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Kantamanto Market in Ghana, one of the largest hubs for secondhand clothing worldwide, faced a devastating fire in early January 2025. The fire resulted in profound implications for the fashion industry globally, especially in waste management, sustainability, and corporate responsibility.
Effects on the Fashion Industry
Ghana’s Kantamanto Market is an integral part of the country’s economy, showcasing around 15 million used garments every week with many items originating from brands like Marks & Spencer, Next, Gildan, Adidas, Gap, Shein, Asos, Ralph Lauren, Nike and H&M and coming from the US, Canada and the UK. The market is assisting the livelihood of countless families. It is known to be an important sector in the global second-hand clothing markets, being a big part of reducing textile waste by repairing, reusing, remanufacturing, repurposing, and reselling about 25 million used clothing from other wealthier countries in a month. There were more than 30.000 traders in the market.
Ghanian-American non-profit organization The Or Foundation’s awareness-raising and activistic efforts as well as its noteworthy decision to accept the donations from Shein in 2022 made Kantamanto Market the globally recognised space in the secondhand market. The pictures and videos of the recycling and repairing the garments along with the textile waste polluting its water, have been taken and shared worldwide. In 2024, the region’s beach had waste with the largest amounts from Marks & Spencer Group plc (14,8%), Next, Plc. (12,5%), Gap Inc. (12,5%), H&M Group (7,8%), and ASOS PLC (4,7%). Its retailers’ insights have been utilised during the lobbying for the extended producer responsibility regulation of the European Union.
A fire swept through the ever-busy market in Ghana's capital Accra in the early hours of January 2, 2025. The inferno destroyed thousands of stalls and lots of secondhand clothing, accounting for more than 60% of the market. Around 8.000 of the traders have been affected by the fire. The toxic emissions from the burned textiles are raising concerns about pollution and risks to health in the locality. The destruction also impacted various traders such as resellers, upcyclers, tailors, artisans, and retailers by affecting their economy and livelihoods.
This is not the first time. The market’s impromptu construction which can and is being expanded rapidly as per the traders’ wish has made the space unstable and prone to any accidents such as flooding and fire.
The Support
There have been several calls from major brands as support for relief efforts. The Or Foundation has committed to donating $1 million for emergency relief and encouraged fashion brands to contribute to the rebuilding. The organisation has deployed its volunteers on the ground as support who recorded that at least 10 of the 13 sections in the market have faced severe damage. It has also set up a fund to donate to those who have been directly affected. A community-driven non-profit organisation, The Revival, is seeking donations to help and assist the ground for cleanup.
Fashion and sustainability advocates are emphasising that labels have benefited from the secondhand market and it is their corporate responsibility to support the communities who are managing their waste products. The luxury secondhand channel Vestiaire Collective has publicly announced that it is pledging support to the market and urged donations to the relief fund of The Or Foundation.
Even though there have been a lot of calls for assistance, many famous brands and fashion companies have not publicly addressed the issue or announced any support to the communities. The lack of responses from the brands has earned criticism.
Cover Image: People trying to salvage some garments after Ghana's Kantamanto Market fire, courtesy CNN.