WEBVTT
00:00:00.811 --> 00:00:01.977
This is "Marketplace."
00:00:02.435 --> 00:00:03.537
Whoa.
00:00:04.303 --> 00:00:06.352
Pajamas, old dresses.
00:00:06.352 --> 00:00:07.777
Oh, my gosh!
00:00:08.345 --> 00:00:11.411
Where do all your old clothes
really end up?
00:00:11.411 --> 00:00:14.583
Ultimately, it is going
to end up in a landfill.
00:00:14.583 --> 00:00:17.033
We follow the trail around the world.
00:00:17.033 --> 00:00:18.675
♪ (music) ♪
00:00:18.675 --> 00:00:21.317
The high cost of fast fashion.
00:00:21.317 --> 00:00:23.041
This is your "Marketplace."
00:00:23.556 --> 00:00:27.074
I'm here checking out some of
the biggest fashion chains in the world,
00:00:27.074 --> 00:00:29.272
but I'm not shopping for new clothes.
00:00:29.272 --> 00:00:31.792
I'm actually trying to get rid
of some of my old ones.
00:00:31.792 --> 00:00:32.792
♪ (music) ♪
00:00:32.792 --> 00:00:38.046
So these are my all-time favorite
sweatpants from college.
00:00:38.046 --> 00:00:41.590
These, I washed them
and they totally shrunk.
00:00:41.590 --> 00:00:43.163
These were also super cheap.
00:00:43.163 --> 00:00:45.592
This is just like an old T-shirt.
00:00:45.592 --> 00:00:47.727
It was black at one point in its life.
00:00:47.727 --> 00:00:49.254
♪ (music) ♪
00:00:49.254 --> 00:00:51.454
Some retailers are on a mission.
00:00:51.454 --> 00:00:53.257
They want your unwanted clothes,
00:00:53.257 --> 00:00:56.291
and some are competing
with charities for it.
00:00:56.291 --> 00:00:57.291
♪ (music) ♪
00:00:57.291 --> 00:01:00.470
There's a new bin in town
and the message is clear:
00:01:00.470 --> 00:01:03.086
Don't throw old clothes in the garbage,
00:01:03.086 --> 00:01:04.703
dump them here.
00:01:04.703 --> 00:01:06.900
They'll take curtains, they'll take jeans.
00:01:06.900 --> 00:01:08.967
They'll even take your old underwear.
00:01:08.967 --> 00:01:10.826
♪ (music) ♪
00:01:10.826 --> 00:01:15.238
Drop off old clothes and get a coupon
to save money when you buy new ones.
00:01:16.358 --> 00:01:18.568
But before I part with my old clothes,
00:01:18.568 --> 00:01:20.575
I've got a few more questions.
00:01:20.575 --> 00:01:23.516
These bins sure make us all feel good.
00:01:23.516 --> 00:01:26.482
But are they doing as much good
as we think?
00:01:28.221 --> 00:01:29.322
Look at this!
00:01:29.322 --> 00:01:30.923
Look at these bags!
00:01:31.497 --> 00:01:33.883
Most of us are
like the Bretons and the Palmas
00:01:33.883 --> 00:01:35.457
in Markham, Ontario.
00:01:35.457 --> 00:01:38.365
Somehow, we end up with too many clothes.
00:01:38.365 --> 00:01:39.540
Emily, what's in here?
00:01:39.540 --> 00:01:42.332
Old clothes that are too small for me.
00:01:42.332 --> 00:01:44.376
They purge a few times a year,
00:01:44.376 --> 00:01:46.686
normally dropping
their haul in a charity bin.
00:01:47.289 --> 00:01:48.427
Whoa!
00:01:48.427 --> 00:01:50.610
Stuff like these have holes in them.
00:01:50.610 --> 00:01:52.845
This isn't just a pile of clothes.
00:01:52.845 --> 00:01:55.808
It's now a pile of textile waste.
00:01:55.808 --> 00:02:00.437
And we want to show the kids
just how big the problem really is.
00:02:00.437 --> 00:02:02.944
♪ (music) ♪
00:02:03.498 --> 00:02:05.235
Are you guys ready to go inside
00:02:05.235 --> 00:02:07.965
and see what happens to all
those clothes that you donate?
00:02:07.965 --> 00:02:09.865
- Yes.
- All right. Let's go inside.
00:02:09.865 --> 00:02:11.720
♪ (music) ♪
00:02:11.720 --> 00:02:13.830
Go on in, take a look.
00:02:14.649 --> 00:02:16.305
Whoa!
00:02:17.045 --> 00:02:21.344
♪ (music) ♪
00:02:21.344 --> 00:02:24.206
- Clothes! Clothes!
