Why ‘affordable clothing’ is affecting livelihoods in developing countries

We all have learned it in school- every human’s basic needs are food, clothing, and shelter. Of these, clothing is the easiest to provide, as most of the well-off people in developing countries have wardrobes full of clothes. Of these, some are lying in there for months or even years, you don’t wear them as they are either too old, do not fit, or are perhaps out of fashion.

When we have time, we give away the clothes we do not need to help people in need. There are many ways we do this, either we give them away to less-fortunate people, donate them to a charity, use them as rags or throw them in the bin.

Though the last option isn’t recommended, many of us would prefer to donate our old clothes to the poor. We donate them in good faith, wishing the receiver would, in turn, donate them to those less fortunate. But is it really so? Do these clothes really help the poorest people? That’s what we’ll see in this post.

How donated clothes are dealt with

Despite their claims, most donated clothes are processed, sorted, and dealt with differently, depending on their condition. For instance, clothes in good condition are sold locally, while those which are not wearable are recycled into rags or other items. Those wearable clothes that go unsold locally are packed off in bales and sent abroad, mostly to developing countries in Africa.

Here, locals upcycle, dye, or tailor the clothes to local conditions and sell them in local markets. They are sold for quite a cheap rate.

Why are these clothes a threat to local businesses

Do you think anyone would spend $100 on a pair of jeans when they can get one at barely $10? That’s what is happening in these African countries. These cheap hand-me-down clothing pieces are now available even in the most remote villages, where most people prefer them.

This has led to a near-complete collapse of the local textile industry. Those specializing in textiles, whether they are local cottage industries or modern handloom owners aren’t able to compete and provide affordable clothing for the poor. Many have had to shut down or become importers themselves. This has led to missed employment opportunities for the locals.

What are the solutions?

African governments need to limit the number of clothing items that are imported to their countries. Though many people depend on this, they could impose duties or restrictions to discourage the use of imported hand-me-downs. Instead, they could encourage the locals to set up their own textile units to cater to local communities.

The poor people in Africa require employment opportunities. The textile sector has great potential to fulfill these requirements, they need a little handholding to become independent in textile production.

Governments should encourage multinationals to invest in their countries and provide employment to the locals. Even nonprofits can help. Many Catholic charities to donate to can provide finance at affordable rates for locals to create employment opportunities and help the local people. In the future, they could look at exports too. However, this needs the constant support of all stakeholders locally. Those in the West who export their unwanted clothes to the poor in Africa need to find another way to solve their clothing waste problems. This injustice has to end.

A Little Help Is What They Need To Support Them Through Catholic Donation Center. Spread Infinite Joy With Small Donation Support Catholic Charities Donation Center.