0:00:00.891,0:00:02.057
This is "Marketplace."

0:00:02.435,0:00:03.537
Whoa.

0:00:04.423,0:00:05.898
Pajamas, old dresses.

0:00:06.472,0:00:07.897
Oh, my gosh!

0:00:08.345,0:00:11.166
Where do all your old clothes[br]really end up?

0:00:11.411,0:00:14.272
Ultimately, it is going[br]to end up in a landfill.

0:00:14.683,0:00:16.983
We follow the trail around the world.

0:00:18.795,0:00:21.148
The high cost of fast fashion.

0:00:21.447,0:00:23.171
This is your "Marketplace."

0:00:23.556,0:00:27.074
I'm here checking out some of[br]the biggest fashion chains in the world,

0:00:27.074,0:00:29.362
but I'm not shopping for new clothes.

0:00:29.362,0:00:31.978
I'm actually trying to get rid of[br]some of my old ones.

0:00:33.032,0:00:37.252
So these are my all-time favorite[br]sweatpants from college.

0:00:38.376,0:00:41.248
These, I washed them[br]and they totally shrunk.

0:00:41.569,0:00:43.099
These were also super cheap.

0:00:43.353,0:00:45.056
This is just like an old T-shirt.

0:00:45.812,0:00:47.947
It was black at one point in its life.

0:00:49.614,0:00:51.684
Some retailers are on a mission.

0:00:51.684,0:00:53.487
They want your unwanted clothes,

0:00:53.487,0:00:56.042
and some are competing[br]with charities for it.

0:00:57.291,0:01:00.323
There's a new bin in town and[br]the message is clear:

0:01:00.600,0:01:02.976
Don't throw old clothes in the garbage,

0:01:02.976,0:01:04.396
dump them here.

0:01:04.703,0:01:06.900
They'll take curtains, they'll take jeans.

0:01:06.900,0:01:08.967
They'll even take your old underwear.

0:01:10.826,0:01:15.238
Drop off old clothes and get a coupon[br]to save money when you buy new ones.

0:01:16.568,0:01:18.778
But before I part with my old clothes,

0:01:18.778,0:01:20.624
I've got a few more questions.

0:01:20.825,0:01:23.533
These bins sure make us all feel good.

0:01:23.696,0:01:26.562
But are they doing as much good[br]as we think?

0:01:28.221,0:01:29.322
Look at this!

0:01:29.322,0:01:30.923
Look at these bags!

0:01:31.497,0:01:33.883
Most of us are like[br]the Bretons and the Palmas

0:01:33.883,0:01:35.187
in Markham, Ontario.

0:01:35.707,0:01:38.306
Somehow, we end up with too many clothes.

0:01:38.605,0:01:39.780
Emily, what's in here?

0:01:39.780,0:01:41.811
Old clothes that are too small for me.

0:01:42.502,0:01:44.546
They purge a few times a year,

0:01:44.546,0:01:46.856
normally dropping their[br]haul in a charity bin.

0:01:47.289,0:01:48.304
Whoa!

0:01:48.617,0:01:50.610
Stuff like these have holes in them.

0:01:50.610,0:01:52.845
This isn't just a pile of clothes.

0:01:52.845,0:01:55.585
It's now a pile of textile waste.

0:01:55.948,0:02:00.083
And we want to show the kids[br]just how big the problem really is.

0:02:03.498,0:02:05.235
Are you guys ready to go inside

0:02:05.235,0:02:07.965
and see what happens to all[br]those clothes that you donate?

0:02:07.965,0:02:08.998
Yes

0:02:08.998,0:02:10.362
All right. Let's go inside.

0:02:11.880,0:02:13.652
Go on in, take a look.

0:02:14.649,0:02:16.685
Whoa!

0:02:21.424,0:02:23.198
Clothes! Clothes!

0:02:23.198,0:02:24.206
That's clothes.

0:02:24.206,0:02:25.207
Clothes!

0:02:25.207,0:02:26.345
Do you see that?

0:02:26.345,0:02:27.657
Oh, my gosh.

0:02:27.757,0:02:28.781
Clothes!

0:02:29.481,0:02:31.417
That's a crazy pile.

0:02:31.918,0:02:36.075
And get this, all of this[br]is what's leftover,

0:02:36.075,0:02:38.346
the stuff no one wants.