- That's clothes.
00:02:24.206 --> 00:02:26.195
- Clothes!
- Do you see that?
00:02:26.195 --> 00:02:28.646
- Oh, my gosh.
- Clothes!
00:02:29.481 --> 00:02:31.688
That's a crazy pile.
00:02:31.688 --> 00:02:36.255
And get this, all of this
is what's leftover,
00:02:36.255 --> 00:02:38.346
the stuff no one wants.
00:02:38.346 --> 00:02:41.070
The stuff that thrift stores can't sell.
00:02:41.070 --> 00:02:43.796
All those clothes you guys
piled up yesterday,
00:02:43.796 --> 00:02:45.671
this is where it can end up.
00:02:45.671 --> 00:02:47.311
It's a lot of clothes.
00:02:47.311 --> 00:02:49.212
It wasn't what I was expecting to see.
00:02:49.935 --> 00:02:51.265
One warehouse,
00:02:51.265 --> 00:02:56.065
more than 200,000 pounds
of textile waste each week.
00:02:56.065 --> 00:02:59.608
And that's just from
in and around Toronto.
00:03:00.743 --> 00:03:03.076
Across the country,
we've got nine other locations
00:03:03.076 --> 00:03:04.190
similar to this one.
00:03:04.190 --> 00:03:07.661
The last year or two years,
probably a 15 to 20% growth
00:03:07.661 --> 00:03:10.446
in the overall volume of textiles
that are coming in.
00:03:10.446 --> 00:03:14.624
Tonny Colyn is the head of donations
for Salvation Army Canada.
00:03:14.624 --> 00:03:19.028
So, how do you think fast
fashion has impacted... this?
00:03:19.028 --> 00:03:20.393
All of this.
00:03:20.393 --> 00:03:22.138
It's had a massive effect.
00:03:22.138 --> 00:03:24.339
And all of that stuff has to go somewhere.
00:03:24.339 --> 00:03:26.272
The dads of these two families,
00:03:26.272 --> 00:03:30.064
Michael Palma and Norman Breton.
can't believe it.
00:03:30.064 --> 00:03:34.119
Their coats or boots might be okay,
but they want something new.
00:03:34.591 --> 00:03:36.959
If they need or if they want,
it's a big question.
00:03:36.959 --> 00:03:39.529
A lot of times they want stuff
but they don't need it.
00:03:39.529 --> 00:03:40.720
♪ (music) ♪
00:03:40.720 --> 00:03:45.525
Still, we can't seem to get our hands
on fast fashion fast enough.
00:03:45.525 --> 00:03:48.001
Cheap, trendy, disposable clothes.
00:03:48.001 --> 00:03:50.591
And we're even bragging about it.
00:03:50.591 --> 00:03:52.860
And I ended up with a bag full of clothes.
00:03:52.860 --> 00:03:57.520
We're all buying too much,
400% more, since the 1980's.
00:03:57.520 --> 00:04:01.314
The quality isn't all that great,
but the prices are fantastic.
00:04:01.314 --> 00:04:04.994
But not all of our old clothes
make it to the donation bin.
00:04:04.994 --> 00:04:09.299
Most of it, 85%, ends up in landfill.
00:04:10.791 --> 00:04:16.358
In North America, it's estimated to be
at least 25 billion pounds a year.
00:04:17.318 --> 00:04:20.178
In Canada alone, imagine a mountain
00:04:20.178 --> 00:04:24.343
three times the size
of Toronto's Rogers Centre Stadium
00:04:24.883 --> 00:04:27.215
Where they don't biodegrade easily
00:04:27.215 --> 00:04:30.888
because many are made with fabrics
that can't be broken down,
00:04:32.312 --> 00:04:36.109
releasing chemicals and dyes
into our rivers, soil.
00:04:36.109 --> 00:04:37.109
♪ (music) ♪
00:04:37.109 --> 00:04:41.781
That's part of the reason why fashion
is one of the world's top polluters.
00:04:42.939 --> 00:04:45.478
♪ (rock music) ♪
00:04:45.478 --> 00:04:47.144
So in the last few years,
00:04:47.144 --> 00:04:49.352
some of the biggest names in the business,
00:04:49.352 --> 00:04:52.666
Levi's, Nike, Adidas, Zara,
00:04:52.666 --> 00:04:55.076
have started recycling programs.
00:04:55.076 --> 00:04:58.014
All retailers with donation bins in stores
00:04:58.014 --> 00:05:00.352
calling out for your old garments.
00:05:00.352 --> 00:05:03.008
But none go as far as H&M.
00:05:03.008 --> 00:05:06.675
They will take anything: jeans,
curtains, even underwear.
00:05:06.675 --> 00:05:08.084
Just check out their ads.
