New report uncovers disturbing repercussions of fast fashion: ‘Not just a fashion issue — it’s a public health crisis’

Many of us want to dress in the trendiest new clothing, but our love for fashion is poisoning the world, according to a new study.

What’s happening?

Citizen Digital reported about new research from Greenpeace Africa and Greenpeace Germany that uncovers the environmental and health impacts of the clothing that is making its way from the Global North to countries like Kenya and Ghana in the Global South.

Much of the clothing is unsellable, the publication explains, and it is made from synthetic materials that are severely impacting ecosystems and communities.

Why is this research concerning?

According to the report, about 15 million clothing items arrive in Kantamanto, Ghana’s largest secondhand clothing market, every single week. Many items end up in informal dumpsites or are burned in public washhouses. This has contributed to air, soil, and water contamination.

For example, air samples from public washhouses in Accra, Ghana, showed dangerously high levels of carcinogens like benzene and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs).

Meanwhile, the accumulation of textile waste is polluting rivers and littering coastlines.

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“The toxic waste dumped in Ghana is not just an environmental issue, but a stark example of environmental injustice recklessly carried out by the Global North,” Hellen Dena of Greenpeace Africa said in a statement. “Fashion brands and governments must take immediate responsibility for the damage their waste is causing in countries like Ghana.”

“The evidence we have collected shows that the fast fashion industry is not just a fashion issue — it’s a public health crisis,” added report author Sam Quashie-Idun, per Greenpeace. “The clothes we tested are literally poisoning the people of Accra.”

Citizen Digital points out that a similar issue is playing out in Kenya, endangering citizens there as well.

Much of this clothing waste is associated with fast fashion, a business model for clothing companies that mass-produce low-quality yet trendy apparel at the lowest cost possible. Not only is this model bad for people and the environment, but it might even be costing consumers more money in the long run.

What’s being done about textile waste?

A number of fashion brands implemented more circular models that allow people to send in their used items for credit or money — and declutter their homes in the process. The brands then resell the items or recycle the materials.

For instance, Francesca’s encourages shoppers to send in their pre-loved clothing through its forever Francesca’s program in partnership with ThredUp. Similarly, The North Face takes used apparel at participating stores or outlets, and customers receive $10 toward their next purchase. The items are repaired and resold at a lower cost.

Other things you can do to help stop textile waste include repairing items instead of throwing them out or going thrifting.

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