0:02:38.455,0:02:41.000
The stuff that thrift stores can't sell.

0:02:41.260,0:02:43.585
All those clothes you guys[br]piled up yesterday,

0:02:43.796,0:02:45.671
this is where it can end up.

0:02:45.966,0:02:47.332
It's a lot of clothes.

0:02:47.581,0:02:49.482
It wasn't what I was expecting to see.

0:02:49.935,0:02:51.265
One warehouse,

0:02:51.265,0:02:56.038
more than 200,000 pounds[br]of textile waste each week.

0:02:56.375,0:02:59.918
And that's just from in[br]and around Toronto.

0:03:00.803,0:03:03.166
Across the country,[br]we've got nine other locations

0:03:03.166,0:03:04.190
similar to this one.

0:03:04.190,0:03:07.661
The last year or two years,[br]probably a 15 to 20% growth

0:03:07.661,0:03:10.270
in the overall volume of textiles[br]that are coming in.

0:03:10.556,0:03:14.424
Tonny Colyn is the head of donations[br]for Salvation Army Canada.

0:03:14.894,0:03:18.729
So, how do you think fast[br]fashion has impacted...this?

0:03:19.198,0:03:20.243
All of this.

0:03:20.393,0:03:22.138
It's had a massive effect.

0:03:22.138,0:03:24.339
And all of that stuff has to go somewhere.

0:03:24.339,0:03:26.272
The dads of these two families,

0:03:26.272,0:03:30.064
Michael Palma and Norman Breton[br]can't believe it.

0:03:30.259,0:03:34.314
Their coats or boots might be okay,[br]but they want something new.

0:03:34.591,0:03:36.959
If they need or if they want,[br]it's a big question.

0:03:36.959,0:03:39.529
A lot of times they want stuff[br]but they don't need it.

0:03:40.720,0:03:45.377
Still, we can't seem to get our hands[br]on fast fashion fast enough.

0:03:45.735,0:03:47.881
Cheap, trendy, disposable clothes.

0:03:48.285,0:03:50.416
And we're even bragging about it.

0:03:50.663,0:03:52.932
And I ended up with a bag full of clothes.

0:03:52.932,0:03:57.135
We're all buying too much,[br]400% more, since the 1980's.

0:03:57.670,0:04:01.164
The quality isn't all that great,[br]but the prices are fantastic.

0:04:01.372,0:04:04.822
But not all of our old clothes[br]make it to the donation bin.

0:04:05.144,0:04:09.259
Most of it, 85%, ends up in landfills.

0:04:10.991,0:04:16.558
In North America, it's estimated to be[br]at least 25 billion pounds a year.

0:04:17.318,0:04:20.178
In Canada alone, imagine a mountain

0:04:20.178,0:04:24.343
three times the size of[br]Toronto's Rogers Centre Stadium

0:04:24.883,0:04:27.215
Where they don't biodegrade easily

0:04:27.215,0:04:30.888
because many are made with fabrics[br]that can't be broken down.

0:04:32.312,0:04:36.163
Releasing chemicals and dyes[br]into our rivers, soil.

0:04:37.109,0:04:41.571
That's part of the reason why fashion[br]is one of the world's top polluters.

0:04:45.478,0:04:47.038
So in the last few years,

0:04:47.144,0:04:52.666
some of the biggest names in the business:[br]Levi's, Nike, Adidas, Zara

0:04:52.666,0:04:54.734
have started recycling programs.

0:04:55.166,0:05:00.352
All retailers with donation bins in stores[br]calling out for your old garments.

0:05:00.572,0:05:02.735
But none go as far as H&M.

0:05:03.168,0:05:06.485
They will take anything: jeans,[br]curtains, even underwear.

0:05:06.785,0:05:08.084
Just check out their ads.

0:05:08.874,0:05:10.544
The thing that you never wore.

0:05:10.882,0:05:12.877
This and this and that.

0:05:13.512,0:05:15.848
The thing with the color[br]that wasn't your color.

0:05:16.178,0:05:17.252
Bring it on.

0:05:17.252,0:05:20.150
This is one of H&M's latest ad campaigns.

0:05:20.652,0:05:24.123
Cut your jeans into pieces[br]and make new jeans out of them.

0:05:24.980,0:05:28.556
"Cut your jeans into pieces[br]and make new jeans out of them."

0:05:28.886,0:05:32.522
With your help,we literally turn[br]your old clothes into new garments.