00:05:08.874 --> 00:05:10.822
The thing that you never wore.
00:05:10.822 --> 00:05:12.877
This and this and that.
00:05:13.512 --> 00:05:16.128
The thing with the color
that wasn't your color.
00:05:16.128 --> 00:05:17.252
Bring it on.
00:05:17.252 --> 00:05:20.150
This is one of H&M's latest ad campaigns.
00:05:21.112 --> 00:05:23.973
Cut your jeans into pieces
and make new jeans out of them.
00:05:24.980 --> 00:05:28.886
"Cut your jeans into pieces
and make new jeans out of them."
00:05:28.886 --> 00:05:32.522
With your help,we literally turn
your old clothes into new garments.
00:05:33.511 --> 00:05:37.167
"We literally turn your old clothes
into new garments."
00:05:37.881 --> 00:05:40.327
Garments in the worst condition
can be transformed
00:05:40.327 --> 00:05:44.561
into insulation material
or textile fibers woven into cloth,
00:05:44.561 --> 00:05:48.684
reborn as fashionable new clothes
of every conceivable kind.
00:05:49.471 --> 00:05:51.710
What do you think about recycling clothes?
00:05:51.710 --> 00:05:54.324
I think that's amazing.
That's a great plan.
00:05:54.324 --> 00:05:56.150
We're talking about recycling clothes.
00:05:56.150 --> 00:05:58.771
What does that make you
think is happening to the stuff?
00:05:58.771 --> 00:06:02.512
I think maybe it's, like,
refurbish the clothes
00:06:02.512 --> 00:06:05.163
and get them to look new again.
00:06:05.163 --> 00:06:07.399
What do you think happens to that stuff?
00:06:07.399 --> 00:06:10.836
Doesn't it get recycled to make
new clothes from the old clothes?
00:06:10.836 --> 00:06:13.748
Let's shred it into fibers
and stitch it into something new
00:06:13.748 --> 00:06:17.468
The only thing we will not do is waste it.
00:06:17.468 --> 00:06:19.186
Bold recycling claims.
00:06:19.186 --> 00:06:21.855
They sound great, but are they really?
00:06:23.549 --> 00:06:27.086
(Flight Attendant
Over Intercom)
00:06:27.256 --> 00:06:30.489
To try to find out,
we head to New York City,
00:06:30.489 --> 00:06:32.591
one of the fashion capitals of the world.
00:06:34.067 --> 00:06:36.482
With jackets, you always
have to check the lining.
00:06:37.063 --> 00:06:40.735
To meet Elizabeth Cline,
an anti-fast fashion crusader.
00:06:41.100 --> 00:06:44.417
Because of what she knows,
she only wears used clothes.
00:06:44.639 --> 00:06:47.224
It's made her a pro
at assessing cast-offs.
00:06:47.920 --> 00:06:53.307
On a coat, the first thing you would do
is make sure the zippers work.
00:06:53.445 --> 00:06:57.105
Especially fast fashion, like,
a lot of the fasteners will just break
00:06:57.105 --> 00:06:58.951
and chip really quickly.
00:06:59.173 --> 00:07:01.280
We show her H&M's marketing
00:07:01.297 --> 00:07:05.445
and ask her what she thinks about
making new clothes out of your old ones.
00:07:05.868 --> 00:07:08.447
Shred it into fibers and stitch it
into something new.
00:07:09.218 --> 00:07:14.195
The reality is that currently only about
1% of clothing is actually recycled
00:07:14.195 --> 00:07:16.469
in the very literal sense of the word.
00:07:16.469 --> 00:07:17.469
1%?
00:07:17.469 --> 00:07:18.470
1%.
00:07:18.470 --> 00:07:20.373
1%...is recycled?
00:07:20.373 --> 00:07:24.420
If you're talking about recycling
in terms of taking fibers
00:07:24.458 --> 00:07:25.615
and breaking them down
00:07:25.615 --> 00:07:28.615
and turning them back
into new fibers, it's 1%.
00:07:28.891 --> 00:07:31.450
Why is it so hard
to just take my old shirt
00:07:31.450 --> 00:07:32.887
and turn it into a new one?
00:07:32.891 --> 00:07:34.388
Why can't you just do is that?
00:07:34.388 --> 00:07:36.887
A lot of our clothes are made
out of blended fibers,
00:07:36.887 --> 00:07:41.618
so maybe this is acrylic and wool
and cotton mixed together,
00:07:41.997 --> 00:07:45.070
maybe my tights are cotton and elastane,
00:07:45.070 --> 00:07:47.524
that makes it difficult to recycle.
