0:00:00.811,0:00:01.977
This is "Marketplace."
0:00:02.435,0:00:03.537
Whoa.
0:00:04.303,0:00:06.352
Pajamas, old dresses.
0:00:06.352,0:00:07.777
Oh, my gosh!
0:00:08.345,0:00:11.411
Where do all your old clothes[br]really end up?
0:00:11.411,0:00:14.583
Ultimately, it is going[br]to end up in a landfill.
0:00:14.583,0:00:17.033
We follow the trail around the world.
0:00:17.033,0:00:18.675
♪ (music) ♪
0:00:18.675,0:00:21.317
The high cost of fast fashion.
0:00:21.317,0:00:23.041
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,
0:00:27.074,0:00:29.272
but I'm not shopping for new clothes.
0:00:29.272,0:00:31.792
I'm actually trying to get rid[br]of some of my old ones.
0:00:31.792,0:00:32.792
♪ (music) ♪
0:00:32.792,0:00:38.046
So these are my all-time favorite[br]sweatpants from college.
0:00:38.046,0:00:41.590
These, I washed them[br]and they totally shrunk.
0:00:41.590,0:00:43.163
These were also super cheap.
0:00:43.163,0:00:45.592
This is just like an old T-shirt.
0:00:45.592,0:00:47.727
It was black at one point in its life.
0:00:47.727,0:00:49.254
♪ (music) ♪
0:00:49.254,0:00:51.454
Some retailers are on a mission.
0:00:51.454,0:00:53.257
They want your unwanted clothes,
0:00:53.257,0:00:56.291
and some are competing[br]with charities for it.
0:00:56.291,0:00:57.291
♪ (music) ♪
0:00:57.291,0:01:00.470
There's a new bin in town[br]and the message is clear:
0:01:00.470,0:01:03.086
Don't throw old clothes in the garbage,
0:01:03.086,0:01:04.703
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.
0:01:08.967,0:01:10.826
♪ (music) ♪
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.
0:01:16.358,0:01:18.568
But before I part with my old clothes,
0:01:18.568,0:01:20.575
I've got a few more questions.
0:01:20.575,0:01:23.516
These bins sure make us all feel good.
0:01:23.516,0:01:26.482
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[br]like the Bretons and the Palmas
0:01:33.883,0:01:35.457
in Markham, Ontario.
0:01:35.457,0:01:38.365
Somehow, we end up with too many clothes.
0:01:38.365,0:01:39.540
Emily, what's in here?
0:01:39.540,0:01:42.332
Old clothes that are too small for me.
0:01:42.332,0:01:44.376
They purge a few times a year,
0:01:44.376,0:01:46.686
normally dropping[br]their haul in a charity bin.
0:01:47.289,0:01:48.427
Whoa!
0:01:48.427,0:01:50.610
Stuff like these have holes in them.
0:01:50.610,0:01:52.845
This isn't just a pile of clothes.
0:01:52.845,0:01:55.808
It's now a pile of textile waste.
0:01:55.808,0:02:00.437
And we want to show the kids[br]just how big the problem really is.
0:02:00.437,0:02:02.944
♪ (music) ♪
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?
0:02:07.965,0:02:09.865
- Yes.[br]- All right. Let's go inside.
0:02:09.865,0:02:11.720
♪ (music) ♪
0:02:11.720,0:02:13.830
Go on in, take a look.
0:02:14.649,0:02:16.305
Whoa!
0:02:17.045,0:02:21.344
♪ (music) ♪
0:02:21.344,0:02:24.206
- Clothes! Clothes![br]- That's clothes.
0:02:24.206,0:02:26.195
- Clothes![br]- Do you see that?
0:02:26.195,0:02:28.646
- Oh, my gosh.[br]- Clothes!
0:02:29.481,0:02:31.688
That's a crazy pile.
0:02:31.688,0:02:36.255
And get this, all of this[br]is what's leftover,
0:02:36.255,0:02:38.346
the stuff no one wants.
0:02:38.346,0:02:41.070
The stuff that thrift stores can't sell.
