Four global fashion companies, H&M Group, Inditex, BESTSELLER, and adidas, have launched the Apparel Recovery Coalition (ARC) in Ghana. The initiative aims to explore ways to strengthen the management and reuse of second-hand clothing in countries that receive large volumes of used apparel exports. The coalition was launched at Kantamanto Market in Accra in collaboration with The Or Foundation, with Circle Economy serving as an independent facilitator.
The launch brought together representatives of the participating companies and members of the Kantamanto Obroniwawu Businesses Association (KOBA). Reverend Opoku Afreh, President of KOBA, said the association expected the initiative to build on the knowledge, skills, and resourcefulness developed by the Kantamanto community over several decades. He called for access to infrastructure, investment, and opportunities to enable traders and other workers to expand their businesses, improve their livelihoods, and strengthen sustainable practices.
Kantamanto Market is a major centre for the reuse, repair, and upcycling of second-hand clothing in Accra. According to information provided by the coalition, the market recirculates about 25 million garments each month and supports the livelihoods of tens of thousands of workers and entrepreneurs. The scale of activity at the market has also highlighted environmental and social challenges associated with the management of post-consumer textiles.
Shamima Muslim, Deputy Presidential Spokesperson, speaking on behalf of Dr Julius Debrah, Chief of Staff at the Office of the President, said the decision to launch the coalition at Kantamanto was significant. It brought the participating companies directly to the community affected by the global second-hand clothing trade. She said the initiative represented an important step towards recognising the contribution of communities such as Kantamanto to keeping clothing in circulation.
Mrs Gifty Anderson, Secretary of the Kantamanto Women’s Association, welcomed the presence of the companies at Kantamanto. She said understanding the challenges on the ground was an important step towards developing solutions. The coalition will develop and test a producer responsibility framework that takes into account the movement of used clothing across national borders over the next two years.
The initiative will bring together fashion companies, producer responsibility organisations, clothing sorters, recyclers, policymakers, and communities affected by the second-hand clothing trade. As its first demonstration project, the coalition will examine how producer responsibility contributions could help strengthen Ghana’s existing circular textile economy. The initiative will build on work undertaken by The Or Foundation over the past 15 years in supporting the circular textile ecosystem in Ghana.
Through the demonstration project, The Or Foundation is expected to continue initiatives in Accra, including improvements to infrastructure at Kantamanto Market, environmental remediation, and training programmes. The coalition said the initiative would seek to learn from communities at the centre of the second-hand clothing trade while exploring practical approaches to managing the growing volume of post-consumer textiles moving across borders.
Key points
- The Apparel Recovery Coalition (ARC) aims to explore ways to strengthen the management and reuse of second-hand clothing in countries that receive large volumes of used apparel exports.
- The coalition will develop and test a producer responsibility framework that takes into account the movement of used clothing across national borders over the next two years.
- The initiative will build on work undertaken by The Or Foundation over the past 15 years in supporting the circular textile ecosystem in Ghana.