00:07:47.729 --> 00:07:51.637
The other challenge is that
when you recycle cotton and wool,
00:07:51.637 --> 00:07:56.091
it diminishes the quality
of that material,
00:07:56.091 --> 00:08:00.748
so it weakens the cotton and wool strand
and gives you a lesser product.
00:08:01.113 --> 00:08:04.730
Bottom line, the technology
just isn't there yet.
00:08:04.950 --> 00:08:08.454
It's way too expensive
and too time consuming
00:08:08.454 --> 00:08:10.486
to make new clothes from old ones.
00:08:10.871 --> 00:08:13.417
There's also a more skeptical side of me
00:08:13.417 --> 00:08:17.723
that knows that the reason why
H&M is focusing on textile recycling
00:08:17.723 --> 00:08:20.412
is because it's an easy
sustainability win for them.
00:08:20.412 --> 00:08:23.802
It doesn't involve them changing
their production model at all
00:08:23.802 --> 00:08:27.188
to collect clothes and make sure
that they get a second life.
00:08:27.847 --> 00:08:30.798
It doesn't make the fast fashion
system any more sustainable.
00:08:33.087 --> 00:08:38.037
Experts agree fast fashion needs to change
if we really want to make a difference
00:08:39.017 --> 00:08:41.090
Remember when fashion had four seasons,
00:08:41.090 --> 00:08:43.440
winter, spring, summer and fall?
00:08:43.773 --> 00:08:46.818
Now the trends change almost every day.
00:08:47.292 --> 00:08:50.370
Here's how this Swedish clothing giant
CEO explains it.
00:08:50.928 --> 00:08:54.179
We have new garments coming
into the stores almost every day.
00:08:54.179 --> 00:08:57.213
So if you go to an H&M store today
and come back two days later,
00:08:57.213 --> 00:08:59.579
you will always find something new.
00:09:00.020 --> 00:09:02.899
H&M salespeople tell us
new clothes come in
00:09:02.899 --> 00:09:06.249
every Monday, Wednesday,
Friday, and Sunday.
00:09:06.724 --> 00:09:09.691
That works out to half
a billion products a year.
00:09:10.376 --> 00:09:16.142
And it's why H&M's recycling campaign
makes Claudia Marsales so mad.
00:09:19.198 --> 00:09:23.012
It really is a form of greenwashing.
00:09:23.253 --> 00:09:25.708
She's the head of Markham,
Ontario's waste programs.
00:09:25.708 --> 00:09:30.384
One of the few Canadian cities to actually
ban textiles from landfills.
00:09:30.692 --> 00:09:36.508
In order for the fast fashion outlets
to recycle what they make,
00:09:36.508 --> 00:09:39.794
it would take 12 years to recycle
what they sell in 48 hours.
00:09:40.512 --> 00:09:41.675
Like it's just...
00:09:41.675 --> 00:09:45.904
So that sort of tells me it's really
more about foot traffic, marketing,
00:09:45.904 --> 00:09:50.731
greenwashing than about really
addressing the broken business model
00:09:50.731 --> 00:09:51.790
of fast fashion.
00:09:52.126 --> 00:09:55.907
We asked H&M to come on camera
and talk about their recycling program.
00:09:56.161 --> 00:10:00.810
They declined, assuring us they don't want
to encourage a throwaway attitude.
00:10:01.233 --> 00:10:04.403
Their clothes are good quality
and made to last.
00:10:04.403 --> 00:10:07.606
And they are working towards
a business model where,
00:10:07.606 --> 00:10:10.317
eventually, all their clothes
can be recycled.
00:10:10.576 --> 00:10:12.478
At least they're trying?
00:10:14.622 --> 00:10:17.237
Yes, well, but they're a cause
of the problem.
00:10:17.237 --> 00:10:20.930
So, fast fashion retailers,
00:10:20.930 --> 00:10:23.537
their business model is the problem.
00:10:23.537 --> 00:10:26.658
They're making too much,
they're selling it too cheap.
00:10:26.658 --> 00:10:28.399
It's disposable clothing.
00:10:28.760 --> 00:10:32.704
Doing a bit of back-end recycling
and a bit of commercials
00:10:32.704 --> 00:10:34.706
really doesn't address that issue.
00:10:37.010 --> 00:10:41.153
And ask some customers one of the things
they love most about the program?
00:10:41.706 --> 00:10:42.829
It's the discount.
00:10:43.075 --> 00:10:44.991
That incentive to keep buying.
00:10:45.105 --> 00:10:47.622
I put it in the bin and then
they give me a discount.
00:10:47.622 --> 00:10:49.280
I saw it and it's like oh, snap.
00:10:49.280 --> 00:10:51.267
You know, um, it's a way to, like,
00:10:51.267 --> 00:10:53.562
you know, help me
and help them at the same time.
