Your donated clothes might end up here - Climate Connections

Summary3 min read

Episode Overview

Title: Your donated clothes might end up here
Host: Dr. Anthony Leiserowitz
Date: April 29, 2026
Podcast: Climate Connections by the Yale Center for Environmental Communication

In this brief but impactful episode, Dr. Anthony Leiserowitz explores the global journey of donated clothing, focusing on the enormous Kantamanto Market in Ghana. The story highlights the unintended environmental and social consequences of secondhand clothing exports, with a special focus on local innovation aimed at reducing textile waste.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. The Global Flow of Used Clothing (00:01-00:18)

Dr. Anthony Leiserowitz sets the scene by pointing out that when we donate clothes, we often don't realize where they end up.
Millions of secondhand garments arrive at Kantamanto Market in Ghana each week from across the world.

Quote:

"When you toss an old T-shirt into a donation bin, it may end up at Kantamanto Market in Ghana."
– Dr. Anthony Leiserowitz [00:03]

2. The Trader’s Gamble and the Scale of Waste (00:18-00:28)

Traders at Kantamanto purchase giant bales of clothing without knowing the specific contents, hoping for enough sellable items.
This uncertainty leads to significant textile waste when unsellable items are discovered.

Quote:

"Traders buy these clothes in tightly packed bales without knowing exactly what is inside, hoping that there will be enough items that will be good to sell."
– Dr. Anthony Leiserowitz [00:18]

3. Environmental and Health Impacts of Textile Waste (00:28-00:44)

Yaira Agbofa, a longtime Kantamanto seller and market regular, describes how much of the clothing sent to Ghana becomes waste.
Waste clothing accumulates in landfills, pollutes waterways, or is burned, emitting harmful pollution that affects both the environment and local communities’ health.

Quote:

"Much of what comes to Kantamanto ends up as waste. Some is sent to landfills, some washes into waterways and some is burned, which emits pollution that harms the climate and people's health."
– Yaira Agbofa (summarized by Dr. Leiserowitz) [00:28]

4. Local Innovation: The Revival Non-Profit (00:44-01:12)

In response, Yaira Agbofa founded The Revival, a nonprofit organization that gives discarded textiles a second life.
- The group trains young female porters to repair or upcycle used clothes into functional goods like backpacks or rugs.
This initiative shows how creative, grassroots solutions can empower local entrepreneurs and reduce pollution.

Quote:

"The group trains young women who work as porters at the market to repair clothes or transform textile waste into other goods such as backpacks or rugs."
– Dr. Anthony Leiserowitz [00:53]

5. The Need for Rethinking Fashion (01:12-01:20)

Agbofa emphasizes that while community efforts matter, the bigger solution depends on systemic change in the fashion industry and consumer behavior.
Future sustainability must hinge on making better use of existing materials, not producing more.

Notable Quote:

"The future of fashion cannot be about producing more. It has to be about using what we already have."
– Yaira Agbofa [01:12]

Memorable Moments & Quotes

Dr. Leiserowitz’s opening insight connecting everyday choices with their global consequences [00:01-00:18]
The summary of environmental harms and the positive grassroots approach led by Agbofa [00:28-01:12]
Agbofa's call to action about the future of fashion [01:12]

Key Takeaways

Most donated clothes sent abroad, especially to West Africa, do not end up reused—they often become waste, polluting the environment and harming health.
Grassroots solutions like those by The Revival can have a significant local impact by upcycling and empowering women.
Widespread solutions require major shifts in both industry practice and consumer behavior, focusing on reuse over continuous production.

For More Information

Visit climateconnections.org for additional stories and resources on climate change.

This episode succinctly illustrates the unintended consequences of fast fashion and highlights both local resilience and the need for systemic change.

