✨ Let’s get into it ✨
💡 TLDR
Ugh, finally someone said it: secondhand fashion is literally taking over, but the waste problem? Still a dumpster fire. In France, Vinted’s now the biggest retailer by sales, eBay’s crushing it at fa…
Ugh, finally someone said it: secondhand fashion is literally taking over, but the waste problem? Still a dumpster fire. In France, Vinted’s now the biggest retailer by sales, eBay’s crushing it at fashion weeks, and The RealReal just turned a profit. But here’s the thing: while the Global North’s reselling like it’s 2015, the Global South is drowning in trash. And no one’s talking about how the resale boom is basically a new kind of colonialism.
Let’s break it down. Every week, 15 million secondhand clothes flood Ghana’s Kantamanto Market, one of the world’s biggest circular fashion hubs. These items? Mostly low-quality, fast fashion leftovers from the North. The problem? High-end secondhand gets snatched up first, leaving the rest—stained, torn, or just plain bad—to rot in charity shops or get shipped to places like Ghana, where the infrastructure to handle it doesn’t exist. “The Global South is a dumping ground,” says Andrew Rough, CEO of ACS, a Scottish circular fashion hub. “It’s not just waste—it’s a human rights issue.”
The grading system is a disaster. The Or Foundation did a test with a “baby bale” of secondhand clothes from Ghana, asking people to sort them into four categories: first selection (like-new, relevant style), second selection (worn but fixable), third selection (needs major work), and fourth selection (waste). But Kantamanto retailers could grade the whole bale in seconds, while the group of “experts” took 30 minutes. Turns out, only 18% of each bale is first selection, but retailers are paying up to $700 per bale to get it. The rest? Mostly second or third selection, and 6% is basically trash.
This isn’t just about waste. It’s about power. The Global North’s sorting systems don’t know what the Global South wants, so they ship clothes that no one wants. And when the fire destroyed most of Kantamanto Market in 2025, the fallout was brutal. Retailers now need to charge $5 per item to break even, but minimum wage in Ghana is $2 a day. “We think we’re doing good, but we’re not,” says Rough. “We’re just moving the trash.”
💫 Kantamanto retailers could advise sorters on what’s actually sellable, and vice versa.
The solution? Global solidarity. Brands in the North need to stop acting like they’re the only ones who know how to sort clothes. Kantamanto retailers could advise sorters on what’s actually sellable, and vice versa. But until then, the problem’s just getting worse.
So, have you ever donated clothes and wondered where they ended up? 🤔
KEY POINTS: – The resale boom in the Global North is exporting low-quality clothes to the Global South, creating a waste crisis. – Kantamanto Market’s retailers can sort secondhand clothes in seconds, but the Global North’s “experts” are clueless. – Collaboration between Global North and South is the only way to fix the broken system—no more one-sided dumping.
CLOSE: Have you ever donated clothes and wondered where they ended up? 🤔 Drop your thoughts below!
❓ People Also Ask
Is resale sustainable for the environment?
Resale reduces waste and extends product life, supporting sustainability. However, it doesn’t solve overproduction or fast fashion’s environmental impact.
Why isn’t resale enough to stop waste?
Resale alone can’t address overconsumption, poor recycling systems, or the scale of single-use items. Systemic change is needed for lasting impact.
💬 What do you think? Let us know in the comments! 👇