The “Away” Illusion

Ever wonder where your bags of donated clothes actually end up?

Most of us treat dropping off a bag at a donation bin like a magic trick. We hand it over, walk away, and assume it finds a good home.

But very often, away is Kantamanto Market in Accra, Ghana, where 15 million secondhand garments arrive every single week.

On today’s show, contemporary artist Emmanuel “DoTT” Kunfaa pulls back the curtain on the dark side of donating and highlights they ways in which the illusion of charity is feeding waste colonialism.

Here’s a preview:

[6:30] What really happens to your donated clothes once they leave your hands

[11:00] Kantamanto used to be a success story in circularity. What changed? (Hint: fast fashion.)

[15:00] Musings on expensive handbags. What purpose do they actually serve?

[22:00] Five things we can all do better when it comes to buying and donating clothes

Resources mentioned:

• Trash of Fame
• DoTT on Instagram

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