scandals. It is not uncommon for Chinese
‘non profit’ charities to sell their clothes abroad, namely to East African countries and India, all
in the name of profit. Public distrust comes from the frequency, magnitude, and lack of
transparency of these scandals. Rampant corruption through Chinese charities and the resulting
public unease prevents institutions from implementing deterrence programs, and leaves no
disposal alternatives besides landfills or illegal dumping.

China must cleanse their charities of corruption and seek methods of recycling textile
waste if it hopes to address this issue at all. Not even 1% of China’s current discarded clothing,
(100 tons yearly) is recycled.58 This feeble effort will not be enough to combat China’s growing
issue. Chinese consumers must also be educated about textile waste generally, and informed of
the mismanagement that has already occured. Carrie Yu, the owner of a zero-waste clothing shop
in Shanghai put it eloquently: “The first solution is to get people to slow down a bit, and then
they’ll know how important the environment is… If you can’t open your windows in the
 Lorenz 23

morning and get some fresh air, then all of that grind in the office is not worth it. There’s no
point in having a wardrobe full of beautiful clothes and a nice car and a huge house if you can’t
go outside.”59

China is a victim of a dangerous Western consumerist trend that ironically revolves

around clothing made in their own country. Now, they are feeling the consequences of an issue
that they have been outsourcing for decades. People in China, especially those in the threshold of
the middle class, have embraced fast-fashion explosively in comparison to any other country in
the past, and have in turn taken on the waste it incurs. Chinese mismanagement and neglect
towards providing a solution to the new unprecedented magnitude of clothing waste has resulted
in damage to the environment, corruption of charities, and poor living conditions for certain rural
Chinese citizens.

United Kingdom

The United Kingdom is a rich Northern European country with a population of roughly
66 million people, with an average GDP of around $40 000 USD (see appendix VI). They may
or may not be a part of the European Union (it’s complicated).

Europe features three of the four fashion capitals of the world: Milan, Paris, and London,
the capital of the United Kingdom (UK). As trendy and progressive as the Europeans may appear
to people in other parts of the world, countries like the UK are still susceptible to the long-
reaching effects of textiles that spindle around the world. Every year, millions are garments are
disposed of by misinformed British people who are unaware of the disastrous effects discarded
clothing can create. The UK must consider banning textile waste from their landfills, and further
educate their people on the issue of textile waste if they want to curb the ongoing waste issue.

Britain is a very consumerist oriented country, whose citizens spend the second most
amount of money online, only surpassed by the United States.60 This consumerism is mirrored by
 Lorenz 24

their immense waste, where the average Briton will throw away 19 garments yearly, adding to
the 235 million garments that will end up in a British landfill annually.61 Clothes that are not part
of the 300,000 tons send to landfills annually are either donated into a British ‘Shwooping’
(British thrift) operation, or are exported abroad.62 One of their top export destinations is
Kenya.63
Being home to a European fashion capital, the United Kingdom plays a significant role in
the production of popular clothing. One of their largest companies, Alexander McQueen, is a
prime example of a company who articulates a love for the planet through campaigns and
clothing designs, but who continues to pollute on a massive and unsustainable scale.64 Alexander
McQueen is a luxury fashion brand, who directly disposes of textiles with simple yet fixable
deformities. Isabel B. Slone of the University of Waterloo shares a strong opinion on the fashion
label:

Alexander McQueen’s environmental motives must be questioned when he failed to

connect the messages bound up in his clothes with the significance they hold in the real
world, where actions have direct consequences. In a sense, Alexander McQueen’s
gratuitous use of nature imagery almost constitutes exploitation, if it celebrates the earth
but underhandedly works to destroy it at the same time. - Isabel B. Slone, The Nature of
Alexander McQueen: The Aesthetics of Fashion Design as a Site of Environmental
Change, April 10 2012

The UK will undoubtedly continue to struggle with exploitative and pollutive companies
until it implements adequate policies to protect their landfills.

