WEBVTT 00:00:00.891 --> 00:00:02.057 This is "Marketplace." 00:00:02.435 --> 00:00:03.537 Whoa. 00:00:04.690 --> 00:00:06.472 Pajamas, old dresses. 00:00:06.472 --> 00:00:08.441 Oh, my gosh! 00:00:08.441 --> 00:00:11.411 Where do all your old clothes really end up? 00:00:11.411 --> 00:00:14.680 Ultimately, it is going to end up in a landfill. 00:00:14.680 --> 00:00:16.983 We follow the trail around the world. 00:00:18.884 --> 00:00:21.447 The high cost of fast fashion. 00:00:21.447 --> 00:00:23.171 This is your "Marketplace." 00:00:23.556 --> 00:00:26.859 I'm here checking out some of the biggest fashion chains in the world, 00:00:26.859 --> 00:00:29.362 but I'm not shopping for new clothes. 00:00:29.362 --> 00:00:31.978 I'm actually trying to get rid of some of my old ones. 00:00:33.032 --> 00:00:37.252 So these are my all-time favorite sweatpants from college. 00:00:38.504 --> 00:00:41.248 These, I washed them and they totally shrunk. 00:00:41.569 --> 00:00:43.099 These were also super cheap. 00:00:43.353 --> 00:00:45.056 This is just like an old T-shirt. 00:00:45.812 --> 00:00:47.947 It was black at one point in its life. 00:00:49.613 --> 00:00:51.684 Some retailers are on a mission. 00:00:51.684 --> 00:00:53.487 They want your unwanted clothes, 00:00:53.487 --> 00:00:56.042 and some are competing with charities for it. 00:00:56.922 --> 00:01:00.323 There's a new bin in town and the message is clear: 00:01:00.323 --> 00:01:02.976 Don't throw old clothes in the garbage, 00:01:02.976 --> 00:01:04.396 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. 00:01:11.070 --> 00:01:13.272 Drop off old clothes and get a coupon 00:01:13.272 --> 00:01:15.708 to save money when you buy new ones. 00:01:16.568 --> 00:01:18.911 But before I part with my old clothes, 00:01:18.911 --> 00:01:21.080 I've got a few more questions. 00:01:21.080 --> 00:01:23.983 These bins sure make us all feel good. 00:01:23.983 --> 00:01:26.562 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 --> 00:01:35.187 in Markham, Ontario. 00:01:35.802 --> 00:01:38.306 Somehow, we end up with too many clothes. 00:01:38.605 --> 00:01:39.780 Emily, what's in here? 00:01:39.780 --> 00:01:41.811 Old clothes that are too small for me. 00:01:42.502 --> 00:01:44.637 They purge a few times a year, 00:01:44.637 --> 00:01:46.856 normally dropping their haul in a charity bin. 00:01:47.289 --> 00:01:48.304 Whoa! 00:01:48.617 --> 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 --> 00:01:55.948 It's now a pile of textile waste. 00:01:55.948 --> 00:02:00.083 And we want to show the kids just how big the problem really is. 00:02:03.591 --> 00:02:05.235 Are you guys ready to go inside 00:02:05.235 --> 00:02:07.995 and see what happens to all those clothes that you donate? 00:02:07.995 --> 00:02:09.007 Yes 00:02:09.007 --> 00:02:10.362 All right. Let's go inside. 00:02:12.398 --> 00:02:13.999 Go on in, take a look. 00:02:14.649 --> 00:02:16.685 Whoa! 00:02:21.674 --> 00:02:23.275 Clothes! Clothes! 00:02:23.275 --> 00:02:24.577 That's clothes. 00:02:24.577 --> 00:02:26.345 Clothes. Do you see that? 00:02:26.345 --> 00:02:28.047 Oh, my gosh. 00:02:28.047 --> 00:02:29.481 Clothes! 00:02:29.481 --> 00:02:31.417 That's a crazy pile. 00:02:31.417 --> 00:02:36.355 Charlsie: And get this, all of this is what's leftover, 00:02:36.355 --> 00:02:38.624 the stuff no one wants. 00:02:38.624 --> 00:02:41.660 The stuff that thrift stores can't sell. 00:02:41.660 --> 00:02:43.796 All those clothes you guys piled up yesterday, 00:02:43.796 --> 00:02:46.331 this is where it can end up. 00:02:46.331 --> 00:02:47.966 It's a lot of clothes. 00:02:47.966 --> 00:02:49.935 It wasn't what I was expecting to see. 00:02:49.935 --> 00:02:53.806 Charlsie: One warehouse, more than 200,000 pounds 00:02:53.806 --> 00:02:56.375 of textile waste each week. 00:02:56.375 --> 00:03:00.380 And that's just from in and around Toronto. 