Oxfam report reveals new danger for textile recyclers

The report notes that Asian imports of clothing into Africa is sending the market for second-hand clothing there into a decline.

” If the second hand clothing industry were to disappear from Africa not only would it seriously affect the economies of many countries and the employment/income opportunities for millions of people, but on a more simplistic level it would affect people's freedom of choice and dignity.“
– Terry Ralph, TRA
Global markets for second-hand clothing amount to more than $1 billion each year according to the report, but cheaper new clothing from countries including China are now having a major impact.

UK textile recyclers have previously highlighted the impact of “cheap, low quality” clothing now arriving on the UK High Street. As well as competing with charity shops selling second hand clothing, the cheap imports make life difficult for recyclers when it is donated since it can be too poor quality to recycle.

Threat
However, the Oxfam study comes as a new blow for textile recyclers, since it suggests a major market for their goods could be under threat.

The Oxfam study – entitled The Impact of the Second Hand Clothing Trade on Developing Countries – looked into the imports of second-hand clothing to several sub-Saharan countries in Africa, including Senegal and Ghana.

The report stated: “In most of the Sub-Saharan countries, second hand clothing is declining as a share of total clothing imports, due to the increase in new imports from Asia.”

Jobs
The Oxfam report attaches some blame to the Asian imports of clothing for hitting Africa's domestic production of textiles – blame that had previously gone to UK imports of second-hand clothing for this. The new report actively praises the second-hand market for supporting jobs in developing countries.

It claimed: “The Reuse of clothing from the UK supports the livelihoods of hundreds of thousands of people in developing countries.

“These include jobs in trading, distributing, repairing, restyling and washing clothes. Oxfam's research in Senegal estimates that 24,000 people are active in the sector in that country,” it explained.

TRA
Responding to the report, the UK's Textile Recycling Association warned that the benefits of the second-hand clothing industry in Africa highlighted by the Oxfam report was threatened by the imports of Asian new clothing.

TRA president Terry Ralph said: “The TRA strongly supports the notion that the textile production industry in many sub Saharan African countries would not flourish in the absence of a second hand clothing industry, as imports of new clothing from Asia would be able to out compete local textile production companies.

He went on: “If the second hand clothing industry were to disappear from Africa not only would it seriously affect the economies of many countries and the employment/income opportunities for millions of people, but on a more simplistic level it would affect people's freedom of choice and dignity. Their freedom of choice would be restricted in how they can express themselves through what they wear, as the new clothing imports do not offer the same variety of styles.

“Dignity would also be lost as many people would no longer be able to afford high quality clothing which is currently only available at low prices through the second hand clothing trade,” Mr Ralph added.