Unlike the rest of the Western world, the UK is an outlier in that people wear clothes for
substantially longer than they do in other parts of the world. The average garment in the UK is
worn for 2.2 years before it is disposed of, whereas the average worldwide figure is now only 1.1
years per garment.65 There is no apparent reason for this trend. What is frightening, however, is
that the UK still struggles with textile waste regardless of the longevity of their clothing.
 Lorenz 25

Potential solutions to the British waste crisis are making some headway. Several
organizations such as the London Sustainability Exchange and Recycling Solutions UK promote
the standard method of deterrence to prevent clothing from reaching a landfill. The London
Sustainability Exchange also serves as a platform for potential recycling companies to meet and
promote their idea and innovation to help combat textile waste.66

The UK should attempt to grow its textile recycling industry in order to spare garments
from ending up in landfills. Additionally, outlawing textiles from ending up in the landfills (a
recent move made by President Emmanuel Macron in France), would guarantee deterrence.
Public support is still needed however for a bill to come to fruition in parliament.67 The UK has a
good start and is well ahead of North America when it comes to limiting disposal, recycling what
is disposed, and initiating political change.
 Lorenz 26

Canada

Canada is a country located in North America, with a population of roughly 37 million,

and a GDP per capita of around $45 000 USD.

Canada is a wealthy country, where its citizens enjoy the ability to purchase a variety of
trendy and cheap clothes. We also enjoy the privilege of discarding them when we decide that
they no longer fit the current trends. Fast-fashion is a trend that refers to trendy and cheap
clothing that exploded in the mid-20th century. Textile waste issues as a result of fast-fashion are
posing a significant challenge for waste disposal. Only two municipalities in Canada have
banned textiles from landfills; Markham, Ontario and Colchester, Nova Scotia. Landfills are
where Canadians send 85% of their unwanted garments.68 Canada also widely contributes to the
exportation of second-hand clothing — a damaging export that wears down developing
countries. What Canada does not export, it struggles to manage.

As fast-fashion giants like H&M and Zara emigrated to North America in the late 20th
century, the effects of the trend became amplified.69 However, Canadians still bought reasonable
amounts of clothing that didn’t constitute much of an issue, let alone a crisis. Now, Canadians
buy twice the amount of clothes as they did in the late 90s, but only keep them for half as
long.70As Canadians became increasingly disposable with their clothes, and embraced their
newfound love for consumerism, the amount of textile waste produced skyrocketed. Now,
Canadians throw out 81 pounds of textiles per person, per year.71 Most of it ends up in landfills,
and thus far there are no significant efforts from the government or from society to make it stop.

Canadians also export a significant amount of clothing to Kenya, peaking at $22 million
USD in 2016.72 Flooding foreign developing markets with cheap, disposable clothing destroys
economies, and is not a sustainable nor a long term solution for Canada. The East African
Community, an economic and political union for which Kenya belongs to, has even debated
closing their borders to Canadian (among other countries’) second-hand clothing.
 Lorenz 27

Canada as a country should follow in the footsteps of Markham, Ontario, which has an
extremely efficient and effective aforementioned textile waste system. Besides banning textiles
from landfills, Markham has installed over 147 public location bins that are available for the
disposal of shoes, curtains, shirts, and other textile products. Some bins even feature sensors
which automatically detect when the bins are full. However, where Markham truly outpaces the
competition is the collaboration between well established and trusted charities — both local and
international, like the Salvation Army. The charities are then granted permission to take what
they want from the bins, before Markham distributes the leftover donations to several companies.
These companies turn the textiles into insulation, rags, furniture padding, car seats, and even
recycled fabrics that have the potential to be woven into new clothes.

Canada is fortunate to be in a position where they have both money an excellent model to
follow in the form of the water system implemented by the city of Markham. Developing
countries do not necessarily have that luxury. As a way forward, Canada should invest in
recycling initiatives, among other deterrence programs, to avoid sending textile waste to landfills
— as will be examined, this could potentially open Canada up to new recycling markets.

Logic Of Evil
Corporate Chaos

‘Logic of Evil’ describes an attempt to empathize with the people, corporations, or

governments who facilitate and perpetuate the issue of textile mismanagement.

International corporations and their inner workings are often described as foreign,
strenuous, and inherently disreputable by the popular media and society. When evaluating
corporations for their ethics, one must cast aside any unfair bias. Businesses need to strike a
balance between ease and fees — they could take the easy way out of an issue and incite
 Lorenz 28

criticism, or they could deal with it in a morally responsible way, albeit maybe at the risk of
profit margins. Finally, consumers expect corporations to provide quality products at a great
price, and if they are beginning to become concerned with how their garments are made, they are
still yet to show the same concern with how their garments will be disposed of.

The textile industry is trying to strike a balance between cost, quality, and ethics.
Companies are always presented with the option of recycling clothing.73 However, this process
takes time, labour, shipping, and additional material cost. Creating new clothes, for which supply
lines, trading routes, labour contracts, etc., already exist is an abundantly easier and more
profitable venture. Recycling techniques are also premature in nature; when most fibers are
separated into individual material once recycled, the quality is generally less than that of the
original.74

Corporations, if they aim to remain profitable and popular, must also maintain quality in
their products. The aspect of recycling textiles upsets basic business principles. What
corporations can control, however, is the original fibers they choose to make their products from
— popular fibers such as polyester emit plastic microfibers whenever they are washed.75 Finally,
society has found ways to recycle plastics, food scraps, cardboard and a variety of other waste,
and has mostly embraced this environmentally responsible lifestyle. If there was a similar way to
recycle textile waste, undoubtedly society would learn to dispose of their garments this way too.

In Bangladesh, workers are only paid twenty eight dollars per month.76 Minimum wage
in Canada is around fourteen dollars per hour, although it varies from province to province.
Outsourcing labour to countries with a low minimum wage means greater competition. Countries
have been outsourcing their labour pool to be competitive in the global marketplace for
centuries.77 Recycling textiles upsets companies’ labour systems, as recycling institutions only
exist in developed countries with high labour cost. For many companies, it is simply easier to
dispose of clothing that, for example, has deformities than to pay for its transportation to
different markets. By recycling clothing, companies have to pay for the labour to ship, recycle,
then re-transport the new (and most often weaker) fiber back into their manufacturing system.
This is significantly more expensive than simply creating an entirely new product.
 Lorenz 29

Reiterating an earlier fact, a textile product that is recycled produces a new fibre that is
more often than not significantly lesser quality than the original. H&M’s slogan is “Fashion and
quality at the best price”, which reinforces the idea of maintaining competitive prices, but also
introduces the idea of quality standards.78 Corporations such as H&M, Zara, and American
Eagle have an idea about how long they can expect or want a particular garment to last. The idea
of programmed deficiency was explained on page five of this paper. In short, clothing is not
designed to last so that consumers purchase more. When clothing starts to feature recycled
material, the quality has to drastically increase relative to what it was before. Manufacturers do
not want to work with particular fibers that have been recycled over two, maybe three times. This
disrupts their well-practiced marketing tactics.79

Corporations like to remain competitive, organized, and profitable above all else.
Naturally, in an effort to maintain their market presence, companies will generally not embrace
methods of recycling and reducing their environmental impact because it will put them at a
disadvantage against those who do not. Recycling is limited to certain parts of the world,
includes high labour and transportation costs, and mostly produces a product of lesser quality
that disrupts the desired consumer buying cycles and frequency.
 Lorenz 30

Government Greed

The main objective of a government is arguably to ensure peace among citizens through
passing and enforcing laws, maintaining public safety and order, and designing and enforcing
economic policies that ensure the creation of well-paid jobs for the population and the steady
growth of private companies.80 With all of this in mind, it makes sense that governments support
their corporations, because they provide the government with taxes and jobs for citizens. On the
international stage, carefully brokered trade deals can provide both cheap consumer goods and a
suitable environment for industry. Governments may also intimidate other nations, economically
or through military means, to achieve their political goals. In an ideal world, there is not much
that a government would not do for its citizens.

In the United States, the used clothing industry employs over 40,000 people.81 When
textiles are donated to charities, it takes manual labour to sort, store, and transport the goods to
their eventual destination. In 2016, members of the EAC proposed a full ban on importing
second-hand clothing. The United States responded by fiscally threatening the African countries
through economic sanctions, which worked for the most part.82 The United States wants to
maintain jobs, regardless of the impact their disposed garments create.