00:10:53.562 --> 00:10:56.450
What do you mean when you say help you
and help someone else?
00:10:56.755 --> 00:11:00.834
Um, help me by, you know, saving money
and help them by providing free clothing.
00:11:01.863 --> 00:11:05.741
We just chuck it in the bin
and they did offer, like, a $5 discount.
00:11:06.232 --> 00:11:08.767
H&M might be collecting your old clothes.
00:11:08.767 --> 00:11:11.791
More than 55,000 tonnes so far,
00:11:12.112 --> 00:11:15.639
but if they're barely making new clothes
from your donations,
00:11:15.639 --> 00:11:17.295
where do they all go?
00:11:17.608 --> 00:11:19.260
These shoppers have a theory.
00:11:20.140 --> 00:11:22.848
Where do you think those clothes go
that you put in H&M?
00:11:22.848 --> 00:11:25.708
They probably go to people who need them,
00:11:25.708 --> 00:11:27.283
probably like shelters
00:11:27.283 --> 00:11:29.243
or other places that use the clothes.
00:11:29.243 --> 00:11:33.225
Probably give it for free, or something,
to the people that need it.
00:11:33.225 --> 00:11:34.904
Where do you think that stuff goes?
00:11:34.904 --> 00:11:38.174
What do you think happens to it?
Hopefully to just some needy people.
00:11:38.174 --> 00:11:39.192
Yeah.
00:11:39.317 --> 00:11:40.898
Who still want to be fashionable.
00:11:40.966 --> 00:11:44.141
Many of us think our old clothes
are given to the less fortunate.
00:11:44.475 --> 00:11:45.518
Wrong.
00:11:45.604 --> 00:11:49.542
And maybe you're telling yourself that
to feel better about buying more, too.
00:11:50.053 --> 00:11:52.377
Well, Cline coined a term for this.
00:11:55.040 --> 00:11:56.897
What's the clothing deficit myth?
00:11:57.231 --> 00:12:04.111
So, the clothing deficit myth is the idea
that when we give clothes to charity,
00:12:04.111 --> 00:12:08.467
they're going to go to someone locally
in our community in need.
00:12:09.670 --> 00:12:11.405
But in the era of fast fashion,
00:12:12.430 --> 00:12:15.777
there's far more unwanted clothes
than there are people in need.
00:12:17.905 --> 00:12:20.737
The Salvation Army knows all about that.
00:12:21.073 --> 00:12:25.532
Remember, this is all the stuff
they can't sell at their stores.
00:12:25.944 --> 00:12:28.904
So what do they do
with all these leftovers?
00:12:29.054 --> 00:12:31.354
They sell it to a middle man.
00:12:31.815 --> 00:12:35.777
And the retailers do the same thing
with all your donations too.
00:12:36.193 --> 00:12:41.064
In Canada, H&M gives the money
it makes off your donations to UNICEF.
00:12:41.737 --> 00:12:42.774
Here's the thing.
00:12:42.774 --> 00:12:44.684
All textiles are worth money.
00:12:45.317 --> 00:12:48.759
The stuff that's in really rough shape
is shredded for painter's cloths
00:12:48.763 --> 00:12:51.531
or insulation, for example, then sold.
00:12:51.970 --> 00:12:56.561
But the majority of all donated clothes
are shipped overseas
00:12:56.561 --> 00:12:59.590
to developing countries
and they're sold there, too.
00:12:59.945 --> 00:13:02.468
Not donated or given to needy people.
00:13:02.468 --> 00:13:06.008
And if you think that means
it's not going to end up in landfills,
00:13:06.448 --> 00:13:07.516
think again.
00:13:09.966 --> 00:13:14.066
We follow the trail of your old T-shirts
around the world.
00:13:14.366 --> 00:13:16.363
The black stripes here are from Canada.
00:13:16.729 --> 00:13:19.030
You can't afford to miss this trip.
00:13:19.664 --> 00:13:21.613
This is your "Marketplace."
00:13:25.437 --> 00:13:27.472
The real deal on your "Marketplace."
00:13:31.377 --> 00:13:32.944
We love our clothes.
00:13:32.944 --> 00:13:36.543
Now so cheap, you can make
a different statement every day.
00:13:36.882 --> 00:13:38.684
These things are $3?
00:13:39.427 --> 00:13:40.488
$5.
00:13:40.953 --> 00:13:43.199
But they come with a huge cost.
00:13:43.489 --> 00:13:46.075
Part of the reason why
some fast fashion chains,
00:13:46.075 --> 00:13:49.895
like H&M, say they've got
recycling programs like this.