0:05:33.401,0:05:37.167
"We literally turn your old clothes[br]into new garments."

0:05:37.881,0:05:40.327
Garments in the worst condition[br]can be transformed

0:05:40.327,0:05:44.561
into insulation material[br]or textile fibers woven into cloth,

0:05:44.561,0:05:48.684
reborn as fashionable new clothes[br]of every conceivable kind.

0:05:49.571,0:05:51.710
What do you think about recycling clothes?

0:05:51.710,0:05:53.012
I think that's amazing.

0:05:53.183,0:05:54.324
That's a great plan.

0:05:54.344,0:05:56.170
We're talking about recycling clothes.

0:05:56.170,0:05:58.786
What does that make you[br]think is happening to the stuff?

0:05:58.786,0:06:02.512
I think maybe it's, like,[br]refurbish the clothes

0:06:02.512,0:06:04.772
and get them to look new again.

0:06:05.163,0:06:07.399
What do you think happens to that stuff?

0:06:07.399,0:06:10.524
Doesn't it get recycled to make[br]new clothes from the old clothes?

0:06:10.836,0:06:13.748
Let's shred it into fibers[br]and stitch it into something new

0:06:13.955,0:06:17.410
The only thing we will not do is waste it.

0:06:17.628,0:06:19.186
Bold recycling claims.

0:06:19.305,0:06:21.974
They sound great, but are they really?

0:06:23.549,0:06:27.086
[ Flight Attendant[br]Over Intercom ]

0:06:27.256,0:06:30.489
To try to find out,[br]we head to New York City,

0:06:30.489,0:06:32.591
one of the fashion capitals of the world.

0:06:34.067,0:06:36.482
With jackets, you always[br]have to check the lining.

0:06:37.063,0:06:40.735
To meet Elizabeth Cline,[br]an anti-fast fashion crusader.

0:06:41.100,0:06:44.417
Because of what she knows,[br]she only wears used clothes.

0:06:44.639,0:06:47.224
It's made her a pro[br]at assessing cast-offs.

0:06:47.920,0:06:53.307
On a coat, the first thing you would do[br]is make sure the zippers work.

0:06:53.445,0:06:57.105
Especially fast fashion, like,[br]a lot of the fasteners will just break

0:06:57.105,0:06:58.951
and chip really quickly.

0:06:59.173,0:07:01.280
We show her H&M's marketing

0:07:01.297,0:07:05.445
and ask her what she thinks about[br]making new clothes out of your old ones.

0:07:05.868,0:07:08.447
Shred it into fibers and stitch it[br]into something new.

0:07:09.218,0:07:14.195
The reality is that currently only about[br]1% of clothing is actually recycled

0:07:14.195,0:07:16.469
in the very literal sense of the word.

0:07:16.469,0:07:17.469
1%?

0:07:17.469,0:07:18.470
1%.

0:07:18.470,0:07:20.373
1%...is recycled?

0:07:20.373,0:07:24.420
If you're talking about recycling[br]in terms of taking fibers

0:07:24.458,0:07:25.615
and breaking them down

0:07:25.615,0:07:28.615
and turning them back[br]into new fibers, it's 1%.

0:07:28.891,0:07:31.450
Why is it so hard[br]to just take my old shirt

0:07:31.450,0:07:32.887
and turn it into a new one?

0:07:32.891,0:07:34.388
Why can't you just do is that?

0:07:34.388,0:07:36.887
A lot of our clothes are made[br]out of blended fibers,

0:07:36.887,0:07:41.618
so maybe this is acrylic and wool[br]and cotton mixed together,

0:07:41.997,0:07:45.070
maybe my tights are cotton and elastane,

0:07:45.070,0:07:47.524
that makes it difficult to recycle.

0:07:47.729,0:07:51.637
The other challenge is that[br]when you recycle cotton and wool,

0:07:51.637,0:07:56.091
it diminishes the quality[br]of that material,

0:07:56.091,0:08:00.748
so it weakens the cotton and wool strand[br]and gives you a lesser product.

0:08:01.113,0:08:04.730
Bottom line, the technology[br]just isn't there yet.

0:08:04.950,0:08:08.454
It's way too expensive[br]and too time consuming

0:08:08.454,0:08:10.486
to make new clothes from old ones.