Loading summary

Transcript5 lines

[00:02]
A
I'm Dr. Anthony Lyzewitz and this is Climate Connections. When you toss an old T shirt into a donation bin, it may end up at Kantamanto Market in Ghana. Each week, millions of second hand items arrive there from around the world.
[00:18]
B
Traders buy these clothes in tightly packed bales without knowing exactly what is inside, hoping that there will be enough items that will be good to sell.
[00:28]
A
Yaira Agbofa grew up shopping at the market and has worked there as a seller. He says much of what comes to Kantamanto ends up as waste. Some is sent to landfills, some washes into waterways and some is burned which emits pollution that harms the climate and people's health. So Agbofa founded the Revival, a non profit that turns discarded garments into usable products. The group trains young women who work as porters at the market to repair clothes or transform textile waste into other goods such as backpacks or rugs. Agbofa says these creative solutions help reduce textile pollution and empower new entrepreneurs. But solving the problem on a larger scale will require bigger changes to the fashion industry and people's buying habits.
[01:12]
B
The future of fashion cannot be about producing more. It has to be about using what we already have.
[01:21]
A
Climate Connections is produced by the Yale center for Environmental Communication. To learn more about climate change, visit climateconnections.org.

Episode Overview

Title: Your donated clothes might end up here
Host: Dr. Anthony Leiserowitz
Date: April 29, 2026
Podcast: Climate Connections by the Yale Center for Environmental Communication

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. The Global Flow of Used Clothing (00:01-00:18)

Dr. Anthony Leiserowitz sets the scene by pointing out that when we donate clothes, we often don't realize where they end up.
Millions of secondhand garments arrive at Kantamanto Market in Ghana each week from across the world.

Quote:

"When you toss an old T-shirt into a donation bin, it may end up at Kantamanto Market in Ghana."
– Dr. Anthony Leiserowitz [00:03]

2. The Trader’s Gamble and the Scale of Waste (00:18-00:28)

Traders at Kantamanto purchase giant bales of clothing without knowing the specific contents, hoping for enough sellable items.
This uncertainty leads to significant textile waste when unsellable items are discovered.

Quote:

"Traders buy these clothes in tightly packed bales without knowing exactly what is inside, hoping that there will be enough items that will be good to sell."
– Dr. Anthony Leiserowitz [00:18]

3. Environmental and Health Impacts of Textile Waste (00:28-00:44)

Yaira Agbofa, a longtime Kantamanto seller and market regular, describes how much of the clothing sent to Ghana becomes waste.
Waste clothing accumulates in landfills, pollutes waterways, or is burned, emitting harmful pollution that affects both the environment and local communities’ health.

Quote:

"Much of what comes to Kantamanto ends up as waste. Some is sent to landfills, some washes into waterways and some is burned, which emits pollution that harms the climate and people's health."
– Yaira Agbofa (summarized by Dr. Leiserowitz) [00:28]

4. Local Innovation: The Revival Non-Profit (00:44-01:12)

In response, Yaira Agbofa founded The Revival, a nonprofit organization that gives discarded textiles a second life.
- The group trains young female porters to repair or upcycle used clothes into functional goods like backpacks or rugs.
This initiative shows how creative, grassroots solutions can empower local entrepreneurs and reduce pollution.

Quote:

"The group trains young women who work as porters at the market to repair clothes or transform textile waste into other goods such as backpacks or rugs."
– Dr. Anthony Leiserowitz [00:53]

5. The Need for Rethinking Fashion (01:12-01:20)

Agbofa emphasizes that while community efforts matter, the bigger solution depends on systemic change in the fashion industry and consumer behavior.
Future sustainability must hinge on making better use of existing materials, not producing more.

Notable Quote:

"The future of fashion cannot be about producing more. It has to be about using what we already have."
– Yaira Agbofa [01:12]

Memorable Moments & Quotes

Dr. Leiserowitz’s opening insight connecting everyday choices with their global consequences [00:01-00:18]
The summary of environmental harms and the positive grassroots approach led by Agbofa [00:28-01:12]
Agbofa's call to action about the future of fashion [01:12]

Key Takeaways

Most donated clothes sent abroad, especially to West Africa, do not end up reused—they often become waste, polluting the environment and harming health.
Grassroots solutions like those by The Revival can have a significant local impact by upcycling and empowering women.
Widespread solutions require major shifts in both industry practice and consumer behavior, focusing on reuse over continuous production.

For More Information

Visit climateconnections.org for additional stories and resources on climate change.

This episode succinctly illustrates the unintended consequences of fast fashion and highlights both local resilience and the need for systemic change.