00:13:50.182 --> 00:13:53.056
The Earth simply cannot bear
so many clothes
00:13:53.056 --> 00:13:54.866
ending their lives as waste.
00:13:54.866 --> 00:13:57.108
H&M has a far better answer.
00:13:57.636 --> 00:14:03.276
But we learnt less than 1% of the world's
used clothes are turned into new ones.
00:14:03.763 --> 00:14:07.855
The majority of those donations
from retailer and charity bins
00:14:07.855 --> 00:14:10.315
are bailed and sold overseas.
00:14:17.856 --> 00:14:20.036
This is Nairobi, Kenya.
00:14:20.036 --> 00:14:24.663
The country at the top of the list
when it comes to buying your old clothes.
00:14:25.017 --> 00:14:27.733
Kenya is one of Canada's best customers.
00:14:27.733 --> 00:14:33.149
In a given year, they buy more
than $20 million worth of our old clothes
00:14:33.639 --> 00:14:37.999
All the rest with the black stripes here
are from Canada.
00:14:37.999 --> 00:14:39.945
These are a variety of kids clothing.
00:14:40.225 --> 00:14:41.680
This one is a jacket.
00:14:42.073 --> 00:14:43.248
Ladies T-shirts.
00:14:43.850 --> 00:14:46.318
Maina Andrew is a used clothing importer.
00:14:46.318 --> 00:14:51.224
People from Canada and America,
they are actually a bit huge.
00:14:51.656 --> 00:14:53.659
Scenes like this aren't isolated.
00:14:53.659 --> 00:14:57.607
You'll see them all over Africa,
South and Central America.
00:14:57.963 --> 00:15:01.433
A lot of this is stuff
Canadians donated for free,
00:15:02.067 --> 00:15:06.204
only for it to be sold here
for profit to vendors
00:15:06.204 --> 00:15:10.676
like Alice Nyansarora Anunda,
who brings it to her local market.
00:15:10.863 --> 00:15:13.314
They call the clothes, "Mitumba."
00:15:15.647 --> 00:15:21.520
No, that one, it's just
a nickname we gave it,
00:15:21.974 --> 00:15:24.714
"Mitumba" means, "Old" in our culture.
00:15:24.957 --> 00:15:27.993
Nearly 13,000 kilometres away.
00:15:27.993 --> 00:15:30.763
But take a closer look and there they are.
00:15:30.763 --> 00:15:32.730
The names you know.
00:15:32.730 --> 00:15:36.234
AEO, Zara, Adidas, H&M.
00:15:36.234 --> 00:15:41.929
The way we open bails, we know their plans
where there's new clothes,
00:15:41.929 --> 00:15:44.951
especially those which come from Canada.
00:15:45.410 --> 00:15:49.691
But Andrew notices many of the clothes
are low quality, tough to sell.
00:15:50.015 --> 00:15:51.149
We just dump them.
00:15:51.149 --> 00:15:53.801
If people don't buy them,
we just dump them.
00:16:02.828 --> 00:16:06.973
They do go in the piles of garbage,
very many of them.
00:16:09.734 --> 00:16:13.618
He says this happens regularly
right behind the market,
00:16:13.618 --> 00:16:16.835
discarding and burning clothes
Canadians don't want
00:16:16.835 --> 00:16:18.632
and neither do Kenyans.
00:16:19.611 --> 00:16:22.381
Sometimes they pack even very old items.
00:16:22.381 --> 00:16:25.050
You can even pack items
that are not even good,
00:16:25.822 --> 00:16:29.487
and they end up dumping them
in Africa or in Kenya.
00:16:36.461 --> 00:16:40.330
Yeah, we burn them and it is a lost work
because we have already bought them.
00:16:44.036 --> 00:16:46.363
All those popular brands
in the crowded markets,
00:16:46.504 --> 00:16:48.834
Elizabeth Cline has seen them, too.
00:16:49.124 --> 00:16:50.134
She's been to Kenya.
00:16:50.324 --> 00:16:52.909
There are a lot of different companies
around the world
00:16:52.909 --> 00:16:56.220
that are working on textile recycling
in the truest sense of the word,
00:16:56.220 --> 00:16:58.780
but it's really in the very early stages.
00:16:58.780 --> 00:17:01.852
Whether it stays in the United States
or if it ends up in Africa,
00:17:01.852 --> 00:17:04.540
ultimately it is going to end up
in the landfill.
00:17:04.848 --> 00:17:08.324
We tell H&M about this Kenyan market
and all the fires.
00:17:08.576 --> 00:17:10.659
They say its middle man I:CO,
00:17:10.659 --> 00:17:13.319
which handles pickup
and distribution of their bins,
00:17:13.319 --> 00:17:14.933
has really high standards.