0:08:10.871,0:08:13.417
There's also a more skeptical side of me

0:08:13.417,0:08:17.723
that knows that the reason why[br]H&M is focusing on textile recycling

0:08:17.723,0:08:20.412
is because it's an easy[br]sustainability win for them.

0:08:20.412,0:08:23.802
It doesn't involve them changing[br]their production model at all

0:08:23.802,0:08:27.188
to collect clothes and make sure[br]that they get a second life.

0:08:27.847,0:08:30.798
It doesn't make the fast fashion[br]system any more sustainable.

0:08:33.087,0:08:38.037
Experts agree fast fashion needs to change[br]if we really want to make a difference

0:08:39.017,0:08:41.090
Remember when fashion had four seasons,

0:08:41.090,0:08:43.440
winter, spring, summer and fall?

0:08:43.773,0:08:46.818
Now the trends change almost every day.

0:08:47.292,0:08:50.370
Here's how this Swedish clothing giant[br]CEO explains it.

0:08:50.928,0:08:54.179
We have new garments coming[br]into the stores almost every day.

0:08:54.179,0:08:57.213
So if you go to an H&M store today[br]and come back two days later,

0:08:57.213,0:08:59.579
you will always find something new.

0:09:00.020,0:09:02.899
H&M salespeople tell us[br]new clothes come in

0:09:02.899,0:09:06.249
every Monday, Wednesday,[br]Friday, and Sunday.

0:09:06.724,0:09:09.691
That works out to half[br]a billion products a year.

0:09:10.376,0:09:16.142
And it's why H&M's recycling campaign[br]makes Claudia Marsales so mad.

0:09:19.198,0:09:23.012
It really is a form of greenwashing.

0:09:23.253,0:09:25.708
She's the head of Markham,[br]Ontario's waste programs.

0:09:25.708,0:09:30.384
One of the few Canadian cities to actually[br]ban textiles from landfills.

0:09:30.692,0:09:36.508
In order for the fast fashion outlets[br]to recycle what they make,

0:09:36.508,0:09:39.794
it would take 12 years to recycle[br]what they sell in 48 hours.

0:09:40.512,0:09:41.675
Like it's just...

0:09:41.675,0:09:45.904
So that sort of tells me it's really[br]more about foot traffic, marketing,

0:09:45.904,0:09:50.731
greenwashing than about really[br]addressing the broken business model

0:09:50.731,0:09:51.790
of fast fashion.

0:09:52.126,0:09:55.907
We asked H&M to come on camera[br]and talk about their recycling program.

0:09:56.161,0:10:00.810
They declined, assuring us they don't want[br]to encourage a throwaway attitude.

0:10:01.233,0:10:04.403
Their clothes are good quality[br]and made to last.

0:10:04.403,0:10:07.606
And they are working towards[br]a business model where,

0:10:07.606,0:10:10.317
eventually, all their clothes[br]can be recycled.

0:10:10.576,0:10:12.478
At least they're trying?

0:10:14.622,0:10:17.237
Yes, well, but they're a cause[br]of the problem.

0:10:17.237,0:10:20.930
So, fast fashion retailers,

0:10:20.930,0:10:23.537
their business model is the problem.

0:10:23.537,0:10:26.658
They're making too much,[br]they're selling it too cheap.

0:10:26.658,0:10:28.399
It's disposable clothing.

0:10:28.760,0:10:32.704
Doing a bit of back-end recycling[br]and a bit of commercials

0:10:32.704,0:10:34.706
really doesn't address that issue.

0:10:37.010,0:10:41.153
And ask some customers one of the things[br]they love most about the program?

0:10:41.706,0:10:42.829
It's the discount.

0:10:43.075,0:10:44.991
That incentive to keep buying.

0:10:45.105,0:10:47.622
I put it in the bin and then[br]they give me a discount.

0:10:47.622,0:10:49.280
I saw it and it's like oh, snap.

0:10:49.280,0:10:51.267
You know, um, it's a way to, like,

0:10:51.267,0:10:53.562
you know, help me[br]and help them at the same time.

0:10:53.562,0:10:56.450
What do you mean when you say help you[br]and help someone else?

0:10:56.755,0:11:00.834
Um, help me by, you know, saving money[br]and help them by providing free clothing.

0:11:01.863,0:11:05.741
We just chuck it in the bin[br]and they did offer, like, a $5 discount.