00:03:00.380 --> 00:03:03.182 Across the country, we've got nine other locations 00:03:03.182 --> 00:03:04.516 similar to this one. 00:03:04.516 --> 00:03:07.687 The last year or two years, probably a 15 to 20% growth in 00:03:07.687 --> 00:03:10.556 the overall volume of textiles that are coming in. 00:03:10.556 --> 00:03:12.992 Charlsie: Tonny Colyn is the head of donations for 00:03:12.992 --> 00:03:15.261 Salvation Army Canada. 00:03:15.261 --> 00:03:19.198 So, how do you think fast fashion has impacted...this? 00:03:19.198 --> 00:03:20.533 All of this. 00:03:20.533 --> 00:03:22.501 It's had a massive effect. 00:03:22.501 --> 00:03:24.237 And all of that stuff has to go somewhere. 00:03:24.237 --> 00:03:26.272 Charlsie: The dads of these two families, 00:03:26.272 --> 00:03:30.443 Michael Palma and Norman Breton can't believe it. 00:03:30.443 --> 00:03:32.244 Their coats or boots might be okay, 00:03:32.244 --> 00:03:34.947 but they want something new. 00:03:34.947 --> 00:03:37.283 If they need or if they want, it's a big question. 00:03:37.283 --> 00:03:39.819 A lot of times they want stuff but they don't need it. 00:03:39.819 --> 00:03:42.988 Charlsie: Still, we can't seem to get our hands 00:03:42.988 --> 00:03:45.925 on fast fashion fast enough. 00:03:45.925 --> 00:03:48.461 Cheap, trendy, disposable clothes. 00:03:48.461 --> 00:03:50.663 And we're even bragging about it. 00:03:50.663 --> 00:03:52.932 And I ended up with a bag full of clothes. 00:03:52.932 --> 00:03:54.700 Charlsie: We're all buying too much, 00:03:54.700 --> 00:03:57.804 400% more, since the 1980's. 00:03:57.804 --> 00:03:59.638 The quality isn't all that great but the 00:03:59.638 --> 00:04:01.640 prices are fantastic. 00:04:01.640 --> 00:04:03.576 Charlsie: But not all of our old clothes make it 00:04:03.576 --> 00:04:05.144 to the donation bin. 00:04:05.144 --> 00:04:09.949 Most of it, 85%, ends up in landfills. 00:04:09.949 --> 00:04:13.585 In North America, it's estimated to be at least 00:04:13.585 --> 00:04:17.656 25 billion pounds a year. 00:04:17.656 --> 00:04:22.428 In Canada alone, imagine a mountain three times the size of 00:04:22.428 --> 00:04:26.832 Toronto's Rogers Centre Stadium where they don't biodegrade 00:04:26.832 --> 00:04:29.935 easily because many are made with fabrics that can't 00:04:29.935 --> 00:04:32.605 be broken down. 00:04:32.605 --> 00:04:36.675 Releasing chemicals and dyes into our rivers, soil. 00:04:36.675 --> 00:04:40.246 That's part of the reason why fashion is one of the 00:04:40.246 --> 00:04:41.948 world's top polluters. 00:04:45.918 --> 00:04:48.854 So in the last few years, some of the biggest names in the 00:04:48.854 --> 00:04:52.225 business, Levi's, Nike, Adidas, Zara 00:04:52.225 --> 00:04:55.461 have started recycling programs. 00:04:55.461 --> 00:04:58.831 All retailers with donation bins in stores calling out 00:04:58.831 --> 00:05:00.933 for your old garments. 00:05:00.933 --> 00:05:04.370 But none go as far as H&M, they will take anything, 00:05:04.370 --> 00:05:08.874 jeans, curtains, even underwear, just check out their ads. 00:05:08.874 --> 00:05:13.512 The thing that you never wore, this and this and that. 00:05:13.512 --> 00:05:15.848 The thing with the colour that wasn't your colour, 00:05:15.848 --> 00:05:17.450 bring it on. 00:05:17.450 --> 00:05:20.652 Charlsie: This is one of H&M's latest ad campaigns. 00:05:20.652 --> 00:05:24.123 Cut your jeans into pieces and make new jeans out of them. 00:05:24.123 --> 00:05:26.692 Charlsie: "Cut your jeans into pieces 00:05:26.692 --> 00:05:29.228 "and make new jeans out of them." 00:05:29.228 --> 00:05:31.597 With your help, we literally turn your old clothes 00:05:31.597 --> 00:05:33.065 into new garments. 00:05:33.065 --> 00:05:35.902 Charlsie: "We literally turn your old clothes 00:05:35.902 --> 00:05:38.203 "into new garments." 00:05:38.203 --> 00:05:40.039 Garments in the worst condition can be transformed 00:05:40.039 --> 00:05:44.844 into insulation material or textile fibers woven into cloth, 00:05:44.844 --> 00:05:47.079 reborn as fashionable new clothes 00:05:47.079 --> 00:05:49.916 of every conceivable kind. 00:05:49.916 --> 00:05:51.984 Charlsie: What do you think about recycling clothes? 