00:17:14.933 --> 00:17:18.354
But they are still working on building
a better tracking system
00:17:18.354 --> 00:17:20.338
so this doesn't keep happening.
00:17:20.738 --> 00:17:23.141
Dumping is always cheaper.
00:17:23.141 --> 00:17:25.176
It's always the cheaper option.
00:17:25.176 --> 00:17:26.610
There's only one solution.
00:17:26.611 --> 00:17:30.381
The producer of the clothing
is responsible cradle to grave.
00:17:30.381 --> 00:17:33.218
So they make the T-shirt,
they sell the T-shirt,
00:17:33.218 --> 00:17:37.455
the T-shirt comes back,
they have to recycle that T-shirt.
00:17:37.455 --> 00:17:39.691
They can't put it in
a third world country.
00:17:40.032 --> 00:17:43.198
As far as South Africa is concerned,
we banned secondhand clothing.
00:17:43.198 --> 00:17:46.728
When a country survives
on secondhand things,
00:17:46.728 --> 00:17:47.803
secondhand clothes,
00:17:47.803 --> 00:17:50.138
it means there's something wrong
with that system.
00:17:50.338 --> 00:17:52.987
Threatening the survival of
the local textiles industry.
00:17:52.987 --> 00:17:55.821
And now many of those countries
are fighting back.
00:17:55.907 --> 00:17:59.144
East African countries sent
the world a message recently.
00:17:59.144 --> 00:18:02.803
They don't want our hand-me-downs
and tried to ban them.
00:18:02.847 --> 00:18:06.255
Their government said it was destroying
their own textile market.
00:18:06.385 --> 00:18:08.586
Secondhand clothes are quite cheap
00:18:08.592 --> 00:18:12.929
and any manufactured textile
would not be able to compete with them.
00:18:15.274 --> 00:18:17.395
And despite everything you just watched,
00:18:17.395 --> 00:18:21.704
Cline says H&M group is a frontrunner
in sustainability efforts.
00:18:22.000 --> 00:18:24.035
Compared to other brands,
they are leaders.
00:18:24.813 --> 00:18:28.004
I don't know what that says about
the rest of the fashion industry,
00:18:28.004 --> 00:18:30.539
that a fast fashion chain
is at the top of that list.
00:18:30.675 --> 00:18:33.813
Just know that your textile waste
is an environmental issue.
00:18:34.486 --> 00:18:38.528
Textile waste in landfills is one
of the fastest growing categories of waste
00:18:38.528 --> 00:18:41.744
and it's such an easy thing
to do something about.
00:18:43.144 --> 00:18:46.224
So what should you do
with all your old clothes?
00:18:46.224 --> 00:18:48.372
The answers, coming right up.
00:18:50.362 --> 00:18:52.570
Do you have a story
you want us to investigate?
00:18:52.797 --> 00:18:56.507
Write to us: Marketplace@cbc.ca.
00:18:59.804 --> 00:19:02.564
The high cost of fashion
on your "Marketplace."
00:19:02.957 --> 00:19:04.939
Do you ever impulse buy?
Absolutely.
00:19:04.939 --> 00:19:08.197
What was the last thing you bought
that now you see, and you're like:
00:19:08.197 --> 00:19:09.445
"What was I thinking?"
00:19:09.445 --> 00:19:10.646
Clothing always.
00:19:10.746 --> 00:19:14.109
On average, we buy almost
70 clothing items every year.
00:19:14.286 --> 00:19:17.188
That means we're buying
new clothes every week.
00:19:18.058 --> 00:19:19.120
What did you buy?
00:19:19.458 --> 00:19:20.792
A lot of stuff.
00:19:20.792 --> 00:19:21.960
Did you need anything?
00:19:21.960 --> 00:19:22.981
No.
00:19:23.021 --> 00:19:25.321
Just looking around
and you bought a few things.
00:19:25.321 --> 00:19:29.570
Yes, I bought lots of things:
leggings, shirts, socks, underwear.
00:19:30.083 --> 00:19:33.339
Most of these styles will end up
trashed in landfills.
00:19:33.504 --> 00:19:38.486
Fast fashion is a big part of the problem,
but we don't have to buy in.
00:19:38.676 --> 00:19:42.887
So this is 50% polyester, 50% cotton.
00:19:42.887 --> 00:19:45.910
It's really hard to separate those fibers
and make new stuff.
00:19:45.910 --> 00:19:46.995
You bet.
00:19:46.995 --> 00:19:50.635
Do you know how many litres of water
goes into making a single pair of jeans?
00:19:50.635 --> 00:19:51.939
Almost 4,000 litres.
00:19:51.939 --> 00:19:53.025
Wow.
Whoo.
