Md. Mainul Islam, AUST Textile 29 Batch Head of Dept. – IE Hameem Group, +8801686860986

Introduction

The global fashion and textile industry is at a crossroads — while production volumes continue to increase, the sustainability of the system is under severe question. For countries in Africa and Asia, the downstream consequences of fast fashion, used-clothing trade and textile waste are becoming more visible and controversial. At the same time, nations such as Bangladesh, though major producers of apparel, face internal challenges in managing textile waste, recycling, and creating awareness at the grassroots level.

This article explores how African countries are rallying against certain global practices, the role of United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) in guiding textile-circularity initiatives, and what the Bangladesh garment and textile sector can learn to build a more responsible and circular system.

Africa’s Stance: From Second-Hand Imports to Circularity Concerns

In recent years, several African countries have raised serious concerns about how the global textile and used-clothing trade is impacting their economies, environments and societies. A few points stand out:

• Many African countries import large volumes of second-hand clothing (used textiles) — for instance, one report notes that across Africa the total annual imports of used clothing exceed 900,000 tones. (ethical business. Africa)
• In Accra, Ghana, up to 15 million items of used clothing arrive weekly, and nearly half may be unsellable — ending up in informal dumpsites, open burning or being used as fuel. (Greenpeace)
• The use of the term “waste” vs “usable second-hand textile” has become contested: trade bodies and second-hand clothing associations (for example in Ghana and Kenya) have challenged UNEP’s “Circularity and Trade in Used Textiles” project for lacking transparency in definitions and data. (The Star)
• One relevant statistic: Globally about 92 million tones of textile waste is produced each year. (UNEP – UN Environment Program)
• A key criticism from African stakeholders is that the global system may be shifting the burden of fast-fashion waste onto regions with weak waste-management infrastructure — effectively turning them into dumping grounds. (Greenpeace)

Why this matters:

• Environmental: Poor-quality garments (especially synthetic fibers) that cannot be reused accumulate in landfills, open dumps, waterways — causing soil and water pollution, microplastic release, and health risks for communities. (Greenpeace)
• Economic & Social: Local used-clothing industries, informal markets, and job-streams are affected when large volumes are unsellable or the influx undermines local manufacturing.
• Governance & Fairness: When major global projects (like those of UNEP) set definitions, guidelines or target standards, affected stakeholders (especially in Africa) expect full inclusion, transparency and equity — otherwise the legitimacy of such global efforts is undermined.

Key quote :

“What we have seen throughout this consultation process is not the objective inquiry that we expect from a UN program,” said Jeffren Boakye Abrokwah of Ghana’s Used Clothing Dealers Association. (allAfrica.com)

Link to Fast Fashion: Why the Pressure Is Growing

The cause of much of this waste and pressure lies in the “fast fashion” business model: rapid production, frequent turnover of collections, lower garment lifespans. Some supporting data:

• The lifetime of a garment has decreased by around 36 % since 2000. (UNEP – UN Environment Program)
• Only around 8 % of textile fibers in 2023 were made from recycled sources. (UNEP – UN Environment Program)
• A massive portion of discarded garments ends up in low-income countries because exporting used textiles is cheaper than recycling or waste-treating them in exporting nations. (Africanews)

What this means: when fast-fashion brands (and the broader system) produce large volumes of lower-cost garments — many made rapidly, with shorter lifespans, and often using synthetic blends — the global downstream burden increases, especially for countries lacking robust infrastructure for collection, sorting, reuse, recycling, or safe disposal.

Bangladesh’s Reality: Production Hub, but Downstream Weaknesses

As you know from your professional context, Bangladesh is the world’s second-largest apparel exporter. While this gives the country huge opportunities, it also brings responsibilities and challenges — especially regarding waste management, circularity and worker/manager awareness on sustainable practices. Key reflections for Bangladesh:

• Many factories still face issues with unused fabric, off-cuts, rejects, sub-standard garments or process waste not being optimized for reuse or recycling.