0:02:41.070,0:02:43.796
All those clothes you guys[br]piled up yesterday,
0:02:43.796,0:02:45.671
this is where it can end up.
0:02:45.671,0:02:47.311
It's a lot of clothes.
0:02:47.311,0:02:49.212
It wasn't what I was expecting to see.
0:02:49.935,0:02:51.265
One warehouse,
0:02:51.265,0:02:56.065
more than 200,000 pounds[br]of textile waste each week.
0:02:56.065,0:02:59.608
And that's just from[br]in and around Toronto.
0:03:00.743,0:03:03.076
Across the country,[br]we've got nine other locations
0:03:03.076,0:03:04.190
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
0:03:07.661,0:03:10.446
in the overall volume of textiles[br]that are coming in.
0:03:10.446,0:03:14.624
Tonny Colyn is the head of donations[br]for Salvation Army Canada.
0:03:14.624,0:03:19.028
So, how do you think fast[br]fashion has impacted... this?
0:03:19.028,0:03:20.393
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.
0:03:30.064,0:03:34.119
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.
0:03:39.529,0:03:40.720
♪ (music) ♪
0:03:40.720,0:03:45.525
Still, we can't seem to get our hands[br]on fast fashion fast enough.
0:03:45.525,0:03:48.001
Cheap, trendy, disposable clothes.
0:03:48.001,0:03:50.591
And we're even bragging about it.
0:03:50.591,0:03:52.860
And I ended up with a bag full of clothes.
0:03:52.860,0:03:57.520
We're all buying too much,[br]400% more, since the 1980's.
0:03:57.520,0:04:01.314
The quality isn't all that great,[br]but the prices are fantastic.
0:04:01.314,0:04:04.994
But not all of our old clothes[br]make it to the donation bin.
0:04:04.994,0:04:09.299
Most of it, 85%, ends up in landfill.
0:04:10.791,0:04:16.358
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[br]of 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,
0:04:32.312,0:04:36.109
releasing chemicals and dyes[br]into our rivers, soil.
0:04:36.109,0:04:37.109
♪ (music) ♪
0:04:37.109,0:04:41.781
That's part of the reason why fashion[br]is one of the world's top polluters.
0:04:42.939,0:04:45.478
♪ (rock music) ♪
0:04:45.478,0:04:47.144
So in the last few years,
0:04:47.144,0:04:49.352
some of the biggest names in the business,
0:04:49.352,0:04:52.666
Levi's, Nike, Adidas, Zara,
0:04:52.666,0:04:55.076
have started recycling programs.
0:04:55.076,0:04:58.014
All retailers with donation bins in stores
0:04:58.014,0:05:00.352
calling out for your old garments.
0:05:00.352,0:05:03.008
But none go as far as H&M.
0:05:03.008,0:05:06.675
They will take anything: jeans,[br]curtains, even underwear.
0:05:06.675,0:05:08.084
Just check out their ads.
0:05:08.874,0:05:10.822
The thing that you never wore.
0:05:10.822,0:05:12.877
This and this and that.
0:05:13.512,0:05:16.128
The thing with the color[br]that wasn't your color.
0:05:16.128,0:05:17.252
Bring it on.
0:05:17.252,0:05:20.150
This is one of H&M's latest ad campaigns.
0:05:21.112,0:05:23.973
Cut your jeans into pieces[br]and make new jeans out of them.
0:05:24.980,0:05:28.886
"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.
0:05:33.511,0:05:37.167
"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.
0:05:49.471,0:05:51.710
What do you think about recycling clothes?
0:05:51.710,0:05:54.324
I think that's amazing.[br]That's a great plan.
0:05:54.324,0:05:56.150
We're talking about recycling clothes.
0:05:56.150,0:05:58.771
What does that make you[br]think is happening to the stuff?
0:05:58.771,0:06:02.512
I think maybe it's, like,[br]refurbish the clothes
0:06:02.512,0:06:05.163
and get them to look new again.
