Trashion : Usafirishaji wa Kisiri wa nguo za plastiki nchini Kenya

The report reveals that a significant portion of second-hand clothing exported to Kenya consists of low-quality synthetic textiles that function as plastic waste. It estimates that up to 307 million synthetic textile items are shipped to Kenya annually, many of which end up in landfills, the Nairobi River, or are burned as fuel. The document argues that the 'fast fashion' business model relies on this irresponsible disposal and calls for comprehensive EU legislation, including Extended Producer Responsibility and plastic taxes, to hold brands accountable.

• A substantial volume of second-hand clothing exported to Kenya is effectively plastic waste; estimates suggest that over 1 in 3 items are made of plastic and are of such low quality that they deteriorate immediately.
• In 2021, it is estimated that over 900 million second-hand textile items were shipped to Kenya, with up to 458 million classified as waste and up to 307 million of those containing plastic fibers.
• Importers and traders report that 20-50% of the clothing in bales purchased from the EU or UK is unsellable due to being damaged, too small, unsuitable for the local climate, or contaminated with vomit and stains.
• Low-grade imported textiles, known as 'fagia', are frequently dumped in the Nairobi River or burned as fuel for activities like roasting peanuts, exposing local residents to hazardous smoke.
• The investigation identified clothing from several global fashion brands among the waste dumped or burned in Kenya, including Guess, H&M, M&S, Next, Old Navy, Ralph Lauren, and Superdry.
• Several recycling companies that are members of high-profile sustainability initiatives, such as WRAP’s Textiles 2030 and the 2021 Fashion for a Better Circularity sorting campaign, are involved in the second-hand clothing trade that exports waste to the Global South.
• The report argues that voluntary initiatives are insufficient and calls for comprehensive EU legislation, including Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) and plastic taxes, to force producers to be financially responsible for the end-of-life management of their products.

APA

Changing Markets Foundation (2023). Trashion : Usafirishaji wa Kisiri wa nguo za plastiki nchini Kenya. https://changingmarkets.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Swhaili-Ex-Summary-Trashion-Single-page.pdf

Chicago

Changing Markets Foundation. Trashion : Usafirishaji wa Kisiri wa nguo za plastiki nchini Kenya. 2023. https://changingmarkets.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Swhaili-Ex-Summary-Trashion-Single-page.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Changing Markets Foundation |title=Trashion : Usafirishaji wa Kisiri wa nguo za plastiki nchini Kenya |date=February 2023 |url=https://changingmarkets.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Swhaili-Ex-Summary-Trashion-Single-page.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{changingmarketsfoundation2023trashion, author = {{Changing Markets Foundation}}, title = {{Trashion : Usafirishaji wa Kisiri wa nguo za plastiki nchini Kenya}}, institution = {Changing Markets Foundation}, year = {2023}, month = feb, url = {https://changingmarkets.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Swhaili-Ex-Summary-Trashion-Single-page.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }