"Waste colonialism": what happens to unsold goods from EU fashion companies

In the run-up to the "Austrian Consumer Dialogues: Textiles", the COMÚN Foundation presented the first results of a new, previously unpublished UN study from Chile

The fast fashion industry is not only one of the biggest consumers and polluters of water, it is also a huge emitter of microplastics and contributes to climate damage. The production of clothing in countries of the Global South has already been the subject of intense scrutiny, but little is known about the end of the line. A new study commissioned by two UN organizations now shows this using the example of the South American country of Chile, where vast amounts of textile waste end up - including from Europe.

In just one year, Chile has become the fourth largest importer of used clothing in the world, with around 156 million kilograms imported in 2021 alone. This also includes clothing from EU fashion companies such as H&M and Adidas that is demonstrably as good as new. In the run-up to the "Austrian Consumer Dialogues: Textiles", the non-profit federal foundation COMÚN and study author Beatriz O'Brien presented the first results of the study in advance and appealed to European governments to take action:

"We were already familiar with the images of mountains of clothing in the desert, but until now we did not know for sure where the textiles came from and who commissioned them. This study is the first scientifically sound documentation that European fashion companies are also dumping their goods that are not sold in the European Union in the Global South. So we cannot shift the blame for the mountains of clothing to South America. We are not doing the people in Chile or Africa any favors with our used clothing "donations"; on the contrary, we are burdening them with our waste. They and the local environment suffer massively from the enormous environmental pollution caused by the clothes. We must hold the EU accountable for ensuring that human rights are respected at the beginning and end of European companies' value chains and that environmental standards are upheld. This cannot be delegated to the consumers or the people of South America," says Veronika Bohrn Mena, COMÚN Chairwoman.

Study author O'Brien: Dumping old clothes is a form of "waste colonialism"

Mountains of clothing in the middle of the desert - these photos went around the world in 2022 and caused outrage. Many items of clothing still had the sales tag from fashion stores on them, seemingly ending up unsold and unworn as "old clothes" in the Global South. Now we know: The cycle of fashion pieces from Southeast Asian fast fashion factories, offered in hip stores in European cities, is coming to an end in the desert. Study author Beatriz O'Brien calls this "waste colonialism":

"The waste that the local population of the Tarapaca region has to deal with is not their own. It is part of a global consumer society that is constantly growing and expanding and has flooded the region and the country, making it difficult and even almost impossible for a once thriving local textile industry to develop again."

But what exactly ends up there, where does it come from and what are the consequences for people, the climate and the environment? The researcher investigated this question on behalf of the UN organizations ECLAC (Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean) and UNECE (United Nations Economic Commission for Europe). Her study has now been completed and will be presented in Chile in the fall. As part of the "Austrian Consumer Dialogues: Textiles", she is in Austria at the invitation of COMÚN and presented the first results in advance.

Study results: Chile fourth largest importer in the world - new goods from H&M and Adidas in piles of garbage

• In 2021, Chile was already the fourth largest importer of used clothing in the world (behind Pakistan, UAE and Malaysia) and the number one in South America.
• 156 million kilograms were brought into the country, an increase of almost 200% compared to previous years, as in 2020 it was still around 60 million kilograms.
• In comparison: 44 million kilograms of used textiles are generated in Austria every year, around half of which is exported abroad. Germany, the second largest exporter of used clothing in the world, exported around 462 million kilograms in 2021.
• O'Brien also looked at the regional origin of the garments and their producers. Textiles manufactured mainly in South East Asia by European textile companies such as H&M and Adidas are in the mountains of garbage.
• These are not only clothing donations, but also demonstrably as good as new, unsold goods that have not been worn for a single day.
• The clothing comes into the country from the USA, Asia and Europe in bales of around 40 to 45 kilograms via four Chilean ports. They are sold there in the Iquique free trade zone at a price of 1 to 2 US dollars per kilogram.

People from all over the country flock to the region to buy cheap textiles. Poor migrants from Latin American countries in particular have settled in the region. What is not sold ends up in the desert, and gigantic towers are being built near the town of Alto Hospicio. Since the media outcry over the dumping, the procedure has changed - since then, the old clothing has been incinerated.

A large proportion of used clothing is made from petroleum-based fibers such as polyester or polyamide - around 63%. Incinerating them poses a major health risk for local people. Microplastics and chemicals also end up in the soil and water. The authorities in the region are overwhelmed and are under economic pressure from the trade in the supposedly used clothing.

COMÚN: Corporations must be held accountable

For Veronika Bohrn Mena, this sad end to the global textile value chain in Chile is closely linked to the profiteers & clients:

"Textile companies based in the EU that produce under catastrophic conditions in South-East Asia and South-East Europe must be held accountable. Starting with production, through a strong supply chain law, but also when it comes to used clothing."