00:19:53.025 --> 00:19:54.325
That's crazy.
00:19:57.162 --> 00:19:58.285
And sometimes,
00:19:58.285 --> 00:20:00.965
just seeing the waste
makes a difference.
00:20:00.965 --> 00:20:03.802
These families swear
they'll change their ways.
00:20:03.802 --> 00:20:06.619
They want to look at the cute things,
things that look good,
00:20:06.619 --> 00:20:08.370
but not necessarily good quality.
00:20:08.370 --> 00:20:11.980
We have to... we try to teach them
to use their stuff until it's worn out.
00:20:13.715 --> 00:20:15.478
Speaking of waste and consumption,
00:20:15.595 --> 00:20:18.183
I've still got my bag of clothes
to get rid of.
00:20:18.183 --> 00:20:22.909
I don't really know where
the best place is to go with my stuff.
00:20:23.108 --> 00:20:25.052
And I think people at home who see this
00:20:25.052 --> 00:20:27.138
are probably going to have
the same question
00:20:27.235 --> 00:20:31.663
Some people like to swap the clothes,
so that's the first line of defence.
00:20:31.663 --> 00:20:33.352
If it's in really good condition,
00:20:33.352 --> 00:20:35.412
you can take them to a consignment store.
00:20:35.412 --> 00:20:39.500
You can also donate to
a reputable charity.
00:20:39.637 --> 00:20:44.448
Do your research on who
you're giving your clothing to.
00:20:45.498 --> 00:20:46.871
Don't buy so much.
00:20:47.222 --> 00:20:50.321
So bottom line, when it comes
to your used clothing,
00:20:50.321 --> 00:20:51.378
don't throw it away,
00:20:51.378 --> 00:20:53.861
try and give it to somebody
who can actually use it.
00:20:53.861 --> 00:20:56.254
Hey, girls, does anybody need a T-shirt?
00:20:56.512 --> 00:20:57.889
No, you sure?
00:20:57.889 --> 00:20:59.224
Black dress pants?
00:20:59.224 --> 00:21:00.726
Hardly ever wore them.
00:21:00.726 --> 00:21:01.793
This is cool, right?
00:21:01.793 --> 00:21:02.994
Zipper in the back.
00:21:02.994 --> 00:21:04.065
I think I'm okay.
00:21:04.065 --> 00:21:06.707
Any chance you want to return yours
and take these ones?
00:21:06.707 --> 00:21:07.728
No, thank you.
00:21:07.728 --> 00:21:09.939
They're a size small.
I wore them, like, twice.
00:21:09.939 --> 00:21:11.059
No, thank you.
No? No.
00:21:11.249 --> 00:21:13.350
Do any of you need a pair of pajama pants
00:21:13.350 --> 00:21:15.213
or know someone who might want these?
00:21:16.273 --> 00:21:17.388
I'll take them.
T-shirt?
00:21:17.388 --> 00:21:18.570
I'll take them.
00:21:18.570 --> 00:21:20.485
Any chance you want a pair of Levi's?
00:21:20.585 --> 00:21:22.531
Sure, size 6, me.
00:21:22.981 --> 00:21:24.155
Awesome! Awesome.
00:21:24.165 --> 00:21:26.697
There you go and they won't go
to a landfill this way.
00:21:26.697 --> 00:21:27.706
No.
00:21:28.196 --> 00:21:31.898
Maybe there is no perfect solution
to this complicated problem.
00:21:31.898 --> 00:21:34.818
But if there's something I've learned
throughout this process,
00:21:34.818 --> 00:21:36.861
it's that there is something I can do.
00:21:36.861 --> 00:21:39.784
And, for me, that will mean buying less.
00:21:43.834 --> 00:21:47.139
A special, year long
Marketplace investigation.
00:21:47.139 --> 00:21:50.316
We go undercover, inside nursing homes.
00:21:50.708 --> 00:21:53.311
I was shouting my head off
and they didn't come in.
00:21:53.311 --> 00:21:55.514
Families fighting for better care.
00:21:55.514 --> 00:21:58.683
Die, die you bitch. You need to die now.
00:21:58.683 --> 00:21:59.918
My poor mother.
00:21:59.918 --> 00:22:02.887
Has long term care reached a crisis point?
00:22:02.887 --> 00:22:04.789
Oh, we're way past that.
00:22:04.789 --> 00:22:07.125
I think we've been in crisis for years.
00:22:07.125 --> 00:22:09.194
If this happened in a day care,
00:22:09.194 --> 00:22:11.538
that day care would be
shut down in five minutes.
00:22:11.538 --> 00:22:13.419
How to fight for better care,
00:22:13.898 --> 00:22:15.360
On the next Marketplace.