0:06:05.163,0:06:07.399
What do you think happens to that stuff?
0:06:07.399,0:06:10.836
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
0:06:13.748,0:06:17.468
The only thing we will not do is waste it.
0:06:17.468,0:06:19.186
Bold recycling claims.
0:06:19.186,0:06:22.290
They sound great, but are they really?
0:06:23.439,0:06:27.256
(Flight attendant 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[br]of the world...
0:06:32.591,0:06:34.067
♪ (music) ♪
0:06:34.067,0:06:36.482
With jackets, you always[br]have to check the lining.
0:06:37.063,0:06:40.970
...To meet Elizabeth Cline,[br]an anti-fast fashion crusader.
0:06:40.970,0:06:44.549
Because of what she knows,[br]she only wears used clothes.
0:06:44.549,0:06:47.224
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.
0:06:53.307,0:06:56.967
Especially fast fashion, like,[br]a lot of the fasteners will just break
0:06:57.485,0:06:58.951
and chip really quickly.
0:06:58.951,0:07:01.297
We show her H&M's marketing
0:07:01.297,0:07:05.698
and ask her what she thinks about[br]making new clothes out of your old ones.
0:07:05.698,0:07:08.447
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.
0:07:16.469,0:07:18.470
- 1%?[br]- 1%.
0:07:18.470,0:07:20.373
1%... is recycled?
0:07:21.053,0:07:24.458
If you're talking about recycling[br]in terms of taking fibers
0:07:24.458,0:07:25.615
and breaking them down
0:07:25.615,0:07:28.661
and turning them back[br]into new fibers, it's 1%.
0:07:28.661,0:07:31.450
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?
0:07:32.887,0:07:34.384
Why can't you just do that?
0:07:34.388,0:07:36.887
A lot of our clothes are made[br]out of blended fibers,
0:07:36.887,0:07:41.927
so maybe this is acrylic and wool[br]and cotton mixed together,
0:07:41.927,0:07:45.440
maybe my tights are cotton and elastane.
0:07:45.440,0:07:47.524
That makes it very difficult to recycle.
0:07:47.524,0:07:51.637
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,
0:07:56.091,0:08:00.873
so it weakens the cotton and wool strand[br]and gives you a lesser product.
0:08:00.873,0:08:05.130
Bottom line, the technology[br]just isn't there yet.
0:08:05.130,0:08:08.454
It's way too expensive[br]and too time consuming
0:08:08.454,0:08:10.701
to make new clothes from old ones.
0:08:10.701,0:08:13.417
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.
0:08:27.637,0:08:30.798
It doesn't make the fast fashion[br]system any more sustainable.
0:08:30.798,0:08:33.087
♪ (music) ♪
0:08:33.087,0:08:35.972
Experts agree fast fashion needs to change
0:08:35.972,0:08:38.197
if we really want to make a difference.
0:08:38.817,0:08:41.090
Remember when fashion had four seasons,
0:08:41.090,0:08:43.773
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
0:09:02.899,0:09:06.524
every Monday, Wednesday,[br]Friday, and Sunday.
0:09:06.524,0:09:09.691
That works out to half[br]a billion products a year.
0:09:10.376,0:09:13.832
And it's why H&M's recycling campaign
0:09:13.832,0:09:16.476
makes Claudia Marsales so mad.
0:09:19.198,0:09:23.033
It really is a form of greenwashing.
0:09:23.033,0:09:25.858
She's the head of Markham,[br]Ontario's waste programs.
0:09:25.858,0:09:30.602
One of the few Canadian cities[br]to actually ban textiles from landfills.
0:09:30.602,0:09:33.596
In order for the fast fashion outlets
0:09:33.596,0:09:36.348
to recycle what they make,
0:09:36.348,0:09:40.512
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
0:09:50.731,0:09:52.056
of fast fashion.
0:09:52.056,0:09:56.011
We asked H&M to come on camera[br]and talk about their recycling program.
0:09:56.011,0:09:57.956
They declined, assuring us
0:09:57.956,0:10:01.033
they don't want[br]to encourage a throwaway attitude.
