Reclaim Textile Network Launches in Accra to Tackle Textile Waste Crisis

Accra: In a bold step towards minimising the textile waste crisis, a new non-governmental organisation, Reclaim Textile Network (RTN), has been launched in Accra to transform discarded textiles into economic opportunities and sustainable fashion solutions. The RTN aims to mobilise secondary and tertiary institutions as well as persons with disability to reduce textile waste through repurposing, upcycling, repair, and education.According to Ghana News Agency, Dr Mrs Christiana Konamah Okai-Mensah, the Founder of RTN, described the initiative as a novelty that sought to clean the environment of waste textiles, harness the creativity of students to enable them to generate income to support their education. Dr Okai-Mensah, also a lecturer at the Accra Technical University, said RTN was a forward-thinking decolonial initiative seeking to engage fashion design, artisans, and community members in building a more circular and environmentally conscious fashion ecosystem in Ghana.Madam Beatrice Arthur, a Sustainabi lity Advocate, highlighted the growing urgency of sustainable practices in the fashion industry in Ghana. She emphasized that networks like RTN could help mend the damage caused by textile waste and create new pathways rooted in circularity, dignity, and indigenous knowledge. She also called on the public to return to the era of mending, repairing, and reusing, as opposed to discarding and rejecting.Madam Leticia Nyaaba, the Acting Director at the Environmental Protection Authority, commended RTN for providing a practical solution to the challenges posed by the second-hand clothing trade. She noted that the initiative supports the government's vision for a circular economy and emphasized the need for more homegrown innovations like RTN to reimagine waste as a resource.The event featured an exhibition of upcycled fashion pieces created by young designers who work with second-hand garments. Guests were treated to a live demonstration of how torn clothing could be transformed into bags, accessories, and cont emporary fashion items. Ghana receives an estimated 15 million garments each week, largely from the Global North, with up to 40 per cent ending up as waste, according to the OR Foundation, which works at the intersection of environmental justice, education and fashion development. Much of this waste is dumped in open spaces, landfills, or waterways, exacerbating urban flooding, environmental degradation, and public health concerns.