00:05:51.984 --> 00:05:53.553 I think that's amazing. 00:05:53.553 --> 00:05:54.854 That's a great plan. 00:05:54.854 --> 00:05:56.655 Charlsie: We're talking about recycling clothes. 00:05:56.655 --> 00:05:58.324 What does that make you think is happening to the stuff? 00:05:58.324 --> 00:06:02.895 I think maybe it's, like, like, refurbish the clothes 00:06:02.895 --> 00:06:05.264 and, like, get them to look new again. 00:06:05.264 --> 00:06:07.399 Charlsie: What do you think happens to that stuff? 00:06:07.399 --> 00:06:09.001 Doesn't it get recycled to make new clothes 00:06:09.001 --> 00:06:10.836 from the old clothes? 00:06:10.836 --> 00:06:12.839 Let's shred it into fibers and stitch it 00:06:12.839 --> 00:06:14.273 into something new. 00:06:14.273 --> 00:06:17.810 The only thing we will not do it waste it. 00:06:17.810 --> 00:06:19.545 Charlsie: Bold recycling claims. 00:06:19.545 --> 00:06:22.214 They sound great, but are they really? 00:06:22.214 --> 00:06:24.049 [ ♪♪ ] 00:06:24.049 --> 00:06:27.086 [ Flight Attendant Over Intercom ] 00:06:27.086 --> 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. 00:06:32.591 --> 00:06:34.760 [ ♪♪ ] 00:06:34.760 --> 00:06:36.628 With jackets, you always have to check the lining. 00:06:36.628 --> 00:06:38.697 Charlsie: Meet Elizabeth Cline, 00:06:38.697 --> 00:06:41.100 an anti-fast fashion crusader. 00:06:41.100 --> 00:06:44.903 Because of what she knows, she only wears used clothes. 00:06:44.903 --> 00:06:48.140 It's made her a pro at assessing cast-offs. 00:06:48.140 --> 00:06:50.609 On a coat, the first thing you would do is 00:06:50.609 --> 00:06:53.445 make sure the zippers work. 00:06:53.445 --> 00:06:56.982 Especially fast fashion, like a lot of the fasteners will break 00:06:56.982 --> 00:06:58.951 and chip really quickly. 00:06:58.951 --> 00:07:02.188 Charlsie: We show her H&M's marketing and ask her what she 00:07:02.188 --> 00:07:05.891 thinks about making new clothes out of your old ones. 00:07:05.891 --> 00:07:08.527 Shred it into fibers and stitch it into something new. 00:07:08.527 --> 00:07:12.999 The reality is that currently only about 1% of clothing is 00:07:12.999 --> 00:07:16.469 actually recycled and the very literal sense of the word. 00:07:16.469 --> 00:07:17.469 Charlsie: 1%? 00:07:17.469 --> 00:07:18.470 1%. 00:07:18.470 --> 00:07:20.373 Charlsie: 1%...is recycled? 00:07:20.373 --> 00:07:23.642 If you're talking about recycling in terms of taking 00:07:23.642 --> 00:07:26.545 fibers and breaking them down and turning them 00:07:26.545 --> 00:07:29.215 back into new fibers, it's 1%. 00:07:29.215 --> 00:07:31.884 Charlsie: Why is it so hard to just take my old shirt and 00:07:31.884 --> 00:07:34.353 turn it into a new one, why can't you just do is that? 00:07:34.353 --> 00:07:38.190 A lot of our clothes are made out of blended fibers, so maybe 00:07:38.190 --> 00:07:42.161 this is acrylic and wool and cotton mixed together, 00:07:42.161 --> 00:07:45.464 maybe my tights are cotton and elastin, 00:07:45.464 --> 00:07:47.866 that makes it difficult to recycle. 00:07:47.866 --> 00:07:51.637 The other challenge is that when you recycle cotton and wool, 00:07:51.637 --> 00:07:57.076 it diminishes the quality of that material so it weakens the 00:07:57.076 --> 00:08:01.113 cotton and wool strand and gives you a lesser product. 00:08:01.113 --> 00:08:04.950 Charlsie: 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 --> 00:08:11.157 to make new clothes from old ones. 00:08:11.157 --> 00:08:14.493 It's also a more skeptical side of me that knows that the 00:08:14.493 --> 00:08:18.230 reason why H&M is focusing on textile recycling is because 00:08:18.230 --> 00:08:20.900 it's an easy sustainability win for them. 00:08:20.900 --> 00:08:23.802 It doesn't involve them changing their production model at all to 00:08:23.802 --> 00:08:27.840 collect clothes and make sure that they get a second life. 00:08:27.840 --> 00:08:30.676 It doesn't make the fast fashion system anymore sustainable. 