0:10:01.033,0:10:04.403
Their clothes are good quality[br]and made to last.
0:10:04.403,0:10:07.486
And they are working towards[br]a business model where,
0:10:07.486,0:10:10.576
eventually, all their clothes[br]can be recycled.
0:10:10.576,0:10:12.478
At least they're trying?
0:10:14.502,0:10:17.237
Yes, well, but they're a cause[br]of the problem.
0:10:17.237,0:10:21.250
So, fast fashion retailers,
0:10:21.250,0:10:23.537
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.
0:10:26.658,0:10:28.760
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.
0:10:34.706,0:10:36.950
♪ (music) ♪
0:10:36.950,0:10:41.486
And ask some customers one of the things[br]they love most about the program?
0:10:41.486,0:10:42.945
It's the discount.
0:10:42.945,0:10:45.275
That incentive to keep buying.
0:10:45.275,0:10:47.842
I put it in the bin and then[br]they give me the discount.
0:10:47.842,0:10:49.420
I saw it and it's like, oh, snap.
0:10:49.420,0:10:51.267
You know, 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?
0:10:56.450,0:10:58.742
Help me by, you know, saving money
0:10:58.742,0:11:01.270
and help them[br]by providing free clothing for them.
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.
0:11:08.767,0:11:11.942
More than 55,000 tonnes so far,
0:11:11.942,0:11:15.639
but if they're barely making new clothes[br]from your donations,
0:11:15.639,0:11:17.458
where do they all go?
0:11:17.458,0:11:19.140
These shoppers have a theory.
0:11:19.140,0:11:20.140
♪ (music) ♪
0:11:20.140,0:11:22.848
Where do you think those clothes go[br]that you put in H&M?
0:11:23.488,0:11:25.708
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.
0:11:33.225,0:11:34.895
Where do you think that stuff goes?
0:11:34.895,0:11:38.324
- What do you think happens to it?[br]- Hopefully to just some needy people.
0:11:39.214,0:11:40.898
Who still want to be fashionable.
0:11:40.898,0:11:44.375
Many of us think our old clothes[br]are given to the less fortunate.
0:11:44.375,0:11:45.448
Wrong.
0:11:45.448,0:11:47.417
And maybe you're telling yourself that
0:11:47.417,0:11:49.673
to feel better about buying more, too.
0:11:49.673,0:11:51.997
Well, Cline coined a term for this.
0:11:51.997,0:11:54.860
♪ (music) ♪
0:11:54.860,0:11:56.721
What's the clothing deficit myth?
0:11:56.721,0:12:01.464
(chuckle) So, the clothing deficit myth[br]is the idea
0:12:01.464,0:12:04.111
that when we give clothes to charity,
0:12:04.111,0:12:08.930
they're going to go to someone locally[br]in our community in need.
0:12:09.550,0:12:11.405
But in the era of fast fashion,
0:12:12.100,0:12:16.091
there's far more unwanted clothes[br]than there are people in need.
0:12:16.091,0:12:17.905
♪ (music) ♪
0:12:17.905,0:12:20.913
The Salvation Army knows all about that.
0:12:20.913,0:12:25.874
Remember, this is all the stuff[br]they can't sell at their stores.
0:12:25.874,0:12:28.904
So what do they do[br]with all these leftovers?
0:12:28.904,0:12:31.204
They sell it to a middle man.
0:12:31.735,0:12:36.083
And the retailers do the same thing[br]with all your donations too.
0:12:36.083,0:12:41.064
In Canada, H&M gives the money[br]it makes off your donations to UNICEF.
0:12:41.607,0:12:42.774
Here's the thing.
0:12:42.774,0:12:44.684
All textiles are worth money.
0:12:45.217,0:12:48.759
The stuff that's in really rough shape[br]is shredded for painter's cloths
0:12:48.763,0:12:51.849
or insulation, for example, then sold.
0:12:51.849,0:12:56.561
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?
0:13:39.427,0:13:40.488
$5.
