A new documentary sheds light on the devastating environmental impact caused by much of the clothes donated to clothing banks and charities in Europe.

Emily Macintosh also explores the efforts to tailor a new European textiles strategy that minimises waste.

With 70% of clothes donated globally shipped to Africa for resale in local markets, the new documentary Textile Mountain explores the impact of increased imports of bales of used clothing to Kenya, known as ‘mitumba’.

In the film, we hear how the quality of the clothing has deteriorated, meaning what cannot be sold by local traders ends up in unregulated dumpsites where there is no proper waste management such as Dandora in Nairobi.

This has severe health and environmental repercussions for local communities whose land and water supplies are clogged up with rotting rags which often seep toxic chemicals.

The documentary was produced by the Irish Environmental Network as part of the Wardrobe Change campaign. You can listen to a Q&A chat with the filmmakers on the EEB’s Facebook to find out more about the production of the film and the issues it raised.

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