00:08:33.345 --> 00:08:36.749 Charlsie: Experts agree fast fashion needs to change if we 00:08:36.749 --> 00:08:39.017 really want to make a difference. 00:08:39.017 --> 00:08:41.486 Remember when fashion had four seasons, 00:08:41.486 --> 00:08:44.023 winter, spring, summer and fall? 00:08:44.023 --> 00:08:47.292 Now the trends change almost every day. 00:08:47.292 --> 00:08:51.030 Here's how this Swedish clothing giant CEO explains it. 00:08:51.030 --> 00:08:54.500 They have new garments coming into the stores almost every day 00:08:54.500 --> 00:08:57.068 so if you go to an H&M store today and come back two days 00:08:57.068 --> 00:09:00.105 later, you will always find something new. 00:09:00.105 --> 00:09:03.275 Charlsie: H&M salespeople tell us new clothes come in 00:09:03.275 --> 00:09:06.812 every Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday. 00:09:06.812 --> 00:09:10.148 That works out to half a billion products a year. 00:09:10.148 --> 00:09:14.186 And it's why H&M's recycling campaign makes 00:09:14.186 --> 00:09:16.255 Claudia Marsales so mad. 00:09:19.458 --> 00:09:23.395 It really is a form of greenwashing. 00:09:23.395 --> 00:09:24.997 Charlsie: She's the head of Markham, Ontario's 00:09:24.997 --> 00:09:27.766 waste programs, one of the few Canadian cities 00:09:27.766 --> 00:09:31.070 to actually ban textiles from landfills. 00:09:31.070 --> 00:09:36.508 In order for the fast fashion outlets to recycle what they 00:09:36.508 --> 00:09:38.177 make, it would take 12 years to recycle 00:09:38.177 --> 00:09:40.512 what they sell in 48 hours. 00:09:40.512 --> 00:09:43.449 Like it's just-- it's just-- so that sort of tells me it's 00:09:43.449 --> 00:09:46.352 really more about foot traffic, marketing, 00:09:46.352 --> 00:09:50.489 greenwashing than about really addressing the broken business 00:09:50.489 --> 00:09:52.424 model of fast fashion. 00:09:52.424 --> 00:09:55.060 >> Charlsie: We asked H&M to come on camera and talk about 00:09:55.060 --> 00:09:56.629 their recycling program. 00:09:56.629 --> 00:09:59.164 They declined, assuring us they don't want to 00:09:59.164 --> 00:10:01.233 encourage a throw-away 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 --> 00:10:10.576 eventually, all their clothes can be recycled. 00:10:10.576 --> 00:10:12.478 >> At least they're trying? 00:10:12.478 --> 00:10:18.784 >> Yes, well, but they're a cause of the problem so fast 00:10:18.784 --> 00:10:22.822 fashion retailers, their business model is the problem. 00:10:22.822 --> 00:10:26.658 They're making too much, they're selling it too cheap, 00:10:26.658 --> 00:10:28.760 it's disposable clothing. 00:10:28.760 --> 00:10:31.730 Doing a bit of back-end recycling and a bit of 00:10:31.730 --> 00:10:34.300 commercials really doesn't address that issue. 00:10:35.200 --> 00:10:37.269 [ ♪♪ ] 00:10:37.269 --> 00:10:39.605 >> Charlsie: And ask some customers one of the things they 00:10:39.605 --> 00:10:41.706 love most about the program? 00:10:41.706 --> 00:10:43.174 It's the discount. 00:10:43.174 --> 00:10:45.878 That incentive to keep buying. 00:10:45.878 --> 00:10:47.412 >> I put it in the bin and then they give me a discount, 00:10:47.412 --> 00:10:48.881 I saw it and it's like oh, snap. 00:10:48.881 --> 00:10:50.282 You know, um, it's a way to, like, 00:10:50.282 --> 00:10:53.452 you know, like, help me and help them at the same time. 00:10:53.452 --> 00:10:55.521 >> Charlsie: What do you mean when you say help you and help 00:10:55.521 --> 00:10:56.755 someone else? 00:10:56.755 --> 00:10:59.358 >> Um, help me by, you know, saving money and help them by 00:10:59.358 --> 00:11:01.293 providing free clothing for them. 00:11:01.293 --> 00:11:04.864 >> We just chuck it in the bin and they did offer, 00:11:04.864 --> 00:11:06.232 like, a $5 discount. 00:11:06.232 --> 00:11:08.767 >> Charlsie: H&M might be collecting your old clothes. 00:11:08.767 --> 00:11:13.905 More than 55,000 tonnes so far, but if they're barely making new 00:11:13.905 --> 00:11:18.109 clothes from your donations, where do they all go? 00:11:18.109 --> 00:11:19.545 These shoppers have a theory. 