Beware of fuelling "waste colonialism"
How 2nd hand waste colonialism is effecting local communities and more essential information you need for resell communication
Welcome to a new issue of The Crisps–your weekly newsletter on anti-greenwashing and honest fashion communication. With this issue, we take a deep dive into waste colonialism, why Uganda is banning second-hand imports, and provide you with a set of questions to prep your second-hand communication.
As communication and sustainability professionals, we have to critically examine the supply chains and ethical implications of our business choices. Recognizing the harm that might be caused by our second-hand or resale platform is a first step towards demanding a more equitable and responsible fashion industry—one that truly embraces ethical practices.
In this edition of The Crisps, we're diving into the concept of “waste colonialism” to understand how the global North's second-hand clothing donations impact the global South. We will also explore which positive and negative effects Uganda's decision to ban second-hand imports might have. Plus, we’re sharing questions you should prep if you collaborate with a second-hand charity.
3 impacts waste colonialism has on local communities and the environment
Have you ever heard of waste colonialism? This term hides a deeply troubling mechanism through which nations, predominantly from the Global North, offload their discarded garments onto countries in the Global South. At first glance, this practice might appear to be a gesture of charity. However, waste colonialism is not more than the systematic exploitation of vulnerable communities and their environments.
To mitigate the environmental and ethical backlash of overconsumption and poor textile quality, Western consumers are encouraged to donate their used clothes–often through well-intentioned initiatives. However, these donations are shipped off to countries in the global South, without regard for the consequences such as:
The amount of second-hand imports undercut local textile industries and halts economic growth in these regions.
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