Unravelling the Illusion: H&M’s ​“Close the Loop” Textile Waste Initiative a Greenwash

In the realm of fashion, fast fashion has emerged as a force that reshapes our wardrobes at an astonishing pace. The allure of affordable prices and ever-changing trends has captivated consumers worldwide. However, beneath this facade of convenience lies a mounting problem: textile waste. From the Atacama Desert to Ghana’s coastlines, fast fashion’s rise to prominence has decimated entire ecosystems. How these are interlinked and how far-reaching the consequences are, is unfathomable. Yet, the environmental burden of clothing disposal and production has also opened the door to potential solutions.

No Longer a Phenomenon: Fast Fashion as the Industry Norm

Fast fashion, characterised by its rapid production of inexpensive garments aligned with the latest trends, revolutionised the fashion industry. Tireless machines, a global, largely underpaid workforce and an effervescent hunger for productivity and profit transformed a luxury good into a disposable product. This approach has led to an unprecedented surge in clothing consumption. Global production doubled between 2000 and 2014, surpassing a staggering 100 billion garments annually. (Source: McKinsey & The Ellen MacArthur Foundation. The World Economic Forum & ShareCloth state that 150 billion garments are produced annually.)

Beneath the glossy veneer of fast fashion’s rapid turnover lies an unsettling reality: textile waste has become an escalating crisis. The industry’s breakneck pace, enticing consumers to purchase and discard clothing constantly, has generated overwhelming waste. According to Fashion United, ​“Clothing consumption has grown explosively over the past 20 years. Fashion consumers buy over 80 billion new pieces of clothing every year. This is over 400% more than we consumed just two decades ago.”

In the United States alone, an estimated 11.3 million tons of textile waste, equivalent to 85% of all textiles, end up in landfills every year. COSH’s previous article spotlighted Kenya’s infamous Dundora textile dumping site, whose harrowing images have swept the globe.

The influx of discarded clothing flowing into Kenya from global sources has also increased significantly in recent years, parallel to Ghana. This has amounted to 17 garments per year per Kenyan, of which up to eight are useless. Both countries are battling against Western waste colonialism that has reached epic proportions.

Fast Fashion Industry Players: Culprits and Catalysts for Change

Overproduction, resulting in unbridled consumption, is inherent to the profitable business models of key industry players. H&M, Bohoo, and SHEIN are just a few to name in an ever-growing list of behemoths. If there is so much overproduction, what happens to these unsold clothes? Where do our discarded textiles end up that we diligently put into the numerous containers lining our streets?

In the latest scandal following an investigative piece by the Swedish Boulevard newspaper Aftonbladet, H&M’s garment collection program was proven to be anything but circular. H&M has been offering an in-store garment collection since 2013 in an effort to unite the two contradictory realms of fast fashion and sustainability. Under the slogan ​“Let’s close the loop”, clothing pieces are collected and supposedly recycled, and textile waste is reduced. H&M heralded its initiative as ​“the largest campaign of its kind in the world.” The brand states it collected 18,800 tons of discarded clothing and textiles through its clothing collection initiative in 2020 alone. That is equivalent to 94 million t‑shirts.

Neither the brand’s sustainability report nor its website discloses what percentage of the 18,800 tons of collected garments are recycled. The latest investigative findings render the self-claimed world’s largest campaign of its kind a hoax, impressive only in theory. Through a customs paper check of H&M’s business partners, Aftonbladet’s investigation discovered that H&M products are among the five most common labels present in textile waste inundating Ghana’s beaches. It was concluded that the company exported 314,000 kilograms of textiles to Ghana last year alone. This is equivalent to about one million garments.

Anything But Circular: H&M’s Collection Initiative Is a Marketing Ploy

In a bold and audacious move, the newspaper tracked multiple H&M garments using GPS transmitters to unravel their true journey. Among these garments, two jackets were followed to a recycling company in Hungary. However, one jacket veered off its expected path, finding itself in the hands of a textile company in India. Additional tracked items ventured as far as Poland, Benin, and South Africa. The digital trail abruptly vanished for three pieces. This leaves us speculating about their unfortunate fate, likely lost amidst the oceans they crossed.

The implications of these findings are rather disheartening. H&M confidently assures consumers that sustainability-focused enterprises will diligently oversee the proper management of all collected garments. Yet, the harsh reality presents itself in stark contrast. None of the meticulously tracked items remained within the borders of Sweden as initially intended. Instead, they mysteriously disappeared or were swept up by profit-oriented recycling and textile enterprises. Across the globe, these companies export used textiles to countries such as Ghana, Kenya and Uganda. Furthermore, these garments travelled extensive distances, surpassing 1000 kilometres, leaving an indelible carbon footprint that extends far beyond their production.

The Flood of Used Textiles

Like many other countries in the Global South, Ghana has become a dumping ground for textile waste. There, the influx of cheap, low-quality clothing, often referred to as ​“dead white man’s clothes” or ​“obroni wawu,” floods local markets and second-hand clothing stalls. According to The Or Foundation, around 40% of the clothes circulating through the retail side of Kantamanto leave the market as waste. The most critical driver of this is the fact that there is too much clothing. The Guardian states that as much as 100 tonnes of garments are disposed of daily in Katamanto. This has turned a once pristine Korle Lagoon into a death pit.

The grandiose sustainability promises touted by H&M now appear to be nothing more than a skilfully crafted marketing ploy. The garments poised to usher in an era of the circular economy have embarked on a perplexing odyssey that disregards environmental responsibility and shows scant regard for the origins from which they emerged. The brands dominating the discourse, complex infrastructure landscape and funds hold the power to become catalysts of change, yet they are failing society and the planet.

Reframing Waste: Local Designers Battling Against Western Waste Colonialism

In response, African traders, stall owners and local designers are putting their ingenuity to the test, repurposing and repairing slashed t‑shirts, boxers and shirts sourced from markets such as Katamanto. From Uganda’s Buzigahill to Ghana’s The Revival and Slum Studio’s founder Sel Kofiga, innovative African designers are turning textile waste into artful creations. They are unpacking the complexities of Western waste colonialism and returning their politically packed upcycling statements to the Global North.

The tale of these tracked garments unveils a sobering reality: the fashion industry’s true impact extends far beyond our closets. The consequences ripple through the global ecosystem, from exploiting resources and individuals to decimating distant lands. It is a wake-up call echoing through the corridors of our collective conscience, urging us to rethink our consumer habits and embrace a more responsible approach to fashion.

As consumers, we possess the power to shape the future of fashion. We can drive the industry towards a brighter and more equitable path by questioning, researching, and supporting brands that prioritise sustainability and act on their promises.

The journey of these garments represents more than just their physical trajectory; it symbolises the choices we make as individuals and the impact we can collectively achieve. It is a reminder that true change requires not only the transformation of industry practices but also a fundamental shift in our consumer mindset.

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