00:11:20.746 --> 00:11:22.848 Where do you think those clothes go that you put in H&M? 00:11:22.848 --> 00:11:25.951 >> They probably go to, like, people who need them, 00:11:25.951 --> 00:11:29.555 probably like shelters or other places that use the clothes. 00:11:29.555 --> 00:11:31.457 >> Probably give it for free, or something, 00:11:31.457 --> 00:11:33.793 to, like, the people that need it. 00:11:33.793 --> 00:11:34.793 >> Charlsie: Where do you think that stuff goes, 00:11:34.793 --> 00:11:35.861 what do you think happens to it? 00:11:35.861 --> 00:11:37.429 >> Hopefully to just some needy people. 00:11:37.429 --> 00:11:38.997 >> Yeah. >> Mmm-hmm. 00:11:38.997 --> 00:11:40.966 >> Who still want to be fashionable. 00:11:40.966 --> 00:11:43.469 >> Charlsie: Many of us think our old clothes are given to the 00:11:43.469 --> 00:11:44.770 less fortunate. 00:11:44.770 --> 00:11:45.904 Wrong. 00:11:45.904 --> 00:11:48.039 And maybe you're telling yourself that to feel better 00:11:48.039 --> 00:11:50.142 about buying more, too. 00:11:50.142 --> 00:11:52.377 Well, Cline coined a term for this. 00:11:52.377 --> 00:11:55.414 [ ♪♪ ] 00:11:55.414 --> 00:11:57.582 >> Charlsie: What's the clothing deficit myth? 00:11:57.582 --> 00:12:02.954 >> So, the clothing deficit myth is the idea that when we give 00:12:02.954 --> 00:12:06.558 clothes to charity, they're going to go to someone locally 00:12:06.558 --> 00:12:09.094 in our community in need. 00:12:09.094 --> 00:12:13.933 But in the era of fast fashion, there's far more unwanted 00:12:13.933 --> 00:12:16.134 clothes than there are people in need. 00:12:16.134 --> 00:12:18.237 [ ♪♪ ] 00:12:18.237 --> 00:12:21.073 >> Charlsie: The Salvation Army knows all about that. 00:12:21.073 --> 00:12:25.944 Remember, this is all the stuff they can't sell at their stores. 00:12:25.944 --> 00:12:29.314 So what do they do with all these leftovers? 00:12:29.314 --> 00:12:32.017 They sell it-- to a middle man. 00:12:32.017 --> 00:12:34.620 And the retailers do the same thing with all 00:12:34.620 --> 00:12:36.488 your donations, too. 00:12:36.488 --> 00:12:39.958 In Canada, H&M gives the money it makes off your donations 00:12:39.958 --> 00:12:41.827 to UNICEF. 00:12:41.827 --> 00:12:43.094 Here's the thing. 00:12:43.094 --> 00:12:45.364 All textiles are worth money. 00:12:45.364 --> 00:12:48.333 The stuff that's in really rough shape is shredded for painter's 00:12:48.333 --> 00:12:51.970 cloths or insulation, for example, then sold. 00:12:51.970 --> 00:12:56.742 But the majority of all donated clothes are shipped overseas to 00:12:56.742 --> 00:12:59.945 developing countries and they're sold there, too. 00:12:59.945 --> 00:13:02.714 Not donated or given to needy people. 00:13:02.714 --> 00:13:05.650 And if you think that means it's not going to end up in 00:13:05.650 --> 00:13:08.387 landfills, think again. 00:13:10.422 --> 00:13:12.658 We follow the trail of your old tee-shirts. 00:13:12.658 --> 00:13:14.726 Around the world. 00:13:14.726 --> 00:13:16.729 >> The black stripes here are from Canada. 00:13:16.729 --> 00:13:19.664 >> Charlsie: You can't afford to miss this trip. 00:13:19.664 --> 00:13:22.133 This is your "Marketplace." 00:13:22.133 --> 00:13:24.003 [ ♪♪ ] 00:13:25.437 --> 00:13:27.472 >> Charlsie: The real deal on your "Marketplace." 00:13:27.472 --> 00:13:29.341 [ ♪♪ ] 00:13:31.377 --> 00:13:32.944 >> Charlsie: We love our clothes. 00:13:32.944 --> 00:13:36.882 Now so cheap, you can make a different statement every day. 00:13:36.882 --> 00:13:38.684 These things are $3? 00:13:38.684 --> 00:13:40.953 $5. 00:13:40.953 --> 00:13:43.489 But they come with a huge cost. 00:13:43.489 --> 00:13:45.958 Part of the reason why some fast fashion chains, 00:13:45.958 --> 00:13:49.895 like H&M, say they've got recycling programs like this. 00:13:49.895 --> 00:13:53.165 >> The Earth simply cannot bear so many clothes ending their 00:13:53.165 --> 00:13:54.866 lives as waste. 00:13:54.866 --> 00:13:57.636 H&M has a far better answer. 