0:11:06.232,0:11:08.767
H&M might be collecting your old clothes.

0:11:08.767,0:11:11.791
More than 55,000 tonnes so far,

0:11:12.112,0:11:15.639
but if they're barely making new clothes[br]from your donations,

0:11:15.639,0:11:17.295
where do they all go?

0:11:17.608,0:11:19.260
These shoppers have a theory.

0:11:20.140,0:11:22.848
Where do you think those clothes go[br]that you put in H&M?

0:11:22.848,0:11:25.708
They probably go to people who need them,

0:11:25.708,0:11:27.283
probably like shelters

0:11:27.283,0:11:29.243
or other places that use the clothes.

0:11:29.243,0:11:33.225
Probably give it for free, or something,[br]to the people that need it.

0:11:33.225,0:11:34.904
Where do you think that stuff goes?

0:11:34.904,0:11:38.174
What do you think happens to it?[br]Hopefully to just some needy people.

0:11:38.174,0:11:39.192
Yeah.

0:11:39.317,0:11:40.898
Who still want to be fashionable.

0:11:40.966,0:11:44.141
Many of us think our old clothes[br]are given to the less fortunate.

0:11:44.475,0:11:45.518
Wrong.

0:11:45.604,0:11:49.542
And maybe you're telling yourself that[br]to feel better about buying more, too.

0:11:50.053,0:11:52.377
Well, Cline coined a term for this.

0:11:55.040,0:11:56.897
What's the clothing deficit myth?

0:11:57.231,0:12:04.111
So, the clothing deficit myth is the idea[br]that when we give clothes to charity,

0:12:04.111,0:12:08.467
they're going to go to someone locally[br]in our community in need.

0:12:09.670,0:12:11.405
But in the era of fast fashion,

0:12:12.430,0:12:15.777
there's far more unwanted clothes[br]than there are people in need.

0:12:17.905,0:12:20.737
The Salvation Army knows all about that.

0:12:21.073,0:12:25.532
Remember, this is all the stuff[br]they can't sell at their stores.

0:12:25.944,0:12:28.904
So what do they do[br]with all these leftovers?

0:12:29.054,0:12:31.354
They sell it to a middle man.

0:12:31.815,0:12:35.777
And the retailers do the same thing[br]with all your donations too.

0:12:36.193,0:12:41.064
In Canada, H&M gives the money[br]it makes off your donations to UNICEF.

0:12:41.737,0:12:42.774
Here's the thing.

0:12:42.774,0:12:44.684
All textiles are worth money.

0:12:45.317,0:12:48.759
The stuff that's in really rough shape[br]is shredded for painter's cloths

0:12:48.763,0:12:51.531
or insulation, for example, then sold.

0:12:51.970,0:12:56.561
But the majority of all donated clothes[br]are shipped overseas

0:12:56.561,0:12:59.590
to developing countries[br]and they're sold there, too.

0:12:59.945,0:13:02.468
Not donated or given to needy people.

0:13:02.468,0:13:06.008
And if you think that means[br]it's not going to end up in landfills,

0:13:06.448,0:13:07.516
think again.

0:13:09.966,0:13:14.066
We follow the trail of your old T-shirts[br]around the world.

0:13:14.366,0:13:16.363
The black stripes here are from Canada.

0:13:16.729,0:13:19.030
You can't afford to miss this trip.

0:13:19.664,0:13:21.613
This is your "Marketplace."

0:13:25.437,0:13:27.472
The real deal on your "Marketplace."

0:13:31.377,0:13:32.944
We love our clothes.

0:13:32.944,0:13:36.543
Now so cheap, you can make[br]a different statement every day.

0:13:36.882,0:13:38.684
These things are $3?

0:13:38.684,0:13:40.233
$5.

0:13:40.953,0:13:43.199
But they come with a huge cost.

0:13:43.489,0:13:45.958
Part of the reason why[br]some fast fashion chains,

0:13:45.958,0:13:49.895
like H&M, say they've got[br]recycling programs like this.

0:13:50.182,0:13:53.165
The Earth simply cannot bear[br]so many clothes

0:13:53.165,0:13:54.866
ending their lives as waste.

0:13:54.866,0:13:57.108
H&M has a far better answer.

0:13:57.636,0:14:03.276
But we learnt less than 1% of the world's[br]used clothes are turned into new ones.