Among maintaining jobs, governments also want to make products affordable to their
consumers. When consumers buy products, they pay taxes, and taxes are a government’s main
source of income. This means that trade deals must be meticulously negotiated to ensure that
they are reasonable. An example of this is the recent United States - China trade dispute, which
has created a different reaction from clothing companies. Most American companies, like
Forever 21, fall in line with political boundaries. They say that they will simply refrain from
 Lorenz 31

purchasing material from China, in order to ensure that American jobs are protected.83
Protectionist policies or actions can come from both governments and companies who want to
protect jobs.

Generally speaking, governments will side with big corporations, and corporations will
side with governments; both in the name of profit, and retention of jobs. The issue of textile
waste is mostly an internal struggle, and governments care little for it on the international
stage…. Unless it involves jobs, security, or money. Governments will intimidate using either
economic leverage in the form of treaties, or outright threaten other countries with military
intervention. As unfair and unjust as this may seem, all countries operate under this careful
synthesis of capital and coercion.

Solutions
 Lorenz 32

There are two distinct issues that have become apparent in this paper, each of which
demands separate solutions. First, there is the issue of what the Western world, like Canada,
considers textile waste. Second-hand clothing exports are items of clothing that we have
disposed of, but that other people might purchase and admire. However, as previously
mentioned, second-hand clothing imports cause issues of their own. Second, there is the issue of
textile waste in the broadest sense. People are discarding garments, which end up in landfills, at
an unprecedented pace. Fast-fashion and its surrounding consumerist cultures are to blame for
this increasing amount of damaging waste. There are two possible solutions for each of these
issues.

‘Waste’ of the West

Countries afflicted with heaps and mounds of second-hand garments have options to
remedy the damage that they have created. Protectionist policies, including potentials bans,
tariffs, or restrictions on the importation of second-hand clothing creates flexible opportunities to
 Lorenz 33

combat this issue. Increasing education, awareness, and understanding of the negative effects of
these imports will create consumer conscience. Similar education or campaigns that endorse high
quality products will serve a similar purpose, where people learn to appreciate high-quality,
durable, long-lasting clothes. This too could help curb the consumerist culture surrounding cheap
imports that have flooded and destroyed their own textile industry.

Protectionist policies sometimes take criticism for being a short term solution. However,
carefully considered tariffs or restrictions can help narrow imports and generate much needed
money for governments.84 Developing countries who are feeling the biggest burden from
Western imports can select what they want to limit in their markets, and then raise money
through tariffs on the others. This will create much needed money for infrastructure, isolate the
local textile industry to recover and redevelop, and reduce local waste. Second-hand items that
are not sold are sometimes burned when they do not sell; they drown the surrounding
countryside of a market in burnt foreign textile waste.85

Some countries, like Rwanda, have already implemented bans on second-hand clothing
imports, regardless of the economic consequences imposed by the US.86 Though the long-term
effects of this have yet to be seen, local residents complain of high prices and low quality. As the
President of Rwanda explains, "In the long term … we believe that we can take over part of this
market ourselves… it is important for us to expand our textile industry."87 Rwanda hopes to
become a self-sufficient middle income country by 2020.88

Developing countries floating amidst the floods of second-hand clothing should also
consider the prospect of educating their citizens on the issue of textile waste. Perhaps if
consumers knew about the implications of damaging imports, they would reduce what they buy,
and consider necessity and quality before they purchase. Consumerism through clothing,
regardless of how poor a country is, exists because the imports are so cheap.

In summary, developing countries have many options concerning the dilemma of how to
handle damaging Western imports. Protectionist policy will inevitably provide countries with
stakes in the second-hand clothing industry, but it might be necessary in order to revitalize local
 Lorenz 34

industries instead. Tariffs from remaining imports could give governments much needed money
as well. Above all, educating the common consumer and ensuring that they are conscience about
their purchases could help reduce waste too.