00:13:57.636 --> 00:14:00.239 >> Charlsie: But we learnt less than 1% of the world's 00:14:00.239 --> 00:14:03.442 used clothes are turned into new ones. 00:14:03.442 --> 00:14:07.078 The majority of those donations from retailer and charity bins 00:14:07.078 --> 00:14:10.315 are baled and sold overseas. 00:14:10.315 --> 00:14:12.184 [ ♪♪ ] 00:14:17.856 --> 00:14:21.593 >> This is Nairobi, Kenya, the country at the top of the list 00:14:21.593 --> 00:14:24.663 when it comes to buying your old clothes. 00:14:24.663 --> 00:14:27.733 Kenya is one of Canada's best customers. 00:14:27.733 --> 00:14:31.703 In a given year, they buy more than $20 million worth of our 00:14:31.703 --> 00:14:33.639 old clothes. 00:14:33.639 --> 00:14:35.440 >> All the rest with the black stripes, 00:14:35.440 --> 00:14:37.809 the black stripes here are from Canada. 00:14:37.809 --> 00:14:39.945 These are a variety of kids clothing. 00:14:39.945 --> 00:14:41.680 This one is a jacket. 00:14:41.680 --> 00:14:43.248 Ladies tee-shirts. 00:14:43.248 --> 00:14:46.318 >> Charlsie: Maina Andrew is a used clothing importer. 00:14:46.318 --> 00:14:48.152 >> People from Canada and America, 00:14:48.152 --> 00:14:51.656 they are actually a bit huge. 00:14:51.656 --> 00:14:53.659 >> Charlsie: Scenes like this aren't isolated. 00:14:53.659 --> 00:14:57.963 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, 00:15:01.433 --> 00:15:06.204 only for it to be sold here for profit to vendors like 00:15:06.204 --> 00:15:10.676 Alice Nyansarora Anunda, who brings it to her local market. 00:15:10.676 --> 00:15:15.647 They call the clothes, "Mitumba." 00:15:15.647 --> 00:15:21.520 >> No, that one, it's just a nickname we gave it, 00:15:21.520 --> 00:15:24.957 "Mitumba" means, "Old" in our culture. 00:15:24.957 --> 00:15:27.993 >> Charlsie: 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 --> 00:15:40.906 >> The way we open bales, we know plans where there's new 00:15:40.906 --> 00:15:45.410 clothes, especially those which come from Canada. 00:15:45.410 --> 00:15:47.712 >> Charlsie: But Andrew notices many of the clothes are low 00:15:47.712 --> 00:15:50.015 quality, tough to sell. 00:15:50.015 --> 00:15:51.149 >> We just dump them. 00:15:51.149 --> 00:15:52.817 If people don't buy them, we just dump them. 00:15:52.817 --> 00:15:54.687 [ ♪♪ ] 00:16:02.828 --> 00:16:05.196 >> They do go in the piles of garbage, 00:16:05.196 --> 00:16:07.833 very many of them. 00:16:09.734 --> 00:16:12.371 >> Charlsie: He says this happens regularly right behind 00:16:12.371 --> 00:16:16.074 the market, discarding and burning clothes Canadians don't 00:16:16.074 --> 00:16:19.611 want 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, 00:16:25.050 --> 00:16:29.487 and they end up dumping them in Africa or in Kenya. 00:16:29.487 --> 00:16:31.357 [ ♪♪ ] 00:16:36.461 --> 00:16:39.398 >> Yeah, we burn them and it is a lost work because we have 00:16:39.398 --> 00:16:40.698 already bought them. 00:16:40.698 --> 00:16:42.568 [ ♪♪ ] 00:16:44.036 --> 00:16:46.504 >> Charlsie: All those popular brands in the crowded markets, 00:16:46.504 --> 00:16:49.274 Elizabeth Cline has seen them, too. 00:16:49.274 --> 00:16:50.608 She's been to Kenya. 00:16:50.608 --> 00:16:52.411 >> There are a lot of different companies around the world that 00:16:52.411 --> 00:16:55.780 are working on textile recycling in the truest sense of the word, 00:16:55.780 --> 00:16:58.350 but it's really in the very early stages. 00:16:58.350 --> 00:17:01.119 Whether it stays in the United States or if it ends up in 00:17:01.119 --> 00:17:04.790 Africa, ultimately it is going to end up in the landfill. 00:17:04.790 --> 00:17:07.258 >> Charlsie: We tell H&M about this Kenyan market 00:17:07.258 --> 00:17:08.794 and all the fires. 00:17:08.794 --> 00:17:11.896 They say its middle man I:CO, which handles pickup and 00:17:11.896 --> 00:17:14.932 distribution of their bins, has really high standards. 00:17:14.933 --> 00:17:17.536 But they are still working on building a better tracking 00:17:17.536 --> 00:17:20.738 system 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 tee-shirt, they sell the tee-shirt, 00:17:33.218 --> 00:17:37.455 the tee-shirt comes back, they have to recycle that tee-shirt. 