Fashion and Textile Waste in Kenya

Words by Zinzi Mutiso

On 16 November 2024, Sisters in Climate co-facilitated an educational tour of East Africa's largest textile landfill. The tour, titled "Fashion & Textiles 2.0: Beyond the Wardrobe", unearthed key lessons...

❓ 𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗗𝗶𝗱 𝗪𝗲 𝗛𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗮 𝗦𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗱 𝗘𝗱𝘂𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗧𝗼𝘂𝗿?
After our first visit to the Dandora Dumpsite in September, it was clear there was still significant interest in exploring the connection between fashion and textile waste in Kenya. With these sessions, Sisters in Climate aims to bring the issue of textile waste to life, moving it from abstract discussions to tangible experiences.

🏠 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗧𝗲𝗮𝗺 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗢𝘂𝗿 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀
Our group of 10, including Sisters in Climate's Partnership Advisor—Zinzi Mutiso and Textile Waste Expert—Janet Chemitei, met with Solomon and Joyce from the Waste Pickers Association of Kenya (WAPAK). Though the rain delayed our start, it provided an opportunity to dive deeper into the mitumba (secondhand clothing) chain in Kenya and Africa.

We traced its journey—from its source to its arrival on the continent—and explored barriers to recycling textiles and garments. For instance, Kenya lacks the infrastructure and expertise needed for textile recycling, while Ghana—a country plagued by the same challenge—has taken strides to tackle these challenges more comprehensively. We also discussed how there’s no universal definition of "waste" in the textile industry, which complicates global efforts to address the issue.

🥾 𝗪𝗮𝗹𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗗𝘂𝗺𝗽𝘀𝗶𝘁𝗲
Despite our enthusiasm, the rain limited how far we could go during the dumpsite walk. At one point, we took shelter in a nearby church alongside women and children from the waste picker community. Interestingly, the church was built in 2020, during the height of COVID-19 and the dumpsite became a gathering place and a refuge for these groups.

While we waited for the weather to calm, we talked about the social impact of waste. Waste pickers often work 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘂𝘁 any safety equipment (gloves, masks, or gumboots). Many were in slippers and using their bare hands. The surrounding communities also face serious challenges, including limited access to healthcare and education. For instance, children often leave school due to financial constraints, and once they start earning an income from waste picking, it’s incredibly difficult to convince them to return to school.

🔎 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗕𝗶𝗴𝗴𝗲𝗿 𝗣𝗶𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲
The ripple effects of environmental challenges—like those at Dandora—spill over into social issues. This tour reinforced how interconnected everything is. 𝘞𝘦 𝘤𝘢𝘯’𝘵 𝘵𝘢𝘤𝘬𝘭𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘴𝘦 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘪𝘴𝘰𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯; 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘥𝘦𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘩𝘰𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘤, 𝘴𝘺𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘮𝘪𝘤 𝘴𝘰𝘭𝘶𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴.

This edu-session wasn’t just about visiting Dandora; it was about deepening our understanding of the realities faced by communities living and working amidst waste.