Textile Waste

Fast-fashion’s effects have taken the world by surprise. Textiles now litter landfills, and
cause unimaginable amounts of environmental damage in the process. As a society, we must
modify our purchasing habits by reinvesting clothes with the expectation of quality and
longevity. In the process, we should examine our tendencies in purchasing all things, as rampant
consumerism is an issue that encompasses much more than just textiles. Clothes should once
again be bought for necessity rather than entertainment or to fit in, like fast-fashion and society
pressures the general populace to do. Moreover, countries should investigate the concept of
circular economies, where clothes are continually bought, recycled, and repurchased without
introducing new material. While society modifies, examines, and investigates how to combat
textile waste, recycling initiatives should be taken to ensure textiles do not end up in landfills.

To date, there has been little serious efforts in solving the textile waste issue. Brands such
as American Eagle, Levi’s, and H&M have all introduced used clothing bins to their stores.
However, less than 1% of what is donated, reflecting similar statistics, is actually woven into
new garments.89 Recycling initiatives are largely based on upcycling, the concept of
 Lorenz 35

transforming textile waste into a new product. Most donated textiles that avoid second-hand
exports are mulched into insulation, or are cut into industrial rags.90

The Ellen MacArthur Foundation, unlike most charities who endorse upcycling, believe
in a concept called a circular economy. Further technological advances are needed for this
concept to fully come to fruition, as blended fibres in the majority of clothes are notoriously
difficult to fully and carefully separate from one another.

At the core of the textile waste crisis is the primary issue of capitalism and production.
Capitalism demands a producer, or someone who manufactures a good; and a consumer, or
someone who purchases said good. For capitalism to function properly, they must maintain sales
to a consumer. The issue arises when a producer creates a single-use product, which is thrown
out. This is called waste. The challenge in society is to coerce producers into using a material
which may either be reused or recycled. When this is fully achieved, the economy becomes what
is called a ‘circular economy’. No new materials enter this cycle, and thus society may maintain
capitalism while preventing pollution.91 92

Other solutions exist that aren’t as deeply political as the circular economy theory. If
society reinvests clothing with an expectation of durability and longevity, there would be no
need for mass production like there is now. However, this solution fails to address the economic
and industrial impact it would incur.

In conclusion, society has many things to consider when it comes to consumerism. Are
we better to limit our purchases altogether, or should we be striving towards a circular economy
where all material is reused? Textile waste is still a relatively young issue that requires time for
us to fully understand and properly subdue. In the wise words of Dave Chappelle; “Modern
problems require modern solutions”.
 Lorenz 36

Appendix
Appendix I

Mounds of textile waste and trash polluting a waterway in China. Cheap clothing seeps dye after
extended periods wet. 93
 Lorenz 37

Appendix II

A detailed chart that outlines the 52 micro-seasons, and the marketing technique that companies
use to maximize fast fashion profits.94
 Lorenz 38

Appendix III

Recycling Council of Ontario details their findings in a quick advertisement, now seen in many
elementary schools.95

Appendix IV
Setting of Interview: Email
Where my questions are indented, and the responses are not.
 Lorenz 39

On Mar 5, 2019, at 9:59 PM, Brady <brady7scott@gmail.com> wrote:

Does your company accept or use any garments for recycling, or do you have criteria,
such as only using natural fibers like cotton? Do some fabrics lose their integrity as they
are recycled, and if so, would this deter companies from attempting to recycle or reuse
garments?

We are currently using 100% organic cotton “cutting waste” which is a by-product of major
apparel manufacturing.

Our formula is always to find a large enough quantity of a specific type of waste product and
ultimately then you can work to create a scalable product.

Most garments these days are made from mixed fibres (ex. 20% cotton, 80% polyester).
Garments made from synthetic fibres can be recycled together. Natural fibres can be recycled
together. You can’t recycled the when they’re mixed which is why most textiles end up in
landfill.

How has the issue of easily discarded clothes increased over the years? Are there any
other industries that also exemplify similar throw away behaviour?(fast-fashion)

Fast fashion and overconsumption have led to the astronomical increase of waste materials in
general. Plastics and textiles are the most difficult to recycle which is why we see these materials
polluting landfills and oceans. Fish are filled with microfibers and microplastics.

