Sustainable sorting; a human-centric approach to second-hand clothing decisions

Abstract

African countries are among the highest importers of secondhand clothes. Nearly seventy percent of all Western second-hand clothing (SHC) donations go to African nations (Kermeliotis & Curnow, 2013). However, the influx of second-hand clothing in Africa has severely undermined the domestic textile industry, resulting in job losses in the formal and informal sectors. Additionally, the excessive disposal of these garments poses significant environmental challenges, leading to greenhouse gas emissions and soil pollution. This study aims to improve the system of clothing use and reuse, enhancing the efficiency of the second-hand clothing market by supporting post-donation decisions. It seeks to describe and improve efficiency by identifying the necessary information to inform the options for the fate of a garment after donation. The core objective is to explore the decision-making processes of sorters and retailers in Nigeria regarding second-hand clothing (SHC). This encompasses mapping how sorters select among various reuse and recycling options while identifying the factors influencing these decisions. Understanding these decision-making processes will aid in addressing the challenges of optimizing SHC reuse and enhance the overall efficiency of the recycling system in Nigeria, potentially informing the sorting choices of SHC exporters. The aim is to understand the decision-makers in the SHC import sector regarding the distribution of used clothing. The experience of sorters and importers within the chain can inform suggestions for designing a digital garment profile, which includes the garment-level attributes and details needed to guide post-donation decisions. Increased efficiency in the distribution of SHC could lead to improved sustainability and waste reduction. Research Objectives: This research aims to contribute to understanding the decision-making processes involved in reusing and recycling SHC within the Nigerian context. Specifically, it seeks to explore how sorters in Nigeria determine the final path for each garment and the factors and information that influence these decisions. The overarching research objective that emerges is related to the environmental and sustainability implications of the SHC trade. How can the SHC trade contribute to environmental sustainability by extending the life cycle of garments and reducing the demand for new clothing production? This question aligns with the focus on the environmental challenges posed by exporters in the clothing industry and the potential of the SHC trade to mitigate these impacts through reuse and recycling. Keywords: Secondhand Clothes, Recycle, Reuse, Donation, Importers, Textile, Waste, Production.