Over the last 20 years, the increasingly rapid changes in fashion trends and demand have resulted in high waste generation. The improper disposal of clothing and the purchase of low-quality clothing items are on the rise, resulting in major environmental issues such as soil pollution, surface water pollution, climate change, and so on.
Pollution of various types is a worldwide concern, but it is particularly severe in Nigeria. With a population of around 200 million people, 24 million metric tons of waste are generated each year, with Lagos State accounting for a sizable portion of that total. Despite the presence of regulatory bodies such as the Lagos State Waste Management Authority (LAWMA), inadequate solid waste management in the form of improper disposal, delayed household waste collection, or a lack of transportation infrastructure for proper waste disposal has grown to become one of the major environmental challenges.
According to reports, Lagos, Africa’s most populous city and Nigeria’s commercial hub, has a population of more than 20 million people. The megacity generates approximately 11,000 tonnes of waste per day, for a per capita waste generation of 2 kg per day.
Another source of concern in the Nigerian fashion industry is the high reliance on imported garments and materials from Asia and the West, which frequently contain traces of hazardous chemicals, as well as the use of plastics and toxic chemical dyes that may include bleach or lye residues that could end up in natural or municipal water sources.
Incorporating sustainable and eco-friendly initiatives at the grassroots level is one way to address the issue.
For instance,
Encouragement of thrifting is one method of addressing the issue of clothing disposal (burning or landfilling). Clothing companies can take the lead by offering incentives to encourage customers to participate in the ownership cycle. Clothing brands can also consider partnering with already established thrift ventures where a “circular economy” is created to allow clothes to be transferred or to create something useful out of these unwanted fabrics or clothing items.
Local sourcing and production are other proponents of these sustainable practices. However, domestic fashion industries cannot meet the demand for clothing and accessories.