0:13:40.953,0:13:43.199
But they come with a huge cost.
0:13:43.489,0:13:46.075
Part of the reason why[br]some fast fashion chains,
0:13:46.075,0:13:49.895
like H&M, say they've got[br]recycling programs like this.
0:13:50.182,0:13:53.056
The Earth simply cannot bear[br]so many clothes
0:13:53.056,0:13:54.866
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.
0:14:03.763,0:14:07.855
The majority of those donations[br]from retailer and charity bins
0:14:07.855,0:14:10.315
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
0:14:33.639,0:14:37.999
All the rest with the black stripes here[br]are from Canada.
0:14:37.999,0:14:39.945
These are a variety of kids clothing.
0:14:40.225,0:14:41.680
This one is a jacket.
0:14:42.073,0:14:43.248
Ladies T-shirts.
0:14:43.850,0:14:46.318
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,
0:15:21.974,0:15:24.714
"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 bails, 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,
0:16:25.822,0:16:29.487
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,
0:16:46.504,0:16:48.834
Elizabeth Cline has seen them, too.
0:16:49.124,0:16:50.134
She's been to Kenya.
0:16:50.324,0:16:52.909
There are a lot of different companies[br]around the world
0:16:52.909,0:16:56.220
that are working on textile recycling[br]in the truest sense of the word,
0:16:56.220,0:16:58.780
but it's really in the very early stages.
0:16:58.780,0:17:01.852
Whether it stays in the United States[br]or if it ends up in Africa,
0:17:01.852,0:17:04.540
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.
0:17:08.576,0:17:10.659
They say its middle man I:CO,
0:17:10.659,0:17:13.319
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.
0:18:02.847,0:18:06.255
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.
0:18:15.274,0:18:17.395
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.
0:18:34.486,0:18:38.528
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.
0:18:43.144,0:18:46.224
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?
0:18:52.797,0:18:56.507
Write to us: Marketplace@cbc.ca.
0:18:59.804,0:19:02.564
The high cost of fashion[br]on your "Marketplace."
0:19:02.957,0:19:04.939
Do you ever impulse buy?[br]Absolutely.
0:19:04.939,0:19:08.197
What was the last thing you bought[br]that now you see, and you're like:
0:19:08.197,0:19:09.445
"What was I thinking?"
0:19:09.445,0:19:10.646
Clothing always.
0:19:10.746,0:19:14.109
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.
0:19:23.021,0:19:25.321
Just looking around [br]and you bought a few things.
0:19:25.321,0:19:29.570
Yes, I bought lots of things:[br]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.
0:19:57.162,0:19:58.285
And sometimes,
0:19:58.285,0:20:00.965
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.
0:20:23.108,0:20:25.052
And I think people at home who see this
0:20:25.052,0:20:27.138
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.
0:20:31.663,0:20:33.352
If it's in really good condition,
0:20:33.352,0:20:35.412
you can take them to a consignment store.
0:20:35.412,0:20:39.500
You can also donate to[br]a reputable charity.
0:20:39.637,0:20:44.448
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.
0:21:04.065,0:21:06.707
Any chance you want to return yours[br]and take these ones?
0:21:06.707,0:21:07.728
No, thank you.
0:21:07.728,0:21:09.939
They're a size small.[br]I wore them, like, twice.
0:21:09.939,0:21:11.059
No, thank you.[br]No? No.
0:21:11.249,0:21:13.350
Do any of you need a pair of pajama pants
0:21:13.350,0:21:15.213
or know someone who might want these?
0:21:16.273,0:21:17.388
I'll take them.[br]T-shirt?
0:21:17.388,0:21:18.570
I'll take them.
0:21:18.570,0:21:20.485
Any chance you want a pair of Levi's?
0:21:20.585,0:21:22.531
Sure, size 6, me.
0:21:22.981,0:21:24.155
Awesome! Awesome.
0:21:24.165,0:21:26.697
There you go and they won't go[br]to a landfill this way.
0:21:26.697,0:21:27.706
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.