00:17:37.455 --> 00:17:39.691 They can't put it in a third world country. 00:17:39.691 --> 00:17:41.459 >> As far as South Africa is concerned, 00:17:41.459 --> 00:17:43.228 we banned secondhand clothing. 00:17:43.228 --> 00:17:46.498 >> When a country survives on secondhand things, 00:17:46.498 --> 00:17:48.566 secondhand clothes, it means there's something wrong with 00:17:48.566 --> 00:17:49.968 that system. 00:17:49.968 --> 00:17:52.370 >> Threatening the survival of the local textiles industry. 00:17:52.370 --> 00:17:54.239 >> Charlsie: And now many of those countries 00:17:54.239 --> 00:17:55.907 are fighting back. 00:17:55.907 --> 00:17:59.144 East African countries sent the world a message recently. 00:17:59.144 --> 00:18:01.279 They don't want our hand-me-downs and 00:18:01.279 --> 00:18:02.847 tried to ban them. 00:18:02.847 --> 00:18:04.349 Their government said it was destroying 00:18:04.349 --> 00:18:06.385 their own textile market. 00:18:06.385 --> 00:18:09.587 >> Secondhand clothes are quite cheap and any manufactured 00:18:09.587 --> 00:18:13.525 textile would not be able to compete with them. 00:18:15.026 --> 00:18:17.395 >> Charlsie: And despite everything you just watched, 00:18:17.395 --> 00:18:20.231 Cline says H&M group is a frontrunner in 00:18:20.231 --> 00:18:22.000 sustainability efforts. 00:18:22.000 --> 00:18:24.035 Compared to other brands, they are leaders. 00:18:24.035 --> 00:18:27.072 I don't know what that says about the rest of the fashion 00:18:27.072 --> 00:18:29.107 industry, that a fast fashion chain is 00:18:29.107 --> 00:18:30.675 at the top of that list. 00:18:30.675 --> 00:18:33.578 Just know that your textile waste is an environmental issue. 00:18:33.578 --> 00:18:36.648 Textile waste in landfills is one of the fastest growing 00:18:36.648 --> 00:18:40.752 categories of waste, and it's such an easy thing to do 00:18:40.752 --> 00:18:42.120 something about. 00:18:42.120 --> 00:18:46.224 >> Charlsie: So what should you do with all your old clothes? 00:18:46.224 --> 00:18:50.362 The answers, coming right up. 00:18:50.362 --> 00:18:52.797 Do you have a story you want us to investigate? 00:18:52.797 --> 00:18:56.235 Write to us, Marketplace@cbc.ca. 00:18:57.068 --> 00:18:58.803 [ ♪♪ ] 00:18:59.804 --> 00:19:02.040 >> The high cost of fashion on your "Marketplace." 00:19:03.008 --> 00:19:04.409 Do you ever impulse buy? 00:19:04.409 --> 00:19:05.677 >> Absolutely. 00:19:05.677 --> 00:19:07.279 >> Charlsie: What was the last thing you bought that now you 00:19:07.279 --> 00:19:08.380 see, and you're like, "What was I thinking?" 00:19:08.380 --> 00:19:09.781 >> Clothing always. 00:19:09.781 --> 00:19:12.851 >> Charlsie: On average, we buy almost 70 clothing items 00:19:12.851 --> 00:19:14.286 every year. 00:19:14.286 --> 00:19:17.188 That means we're buying new clothes every week. 00:19:17.188 --> 00:19:19.123 What did you buy? 00:19:19.123 --> 00:19:20.792 >> A lot of stuff. 00:19:20.792 --> 00:19:21.960 >> Charlsie: Did you need anything? 00:19:21.960 --> 00:19:23.161 >> No. 00:19:23.161 --> 00:19:25.029 >> Charlsie: Just looking around and you bought a few things. 00:19:25.029 --> 00:19:26.164 >> Yes, I bought lots of things. 00:19:26.164 --> 00:19:29.534 Leggings, shirts, socks, underwear. 00:19:29.534 --> 00:19:31.736 >> Charlsie: Most of these styles will end up trashed 00:19:31.736 --> 00:19:33.504 in landfill. 00:19:33.504 --> 00:19:36.141 Fast fashion is a big part of the problem, 00:19:36.141 --> 00:19:38.676 but we don't have to buy in. 00:19:38.676 --> 00:19:43.415 So this is 50% polyester, 50% cotton. 00:19:43.415 --> 00:19:45.950 It's really hard to separate those fibers and make new stuff. 00:19:45.950 --> 00:19:47.185 >> You bet. 00:19:47.185 --> 00:19:48.719 >> Charlsie: Do you know how many litres of water goes into 00:19:48.719 --> 00:19:50.355 making a single pair of jeans? 00:19:50.355 --> 00:19:51.589 Almost 4,000 litres. 