0:14:03.442,0:14:07.078
The majority of those donations[br]from retailer and charity bins

0:14:07.078,0:14:10.315
are bailed and sold overseas.

0:14:17.856,0:14:20.036
This is Nairobi, Kenya.

0:14:20.036,0:14:24.663
The country at the top of the list[br]when it comes to buying your old clothes.

0:14:25.017,0:14:27.733
Kenya is one of Canada's best customers.

0:14:27.733,0:14:33.149
In a given year, they buy more[br]than $20 million worth of our old clothes

0:14:33.639,0:14:37.594
All the rest with the black stripes here[br]are from Canada.

0:14:37.809,0:14:39.945
These are a variety of kids clothing.

0:14:39.945,0:14:41.680
This one is a jacket.

0:14:41.680,0:14:43.248
Ladies T-shirts.

0:14:43.248,0:14:46.318
Maina Andrew is a used clothing importer.

0:14:46.318,0:14:51.224
People from Canada and America,[br]they are actually a bit huge.

0:14:51.656,0:14:53.659
Scenes like this aren't isolated.

0:14:53.659,0:14:57.607
You'll see them all over Africa,[br]South and Central America.

0:14:57.963,0:15:01.433
A lot of this is stuff[br]Canadians donated for free,

0:15:02.067,0:15:06.204
only for it to be sold here[br]for profit to vendors

0:15:06.204,0:15:10.676
like Alice Nyansarora Anunda,[br]who brings it to her local market.

0:15:10.863,0:15:13.314
They call the clothes, "Mitumba."

0:15:15.647,0:15:21.520
No, that one, it's just[br]a nickname we gave it,

0:15:21.520,0:15:24.389
"Mitumba" means, "Old" in our culture.

0:15:24.957,0:15:27.993
Nearly 13,000 kilometres away.

0:15:27.993,0:15:30.763
But take a closer look and there they are.

0:15:30.763,0:15:32.730
The names you know.

0:15:32.730,0:15:36.234
AEO, Zara, Adidas, H&M.

0:15:36.234,0:15:41.929
The way we open bales, we know their plans[br]where there's new clothes,

0:15:41.929,0:15:44.951
especially those which come from Canada.

0:15:45.410,0:15:49.691
But Andrew notices many of the clothes[br]are low quality, tough to sell.

0:15:50.015,0:15:51.149
We just dump them.

0:15:51.149,0:15:53.801
If people don't buy them,[br]we just dump them.

0:16:02.828,0:16:06.973
They do go in the piles of garbage,[br]very many of them.

0:16:09.734,0:16:13.618
He says this happens regularly[br]right behind the market,

0:16:13.618,0:16:16.835
discarding and burning clothes[br]Canadians don't want

0:16:16.835,0:16:18.632
and neither do Kenyans.

0:16:19.611,0:16:22.381
Sometimes they pack even very old items.

0:16:22.381,0:16:25.050
You can even pack items[br]that are not even good,

0:16:25.050,0:16:29.487
and they end up dumping them[br]in Africa or in Kenya.

0:16:36.461,0:16:40.330
Yeah, we burn them and it is a lost work[br]because we have already bought them.

0:16:44.036,0:16:46.363
All those popular brands[br]in the crowded markets,

0:16:46.504,0:16:49.014
Elizabeth Cline has seen them, too.

0:16:49.204,0:16:50.414
She's been to Kenya.

0:16:50.414,0:16:52.979
There are a lot of different companies[br]around the world

0:16:52.979,0:16:56.270
that are working on textile recycling[br]in the truest sense of the word,

0:16:56.270,0:16:58.350
but it's really in the very early stages.

0:16:58.350,0:17:01.732
Whether it stays in the United States[br]or if it ends up in Africa,

0:17:01.732,0:17:04.540
ultimately it is going to end up[br]in the landfill.

0:17:04.848,0:17:08.324
We tell H&M about this Kenyan market[br]and all the fires.

0:17:08.576,0:17:10.861
They say its middle man I:CO,

0:17:10.861,0:17:13.319
which handles pickup[br]and distribution of their bins,

0:17:13.319,0:17:14.933
has really high standards.

0:17:14.933,0:17:18.354
But they are still working on building[br]a better tracking system

0:17:18.354,0:17:20.338
so this doesn't keep happening.

0:17:20.738,0:17:23.141
Dumping is always cheaper.

