THE REVIVAL, founded in 2018 is a community-led design initiative creating awareness and education through the upcycling of textile waste coming from the Global North to Ghana. This project presentation will present research and data from Kantamanto Market, Accra, the largest second hand clothing market in West Africa.

Over 40,000 tonnes of clothes are imported annually and sources estimate that 15 million garments flow through the market on a weekly basis - a large part of these are unwanted, low-quality clothing. Despite second-hand trading activities, 40% of the garments imported still end up in landfills and in water bodies. Nonetheless, the fashion industry’s impact on the Ghanian landscape is both under-researched and under-represented.

THE REVIVAL’s approach consists of rescuing the clothes that will be thrown away into the landfills, upcycling, organizing monthly workshops involving traders from Kantamanto, students from fashion universities and engaging members of the general public in upcycling waste. We want to create a unique environment where consumers become “prosumers”, or creators of their own clothes with the guidance of experienced tailors and designers while learning about the importance of upcycling. Data and hands-on entrepreneurial experience garnered through my work at THE REVIVAL can contribute valuable insight to emerging policy discussions on global Circular Economy.

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Innovation in Product Care

This project presentation will present research and data from Kantamanto Market, Accra, the largest second hand clothing market in West Africa. Over 40,000 tonnes of clothes are imported annually and sources estimate that 15 million garments flow through the market on a weekly basis - a large part of these are unwanted, low-quality clothing.

Despite second-hand trading activities, 40% of the garments imported still end up in landfills and in water bodies. Nonetheless, the fashion industry’s impact on the Ghanian landscape is both under-researched and under-represented. THE REVIVAL’s approach consists of rescuing the clothes that will be thrown away into the landfills, organizing monthly workshops involving traders from Kantamanto, students from fashion universities and engaging members of the general public in upcycling waste.

How we use textile waste to solve problems in agriculture and other industries in our economy. We want to create a unique environment where consumers become “prosumers”, or creators of their own clothes with the guidance of experienced tailors and designers while learning about the importance of upcycling. Data and hands-on entrepreneurial experience garnered through my work at THE REVIVAL can contribute valuable insight to emerging policy discussions on global Circular Economy.