00:19:51.589 --> 00:19:53.025 >> Wow. >> Whoo. 00:19:53.025 --> 00:19:54.325 >> That's crazy. 00:19:54.325 --> 00:19:57.162 [ ♪♪ ] 00:19:57.162 --> 00:19:59.398 >> Charlsie: And sometimes just seeing the waste 00:19:59.398 --> 00:20:00.965 makes a difference. 00:20:00.965 --> 00:20:03.802 These families swear they'll change their ways. 00:20:03.802 --> 00:20:05.804 >> They want to look at the cute things, 00:20:05.804 --> 00:20:07.872 things that look good but not necessarily good quality. 00:20:07.872 --> 00:20:10.809 >> We have to-- we try to teach them to use their stuff until 00:20:10.809 --> 00:20:12.376 it's worn out. 00:20:12.376 --> 00:20:14.912 >> Charlsie: Speaking of waste and consumption, 00:20:14.912 --> 00:20:18.183 I've still got my bag of clothes to get rid of. 00:20:18.183 --> 00:20:21.086 I don't really know where the best place is to go 00:20:21.086 --> 00:20:23.188 with my stuff. 00:20:23.188 --> 00:20:25.189 And I think people at home who see this are probably going to 00:20:25.189 --> 00:20:26.491 have the same question. 00:20:26.491 --> 00:20:29.994 >> Some people like to swap the clothes, 00:20:29.994 --> 00:20:31.663 so that's the first line of defence. 00:20:31.663 --> 00:20:33.298 If it's in really good condition, 00:20:33.298 --> 00:20:34.932 you can take them to a consignment store. 00:20:34.932 --> 00:20:39.637 You can also donate to a reputable charity. 00:20:39.637 --> 00:20:44.242 Do your research on who you're giving your clothing to. 00:20:44.242 --> 00:20:47.379 Don't buy so much. 00:20:47.379 --> 00:20:49.180 >> Charlsie: So bottom line, when it comes to your used 00:20:49.180 --> 00:20:52.384 clothing, don't throw it away, try and give it to somebody who 00:20:52.384 --> 00:20:53.652 can actually use it. 00:20:53.652 --> 00:20:56.254 Hey, girls, does anybody need a tee-shirt? 00:20:56.254 --> 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 --> 00:21:04.195 >> I think I'm okay. 00:21:04.195 --> 00:21:05.297 >> Charlsie: Any chance you want to return yours and 00:21:05.297 --> 00:21:06.297 take these ones. 00:21:06.297 --> 00:21:07.298 >> No, thank you. 00:21:07.298 --> 00:21:08.299 >> Charlsie: They're a size small. 00:21:08.299 --> 00:21:09.367 I wore them, like, twice. 00:21:09.367 --> 00:21:10.368 >> No, thank you. 00:21:10.368 --> 00:21:11.669 >> Charlsie: No? >> No. 00:21:11.669 --> 00:21:13.070 >> Charlsie: Do any of you need a pair of pajama pants or know 00:21:13.070 --> 00:21:15.573 someone who might want these? 00:21:15.573 --> 00:21:17.208 >> I'll take them. >> Charlsie: Tee shirt? 00:21:17.208 --> 00:21:18.310 >> I'll take them. 00:21:18.310 --> 00:21:20.445 >> Charlsie: Any chance you want a pair of Levi's? 00:21:20.445 --> 00:21:22.981 >> Sure, size 6, me. 00:21:22.981 --> 00:21:24.215 >> Charlsie: Awesome! >> Awesome. 00:21:24.215 --> 00:21:25.216 >> Charlsie: There you go and they won't go 00:21:25.216 --> 00:21:26.217 to landfill this way. 00:21:26.217 --> 00:21:27.886 >> No. 00:21:27.886 --> 00:21:30.355 >> Charlsie: Maybe there is no perfect solution to this 00:21:30.355 --> 00:21:31.923 complicated problem. 00:21:31.923 --> 00:21:34.425 But if there's something I've learned throughout this process, 00:21:34.425 --> 00:21:36.561 it's that there is something I can do and, 00:21:36.561 --> 00:21:40.832 for me, that will mean buying less. 00:21:40.832 --> 00:21:43.834 [ ♪♪ ] 00:21:43.834 --> 00:21:47.139 >> Announcer: A special, year long Marketplace investigation. 00:21:47.139 --> 00:21:50.708 We go undercover, inside nursing homes. 00:21:50.708 --> 00:21:53.077 >> I was... 00:21:53.077 --> 00:21:55.514 >> Announcer: Families fighting for better care. 00:21:55.514 --> 00:21:58.683 >> Die, die... 00:21:58.683 --> 00:21:59.918 >> Woman: My poor mother. 00:21:59.918 --> 00:22:02.887 >> Announcer: 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 --> 00:22:11.363 that day care would be shut down in five minutes. 00:22:11.363 --> 00:22:13.898 >> Announcer: How to fight for better care, 00:22:13.898 --> 00:22:16.101 On the next Marketplace.