Plastic apparel shipments from the EU to Kenya reach 37 million units, revels fresh data report
The Clean Up Kenya and Wildlight report on synthetic clothing exports from the EU to Kenya has shed light on several significant issues and proposed solutions to mitigate the environmental and social challenges associated with this trade.
Key Findings:
- Rising Export Volumes: The report reveals a significant increase in the export of synthetic second-hand clothing from the EU to Kenya, flooding the local market.
- Environmental Concerns: Synthetic textiles, primarily made from plastics like polyester, contribute to microplastic pollution when washed or discarded, polluting waterways and affecting local communities.
- Economic Impact: The influx of cheap synthetic clothing undercuts local textile and garment industries, threatening jobs and livelihoods in Kenya’s domestic sector.
- Waste Management Challenges: Much of the synthetic clothing ends up discarded in landfills or informal dumpsites, exacerbating waste management problems and environmental degradation.
- Lack of Transparency: There is inadequate transparency and regulation around the trade flows and the environmental consequences linked to these shipments.
Proposed Actions:
- Stricter Regulations on Exports: Tighter controls on the quality and type of second-hand clothing exported to Kenya are recommended, favoring natural fibers and sustainable textiles.
- Support for Local Industry: Policies and investments to strengthen Kenya’s local textile and recycling industries should be promoted to create sustainable economic opportunities.
- Improved Waste Management: Enhanced waste collection, recycling infrastructure, and awareness campaigns are necessary to reduce the environmental impact of synthetic fibers.
- International Cooperation: Collaboration between the EU, Kenya, and other stakeholders is essential to develop standards addressing the environmental footprint of clothing exports.
- Consumer Awareness: Increased awareness among consumers in both the EU and Kenya about the impacts of synthetic clothing and the importance of sustainable fashion choices is crucial.
The report also highlights that more than one in three pieces of used clothing shipped to Kenya contained plastic, with over 25 million of the clothing items exported from the EU to Kenya being waste. Moreover, Germany, Belgium, France, the UK, Poland, Hungary, Italy, Lithuania, Estonia, and Ireland accounted for roughly 95% of all second-hand clothing exports from the EU to Kenya.
Consumers in EU countries are keeping clothes for half the time they used to, with each EU citizen throwing away an average of 15 kilos of textiles a year. The data from the report was cross-checked against customs records from Kenya, and it was found that close to 17 million of the clothing items exported from the EU were plastic-based.
The use of synthetic materials, such as polyester and nylon, for the manufacture of garments has quadrupled since 1980 and now accounts for 69% of the total textile fibers used in the manufacture of clothing. The report further suggests that soon, the trade of plastic waste will be banned in the EU.
George Handing-Rolls, head of campaigns at Changing Markets Foundation, proposes transforming the used clothing trade rather than shutting it down, emphasizing the need for a balanced approach that considers trade, environmental sustainability, and local economic development.