0:17:23.141,0:17:25.176
It's always the cheaper option.

0:17:25.176,0:17:26.610
There's only one solution.

0:17:26.611,0:17:30.381
The producer of the clothing[br]is responsible cradle to grave.

0:17:30.381,0:17:33.218
So they make the T-shirt,[br]they sell the T-shirt,

0:17:33.218,0:17:37.455
the T-shirt comes back,[br]they have to recycle that T-shirt.

0:17:37.455,0:17:39.691
They can't put it in[br]a third world country.

0:17:40.032,0:17:43.198
As far as South Africa is concerned,[br]we banned secondhand clothing.

0:17:43.198,0:17:46.728
When a country survives[br]on secondhand things,

0:17:46.728,0:17:47.803
secondhand clothes,

0:17:47.803,0:17:50.138
it means there's something wrong[br]with that system.

0:17:50.338,0:17:52.987
Threatening the survival of[br]the local textiles industry.

0:17:52.987,0:17:55.821
And now many of those countries[br]are fighting back.

0:17:55.907,0:17:59.144
East African countries sent[br]the world a message recently.

0:17:59.144,0:18:02.803
They don't want our hand-me-downs[br]and tried to ban them.

0:18:02.847,0:18:06.201
Their government said it was destroying[br]their own textile market.

0:18:06.385,0:18:08.586
Secondhand clothes are quite cheap

0:18:08.592,0:18:12.929
and any manufactured textile[br]would not be able to compete with them.

0:18:15.336,0:18:17.395
And despite everything you just watched,

0:18:17.395,0:18:21.704
Cline says H&M group is a frontrunner[br]in sustainability efforts.

0:18:22.000,0:18:24.035
Compared to other brands,[br]they are leaders.

0:18:24.813,0:18:28.004
I don't know what that says about[br]the rest of the fashion industry,

0:18:28.004,0:18:30.539
that a fast fashion chain[br]is at the top of that list.

0:18:30.675,0:18:33.813
Just know that your textile waste[br]is an environmental issue.

0:18:33.813,0:18:38.528
Textile waste in landfills is one[br]of the fastest growing categories of waste

0:18:38.528,0:18:41.744
and it's such an easy thing[br]to do something about.

0:18:43.372,0:18:46.224
So what should you do[br]with all your old clothes?

0:18:46.224,0:18:48.372
The answers, coming right up.

0:18:50.362,0:18:52.570
Do you have a story[br]you want us to investigate?

0:18:52.797,0:18:56.235
Write to us: Marketplace@cbc.ca.

0:18:59.804,0:19:02.564
The high cost of fashion[br]on your "Marketplace."

0:19:02.827,0:19:04.139
Do you ever impulse buy?

0:19:04.139,0:19:05.159
Absolutely.

0:19:05.159,0:19:08.397
What was the last thing you bought[br]that now you see, and you're like:

0:19:08.397,0:19:09.785
"What was I thinking?"

0:19:09.785,0:19:10.986
Clothing always.

0:19:11.026,0:19:14.066
On average, we buy almost[br]70 clothing items every year.

0:19:14.286,0:19:17.188
That means we're buying[br]new clothes every week.

0:19:18.058,0:19:19.120
What did you buy?

0:19:19.458,0:19:20.792
A lot of stuff.

0:19:20.792,0:19:21.960
Did you need anything?

0:19:21.960,0:19:22.981
No.

0:19:23.021,0:19:25.309
Just looking around [br]and you bought a few things.

0:19:25.309,0:19:27.104
Yes, I bought lots of things.

0:19:27.104,0:19:29.534
Leggings, shirts, socks, underwear.

0:19:30.083,0:19:33.339
Most of these styles will end up[br]trashed in landfills.

0:19:33.504,0:19:38.486
Fast fashion is a big part of the problem,[br]but we don't have to buy in.

0:19:38.676,0:19:42.887
So this is 50% polyester, 50% cotton.

0:19:42.887,0:19:45.910
It's really hard to separate those fibers[br]and make new stuff.

0:19:45.910,0:19:46.995
You bet.

0:19:46.995,0:19:50.635
Do you know how many litres of water[br]goes into making a single pair of jeans?

0:19:50.635,0:19:51.939
Almost 4,000 litres.

0:19:51.939,0:19:53.025
Wow.[br]Whoo.