What can governments, corporations, and individuals do to recycle more of their textiles?
Do you believe that we can achieve 100% recyclable textiles in our lifetime?
 Lorenz 40

Take ownership. For example, landfills are full of branded packaging, like Tim Hortons coffee
cups. Businesses should be considering the lifecycle of the products they create and ultimately
take ownership in terms of where they will end up when the consumer is finished with them.

Nudnik’s packaging and garments are made from natural materials that are compostable.

There should be governments incentives and penalties for companies who are benefiting the
circular economy and those who aren’t.

As individuals we should avoid overconsumption and use our purchasing power to buy products
that are made ethically.

What link does social values, the media, and western culture as a whole share with fast-
fashion and textile waste?

We need a shift. The throw away culture is perpetuated by influencers today and big fast fashion
brands. The media has done a better job at covering sustainable fashion and the startup
communities are recognizing and applauding socially conscious startups like Nudnik. The best
businesses today focus on the 3 P’s: people, profit, planet.

--
Brave regards,

Appendix V
 Lorenz 41

Kenya, among other states of the East Africa Community.96

Appendix VI
 Lorenz 42

Location of China, red, on a world map.97

 Lorenz 43

Appendix VII

The United Kingdom, red, on a map of Europe.98

Appendix VIII
 Lorenz 44

Canada, red, on a world map.99

Bibliography

All works cited will be listed in alphabetical order based on the title of the article.

A. 1. Agoa.info. “About AGOA.” Agoa.info

 Lorenz 45

2. “A 'Fast Fashion' Tax? Britain Has a

Radical New Plan to Spur Clothing Recycling
and Reduce Waste.” Fortune

B. 1. “Buying Expensive Clothes Is Not Just

About Status Symbols.” THE LUXE
STRATEGIST, 13 Oct. 2018

2. Smithers, Rebecca. “Britons Expected to

Send 235m Items of Clothing to Landfill This
Spring.” The Guardian, Guardian News and
Media, 6 Apr. 2017

C. 1. “Cotton: From the Field to Your

Closet.” Organic Consumers
Association | Campaigning for Health,
Justice, Sustainability, Peace, and
Democracy

2. Hattem, Julian, and Julian Hattem. “Can

‘Made in Africa’ Mend A Textile Industry
Dominated By Throwaways?” BRIGHT
Magazine, BRIGHT Magazine, 19 Apr. 2018

3. “Chinese GDP Per Capita” Trading

Economics, 2018

4. “Chinese GDP Per Capita” Trading

Economics, 2018

5. “China Textiles and Clothing Exports By

Country.” WITS

6. Pariona, Amber. “Countries Who Spend

The Most Money Shopping Online.”
WorldAtlas, 16 May 2017

7. “Capitalism 101.” World Policy, 27 Apr.

2018

D. 1.
Lorenz 46
 Lorenz 47

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1. “Who's Really Paying for Our Cheap Clothes?” EcoWatch, EcoWatch, 27 June 2016.
2. Ibid.
3. “Cotton: From the Field to Your Closet.” Organic Consumers Association | Campaigning for Health, Justice,
Sustainability, Peace, and Democracy
4. “Fast Fashion Is the Second Dirtiest Industry in the World, Next to Big Oil.” EcoWatch, EcoWatch, 31 Jan. 2019
5. Ibid.
6. “Fast Fashion Is the Second Dirtiest Industry in the World, Next to Big Oil.” EcoWatch, EcoWatch, 31 Jan. 2019
7. Chow, Lorraine. “Fashion Industry Report: One Truckload of Clothing Is Wasted Per Second.” EcoWatch,
EcoWatch, 30 Nov. 2017
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Foundation
9. Chow, Lorraine. “Fashion Industry Report: One Truckload of Clothing Is Wasted Per Second.” EcoWatch,
EcoWatch, 30 Nov. 2017
10. Lohr, Shannon Whitehead. “5 Truths the Fast Fashion Industry Doesn't Want You to Know.” HuffPost,
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Throwaways?” BRIGHT Magazine, BRIGHT Magazine, 19 Apr. 2018
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17. Kubania, Jacqueline. “How Second-Hand Clothing Donations Are Creating a Dilemma for Kenya.” The
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