• Worker and management awareness on “sustainable fashion”, textile‐waste reduction, reuse/recycling practices remains nascent in many plants and at the shop-floor level.
• There is strong potential for Bangladesh to learn from what is happening globally (including the African context) — turning textile waste from a burden into an opportunity via:
  • Better segregation of fabric off-cuts, rejects and unused stock.
  • Investing in internal recycling/up-cycling systems or partnerships with recyclers.
  • Training every level — from line-workers, supervisors, to managers — on the social, economic and environmental impacts of textile waste.
  • Engaging suppliers, brands and factory policy-holders in upstream design practices (fewer off‐cuts, better material selection, extended-lifetime garments) and downstream waste handling.
• If Bangladesh positions itself not just as a low-cost production hub but a sustainability- driven hub, it can gain competitive advantage, meet emerging brand/retailer expectations on circularity, and reduce regulatory/ reputational risks (especially as global standards tighten).
• The “root-level” awareness you mentioned is critical — when workers and managers understand why waste reduction matters, they can become active participants rather than passive recipients of “instructions”.

Lessons & Recommendations: From Awareness to Action

Here are some actionable recommendations for stakeholders in Bangladesh, derived from global insights (including the African protest context):

1.      Define and distinguish “used/second-hand textile” versus “textile waste”

• As seen in Africa, ambiguity in definitions undermines fairness and transparency. Bangladesh factories and stakeholders should clearly classify what is reusable, what is scrap, and how each stream will be handled.
  • Work with brands/retailers to ensure clarity in how they view “waste” versus “reuse”.

2.      Invest in waste-management infrastructure and processes at factory level

• Segregate off-cuts, rejects, unused stock, mis-prints, and textile shreds onsite.
  • Evaluate partnerships with recyclers or up-cyclers; reuse fabrics internally where possible (e.g., for training garments, sample development, packing materials).

• Monitor metrics: kilograms of off-cut per unit output, amount reused, amount sent to landfill/incineration.

3.      Training & awareness campaigns across all levels

• At the worker level: why fabric waste matters, how to reduce off-cuts, reuse leftover materials, and alert management to mis-runs/defects.
  • At the supervisory/managerial level: data-driven waste tracking, cost-benefit of waste reduction, circular-business models (e.g., selling off-cut to recyclers).
  • At the leadership level: integrate textile-waste KPIs into factory performance, align with brand sustainability goals, and prepare for incoming regulations (e.g., export brands may require EPR—extended producer responsibility).

4.      Engage with global trends and brand/retailer expectations

• Brands are increasingly focused on circularity, waste reduction, and transparency in the supply chain. Bangladesh factories should anticipate this by being proactive.
  • Given the African protests against opaque global textile-waste exports and the role of institutions like UNEP, it’s realistic that regulations will tighten. Factories that lead early will be ahead of risk.

5.      Communicate and share success stories internally and externally

• Highlight cases where fabric reuse has saved cost or improved sustainability credentials.
  • Use internal magazines, notice boards, training modules, social media, or brand reports to show commitment.
  • At the educational/institutional level: collaborate with technical colleges, universities, and even high schools to embed “sustainable fashion” and “textile-waste awareness” in curricula—so the future workforce is literate in these topics.

Conclusion

The critique from African stakeholders of global textile-waste linkages reminds us that what happens in one part of the value chain resonates globally. For Bangladesh, a leading production country, this is both a challenge and an opportunity. By focusing now on robust definitions, internal waste-management systems, broad-based awareness, and alignment with emerging circularity standards, the country can reinforce its competitive position and fulfill its social and environmental responsibilities.

The time is right to start “root-level” awareness—from factory floor to educational institutions

— and to build a culture where textile waste is not just an “after-thought” but an integral part of
sustainable production strategy. Let’s commit to reducing textile waste, unlocking value from what is now being discarded, and moving the industry toward a truly circular model.