0:19:53.025,0:19:54.325
That's crazy.

0:19:57.162,0:20:00.611
And sometimes, just seeing the waste[br]makes a difference.

0:20:00.965,0:20:03.802
These families swear[br]they'll change their ways.

0:20:03.802,0:20:06.619
They want to look at the cute things,[br]things that look good,

0:20:06.619,0:20:08.370
but not necessarily good quality.

0:20:08.370,0:20:11.980
We have to... we try to teach them[br]to use their stuff until it's worn out.

0:20:13.715,0:20:15.478
Speaking of waste and consumption,

0:20:15.595,0:20:18.183
I've still got my bag of clothes[br]to get rid of.

0:20:18.183,0:20:22.909
I don't really know where[br]the best place is to go with my stuff.

0:20:23.188,0:20:25.047
And I think people at home who see this

0:20:25.047,0:20:27.235
are probably going to have[br]the same question

0:20:27.235,0:20:31.663
Some people like to swap the clothes,[br]so that's the first line of defence.

0:20:31.663,0:20:35.412
If it's in really good condition,[br]you can take them to a consignment store.

0:20:35.412,0:20:39.248
You can also donate to[br]a reputable charity.

0:20:39.637,0:20:44.242
Do your research on who[br]you're giving your clothing to.

0:20:45.498,0:20:46.871
Don't buy so much.

0:20:47.222,0:20:50.321
So bottom line, when it comes[br]to your used clothing,

0:20:50.321,0:20:51.378
don't throw it away,

0:20:51.378,0:20:53.861
try and give it to somebody[br]who can actually use it.

0:20:53.861,0:20:56.254
Hey, girls, does anybody need a T-shirt?

0:20:56.512,0:20:57.889
No, you sure?

0:20:57.889,0:20:59.224
Black dress pants?

0:20:59.224,0:21:00.726
Hardly ever wore them.

0:21:00.726,0:21:01.793
This is cool, right?

0:21:01.793,0:21:02.994
Zipper in the back.

0:21:02.994,0:21:04.065
I think I'm okay.

0:21:04.065,0:21:06.757
Any chance you want to return yours[br]and take these ones?

0:21:06.757,0:21:07.908
No, thank you.

0:21:07.908,0:21:09.019
They're a size small.

0:21:09.019,0:21:10.328
I wore them, like, twice.

0:21:10.328,0:21:11.408
No, thank you.

0:21:11.408,0:21:12.619
No? No.

0:21:12.619,0:21:14.600
Do any of you need a pair of pajama pants

0:21:14.600,0:21:16.373
or know someone who might want these?

0:21:16.373,0:21:17.488
I'll take them.[br]T-shirt?

0:21:17.488,0:21:18.670
I'll take them.

0:21:18.670,0:21:20.585
Any chance you want a pair of Levi's?

0:21:20.585,0:21:22.531
Sure, size 6, me.

0:21:22.981,0:21:24.445
Awesome! Awesome.

0:21:24.445,0:21:27.057
There you go and they won't go[br]to a landfill this way.

0:21:27.057,0:21:28.086
No.

0:21:28.196,0:21:31.898
Maybe there is no perfect solution[br]to this complicated problem.

0:21:31.898,0:21:34.818
But if there's something I've learned[br]throughout this process,

0:21:34.818,0:21:36.861
it's that there is something I can do.

0:21:36.861,0:21:39.784
And, for me, that will mean buying less.

0:21:43.834,0:21:47.139
A special, year long[br]Marketplace investigation.

0:21:47.139,0:21:50.316
We go undercover, inside nursing homes.

0:21:50.708,0:21:53.311
I was shouting my head off[br]and they didn't come in.

0:21:53.311,0:21:55.514
Families fighting for better care.

0:21:55.514,0:21:58.683
Die, die you bitch. You need to die now.

0:21:58.683,0:21:59.918
My poor mother.

0:21:59.918,0:22:02.887
Has long term care reached a crisis point?

0:22:02.887,0:22:04.789
Oh, we're way past that.

0:22:04.789,0:22:07.125
I think we've been in crisis for years.

0:22:07.125,0:22:09.194
If this happened in a day care,

0:22:09.194,0:22:11.538
that day care would be[br]shut down in five minutes.

0:22:11.538,0:22:13.419
How to fight for better care,

0:22:13.898,0:22:15.360
On the next Marketplace.